The American Statistical Association

1. The American Statistical Association

2. ASA Founded in 1839 • Founded in Boston, MA • Second oldest professional society in the US (American Philosophical Society is the oldest) • Notable early members included Florence Nightingale, Andrew Carnegie, Herman Hollerith, Alexander Graham Bell, and President Martin Van Buren Hollerith Nightingale

3. Mission of the ASA • Support excellence in statistical practice, research, journals, and meetings • Work for the improvement of statistical education at all levels • Promote the proper application of statistics • Anticipate and meet the needs of our members • Use our discipline to enhance human welfare • Seek opportunities to advance the statistics profession

4. ASA Vision Statement • To be a world leader in promoting statistical practice, applications, and research; publishing statistical journals; improving statistical education; and advancing the statistics profession.

5. Strategic Plan of the ASA • ASA’s Strategic Plan addresses eight areas of importance to the vitality of the Association • The Plan was developed through a year-long process involving many members. • The Plan is intended to be a dynamic document, continually evaluated and updated

6. Eight areas of focus of Strategic Plan • Membership Growth • Public Awareness • Visibility and Impact in Policy Making • Meetings • Publications and Information Needs • Education • Financial Status • Organizational Efficiency

7. Recent activities of the ASA • Science policy initiatives, and new Director of Science Policy • Board Statements • Statistics and Climate Change • Election Integrity • New electronic publications host • Strategic plan development and implementation

8. Upcoming initiatives of the ASA • Improving organizational efficiency • Development of new meetings to meet member needs • Activities to increase the visibility of the profession and to impact decision-makers

9. Membership of the ASA • There are about 18,000 members of the ASA, making it the largest organization of professional statisticians in the world • Over 4000 of our members are currently students • Many schools, colleges, universities and corporations are also members of ASA

10. Membership of the ASA • The following is demographic information, self-reported by roughly 75% of our members

11. Membership of the ASA • About 58% of our members hold the doctoral degree, 33% have a masters degree. • 42% are from academe, 31% from business and industry, 11% from government, 16% from other categories (self-employed, private consultant, etc.).

12. Membership of the ASA • About 32% of our members are female. • 67% identify themselves as white, 25% as Asian. • Largest area of specialization identified as biometrics/biostatistician (38%).

13. Organization of the ASA

14. Organization of the ASA • Governed by a 16 member Board of Directors • 14 elected members • President, Past-President, President Elect • 3 Vice Presidents • 3 Representatives from the Council of Sections • 3 Representatives from the Council of Chapters • Publications Representative • International Representative • 2 appointed members (Treasurer, Executive Director) • Except for the ED, all Board members are volunteers

15. Organization of the ASA • The primary organizational entities of the ASA are committees, sections, and chapters. • Nearly 70 committees, responsible for diverse areas such as awards, Fellows, publications, education, relationships with other organizations, professional issues, etc. • 22 sections represent some of the many interests of our members. • 74 chapters across North America provide opportunities for statisticians to network with colleagues in their geographic areas.

16. Chapters • ASA Chapters engage in many activities that the ASA engages in worldwide. These include holding meetings; producing publications; participating in educational efforts for its members and various public groups; providing information concerning the application of statistics; and in general, making statistics of service to society and making society aware of statistics as a science.

17. Sections • ASA Sections cover fields of statistical theory, methodology, and applications that are sufficiently broad and represent active professional interests within the scope of the Association.

18. ASA members enjoy • A SUBSCRIPTION to Amstat News, the ASA's monthly membership magazine, full of upcoming events and job opportunities. • NETWORKING through the ASA’s regional chapters and special-interest sections. • MEMBERS-ONLY FEATURES of the ASA web site, such as member forums, publisher discounts, and an enhanced member directory.

19. ASA members enjoy • OPPORTUNITIES to expand career horizons with the ASA’s Career Placement Service at the Joint Statistical Meetings and the ASA’s JobWeb at http://jobs.amstat.org. • DISCOUNTED registration fees for the annual Joint Statistical Meetings and Continuing Education courses. • ONLINE ACCESS to the Current Index to Statistics (CIS), Journal of the American Statistical Association (JASA), Journal of Business & Economic Statistics (JBES), and The American Statistician (TAS). Low cost access to other journals.

20. ASA members enjoy • Eligibility for a number of AWARDS presented in recognition of outstanding contributions and distinguished service to the profession. • Ability to JOIN SECTIONS of particular interest to your area. • Access to SALARY REPORTS for both Academic Statisticians and Biostatisticians.

21. Joint Statistical Meetings • Largest Annual Gathering of Statisticians in the world. • Sponsored by 5 Partner Societies: ASA, ENAR, WNAR, IMS, SSC. • Special JSM Partners IISA and ICSA starting in 2009. • Featuring Presentations, Panels, Posters, Continuing Education, Exhibits, Career Placement Service, Business Meetings, Committee Meetings, Social Activities, and Networking Opportunities.

22. Regional, Thematic, and Research Conferences and online “Webinars” • Chapter- and Section-sponsored events held throughout the year. • Smaller meetings offer an informal atmosphere for discussion and interchange on specific areas of research. • “Webinars” bring online meetings right to members’ desktops.

23. Continuing Education • Continuing Education (CE) Courses offer a variety of learning opportunities at each Joint Statistical Meeting. • LearnSTAT Programs are educational programs beyond those at the JSM. Programs are sponsored around the country and throughout the year.

24. ASA’s Job Web is the definitive source for employment opportunities in statistics.

25. But there are many more reasons to be a member • The ASA supports statistics education efforts at all levels. By your membership, you support these things, too. • The ASA advocates for the profession in a variety of settings, including advocacy with the Administration and Congress. • Professional society membership is the mark and obligation of a professional.

26. How you can get involved in the ASA • Join a local chapter (or help start one). • Join a section (or start a new one). • Volunteer to serve on committees. • Participate in annual or regional meetings. • Serve on an editorial board. • Don’t be shy – ask how you can help. Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Association. Thank you!