PEOPLE NEWS
systems that have resulted in
significant improvements,
both in the methodology
used to complete the surveys
and in the value and useful-
STATISTICIANS
ness of the data obtained.
In one instance, her per-
IN THE NEWS
sistence in supporting the
addition of a question to
the American Community
Survey successfully main-
Read about your colleagues and friends
Carlson
tained and improved the in the news. Go to
www.amstat.org and
NSF surveys previously
Lynda T. Carlson
click on “Statisticians in the News.”
dependent on the decennial
Submitted by Dwight B.
census sampling frame.
Brock, Westat
Carlson has gained inter-
national recognition for
Lynda T. Carlson was her work on the measure-
recently selected to receive ment of innovation through
the 2009 Roger Herriot investment in research and
Award for Innovation in development, and her efforts
Federal Statistics. In statisti- in the United States have
cal leadership positions at contributed to increased
the Energy Information consistency of measurement
Administration (EIA) and internationally. Her collabo-
currently at the National ration with other statistical
Science Foundation (NSF), agencies and implementation
New Ombudsman of UK Statistics
Carlson has transformed of recommendations of the
survey design and data col- National Academies panels
The Numbers Guy, Carl Bialik from The Wall
lection in multiple surveys are exemplary of informed
Street Journal, examines the newly formed
of national importance. decisionmaking in the fed-
organization from the United Kingdom called
As director of the Statistics eral statistical system. In all,
the Statistics Authority, which monitors
and Methods Group at EIA, Carlson has exemplified the
the use of government statistics.
she provided leadership for characteristics Roger Herriot
changing a number of EIA was known for: appreciat-
Hurricane Predictions More Math Than Science
national surveys, eliminating ing the underlying purposes
old procedures and instituting of surveys, envisioning both
The hurricane prediction team from North Carolina
new ones that improved their small and large improvements
State University, led by Lian Xie, shows Tyler
effectiveness. She promoted in them, finding creative
Dukes of News 14 how statistical forecasting is
the introduction of cognitive ways to overcome obstacles,
used to map the behavior of future hurricanes.
research into questionnaire and encouraging others to
development for the agency. bring about innovation.
From Stats-Man to Editor
Her improvements have Carlson earned a PhD
not only been at the level in political science at the
Rich Levine explains what his new role will
of the effective collection University of Illinois in 1974.
be when he becomes editor of the Journal
of information, but also in Prior to her service at EIA
of Computational and Graphical Statistics.
defining the goals for what and NSF, she held positions
the surveys should measure. at DUALabs, the Washington
Memorization Doesn’t Teach
In her current position as Center for Metropolitan
Problem-Solving Skills
director of the Division of Studies, and the National
Science Resources Statistics Academy of Sciences.
In an article for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
at NSF, Carlson has contin- Soon after the death of
statistician and professor Tom Ryan asks,
ued the record of leadership Roger Herriot in 1994,
“Do we really give students an atmosphere
and innovation she began the Social Statistics and
in which they can truly learn and especially
at EIA. She has commis- Government Statistics sec-
become knowledgeable in quantitative subjects
sioned National Academy of tions of the ASA and the
such as algebra, calculus, and statistics?”
Sciences reviews of many of Washington Statistical Society
her division’s data collection established the Roger Herriot
JULY 2009 AMSTAT NEWS 49
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