Physical and Engineering Sciences
Decline in Members Spurs Data Request
Thomas M. Loughin of simon Fraser University, sPEs Chair, and Jeff Luner of The Boeing Company, sPEs JsM Program Chair
people see the value in AsA or sPes speakers, ask questions, and start on the
membership. path of networking. I’ve been involved
It seems clear that the ASA has come in two departments that have hosted a
to the same conclusion. Have a look at speaker, and I can attest that the stu-
the ASA’s new strategic plan at www. dents received real value from these vis-
amstat.org/about/strategicplan.cfm. Under its. Contact our Marquardt Industrial
the section titled Membership Growth, Speakers Program chair, Mary Leitnaker,
it is written that “… there is widespread at
mleitnaker@utk.edu to find out more
concern that the ASA does not serve the about this program.
needs of applied statisticians (including
master’s-level statisticians) and other
Meetings and Conferences
nonacademic groups … . A challenge for
We also formally cosponsor three con-
the ASA is to reach out to underserved
ferences: JSM, the Spring Research
groups while continuing to serve our tra-
Conference (SRC), and the Fall
ditional constituencies.”
Technical Conference (FTC). SRC
When you think of the ASA, what
and FTC target different, though per-
first comes to mind? JASA? JSM? The
haps overlapping, subgroups within
“traditional constituencies” the ASA’s
our section, while JSM endeavors to
strategic plan refers to—PhDs and
be a “something for everyone” kind of
academics—are generally well served
meeting. If you are looking for network-
by these high-visibility items, but they
ing opportunities, then the SPES/Q&P
are likely of somewhat less value to the
joint mixer at JSM is a great event. We
majority of working statisticians. So the
arrange the room, food, and drink; you
T
he ASA is losing members. SPES
ASA is aiming to add value to member-
just need to show up and get started talk-
is losing members. These are not
ship by identifying ways to engage and
ing with people. SPES will also cosponsor
new phenomena, but the mem-
serve the needs of a much broader group
the 2010 International Symposium on
bership trends for our section are now
of potential members.
Business and Industrial Statistics (ISBIS)
clear enough that they can no longer be
Similarly, I think it may be time to
in Croatia. SPES members will receive a
passed off as random blips around a
consider how SPES can reinvent itself to
discount on registration.
positive slope. Our membership num-
be more relevant, more interesting, and
bers are going down, and have been
more valuable to our potential constitu- Continuing Education
since at least the start of the decade.
ency. In saying this, I don’t want to give
SPES typically sponsors Continuing
Dues revenues are off by more than 25%
the impression that SPES is “broken”
Education courses at JSM that are likely
from 1999–2006, with the decrease
and needs to be overhauled. On the
to be of interest to our members, and
being nearly monotone with time.
contrary, SPES already provides value
this year is no exception. We will offer
Why is this happening? Are we sim-
to those with a wide range of interests.
the following four courses:
ply producing fewer statisticians so the
Consider the following:
rate of replacement in the work force
Tolerance Intervals: Theory,
is not matching the rate of retirement? Speakers Program
Applications, and Computation, by
I don’t think so. Here in the “informa-
The Marquardt Industrial Speakers
Thomas Mathew and Kalimuthu
tion age,” the demand for professional
Program is a fantastic outreach ser-
Krishnamoorthy
statisticians seems to be as high as ever.
vice that connects real, live, practicing
I admit I don’t have the numbers to
industrial statisticians with university
Experiences and Pitfalls in Reliability
confirm this, but I would bet there are
students who are learning the craft. The
Data Analysis and Test Planning, by
actually more statisticians employed in
host department invites a speaker to give
William Q. Meeker
the North-American work force now
an applied talk about life in industry
than there were 10 years ago. If this is
and interesting problems that are faced.
Methods for Designing and
the case, then a decline in society mem-
Furthermore, the students in the depart-
Analyzing Mixture Experiments, by
bership means, quite simply, that fewer
ment typically have time to visit with the
John Cornell and Greg Piepel
78 AmstAt News JUNE 2009
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