Statistics as an Interdisciplinary Science
Keith Crank, Assistant Director of Research and Graduate Education
“
I think there is general agreement that
statistics is interdisciplinary
”
.
follow-up lunch on August 6. Participants
in the workshop will be paired with more
senior mentors, who will evaluate the par-
ticipants’ writing samples. If you know of
junior researchers who would benefit from
W
hat do statisticians do? That’s a Saturday will include topics of general this one-on-one assessment and feedback,
question raised by a biostatistics interest to all chairs/heads. have them visit www.amstat.org for more
student in the letter appearing Also in August, the National Institute of information and to apply.
on Page 31. How does a statistics or Statistical Sciences and the ASA will once To contact me, send an email to keith@
biostatistics student decide what to empha- again combine efforts to hold the Writing amstat.org. Questions or comments about
size in graduate school? When should a stu- Workshop for Junior Researchers. This this article, as well as suggestions for future
dent pursue a PhD? And when is a master’s workshop will be held August 3, with a articles, are al ways welcome. ■
degree sufficient?
An issue touched on briefly is statistics
as an interdisciplinary science. I think
there is general agreement that statistics is
interdisciplinary. And among statisticians,
there is probably agreement that (almost)
all other scientific disciplines need statis-
tics (and statisticians). But, what are we
doing to promote this concept? In aca-
demics, there is certainly a push to make
statistics a required course for many
undergraduate majors.
Recent Activities
In April, the Caucus of Academic
Representatives conducted a survey of
Departments of Statistics and Biostatistics.
The data collected in these surveys help
provide valuable information to members of
the profession. We believe this information
will be useful in recruiting students and in
dealing with upper-level university admin-
istration and funding agencies. I want to
thank everyone who participated.
In August, the caucus will hold its Second
Annual Workshop for Chairs/Heads of
Departments of Statistics and Biostatistics.
This workshop will be held August
1–2, prior to JSM, in Denver, Colorado.
The Friday sessions will be devoted to new
and relatively inexperienced chairs/heads.
MAY 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 25
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92