World’s Largest Statistics Conference Meets in Vancouver, British Columbia
On July 28, more than 6,500 statisticians, data scientists, academics and students from 52 countries will descend on Vancouver, Canada, for JSM 2018—the world's largest annual conference on statistics.
"We are living at a revolutionary moment in terms of data," says Christian Léger, professor of statistics at the University of Montréal and JSM program chair. "We are able to measure and collect data about every aspect of life, and in ways that were—until quite recently—unimaginable; but, to understand what that data means and how it is to be used wisely—that is why the world needs statistics and statisticians. As a Canadian statistician, I'm thrilled that Canada will be at the center of the statistical world this summer."
Highlights from among the 600-plus sessions at JSM 2018 include invited panels looking at the deep learning revolution and how data are transforming the social sciences—with a focus on demography, how to analyze social network data and solving challenges in criminology.
A bipartisan panel will look at the role statistics can play in a world of information overload and fake news, and the group Statistics Without Borders will explain how it worked with the UN to use openly available data to revolutionize disaster relief. Featured speakers include Laura Evans, senior vice president for data and insights at The New York Times, who will talk about how data can help save the business of journalism.
Research being presented will include work by Stanford statisticians in figuring out how to cut rape in half for schoolgirls in Kenya, how publicly available data provided dramatic new insights into company value and how statistics provides a new take on the home run surge in baseball.
And, in a first for JSM, there will be a free public lecture. Award-winning University of Toronto statistician and bestselling author Jeffrey Rosenthal will take you on a tour through the mysteries of probability. From the randomness of romance to why you get invited to three parties on the same night, Rosenthal will explain the concepts—and entertain you with numbers. Did it ever occur to you that you might actually have 250,000 friends of friends and what this could mean for your social life? Or that if you play the lottery every week, you will hit the jackpot about once every 250,000 years?
"Each year, we see JSM expand in size and scope," says Lisa LaVange, president of the American Statistical Association. "All of which underscores why statistical thinking and data science are indispensable to scientific and social progress. It is tremendously exciting to see this wealth of knowledge and insight unfold in the beautiful surroundings of British Columbia."
Read press details, including regularly updated press releases on research being presented at JSM.
For details about JSM, contact Steve Pierson at [email=pierson@amstat.org]pierson@amstat.org[/email] or (703) 302-1841.
JSM stands for "Joint Statistical Meetings," as it is run by statistical societies from across the globe, specifically the American Statistical Association, the International Biometric Society (ENAR and WNAR), the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, the Statistical Society of Canada, the International Chinese Statistical Association, the International Indian Statistical Association, the Korean International Statistical Society, the International Society for Bayesian Analysis, the Royal Statistical Society and the International Statistical Institute. JSM activities include oral presentations, panel sessions, poster presentations, professional development courses, an exhibit hall, a career service, society and section business meetings, committee meetings, social activities and networking opportunities.
About the American Statistical Association
The ASA is the world's largest community of statisticians and the oldest continuously operating professional science society in the United States. Its members serve in industry, government and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare. For additional information, please visit the ASA website at www.amstat.org.
Provided by American Statistical Association
