The Section on Statistics and the Environment (ENVR) of the ASA is sponsoring a student paper competition. Students are encouraged to submit original research papers related to the use of statistics to help investigate and address environmental problems. The paper may consist of novel approaches to the analysis of environmental data, new methodology with a clear application to a statistical problem found within the environmental sciences, or an interesting application of statistics to environmental research.
Awards: For the 2026 competition, ENVR anticipates awarding travel funding to the top five papers to be put towards JSM 2026 conference expenses. Winners will receive a certificate and be recognized at the ENVR annual mixer at JSM 2026.
Eligibility: The applicant must be:
- the first author of the paper,
- a student as of Fall 2025 (undergraduate, Masters, or Ph.D.), and
- a current member of ASA/ENVR.
Papers that have already been submitted and/or accepted for publication are eligible.
Deadline: The application deadline is December 1, 2025 by 5pm EST. Materials must be submitted via email to Eric Gilleland (eric.gilleland@colostate.edu).
Application Materials: A complete application consists of:
- The paper, including all figures, tables, and appendices as one pdf file. The paper must be entirely double-spaced (abstract, main body, references, footnotes, and appendices), using at least 11 point type with at least 1-inch margins on all sides, and no longer than 26 pages (inclusive of all figures, tables, bibliography, and appendices). The paper must be blinded, including the main text and file name.
- A letter of support from the student’s adviser or someone familiar with their work, identifying the student status of the applicant, and briefly describing the applicant’s role in the research and writing of the paper.
Review Process: Papers will be reviewed by ENVR’s Student Paper Competition Award Committee. Papers are judged on environmental importance/relevance, statistical modeling/novelty, as well as writing (including organization, clarity, and accessibility). The decision of the selection committee will be final.
Notification of winners: Applicants will be notified by January 21, 2026. Winners must indicate acceptance of the award by January 28, 2026. In addition, winners must submit an abstract for JSM 2026 by February 2, 2026, to ASA and request a presentation in the ENVR Student Paper Award session. If a student is unable to speak in the ENVR Student Paper Award session, exceptions may be considered by the committee. Applicants must follow all rules required for paper submission and attendance at JSM.
More information is available at the ASA Student Paper Competition website and ENVR's Student Paper Competition website.
Questions can be directed to the committee chair:
Eric Gilleland
eric.gilleland@colostate.edu
Research Associate
Department of Statistics
Colorado State University