VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT 2010
Roderick J. Little
T
he economic crises of 2008 will long be remembered— community is heard. I am optimistic about the future of the associ-
our pocketbooks are lighter, those still with a job feel for- ation. It is an honor to have the chance to serve as vice president.
tunate, and as a board member of my local orchestra, I
Present Positions: Professor, Departments of Biostatistics and
know the pain suffered by nonprofits like the ASA. For me, the
Statistics, University of Michigan, 1993–; Chair, Institute for
economic slump highlighted the larger role that statisticians
Social Research, 2007–; Richard D. Remington Collegiate
should be playing in our lives. Naseem Taleb’s book The Black
Professor of Biostatistics, 2002–
Swan pointed out the limitations of financial models, predicted
the current woes, and advocated a skeptical empiricism that is at Former Positions: Research Professor, Institute for Social Research,
the heart of statistics. On other fronts, elections and censuses are 1993–2002; Associate Professor and Professor, Department
Little
fraught with statistical issues, and the central role of statistics in of Biomathematics, UCLA, 1983–1993; ASA/Census/ NSF
medicine and public health is clear, whether it is in developing Research Fellow, U.S. Census Bureau, 1982–1983; Expert
better treatments, promoting healthy lifestyles, or making medical Consultant, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1980–
practice more effective and less costly. 1982; Scientific Associate, World Fertility Survey, International
Statistical Institute, 1976–1980; Research Associate, Department
These themes all emerged in the 2008 Joint Statistical Meetings
of Statistics, University of Chicago, 1974–1976
(JSM). It was a banner year, and I have attended every JSM since
1980! For me, JSM is an essential annual pilgrimage to meet old
Degrees: PhD, Statistics, Imperial College, University of London,
friends and feel guilt after an unproductive year or satisfaction
1974; MSc, Statistics, Imperial College, University of London,
after a good one. With increasing specialization, JSM provides
1972; BA, Mathematics, Cambridge University, 1971
a great opportunity to assemble and experience the diversity of
Fields of Major Statistical Activity: Methods for the analysis of
our profession.
complex sample survey data and data with missing values and
The ASA has formed the hub of a statistical wheel that has taken
applications of statistics to public health, medicine, government,
me many places, including the World Fertility Survey, the larg-
psychology, psychiatry, and the social sciences
est social science project of its time; government statistics at the
Publications: “Pattern Mixture Models for Multivariate Incomplete
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Census Bureau, and
Data,” JASA, 1993; Statistical Analysis With Missing Data, 2nd
National Academies panels; academia as a statistical methodolo-
edition, Wiley, 2002 (with Donald Rubin); “To Model or Not
gist, collaborative researcher, teacher, and biostatistics department
to Model? Competing Modes of Inference for Finite Population
chair; and industry as a statistical consultant. With experience in
Sampling,” JASA, 2004; 223 publications (150 refereed) in JASA
academic, government, and industrial statistics, I have a broad per-
(26), JRSS (10), Biometrics (10), Journal of Official Statistics (8),
spective on the activities of ASA members and their needs.
Biometrika (6), Statistics in Medicine (6), The American Statistician
The central role of the ASA is to provide the collective glue for our
(5), Econometrica, IEEE Transactions, International Statistical
endeavors and to champion the role of statistical thinking in the
Review, JBES, JEBS, Population Studies, Psychological Methods,
world. A key reason for running for vice president is to help ensure
Sociological Methods and Research, Statistical Science, Survey
the association thrives by staying relevant and thereby attracting
Methodology, and various medical journals
and retaining young statisticians as members.
ASA Activities and Offices Held: JSM President’s Invited Address,
All of us used to receive JASA, a great journal that provided a col-
2006; Wilks Award, 2006; Fellow, 1985; Board of Directors, 1993–
lective focus, even though many members did not read it! I was
1994; Coordinating and Applications Editor, JASA, 1992–1994;
editorial representative on the ASA Board when getting JASA was
Associate Editor, 1980–1986, 1988–1992, 2002–2008; Chair, Survey
made an elective choice; as editor of JASA at the time, my smile
Research Methods Section, 2009; Program Chair, 1995; Committee
was a bit forced, but it was the right choice. Now with electronic
on Tutorials, 1984–1986; Caucus of Academic Representatives,
journals, many can access ASA journals online without joining the
2008; Committee on Fellows, 2005–2007 (Chair 2007); COPSS
association. The ASA needs to continue to support and expand its
Presidents’ Award Committee, 2000–2002; Constitutional Review
journals as central to its educational mission, accepting that they
Committee, 1996–1998; Energy Statistics, 1986–1990; Working
are unlikely to be a source of significant future revenue.
Group on Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1986–1991
JSM continues to thrive, but not everyone likes large meetings. I sup-
Related Professional Activities: Research on Child Abuse and
port the ASA’s efforts to provide more specialized meetings, webinars,
Neglect Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 1992–1993;
and continuing education activities. Attracting American students
Evaluation of National Assessment of Educational Progress
into statistics through secondary school education and advocating to
Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 1996–1998; National
undergraduates is also important, and I have enjoyed doing some of
Statistics Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 1996–2002;
this on behalf of my department. We also need to accelerate efforts Review of 2000 Census Committee, National Academy of Sciences,
to open government statistics jobs to noncitizens so government 1998–2000; System for Protecting Human Research Subjects
agencies can benefit from the talents of our many superb students Committee, National Academy of Sciences, 2000–2002; Coverage
from abroad. We need to continually seek ways to provide concrete Evaluation in 2010 Census Committee, National Academy
services to members with continuing education, job services, profes- of Sciences, 2004–2008; Regional Committee, Eastern North
sional networking, and our section and chapter activities. American Region, International Biometrics Society, 2003–2006;
Federal Advisory Committee, National Children’s Study, 2002–
Services aside, we need to make sure the ASA is viewed as an essen-
2004; Vice President, Datametrics Research, Inc., 1982–2008;
tial element of being a professional statistician in America. The
Advisory Committee, BMDP Software, Inc., 1984–1992; Board of
ASA is crucial in helping provide us a “seat at the table” so our
Overseers, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 1987–1990, 1987–
1990; Vice President, Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, 2002–
14 AMSTAT NEWS MARCH 2009
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