Science Policy and ASA

2006/2007 ASA Task Force

• Members from 2006 (all continued into 2007):– Alicia Carriquiry, Iowa State University– Ginny de Wolf, Consultant (former federal statistician)– Mary Foulkes, Food and Drug Administration– Xiao-Li Meng, Harvard University– Bonnie Ray, IBM– Simon Sheather, Texas A&M University– John Stufken, University of Georgia

Composition (cont’d)

• New member for 2007:– Yasmin Said, Johns Hopkins University

• Liaisons: – Alan Karr, Chair, Federally Funded Research

Committee– David Marker, Chair, Scientific and Public Affairs

Advisory Committee– Bill Smith, ASA

Additional Help

• Tom Jabine, ASA Fellow

• AAAS staff:– Mark Frankel, Director, Scientific Freedom,

Responsibility and Law Program– Al Teisch, Director, Science & Policy Programs

What is Science Policy?

Harvey Brooks characterized science policy as having two dimensions:• Science-for-policy: Concerns how scientific data,

information, and methods can, and should be, used in the formulation and execution of public policy.

• Policy-for-science: Public policy about the conduct of scientific research. This includes

Federal funding of scientific research

Federal support for education in the sciences, for example, funding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education

ASA’s Mission Statement and Science Policy

• Formalizing and increasing the Association’s participation in science policy discussions at all levels is consistent with ASA’s Mission Statement. This Statement has six components.– Science-for-policy is reflected in five:

• Support excellence in statistical practice, research, journals, and meetings.

• Promote the proper application of statistics.• Use our discipline to enhance human welfare.• Anticipate and meet the needs of our members.• Seek opportunities to advance the statistics profession.

ASA’s Mission Statement (cont’d)

– Policy-for-science is pertinent to four:• Support excellence in statistical practice, research,

journals, and meetings.

• Work for the improvement of statistical education at all levels.

• Anticipate and meet the needs of our members.

• Seek opportunities to advance the statistics profession.

JPBM and Science Policy• ASA is the only JPBM member that does not have

formal science policy activities.

• Potential models for ASA: Look at the science policy activities of our sister associations in the JPBM.– MAA, AMS, and SIAM have science policy committees:

• ASA’s structure of committees, sections, and SIGs provide many avenues for science policy activities. Not realistic or prudent for ASA to centralize its science policy activities.

JPBM and Science Policy (cont’d) • Potential models (cont’d)

– Hire a government relations firm: SIAM uses Lewis-Burke. MAA used this firm until the end of 2006.

– Create a staff position

Recommendation

Recommendation: Create a full-time position on the ASA staff for a science policy professional.

Recommendation (cont’d) • Purposes of the position are to:

– (1) increase the participation of ASA and the statistical profession in public policy discussions at state, national, and international levels, in order to promote the use of sound statistical methods in the collection and analysis of the data on which policy decisions are based, and

– (2) ensure that the statistical sciences receive an appropriate share of public funds devoted to scientific research and education.

About the Position• The Task Force recommends that the individual

hired in this position report directly to the ASA Executive Director.

• The ideal candidate must have a background in statistics and excellent communication skills, with experience working with Congress.

• The individual hired in this position– will serve as an advocate for statistics and – will be expected to ensure that the Association and its

members are represented whenever science policy matters of national or international importance are discussed.