Stats + Stories

What comes to mind at the start of summer? Backyard barbecues, quality time spent, and long drive. Transportation safety is the topic of this episode of Stats+Stories with guest Joel Greenhouse.

Every year, statistics classes are filled with math averse students who white knuckle it to the end of the semester in the hopes of getting a passing grade. And the dream of forgetting about math and statistics for a little while. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if instead of white knuckling it, students were actually excited about the subject; or, at the very least, not terrified of it? Two professors has been developing strategies to help students get over their fear of “sadisistics” and that’s the focus of this special two part episode Stats and Stories Hunter Glanz is an Associate Professor of Statistics and Data Science at California Polytechnic State University. He maintains a passion for machine learning and statistical computing, and enjoys advancing education efforts in these areas. In particular, Cal Poly’s courses in multiple computing languages give him the opportunity to connect students with exciting data science topics amidst a firm grounding in communication of statistical ideas. Rhys Jones is an internationally recognized expert in statistical literacy and education, known for his leadership in curriculum development, digital learning, and student engagement. Originally trained in biochemistry and immunology, he transitioned to focus on making statistics more accessible and engaging for students and teachers across various education levels.

An entire industry has grown up around nutrition and health. People pushing everything from shakes, to meal kits, to special diets. While some of the claims surrounding such products can be questionable at best, the field of nutrition science is growing. Filled with researchers who are working to truly understand the science of food that is a focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with guest Michelle Cardel. Dr. Cardel is an obesity and nutrition scientist, registered dietitian, the Director of Global Clinical Research & Nutrition at WW International, Inc. (formerly Weight Watchers) and a faculty member at the University of Florida (UF) College of Medicine, where she is also an Associate Director for the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Her research is focused on three areas, assessing the effects of psychosocial factors, including low social status and food insecurity, on eating behavior and obesity-related disease, the development and implementation of effective healthy lifestyle interventions with a focus on underserved populations, and improving gender equity within academia.

In a commencement speech in 2016, Atul Gawande told the crowd that science is a, "commitment to a systematic way of thinking, an allegiance to a way of building knowledge and explaining the universe through testing and factual observation." In the last ten years that understanding of science has become muddied for the public. Social media has helped fuel the rise of conspiracy theories built upon so-called alternative facts as people claiming to be experts spout anti-science ideas. Communicating scientific ideas was already difficult, but it’s become even more difficult in this environment. Science communication is the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories, with guest Ionica Smeets. Ionica Smeets is, chair of the science communication and society research group at Leiden University. She’s also chair of the board of The National Centre of Expertise on Science and Society of The Netherlands. Her research lies in the gap between experts and the public when it comes to science communication, with special interest in the problems that occur when those groups communicate and what scientists can do about those problems. Smeets is the author of a number of journal articles on this topic and engaged in science communication for the public when she worked on a Dutch TV show about math. She’s also the co-creator of a children’s book called Maths and Life.

Brett Falk is a research professor at the University of Pennsylvania and directs the Crypto and Society Lab, focusing on climate data and extreme weather. He discusses the concept of 'global weirding' and its alarming effects on weather patterns as temperatures rise. Falk explains how even small temperature increases can amplify the intensity of heat waves and hurricanes. He also highlights the critical impact of these changes on public health and coral reefs, emphasizing the necessity for effective communication of climate statistics to connect with everyday experiences.

Earth day was launched in 1970 in the aftermath of several environmental disasters in the publication of Rachel Carson Silent Spring. It was designed to help raise awareness of environmental issues and has since grown into a global event. With this year's Earth Day taking out a particular urgency in light of the most recent UN Climate Report. But what goes into the scientific research that informs some this activism? What statistical tools are used to better understand the health of our environment. That's the focus of this episode of staffs and stories with guest Philip Dixon. Philip Dixon is a professor of statistics at Iowa State University. Dixon research interests include developing and evaluating statistical methods to answer interesting biological questions. Some of his current projects are developing non-parametric estimates of prediction distributions, modeling physical activity data, and developing model-based visualizations of species composition data.

According to the U.S. State Department, three-fifths of global GDP, three-quarters of world trade, and 90 percent of official development assistance can be accounted for in 38 countries. Those countries are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development – or OECD. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, the OECD’s goals include stimulating global economic growth by providing a forum for intergovernmental collaboration. It’s also the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with guest Steve MacFeely. Steve MacFeely is, chief statistician at the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development and adjunct professor at University College Cork. MacFeely joined OECD in August of last year as chief statistician and director of statistics and the data directorate. Before joining the organization, MacFeely served as Director of Data and Analytics at the World Health Organization and as Director of Statistics and Information at U-N Trade and Development. He has also served as the Deputy Director-General at the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland.

When people think of public goods, they most likely think of things like parks or schools. But official statistics are also a kind of public good. They help us understand things like housing prices, the costs of goods and the spread of disease. However, this data infrastructure is under threat around the world. The work of official statisticians and the obstacles they face, is the focus of this episode of Stats and Stories with guest Erika Groshen. Groshen is a senior economics advisor at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and research fellow at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. From 2013 to 2017 she served as the 14th commissioner of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the principal federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions and inflation. She's an expert on official statistics, authoring an article in 2021 pondering their future.

Lisa LaVange is the 2018 President of the American Statistical Association and she is PhD, is Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Biostatistics { add link to dept } in the Gillings School of Global Public Health { add link to Gillings SPH } at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also director of the department’s Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center (CSCC), overseeing faculty, staff, and students involved in large-scale clinical trials and epidemiological studies coordinated by the center. Ronald L. (Ron) Wasserstein is the executive director of the American Statistical Association (ASA). Wasserstein assumed the ASA’s top staff leadership post in August 2007. Prior to joining the ASA, Wasserstein was a mathematics and statistics department faculty member and administrator at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., from 1984–2007. During his last seven years at the school, he served as the university’s vice president for academic affairs.

Chart Spark | Stats + Stories Episode 359 by The Stats + Stories Team