PRESidEnt-ElEct 2009
Xiao-Li Meng
J
ennie, a statistics major, wanted to land a job on Wall if their profession is underappreciated financially, and should speak out loudly
Street. She heard that usually about 10% of applicants and act collectively on behalf of their membership to improve the profession’s
with economics degrees would be interviewed, so she applied economic status. Being economically competitive can only help our goal of
for 50 positions, hoping for five interviews. When Jennie was attracting a large pool of future talent.
surprised by 45 invitations, I smiled at her and said, “Well, you
Second, we need to conduct ongoing assessments of the quality of our outreach
forgot that you are a statistics concentrator!” In 2006—the
programs to ensure their long-term quality. A badly taught introductory course can
year Jennie graduated—Harvard had 733 economics concen-
do more harm than help—a “turned-off” high-school or undergraduate student is
Xiao-li Meng
trators, but only seven statistics concentrators.
one fewer potential statistician, especially in the face of fierce competition.
When I told this story to a group of freshmen during a
A local example reminded me of a “double challenge” we face. In recent years,
recent recruitment lunch, one of them asked, “Why are there so few statistics
the biologists and other life scientists at Harvard completely revamped their
concentrators? Shouldn’t there be a supply and demand principle here?” Before I
introductory courses, as they seek more well-trained future talent to fuel their
could respond, another student jumped in and said, “No one in my high school
fields’ rapid growth. At the same time, and for the same reason, they urge their
would ever think of going into statistics. The statistics class we had was just
students to learn more statistics and probability to enhance their toolkit. This
boring.” Several others nodded.
impacts us in two ways: they compete for future talent, yet they need us to have
While reasons are many for the low enrollments of statistics majors at most more too!
universities, this anecdote succinctly illustrates a number of larger issues.
Tremendous opportunities come with grand challenges. If elected, and also
With the ever increasing demand for statistical expertise in all walks of life,
being on the Council of IMS and Board of Directors of ISBA, I will be a direct
and the expectation that public policy at all levels be based on science and
part of the coordinated effort by leading statistical societies to meet these chal-
data, our profession needs much more future talent than the current supply.
lenges. We need everyone’s help and participation. So please be involved, even
Expanding our undergraduate statistics majors is an urgently needed step in
just by casting your vote to show you care.
meeting this challenge. Second, publicizing the opportunities, both intellectual
and financial, of being a statistician to future generations needs to be done as
Present Position: Whipple V. N. Jones Professor of Statistics and Department
early as possible. Third, the quality of teaching, at all levels, is at the very core
Chair, Harvard University
of securing our long-term prosperity.
Former Positions: Faculty at University of Chicago (1991–2001)
The market may eventually balance the supply and demand by itself, but
Degrees: PhD (1990) and MA (1987), Statistics, Harvard; BS, Mathematics,
leading societies such as the ASA can speed up this process. Such effort will
Fudan (1982)
help to ensure our profession’s welfare and the quality of the supply, and hence
the integrity of statistics as a scientific discipline and a service profession—a
Fields of Major Statistical Activities: Statistical modeling and computa-
dual identity that we are proud to possess. More professional statisticians will
tion; incomplete data; inference foundations; applications in medical and
also mean a healthier ASA. Indeed, a large number of educational and outreach
social sciences, astronomy, and engineering; statistical education; and editorial
programs have already been put in place by the ASA and other societies. Two
services
kinds of assessment studies, however, can bring extra efficiency to our efforts Publications: “Quantifying Fraction of Missing Information for Hypothesis
in these directions. Testing in Statistical and Genetic Studies (with discussion),” Statistical
First, we need to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the “deserved market
Science (2008); “Disparities in Defining Disparities: Statistical Conceptual
value” of statistics. We have a good picture of statisticians’ pay scale from the
Frameworks,” Statistics in Medicine (2008); and about 100 publications in
ASA’s salary surveys and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, we need to
Annals of Statistics, Biometrika, JASA, JRSSB, Statistical Science, Statistica Sinica,
know more about whether our profession is financially competitive. Are we
and others
compensated appropriately for our societal contributions, in line with other ASA Activities and Offices Held: COPSS Award (2001); Fellow (2004);
professions, especially those requiring similar training and skill? For example, Science Policy Task Force; JSM Program Chair (2004); Committee on Meetings
how are biostatisticians compensated in the pharmaceutical industry compared (2003–2008, Chair 2005–2008); Committee on International Relations
to other bioinformatics- and medical informatics-related professionals? (2003–2007); Committee on Nominations (2001–2002); JASA Associate
As a scientific discipline, we rely on intellectual excitement to attract future
Editor (1996–2002)
talent. However, as a profession aiming to improve its visibility, there is little Related Professional Activities: IMS Council (2006–2009); ISBA Board
reason to shy away from advertising the financial incentive of being a statisti- of Directors (2007–2009); Coeditor, Statistica Sinica (2005–2008); Associate
cian. (Money talks. Just look at the three most sought after degrees: MBA, JD, Editor for Annals of Statistics (1997–2003), Bayesian Analysis (2003–2005),
and MD.) Unless, of course, we have to because we are underpaid as a profes- Bernoulli (2004–2005), Biometrika (2002–2005), and Statistica Sinica (1992–
sion, especially outside of the academic setting. If so, then it is even more urgent 1997); IMS Fellow (1997); Regional Advisory Board, ENAR (1995–1997);
for us to conduct studies to identify the gap, reasons, and remedies. National Academy of Sciences Panel on 2010 U.S. Census; University of
On an individual level, comparing salaries across professions is a guaranteed
Chicago Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (1997–1998);
way to lose sleep. Leaders of any professional society, however, should lose sleep
ICSA Distinguished Achievement Award (2003)
12 AMSTAT NEWS MARCH 2008
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