American Statistical
Association
IAOS conferenceShanghai October 2008
The role of national statistical societiesProfessor Denise Lievesley
ISI andKing’s College London
American Statistical
Association
Three parts
• The roles and activities of the three largest statistical societies (ISI (incorporating IAOS) , ASA, RSS)
• The role of the ISI in relation to the developing world
• Establishing new statistical societies across the world
American Statistical
Association
All three societies have missions, visions and strategic plans
ASA mission• Support excellence in statistical practice,
research, journals, and meetings • Work for the improvement of statistical
education at all levels • Promote the proper application of statistics • Anticipate and meet the needs of our
members • Use our discipline to enhance human welfare • Seek opportunities to advance the statistics
profession
American Statistical
Association
RSS purpose
• Nurture the discipline of statistics by publishing a Journal, organising meetings, setting and maintaining professional standards, accrediting university courses and operating examinations.
• Promote the discipline of statistics by disseminating and encouraging statistical knowledge and good practice with both producers and consumers of statistics, and in society at large.
• Provide effective and efficient services to our members which support their professional and academic interests and their endeavours to advance the other objectives of the Society.
American Statistical
Association
The ISI will pursue its mission by
• promoting excellence in statistical research and research training;
• promoting excellence in statistical education;• promoting excellence in the practice of Statistics;• supporting the international statistical community in
promoting the establishment and maintenance of sound statistical institutions;
• fostering the appreciation in governments and the public at large of the true value of Statistics and statistical methods to all aspects of human endeavour
• facilitating collaboration among diverse groups of ISI members, and among statistical societies and other national and international organisations having statistical interests;
• providing coordinating services, such as a broad-based website, the biennial Sessions, appropriate publications, promotion of professional standards, outreach programs, and affiliation with other international bodies;
• continually evolving and developing new initiatives to maintain leadership of an evolving discipline in changing environments.
American Statistical
Association
Sources of funds
individual membership feesinstitutional and corporate feessales of journals and booksconference registrationgrants and subventionssponsorshiprental of accommodationexamination feescharges for ‘professionalservices’gifts and legaciessales of ‘souvenirs’interest on investments‘in kind’ support
American Statistical
Association
Main categories of expenditure
staff salaries/ pensionsother staff costsaccommodation costsIT, telephone etc office costsprinting and postage for journals and newsletterstranslationsimultaneous interpretationconference accommodationlegal costssupport for volunteerssupport for poorer members
American Statistical
Association
challenges
• Finance• Lack of flexibility over expenditure• Electronic journals – who pays?• Continuity and sustainability when
depending upon volunteers• Greater support for developing country
statisticians• Involving younger people in the
societies• Tension re. people representing
organisations v. being there in their own professional right
• How to reach isolated statisticians• The term statistics itself can be
restricting
American Statistical
Association
Integration of statistics
• Across users and producers• Across educators and employers• Across practitioners and theoreticians
Through NewslettersJournalsIntegrated conferencesRegular scientific programmeSocial activities Balance between general and special
activities, and between national and local activities
American Statistical
Association
Education
- providing training- running exams- certification of statisticians- authentication of courses- meetings of young statisticians- holding competitions- awarding prizes, and scholarships- mentoring systems- career fairs- publicising job opportunities
American Statistical
Association
Professional activities
• Ethics committees/ committees on issues of public interest
• Professional ethics/ codes of conduct• Training on ethics • Environment in which people can
discuss problems• Mentoring• Public statements on issues of public
interest• Condemnation? Elimination of
members?
American Statistical
Association
ISI declaration on professional ethics
• http://isi.cbs.nl/ethics
• highlights the tensions, even inherent conflicts, between the different goals
• sensitises statisticians to the issues • informs the debate • advocates the discussion of ethical dilemmas • encourages openness in relation to the decisions• Discusses obligations to
– society– funders and employers– colleagues– subjects of our research
• Currently being reviewed
American Statistical
Association
Route to users?
• Affiliated Users Forum • Specialist user groups• Consultation mechanisms• Nominating representatives to
committees
American Statistical
Association
outreach
• Training for journalists• Prizes for good media coverage of
statistical issues• Press releases• Training in communication for
statisticians• Production of statistical magazines• Press office• Scientific spokesman
American Statistical
Association
Other activities
• Proving information about new statistical products and services
• Providing lists of potential consultants• Web developments for networking• Building relationships with sister
societies
American Statistical
Association
Role of the ISI vis à vis developing countries
• Representing the profession at the UN and UNESCO• Reduced fees for developing country participants (but
still expensive – can pay in UNESCO coupons)• Competitions/prizes for developing country
statisticians• Mahalanobis prize• Regional committees • Improving membership from developing country
statisticians• Increasing participation of developing country
statisticians in conferences, committees etc• Ensuring the topics addressed are of relevance to
developing world• Hosting meetings and conferences in developing
countries• Women in statistics committee• Briefing sessions for heads of NSOs • Mainstreaming developing country statistical issues
American Statistical
Association
ISI family
• ISI elected body• Sections
– Survey Statisticians IASS– Official Statistics IAOS including SCORUS– Environmetrics TIES– Statistical Computing IASC– Statistical Education IASE including statistical literacy– Business and Industrial Statistics ISBIS– Bernoulli for theoretical statistics and probability
• Committees– Risk– Life sciences– Women in statistics– Agricultural statistics– Sports statistics– Tourism statistics– Financial statistics (Irving Fisher)– Ethics– History of statistics– Young statisticians
American Statistical
Association
ISI wants to do more
• Proposal to organise and support a meeting with other societies to help– New statistical societies in developing
countries get established in a sustainable way
– Existing statistical societies to expand activities, and enhance their influence
– Network these societies and explore what needs to be done at regional level
– Review how this network relates to the ISI and other international, regional and national societies of relevance to statistics
American Statistical
Association
What more should the ISI do?
• Blank slide for your ideas?