American Statistical Association
Overview
The American Statistical Association (ASA) is the main professional organization for statisticians and related professionals in the United States. It was founded in Boston, Massachusetts on November 20, 1839, and is the second oldest continuously operating professional society in the US. The ASA services statisticians, quantitative scientists, and users of statistics across a wealth of academic areas and applications.
History
The ASA was formed in Boston, Massachusetts by a group of early American statisticians, who sought to provide a professional community for the growing number of people engaged in statistical work. The organization's primary goal was to improve statistical practice and to promote the importance and understanding of statistics to the broader public.
Membership
The ASA has over 18,000 members who work in government, academia, and the private sector. The association provides a platform for statisticians to exchange information, ideas, and explore opportunities in the field of statistics.
Publications
The ASA publishes several academic journals and magazines, including the Journal of the American Statistical Association, The American Statistician, and Chance. These publications cover a wide range of statistical topics, from methodological developments to statistical practice and data analysis.
Meetings and Conferences
The ASA organizes the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), which is one of the largest gatherings of statisticians in the world. The JSM includes presentations and panel discussions on a wide variety of statistical topics.
Education and Advocacy
The ASA advocates for the integration of statistics into K-12 mathematics education, supports continuing education opportunities for statisticians, and promotes the role of statistics in policy making and scientific research.
Awards and Recognition
The ASA recognizes statistical excellence through several awards and honors, such as the Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Award, the W.J. Youden Award in Interlaboratory Testing, and the Deming Lecturer Award.