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Page 1WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020WSS NEWSWASHINGTON STATISTICAL SOCIETY25611121319IN THIS ISSUECONGRATULATIONS AWARD WINNERS!WELCOME NEW ASA MEMBERSWSS MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHTSPOTLIGHT A WSS MEMBERVOLUNTEERS NEEDEDWSS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, ANDPROGRAMSFROM THE WSS NEWS EDITOR
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020Page 2CONGRATULATIONS AWARD WINNERS!From the JSM Student Travel AwardeeMy first Joint Statistical Meetings was unlike any other JSM because of the Covid-19 pandemic;however, I had an excellent and educational time despite the circumstances. I gained manynew ideas and much enthusiasm that will fuel my final year as a graduate student inmathematics and statistics at Georgetown University and help me pursue my professionalinterests in machine learning for data imputation and data privacy. This would not have beenpossible without the generous support of the 2020 Washington Statistical Society JointStatistical Meetings Student Travel Award. Thank you!Several sessions stood out as interesting and particularly relevant to statisticians in the area.Dr. Frauke Kreuter gave a clear and timely presentation about how differential privacy willaffect the social science workflow, and Dr. Aleksandra Slavković gave a related presentationabout how to achieve optimal statistical inference under formal privacy. Both presentationsoutlined a rich set of unanswered research questions and broached many topics that will havefar-reaching consequences for statisticians in the Washington DC-area who work with officialstatistics and federal government survey data. I also enjoyed the session “Modern Techniques inHandling Missing Data with Challenging Data Structures Including Big and Small Data Files”,which formalized many ideas I’ve been pursuing for missing data imputation and syntheticdata generation.
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020Page 3On day three of the conference I presented, “A Synthetic Supplemental Public Use File of LowIncome Information Return Data: Methodology, Utility, and Privacy Implications”. I would nothave submitted the paper without the opportunity to seek funding from WSS. I was stunnedto receive the support and the opportunity to present.While I was disappointed to not visit Philadelphia and to miss out on the opportunity to meetstatisticians from across the country in person, the virtual event had several silver linings. First, Idid not have to pick between concurrent sessions, which too frequently occur because of therich conference programming, because every session was recorded. Second, the recordingswere posted through all of August so I was able to attend more of the conference online than Iwould have ever been able to attend in person. Third, the video player offered the ability topause after dense concepts and to watch content at different speeds. This made it possible tostop and explore unfamiliar concepts mid-presentation—a welcomed feature for a student!Fourth, and finally, the trip across my apartment was shorter than the trip from DC toPhiladelphia.My first JSM was a positive experience but I hope it is safe and possible for everyone to attendJSM 2021 in Seattle, Washington. I look forward to the opportunity to meet more WSSmembers and to engage with the broader statistical community.Thank you to the American Statistical Association and all who worked to put JSM 2020together under challenging circumstances. Thank you to my professors at Georgetown whomade it possible for me to understand the topics shared at JSM 2020. Thank you to mymentor Claire McKay Bowen for encouraging me to apply for the Washington StatisticalSociety Joint Statistical Meetings Student Travel Award and thank you to the WashingtonStatistical Society for providing the generous opportunity. Aaron R. Williams
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020Page 4Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring AwardThe Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award Selection Committee is pleased to announce that thisyear’s recipient is Rajeshwari Sundaram, a Senior Investigator at the Eunice Kennedy ShriverNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health.This recognition is awarded annually to a supervisor, technical director, team coordinator, orother member of Federal, State, or Local government statistical staff for his or her efforts insupporting the work and developing the careers of junior statisticians.Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, plans for an award ceremony to celebrate the award andRajeshwari’s accomplishments have not been finalized.To learn more about the Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award, please cssection/homeIf you have questions about the award, please contact Rick Peterson at rick@amstat.org,(703) 684-1221, or the chair of the Award Committee: Bill Mockovak atMockovak.William@bls.gov.
Page 5WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020WELCOME NEW ASA MEMBERSScott Alan BruceNicole CzaplickiMorgan HrabJingxian HuangWilliam A. HuberGizem KorkmazLuona LinVeronica Isabel SalinasJohn Francis SchilpTaehoon SongElizabeth TeepleKelly ToppinGarth WalesXiaoke XiongXin (Rosalynn) Yang Welcome to WSS! Eileen O'Brien, WSS President Tom Krenzke, WSS Past President Jill Dever, WSS President Elect
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020WSS MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHTPage 6
Washington Statistical SocietyMember SpotlightIntroducing your fellow members andshowcasing the diversity of the WSS membershipMeet WSS MemberCarolina Franco Where do you work and what do you do?I work at the Census Bureau’s Center for StatisticalResearch and Methodology (CSRM). There, I’m aMathematical Statistician and Principal Researcher.I conduct statistics research with a focus on questionsrelevant to the Census Bureau, often collaborating withothers both within the organization and in academia.Most of my research is in small area estimation.What attracted you to your current position?Near the end of my PhD, I did an internship at anotherdepartment at the Census Bureau, and during myinternship I had the chance to meet some of theresearchers at CSRM and learn a little bit about thecenter’s work and culture. I liked CSRM’s workingenvironment and research focus, so when I was nearinggraduation I inquired about job opportunities there.I’ve been working in CSRM ever since.Finish the sentence: “I joined WSS to ” stay informed of interesting seminars and events in theDC area and to stay connected with the local statisticalcommunity. In general, I think professional associationssuch as the ASA are a great way to get more involved in theprofession. I have recently become more active byparticipating in two different ASA committees as chair andvice-chair, and it’s been a very good experience so far.What profession other than your ownwould you like to attempt?It took me some time to find aprofession that I am passionate about,and I would not trade it. However, ifI retire one day, I would like to spendmore time painting, which I also love.It can be hard to find time for it.Why did you join the statistics profession?Long story short, I discovered I had a passion formathematics after college, and took additionalcoursework to prepare to enter into an interdisciplinaryPhD program in applied mathematics at the University ofMaryland in College Park (UMCP), with the help of somementors. It was during my graduate studies at UMCP thatI discovered statistics is a great way to use mathematics tobetter understand the world.What was your first job?My first job was in early high school, when I worked at akiosk at one of the local malls, selling hair accessories.Though I enjoyed the human interaction that the jobentailed, the experience was also a good way to learn thatsales was not my real interest.Have you had any great mentors? If so, what made themgreat?I’ve been very fortunate to have had great mentorsthroughout my statistics career, and I am grateful to them.Before entering graduate school, one of“ what makes a greatmy undergraduate professors, Petermentor is a strong desire Wolfe, really encouraged me to pursuemy interest in mathematics by applyingto help more juniorto graduate programs, and guided mecolleagues succeed,through the process. I had other greatextensive knowledgeprofessors in graduate school who alsoabout the field of interest,provided guidance and informationand patience”aboutprofessionalgrowth
opportunities before, during, and after my doctoralprogram (Abram Kagan, Partha Lahiri, Eric Slud, BenjaminKedem, Paul Smith). And when I started my job at CSRM,I was paired with a more experienced researcher, WilliamBell, who is very knowledgeable about my areas ofresearch, and he taught me a lot. I think what makes agreat mentor is a strong desire to help more juniorcolleagues succeed, extensive knowledge about the fieldof interest, and patience.What is your favorite meal or favorite restaurant?I like all kinds of restaurants, but wherever I go, I almostalways order seafood. Healthy and delicious! I especiallyenjoy sushi, because you get to enjoy so many differentflavors in one meal. My favorite is Uni (sea urchin).If you could have one superpower, what would it be?The first thing that comes to mind is teleporting! I amthinking of never again having to sit in a tiny airplane seatfor hours, and never having to get stuck in a traffic jam onmy way to work! I could visit a new place every weekendor even during my lunch break.How do you like to spend your free time away fromwork?I like outdoor activities when the weather is nice. Forinstance, a nice bike ride in a trail at the Rock Creek Park,some laps at the pool, or the occasional tennis game. I alsolove painting, going to art museums, travel, and spendingtime with family and friends.
Washington Statistical SocietyMember SpotlightIntroducing your fellow members andshowcasing the diversity of the WSS membershipMeet WSS MemberSylvia Dohrmann Where do you work and what do you do?I have worked at Westat for over 20 years, and wasrecently promoted to the position of Associate Director inStatistics and Evaluation Sciences. I am currently the leadstatistician on the Population Assessment of Tobacco andHealth (PATH) Study, which is longitudinal cohort study oftobacco use and how it affects the health of people in theUnited States. I manage a team of other statisticians in thework of sampling, weighting, nonresponse bias analyses,and disclosure control prior to the release of restrictedand public-use data files.What attracted you to your current position?My first job out of graduate school at Florida StateUniversity was with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Minewas a good position that introduced me to the field ofsurvey statistics, and I met people I still consider friendstoday. Following the rigor of graduate school, I missedmore challenging and diverse work. After a couple of yearsat BLS, I was attracted to a position at Price Waterhouse(now PricewaterhouseCoopers) as a litigation consultant,supporting those providing expert testimony in the field ofstatistics. This certainly proved to be a challengingposition, but a“Westat provided thestressfulone.opportunity to contributeWestat provided abalance betweento the production ofmy two previousofficial statistics [and] positions:thechallenging work in aopportunitytonumber of subject mattercontribute to theareas”productionofofficial statistics, while at the same time providingchallenging work in a number of subject matter areaswithout the stress of the litigation field.Finish the sentence: “I joined WSS to ” learn more about the courses being offered in the regionand to learn of other positions available in the area. I didnot realize at the time that it would also open the door tomore opportunities to contribute to the profession (or thatI even wanted to make such contributions). After a fewyears, I was asked to assist with the organization of shortcourses for WSS, and that led to my becoming a foundingmember of the ASA Conference on Statistical PracticeSteering Committee.What was your first job?I worked at a Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream store. This wasquite a controversial choice because my older sisterworked at Häagen-Dazs . My mother proved herallegiance early on; you will, in fact, find a pint of HäagenDazs ice cream in her freezer today.Why did you join the statistics profession?All through junior high and high school it was clear thatmath was my best subject. When considering a major incollege, I knew I did not want to major in math or tobecome a math teacher, so accounting seemed to be agood fit. In college“.the statistics lecturerI took my firstmade complete sense,economics courseand the requiredeven from the balcony”business statisticscourse. Both were taught in the same large lecture hall. Inthe economics course, I found myself finding seats closer
and closer to the lecturer in the hopes that I wouldunderstand the subject matter better; but the statisticslecturer made complete sense, even from the balcony.I changed my major that semester and never looked back.Have you had any great career mentors? If so, what madethem great?Yes, David Morganstein. He is the person who hired me atWestat, and led our unit until only recently. He was thefirst supervisor I ever had that said “Thank you” for myparticipation on a project – which almost brought me totears.Watchinghimina“Watching [DavidprofessionalMorganstein] in acapacity showedprofessional capacityme the importanceshowed me theof communicatingimportance ofstatistical issues tocommunicating statisticalour clients in aissues to our clients in aclear and resonantclear and resonantmanner.manner”His concern for thepersonal lives ofthe people he supervised is at the heart of how I strive tosupervise my staff.What is your greatest accomplishment?Raising my daughter, Zoë, as a single parent. My latehusband died when Zoë was 9 months old. Since my careerwas in the DC area, I decided to remain here even thoughmy family was not available to help on a day-to-day basis.That is not to say that my family (and here, I include Zoë’spaternal grandparents, aunts and uncles in addition to myparents and sister) didn’t help – they did; I receivedtremendous emotional support from them, and made surewe had frequent trips to visit them all. Now that she is anadult, I can see that I have raised an independent womanwho can take care of herself, but who also knows andsupports both sides of her family.What is your favorite daily ritual?I have an older neighbor who was also a single mother. Thefirst stop on my evening walk with my dog, Maisie, is myneighbor’s house. Maisie gets a treat (secretly supplied byme), and my neighbor and I can check in with each other.She and I have completely different religious and politicalaffiliations but come together on the important thingssuch as parenting, kindness, and simply getting throughthis life with some sense of sanity.What is your favorite vacation spot?Anywhere on or near the ocean. From a very young age myfather was a ship and cruise enthusiast, and introduced meearly on to cruise vacations - when the ships still lookedlike ships and not floating amusement parks. Cruising isstill my family’s favorite vacation, but I’ll take a beachsomewhere warm in a pinch.If you could give your 18-year-old self one piece of advice,what would it be?Don’t take yourself so seriously!
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020P a g e 11SPOTLIGHT A WSS MEMBERWashington Statistical Society’s Spotlight on Members ProgramThe WSS Board of Directors has established a program to highlight members who have madeor are making notable contributions to the work of their organization or their professionalfield of expertise. We know that WSS members are doing interesting work in the fields ofstatistics, survey methodology, and the social sciences. Through this program, we hope tospotlight the accomplishments of our fellow WSS members.This is our first request for nominations, to be featured in an upcoming issue of WSS News. Weare interested in featuring members at all levels of the employment spectrum including recentgraduates, mid-career employees, and those seasoned veterans.Please feel free to nominate more than one person or a team working together. You mayalso nominate yourself as well. The nominees must be members of the WSS and not currentlyaffiliated with the Board.Please provide us with the following information about your nominee or nominees.1. Your name, email address, and telephone number2. Name or names of nominee(s)3. Organizational affiliation4. Job title5. Their contact information including email address and telephone number6. A brief narrative describing the reasons for your nomination7. A photo of the nominee, although not required, would be great be greatlyappreciatedPlease submit your nominations or direct any questions to Nick Hart(nhart@bipartisanpolicy.org) or Natalia Weil (NataliaWeil@westat.org).We look forward to hearing from you.
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020P a g e 12VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDCalling Data Scientists, Developers, Designers and Storytellers fora Month-Long Virtual Hackathon SupportingChesapeake Bay ConservationBooz Allen Hamilton has partnered with a local nonprofit, the Chesapeake MonitoringCooperative, to host Hack the Bay, a month-long virtual hackathon dedicated to exploring,analyzing, and enriching data on water qualitythroughout the Chesapeake Bay. The competition will be open beginning Aug. 3 andparticipants (18 ) of all geographies and skill levels are eligible to engage individually or aspart of a team. Entrants will have the option to address one of four hackathon challenges,outlined here. Teams with the most compelling entries will be invited to present their solutionsand findings to a distinguished group of scientists and experts from Booz Allen Hamilton andleading organizations in the environmental sector, and will be recognized in press andpublications after the event. Sign up at https://hack-the-bay.devpost.com/
P a g e 13WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020WASHINGTON STATISTICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS,PROGRAMS, AND COMMITTEES20120-21 Board of Directors, Committees, and ProgramsOfficePresidentPast tative-at-LargeCouncil of ChaptersRepresentativeMethodology Section ChairCommunications OfficerNameEileen O’BrienTom KrenzkeJill DeverWill CecereDhuly ChowdhuryMike MessnerVACANTBarnali DasMartha McRoyAbhik DasNicholas BeylerLeanna MoronVoting 07/1/2019-6/30/2020Telephone(301) 648-7231(301) 251-4203(202) 974-7846(301) 294-4477(301) 770-8234(301) 518-4781E-mailEileen.O'Brien AT eia.govtomkrenzke AT westat.comjdever AT rti.orgwilliamcecere AT westat.comdchowdhury AT rti.orgMessner.Michael AT 9-6/30/2020(301) 458-4881(202) 419-3643bdas AT cdc.govmmcroy AT pewresearch.orgadas AT rti.org7/1/2019-6/30/20207/1/2019-6/30/2020(703) 214-0931(240) 715-2858nbeyler AT 2mresearch.comleannaxmoron AT gmail.com
P a g e 14WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020ProgramMethodology ProgramChairMethodology ProgramAgriculture and NaturalResourcesData Collection MethodsDefense and NationalSecurityEconomicsHuman RightsNon-Voting Members – ProgramsChairTelephoneAsaph Young7/1/2019-6/30/2020(703) 214-0931ChunAsaph Young7/1/2019-6/30/2020(703) 214-0931ChunMichael Bellow7/1/2019-6/30/2020VACANTWendy Martinez7/1/2019-6/30/2020Michael JadooMichael P. CohenGrant IzmirlianCarolyn 9-6/30/20207/1/2019-6/30/2020Public PolicyBob Sivinski7/1/2019-6/30/2020Quality AssuranceSocial and DemographicStatisticsData ScienceStudent RepresentativeVACANTVACANTPublic Health andBiostatisticsVACANTVACANT(540) 2841032(786) 763-4318(202) 232-4651(301) 496-7519(202) 3208709(202) 3951205E-mailYchun2 AT gmail.comYchun2 AT gmail.comMBellow AT nass.usda.govmartinezw AT verizon.netJadoo.Michael AT bls.govmpcohen AT juno.comizmirlian AT nih.govcarolyn AT stattech.comRobert G Sivinski AT omb.eop.gov
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020P a g e 15Non-voting Members – Committees and Other Board MembersCommitteeMemberTelephoneE-mailShort CoursesYang Cheng7/1/2019-6/30/2020(301) 763-3287 yang.cheng AT census.govWSS Newsletter EditorColleen Choi7/1/2019-6/30/2020wss.editor AT gmail.comElectronic Mail CommitteeS.V. (Vince)7/1/2019-6/30/2020(703) 983-5893 svm AT mitre.orgMassimini(303) 396-5164faustlin AT yahoo.comEmployment ColumnLisa Faustlin7/1/2019-6/30/2020CoordinatorFinancial Advisor and Audit Chris Moriarity7/1/2019-6/30/2020(301) 270-3416 cdm7 AT cdc.govCommitteeFinancial Advisor and Audit Michael P. Cohen 7/1/2019-6/30/2020(202) 232-4651 mpcohen AT juno.comCommitteeHistorianVACANTSocial ArrangementsGlenn White7/1/2019-6/30/2020cyclistgdw AT aol.comCommitteeEd MulrowMulrow-Edward AT norc.orgVideo ConferencingVACANTCommunicationsPhil Kalina7/1/2019-6/30/2020(703) 725phil AT philkalina.com6600Web MasterChris Moriarity7/1/2019-6/30/2020(301) 270-3416 cdm7 AT cdc.govQuantitative Literacy Chair Maura Bardos7/1/2019-6/30/2020Maura.bardos AT gmail.comCurtis Jacobs MemorialBrian Sloboda7/1/2019-6/30/2020(202) 693Sloboda.brian.w AT 4) 361-4982 elizabethpetraglia AT westat.comPetragliaQuantitative Literacy PosterDan Sherman7/1/2019-6/30/2020ratitekeeper AT yahoo.comCompetitionMark Otto7/1/2019-6/30/2020(301) 497-5872 Mark.ot2o AT gmail.comFrank Yoon7/1/2019-6/30/2020(609) 945-6616 FYoon AT us.ibm.comStudent Travel AwardErin TanenbaumTanenbaum-Erin AT norc.org
P a g e 16WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020John CzajkaMembership CommitteeHerriot Award CommitteeWSS Committee on ASAFellowsJohn DixonFritz ScheurenThesia GarnerAl GottschalckJeri MulrowJill DeMatteisCynthia ClarkSoc. Sec. Rep.Govt. Sec. Rep.WSS Rep., llie Ann KellerJennifer ParkerJill DeverCarol 9-6/30/2020ChairJohn M. AbowdJohn HaltiwangerShiskin Award CommitteeChair, 020Robert ParkerAdriana KuglerSusan HousemanTom KrenzkeEileen O’Brien(202) 4844685(202) 691-7516(202) 3203446jczajka AT mathematica-mpr.comdixon j AT bls.govscheuren AT aol.comAlfred.O.Gottschalck AT census.govjmm4784 AT yahoo.com(301) 517-4046(703) 5568825jilldematteis AT westat.comczfclark AT cox.netsak9tr AT virginia.edujdp3 AT cdc.govjdever AT rti.org(202) 340Carol.Corrado AT conference0252board.org(301) 763-5880 John.Maron.Abowd AT census.gov(301) 405Halt AT umd.edu3504(301) 467-7677 parkerrobertp AT aol.com(713) 206-7926 Ak659 AT georgetown.edu(269) 385Houseman AT upjohn.org0434(301) 251-4203 tomkrenzke AT westat.com(301) 648-7231 Eileen.O'Brien AT eia.gov
P a g e 17WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020Hansen Lecture CommitteeGertrude Cox AwardCommitteeBrian HarrisKojetinSteve CohenPartha LahiriJenny ThompsonLinda YoungKeith RustEileen O’BrienJill DeverTom KrenzkeKarol KrotkiAbhik DasPhillip KottChairBKojetin AT nas.eduPast Chaircohen.steveh AT gmail.complahiri AT umd.eduKatherine.J.Thompson AT census.govUSDA Rep.Westat Rep.WSS Rep.WSS Rep.WSS Rep.RTI Rep.RTI Rep.RTI Rep.Linda.Young AT nass.usda.gov(301) 251-8278keithrust AT westat.com(301) 648-7231 Eileen.O'Brien AT eia.gov(202) 974-7846 jdever AT rti.org(301) 251-4203 tomkrenzke AT westat.com(202) 728-2485 kkrotki AT rti.org(301) 770-8214 adas AT rti.org(301) 468-8281 pkott AT rti.org
P a g e 18WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020Statistics EducationCommitteeMentoring CommitteeDiversity CommitteeSpotlightCarol JoyceBlumbergElizabeth JohnsonRobert AronstamCarol HowaldKathleen RobensSareeta CarterSchmittAshleySchreckengostMartha McRoyMark OttoErin TanenbaumLloyd HicksMichael MessnerMichael JadooDarryl CreelNatalia WeilChair, 30/2020(301) 920-0278cblumberg AT gmail.com(703) 993-9116(410) 371 3473(443) 518-4933(301) 915-5757ejohns40 AT gmu.edurobert.aronstam AT visi.orgchowald AT howardcc.eduaarjak AT gmail.comsareeta.schmitt AT 0207/1/2019-6/30/2020aosborne amo AT hotmail.com(202) 419-3643(301) 518-4781(786) 763-4318(240) 314-5811mmcroy AT pewresearch.orgMark.ot2o AT gmail.comTanenbaum-Erin AT norc.orglloydhicks AT westat.comMessner.Michael AT epa.govJadoo.Michael AT bls.govdcreel AT rti.orgNataliaWeil AT westat.com
WSS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2020P a g e 19FROM THE WSS NEWS EDITORItems for publication in the next issue of WSS NEWS will be accepted thru the 20th of thepreceding month.Email items to wss.editor@gmail.com.The authors are responsible for verifying the contents of their submissions. Submissionsrequiring extensive revisions on length and/or contents will be returned. Announcements withtrack changes will not be accepted.Please submit all materials as an attachment in MS WORD or plain text. Submissions in anyother format will be returned.PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR ITEMS IN PDF OR IN THE BODY OF AN EMAIL.
Before entering graduate school, one of my undergraduate professors, Peter Wolfe, really encouraged me to pursue my interest in mathematics by applying to graduate programs, and guided me through the process. I had other great professors in graduate school who also provided guidance and information about professional growth
