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VicE PRESidEnt 2009-2011
C. Frank Shen
I
am truly honored to be considered for the position of vice with other disciplines. The beauty of statistics is in its wide applicability and
president of the ASA. I support this organization whole- yet, have we done enough to promote this versatility? For example, while the
heartedly, and I thank the Committee on Nominations number of high school students taking AP statistics reached 100,000 in 2007, I
for this great opportunity to serve the ASA. Personally, I know many of them do not seek further statistical coursework in college. Is this
have always believed strong leadership begins with a small because AP Statistics has not evolved to adapt for a younger generation?
“i.” Along these lines, I have volunteered for many “small
Another example is that we have been rewarding people as Fellows for working
things” for the profession since I was a graduate student in
on problems that are more technically challenging. However, are we ready to
c. Frank Shen
statistics. These small things served not for my own recog-
recognize more members who work outside of academia, or even outside of the
nition or benefit, but more for receiving mentorship from
statistical field, who deal with equally important, but less technical, issues? We
many senior leaders and great statisticians from the ASA. I
need to accommodate and recognize people who may think and express their
learned from them that leadership does not solely demonstrate acquired assets,
excellent ideas with different formulae (or no formula at all).
but rather the ability to acquire new assets needed for future situations. As I am
now in Shanghai for my new assignment and have the opportunity to contribute
In summary, while the ASA is an extremely strong organization, challenges
to the growth of our profession in this growing region, I would like to submit a
are still ahead of us. As Gerald Hahn pointed out in 1989, “The primary chal-
few thoughts I believe will support the ASA board’s strategic direction well.
lenges to effective application of statistical methods are nontechnical.” To an
even greater degree, we are still facing the same challenges nearly 20 years later.
The ASA needs to be more international. While the ASA is an American
Becoming international, interdisciplinary, and individualized are interlinked.
institution, like America, its members have roots everywhere. Two ASA past
To overcome these challenges, we not only need to expand our membership,
presidents—Fritz Scheuren and Mary Ellen Bock—have been very insightful
but we also need to recruit more leaders who are passionate about enhancing
and instrumental in extending the ASA beyond the border. The Committee
the field of statistics. It takes good leaders to preserve and transform our great
on International Relations has made tremendous efforts in establishing educa-
profession. I look forward to the opportunity to work side by side with you on
tional ambassadorships; the Engagement with Other Organizations Task Force
these issues, as well as raising leaders for the future of the ASA.
is looking into our relationships with international professional societies, while
an additional new task force has just been appointed to explore the role the ASA
Present Position: Head, Biostatistics and Data Management, Roche Global
can play for its members in the arena of international industry. However, we
Pharmaceutical Development Center in China
cannot stop here. After all, we have an international membership of more than
Former Positions: Executive Director/Director/Associate Director, Global
2,000 on record, and we need more.
Biometric Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb (1996–2007); Manager/Biometrician,
In the first few months of working in China, I was introduced as a former
Biometric Research, Merck Research Laboratories (1993–1996); Research
president of ICSA (International Chinese Statistical Association) more often
Statistician, Biometrics, Wyeth-Ayerst Research (1989–1993)
than as an ASA Fellow. We need to agree among us that while we have advanced
Degrees: PhD, Statistics, Temple University (1992); MS, Statistics, Temple
the field in the United States, we also have a responsibility to play an interna-
University (1987); MES, Chemical Engineering, Lamar University (1985); BE,
tional role. We need to be seen as helping hands, rather than as imposing our
Chemical Engineering, Chung-Yuan University, Taiwan (1978)
standards. It goes without saying that if we are to continue to grow and become
more responsive to our members and the citizens of other nations, the ASA must
Fields of Major Statistical Activities: Design and analysis of clinical trials,
expand and learn from other national societies.
early drug development, and translational medicine
The ASA needs to be more interdisciplinary. Quantitative analysis has become
Publications: “Robust and Bootstrap Testing Procedures for Bioequivalence,”
more essential than ever to the decisionmaking process due to technological
J. of Biopharmaceutical Statistics (1994); “Testing Nonadditivity of Biological
innovation and globalization. Unavoidably, there are many analysts from
Activity in Combinatorial Chemistry,” Combinatorial Chemistry & High
different disciplines who are equally influential when compared to statisticians.
Throughput Screening (2002); “Innovative Approaches for Designing and
In my career, I have collaborated well with chemometricians (i.e., computa-
Analyzing Adaptive Dose-Ranging Trials,” J. of Biopharm Statistics (2007);
tional chemists), bioinformetricians (i.e., computational biologists), modelers
other papers in J. of Medicinal Chemistry; Arthritis and Rheumatism; SUGI
(i.e., financial modelers or pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelers), and
Proceedings; Psychopharmacology; Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior;
decision scientists. While their training may not be the same as traditional
Drug Development Research; Annals of the NY Academy of Sciences; Fundamental
statisticians, their analyses undoubtedly influence decisionmaking in the orga-
and Applied Toxicology
nizations in which we work. More often, they also know how to communi- ASA Activities and Offices Held: Finance Committee (2007–2009);
cate their quantitative work more effectively than statisticians. We constantly Committee on International Relations (2006–2008); Fellow (2003); Committee
wonder why they don’t call themselves statisticians, yet continue to reinvent on Career Development (2001–2003); Vice Chair, District 1, Council of
our wheels. As a result of this attitude, many of us draw the line and stop the Chapters (2000–2002); Chair, Midwest Biopharmaceutical Statistics Workshop
communication. On the contrary, we need to reach out to other disciplines as (1999); Symposium Chair, NJ Chapter (1996–1997); Program Chair and
successfully achieved by the ASA to ally with IBS, IMS, and ASQ. We need to Service Award, Princeton-Trenton Chapter (1997 and 2002); Co-Chair, SPES
focus on collaboration, not division, and effectively manage disagreements at Spring Research Conference (1997)
the point of conflict.
Related Professional Activities: Chair, PhRMA Biostatistics and Data
The ASA needs to be more individualized. This may sound rather ironic when Management Technical Group (2005–2006); Chair, Sponsorship Committee,
the ASA already has many different and diverse chapters, sections, and commit- ENAR (2004–2006); President, International Chinese Statistical Association
tees. However, for professionals outside the field, we still appear to have only (2004); Board of Directors, International Chinese Statistical Association
one phenotype: mathematically oriented. This image becomes significant when (2000–2005); Associate Editor, J. of Biopharmaceutical Statistics (2002–2004);
we consider issues such as declining membership and effective collaboration Regional Advisory Board, ENAR (1997–1999)
MARCH 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 13
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