World Statistics Day

By Steve Pierson posted 01-03-2011 10:02

  

ASA was pleased to join the celebrations of World Statistics Day (10/20/2010), declared by the United Nations to celebrate the vital role of national (aka official or government) statistics world wide. In the United States, government statistics determines the very workings of our democracy, informs sound policy on the economy and societal issues, guides economic development and helps us check the pulse of issues ranging from health, education and economy to energy, transportation and crime.

For the week of World Statistics Day (WSD), ASA posted five videos from our Distinguished Statistician Series on our website. We also cosponsored a Congressional Briefing & Open House. Senior leaders of all 14 Interagency Council of Statistical Policy (ICSP) agencies mingled with attendees during the open house. Chief Statistician of the United States Katherine Wallman moderated the program, whose speakers included current U.S. Census Bureau Director Dr. Robert Groves, former director Dr. Kenneth Prewitt, and Bureau of Economic Analysis Director Steve Landefeld:

The briefing also featured the reading of a WSD Presidential Message from Barack Obama and the release of feature the release of a volume of The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, entitled “The Federal Statistical System: Its Vulnerability Matters More than You Think,” based on the very successful 2009 symposium on the federal statistical system. (See the Census Bureau video and NISS photos of the event at link below.) Commerce Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Rebecca Blank attended the event.

The October issue of AMSTAT News features a number of pieces for World Statistics Day (10/20/2010). :

Here's a small selection of World Statistics Day links:

For more, go to the ASA World Statistics Day Page or to the UN World Statistics Day page. 

Please post your organization's or department's WSD activities in the comment space below, or email them to me.

I invite you to join the Science Policy Group in the ASA Community.  As a member, I will send you updates on ASA Science Policy actions and invite your input.

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Steve Pierson
10-21-2010 13:25

In celebration of World Statistics Day in Bhutan, a workshop on "Decision Making Using Excel" has taken place in the capital Thimphu, by Prof Galit Shmueli. The workshop is attended by 20 decision makers from government, corporate, and private organizations in Bhutan. In the workshop, we look at the important role of using and interpreting data and statistics for project planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
The program can be found at http://www.rigsum-it.com/workshops/decision-making-using-excel.

Steve Pierson
10-20-2010 12:28

From John Bailer: Miami University WSD celebration …
The United Nations has declared October 20, 2010 (20.10.2010) to be World Statistics Day. To celebrate, the Department of Statistics at Miami will be hosting an event beginning at 4:00 PM in Patten Auditorium (102 Benton). Dr. Robert Davis will speak about using statistical methods to simulate a baseball game in a presentation entitled "Statistics, Simulation, and the Biggest Red Machine", while Dr. Emily Murphree will talk about the effectiveness of statistical estimates of German tank strength in World War II ("Statistics Goes to War"). Following these talks, there will be a reception with refreshments. All are welcome to come and learn more about this discipline and its contributions to our lives and society.
In addition to outstanding talks, we will be welcomed by the provost (a statistician!) and Tim Derickson, a state representative.

Sujit Ghosh
10-18-2010 18:32

At NC State University (NCSU), Department of Statistics is going to celebrate World Statistics Day 2010 this Wednesday (Oct 20, 2010) on SAS plaza in front of the newly built SAS Hall, home of the Statistics Department at NCSU
There will be posters showing the multiple areas in which Statistics department has assisted across NCSU campus. We also have three "fun" activities to convey important points in statistics:
1. Data collection: lifesize scatter plot of shoe size versus height;
2. Probability/Risk-reward: dropping bottle-caps on a checkerboard to land completely within a square; and
3. Error comparison: bean bag toss where score is MSE and MAE.
Of course pizza, cake, and ice cream will be served in the lounge at the 5th floor of SAS building:
Pictures taken during the fun activities forthcoming...

Steve Pierson
10-18-2010 14:53

In honor of World Statistics Day, the CMU Statistics Department's undergraduate Student Advisory Committee, with the help of the campus community, will create a human histogram of heights. Please come to Gesling Stadium by 1:25 pm and be a part of the human histogram. All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to meet at the football field and be a part history.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Gesling Stadium and Athletic Field (football field)