Growing the Visibility of Statistics
Keith Crank, ASA Assistant Director for Research and Graduate Education
D
uring my t ime at the preliminary deadline for rec- advocates for statistics within
the National Science ommendations has already passed, DMS, they also work hard to
Foundation (NSF), I these searches generally proceed secure funding for interdisciplin-
remember going on a site visit at a fairly slow pace. If you have ary projects from various divisions
with some other program offi- suggestions for qualified candi- at NSF, including education. Most
cers. One of our visits that day dates, please send them to me. program officers rotate out every
was with the dean of science. As (For more information about the two years, and we need to encour-
we were headed toward the dean’s position and desired qualifica- age a diverse group of statisticians
office, one of my colleagues com- tions, see
www.nsf.gov/od/searches/ with a broad perspective to take on
mented that the dean was a mps-090504/nsf_admpssearch_ these roles. These program officers
chemist. When someone in our dearcolleagueletter_090504.pdf.) are also excellent future candidates
group suggested he must have The assistant director posi- for chairs/heads of departments,
already met the dean, he respond- tion is opening fairly quickly, deans, provosts, presidents, divi-
ed, “No, but all science deans are but we should also be looking sion directors, assistant directors,
chemists.” Of course, this state- ahead. Peter March, the divi- and directors. Please consider serv-
ment is not true; there are science sion director for the Division of ing our profession.
deans who are not chemists. But, Mathematical Sciences (DMS), JSM is a good time to person-
my colleague was correct. The is about to begin his fourth ally thank the current Statistics
Crank
dean we visited was a chemist. year in that position. Because of Program directors, Gabor
While it is true that not all the terms of his appointment, Szekely (who is permanent),
science deans are chemists, it is it will be his final year as divi- David Stoffer (who has just com-
also true that not very many are sion director. It is not too early pleted his first year and will be
statisticians. This explains some to begin thinking about who we staying for another), and Yazhen
of the low visibility of statistics might want as his replacement. Wang (who has completed two
as a discipline. So, let’s do some- Statisticians should be encour- years and will be leaving NSF).
thing about it! Faculty members aged (now) to apply for the posi- It is also a good time to let them
should consider spending time tion (when it is announced). know if you are interested in
in the dean’s office, learning Let’s also be thinking on a serving as program director in
what the job entails. Department grander scale. Arden Bement, the the future.
chairs/heads should be encourag- director of NSF, was appointed to On a separate note, DMS
ing their faculty to get involved a six-year term in November of recently sponsored a workshop
in administration. They should 2004. His appointment will end in on research networks. A report is
also be encouraging their deans November 2010. We should con- available at www.math.washington.
to include statistics faculty as sider whether there are any statisti- edu/~lind/NSFWorkshop/NSF_
part of their staff. And, when a cians who could be recommended Workshop_Report.pdf. Although it
dean’s position becomes avail- to replace him. This would need is not yet clear whether DMS will
able, let’s make sure statisticians to be someone renowned from create a solicitation for this type
apply. Even better, nominate a a research perspective and with of activity, it would be worth-
well-qualified statistician for a high-level administrative experi- while to begin thinking about
dean position. ence. After all, if we as statisticians the kinds of activities that would
But, let’s go beyond academics. ‘play in everyone’s back yard,’ then fit into this framework. That will
At NSF, Tony Chan, the assistant someone from our profession reduce the time crunch of pre-
director for the Mathematical should warrant serious consider- paring a proposal, if a solicitation
and Physical Sciences (MPS), has ation to lead a multidisciplinary does appear.
announced his plan to become the funding agency. To contact me, send an email
president of Hong Kong University But, let us not forget the hard to
keith@amstat.org. Questions
of Science and Technology. This work of our program officers who and comments about this article,
means there is a ‘dean’s-level’ posi- work tirelessly for our profession as well as suggestions for future
tion opening at NSF. Although at NSF. Not only are they good articles, are always welcome. ■
JULY 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 9
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