topic-contributed session or panel discussion for JSM 2009 with
Call for Proposals
five or six strategic initiatives previously sponsored by the Biometrics
Section. Page Moore and Song Ounpraseuth from the University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences were invited to share their experience
Developing the Next Generation of
of reaching out to high-school AP statistics students in Arkansas.
Biostatisticians
Heitjan is compiling a list of former section officers, which will
be helpful for nominating future section officers. Heitjan is able to
The ASA Biometrics Section invites proposals for funding
find information about former section officers up to five years ago,
to support developing innovative outreach projects
but encourages members to send any information they may have
focused on enhancing awareness of biostatistics among
to him at dheitjan@mail.med.upenn.edu.
quantitatively talented U.S. students. Of particular interest
are projects that encourage students to pursue advanced
Member Initiative Results
training in biostatistics. We anticipate funding for up
For the last four years, the Biometrics Section has awarded small
to four projects, with total funding of up to $3,000 per
grants for biostatistics outreach to raise the awareness of biostatistics
project. All investigators are encouraged to apply.
among undergraduates and high-school students. The third grant
awarded is for developing the next generation of biostatisticians.
A three-page application is due October 15, 2008, and
should be in the following format:
Biostatistics Mini-Apprenticeship
The biostatistics mini-apprenticeship is an outreach program
Title
developed in 2006 as a cooperative effort among the Heart
Objectives and Specific Aims
Research Follow-up Program and Department of Biostatistics and
Background, Significance, and/or Rationale
Computational Biology at the University of Rochester and Wilson
Design and Methods
Magnet High School. The 2008 program received funding from
Budget
the section. The outreach targeted mathematically talented stu-
Expenditures are allowed for supplies, domestic travel
dents from Wilson High, an urban magnet school for mathemat-
ics, science, and technology in Rochester, New York. The program
when necessary to carry out the project, and cost of
had three phases. The first was an outreach day that began with
computer time.
an interactive lecture from a cardiologist on the interpretation of
Expenditures are not allowed for secretarial/
medical diagnostic information and a lecture from a biostatistician
administrative personnel, tuition, foreign travel, and
on her work on the effects of dietary methylmercury exposure of
honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers to
mothers on neurocognitive development of children in a popula-
the investigator’s home institution. A project period with
tion in the Seychelles islands.
start date no earlier than December 1, 2008, and ending
Students then participated in small group career discussions with
no later than December 31, 2009, should be specified.
university researchers in biostatistics, mathematical modeling, bio-
medical engineering, and medicine. The statistical analysis process
Submit proposals electronically to Bonnie LaFleur at
also was illustrated by the presentation of a case study involving a
bonnie.lafleur@hsc.utah.edu. All investigators will be
clinical trial of multiple pharmacological treatments for attention
expected to submit a brief report to the subcommittee
deficit-hyperactivity disorder in children with tics. At the conclu-
chair at the conclusion of their project.
sion of the first day, the students were charged with their own statis-
tical analysis projects using two data sets, one looking for predictors
of the length of the QT interval in subjects with long QT syndrome
and the other looking for predictors of HDL and LDL cholesterol
For ENAR, Jinbo Chen has put together a session on statistical levels in subjects who previously had heart attacks.
methods for genome-wide association studies in the IMS section. In the second phase, at Wilson High, students learned to carry out
For the Biometrics Section, she invited six proposals. The topics the statistical techniques presented on outreach day using Minitab soft-
include causal inference with instrumental variables methods, sur- ware. They were then divided into two groups to analyze each of the
vival methods for robustly modeling time-varying covariate effects, project data sets using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The
outcome-dependent sampling, statistical methods in genome-wide students were motivated by performing new analyses using these data
gene regulation studies, new statistical methods for detecting epistasis and presenting their findings to professionals in the relevant fields.
interactions in genome-wide association studies, and recent advances In the third phase, students presented their findings to an audience
in meta-analysis. of biostatisticians, doctors, and medical students and a lively discus-
Mahlet Tadesse reported that the Biometrics Section put in two sion of the analytical techniques and medical interpretation ensued.
short course proposals for JSM 2008 and one was accepted. The Finally, there was a roundtable discussion between the stu-
short course was on proteomics by Scott Schmidler. Forty-one reg- dents and apprenticeship organizers regarding the strengths and
istered and 38 attended. Short course proposals are in progress for weaknesses of the program. This feedback was supplemented by a
JSM 2009. confidential follow-up survey, whose data provided the evaluation
Bonnie LaFleur reported that the member initiative subcommit- component. Students were enthusiastic about the experience and
tee funded three proposals this year. She also encouraged members provided valuable insight for future offerings.
to consider submitting applications, as previously funded proj- Complete minutes of the business meeting can be found at
ects have been successful. The Biometrics Section will organize a www.bio.ri.ccf.org/Biometrics. n
54 AMSTAT NEWS OCTOBER 2008
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