Workshop on Statsitics Education Graduate Programs
October 2008, Alexandria, VA

The American Statistics Association (ASA) has provided funding for a national workshop to draw up a vision statement defining the need for quality graduate programs in statistics education, and outlining key components of these programs. This group will discuss and examine different models for graduate programs (e.g., within one department, or jointly offered by multiple departments; Ph.D. programs, Masters Programs or concentrations; desired depth versus breadth of curriculum across a matrix of interdisciplinary subject matter). These discussions will form the basis for a “white paper” that will also address issues and recommendations related to placement and support of new PhDs in statistics education as well as for faculty hires in the area.

Specific goals and outcomes of the workshop are to: • Gather 15-20 key people to attend a 1 and ½-day workshop in Fall 2008 at ASA headquarters in Alexandria. • Outline issues, define the challenges, and make recommendations in a short "white paper" to be disseminated through ASA and CAUSE channels (see letters of support). • Prepare a proposal to submit to NSF to host a larger conference on this topic that would broaden the conversation nationally. Broader input will allow for a final report that accounts for multiple scenarios, provides more depth on the themes of the white paper, and provides more specific examples of best practices to be disseminated through ASA, CAUSE, and through partnering organizations. • Conduct a session at JSM in 2009 and possibly present at the annual statistics department chairs meeting there and/or at the gathering of mathematics department chairs held at the Joint Mathematics meetings.

For more information contact Joan Garfield.