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A podcast to inspire listeners with compelling stories from statistics and data science and to propel data-driven careers forward with learning opportunities for all
29 Episodes
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A call to action kicks off the New Year and season six of “Practical Significance.” Cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein welcome incoming ASA President Jeri Mulrow, who shares her thoughts about leadership, service, and the evolving role of statistics and asks members to become communities in action. Her experiences—from growing up in Helena, Montana, […]
During this traditional year-end edition of Practical Significance, co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein sit down with four outgoing ASA Board leaders—Ingrid Van Keilegom, Jenny Thompson, Melinda Holt, and Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar—for a candid and inspiring conversation about their time on the board and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The guests pull back the […]
Two distinguished leaders in federal statistics—Nancy Potok, former chief statistician of the United States and CEO of NAPx Consulting, and Connie Citro, senior scholar at the National Academies’ Committee on National Statistics, join hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein this month. Together, they discuss how the ASA is working collaboratively with other organizations to identify ongoing […]
Grace Wahba was awarded the 2025 International Prize in Statistics in recognition of her groundbreaking work on smoothing splines, which has transformed modern data analysis and machine learning. Wahba was among the earliest to pioneer the use of nonparametric regression modeling. She joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1967 as the first female faculty member […]
Building partnerships is at the heart of this month’s Practical Significance podcast, as cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein welcome American Statistical Association colleagues Amanda Malloy, director of development, and Amy Farris, director of membership development and marketing, to explore the vision and impact of the ASA Partner Program. This strategic initiative was designed to […]
What happens when you combine statistical expertise, cross-cultural collaboration, and a mission to build statistical capacity internationally? You get the ASA’s Educational Ambassador Program—and one inspiring episode of Practical Significance! Cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein sit down for a lively conversation with three dynamic guests: Carolina Franco (NORC at The University of Chicago); Andrzej Kosinski (Duke University School of Medicine); and Paulo Canas Rodrigues (Federal University […]
In this forward-looking episode of Practical Significance, co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein sit down with a powerhouse panel to explore where statistics is headed over the next decade. Kathy Ensor (Rice University), Lance Waller (Emory University), and Brittany Segundo (National Academies) dive into a major National Academies consensus study: Frontiers of Statistics in Science and Engineering: 2035 and Beyond. Ensor (chair) and Waller (vice chair) are […]
Practical Significance focuses on the passion and commitment members bring to advancing the ASA’s mission of promoting the practice and profession of statistics. Cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein chat with two guests—Susan Paddock, executive vice president and chief scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago, and Bo Li, professor at Washington University in […]
Thanks to generous support from Nan Laird, who was awarded the 2021 International Prize in Statistics in recognition of her transformative work, the ASA launched the Telling Our Stories video project to raise awareness of the profound impact of statistics and inspire a greater appreciation for its contribution to advancing science and society. The latest […]
On April 22, Claire McKay Bowen will deliver the inaugural Dionne Price Public Lecture. April is also Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, so, to celebrate, Bowen joins “Practical Significance” hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to explore what “statistics awareness” truly means today. As senior fellow leading data governance and privacy at the Urban Institute’s Family and Financial Wellbeing Division, Bowen […]
On April 22, Claire McKay Bowen will deliver the inaugural Dionne Price Public Lecture. April is also Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month, so, to celebrate, Bowen joins “Practical Significance” hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to explore what “statistics awareness” truly means today.
As senior fellow leading data governance and privacy at the Urban Institute’s Family and Financial Wellbeing Division, Bowen shares her statistical journey and the mentors who shaped her career. She also reveals the fundamental statistical concept she believes every citizen should understand and why it matters.
Bowen emphasizes the ...
The post Practical Significance | Episode 52: Celebrating MSAM with Claire Bowen, the Inaugural Dionne Price Public Lecture Presenter first appeared on Amstat News.
To mark the launch of ASA Career Connect, a site that will make it easier for employers and ASA members to connect, this month’s “Practical Significance” episode focuses on career advice. ASA past presidents Sastry Pantula and Wendy Martinez, along with SPAIG Chair Satrajit Roychoudhury, join cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to share invaluable […]
To mark the launch of ASA Career Connect, a site that will make it easier for employers and ASA members to connect, this month’s “Practical Significance” episode focuses on career advice. ASA past presidents Sastry Pantula and Wendy Martinez, along with SPAIG Chair Satrajit Roychoudhury, join cohosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to share invaluable career advice and insights for navigating career transitions.
Our expert trio share perspectives from three employment sectors: academia—Pantula from California State University–San Bernardino; government—Martinez from the US Census Bureau; and industry—Roychoudhury from Pfizer. Drawing on their ...
The post Practical Significance | Episode 51: Celebrating the Launch of ASA Career Connect: Strategies from Those Who’ve Been There first appeared on Amstat News.
In this milestone 50th episode, co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein continue their tradition of introducing the American Statistical Association’s incoming president. Ji-Hyun Lee, the ASA’s 120th president, joins them to share her vision for 2025, which is centered on “building bridges.” As she begins her presidential year, Lee shares both her excitement and jitters, […]
More than a decade ago, John Bailer and Richard Campbell launched Stats+Stories. Now, after more than 350 episodes, the podcast continues to explore the “Statistics Behind the Stories and the Stories Behind the Statistics.” In this episode of Practical Significance, hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein sit down with Stats+Stories current co-hosts John Bailer and […]
As we conclude our fourth year of Practical Significance, we’re overflowing with gratitude and excitement! Our heartfelt thanks go to our dedicated listeners who’ve been with us throughout this journey. We are grateful for the many members of the ASA community who give their time and talent in support of our mission. Particularly, the members […]
The November episode of Practical Significance features a fun twist as podcast producer Kim Gilliam takes her turn at the mic to interview her colleagues and Practical Significance co-hosts, Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein. Armed with insider knowledge and your burning questions about the ASA, Kim leads a lively conversation that’s equal parts informative and […]
The American Statistical Association’s Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award recognizes media professionals for their presentation of the science of statistics and its role in public life. During the 2024 Joint Statistical Meetings in Portland, Oregon, this summer, Harry Stevens of The Washington Post was honored with this award for his Climate Lab story series—which covers environmental change in a clear, personalized, transparent, and reproducible way.
Joining Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein, Stevens says he writes about compelling climate trends and their effect on the natural world, presenting the ...
The post Practical Significance | Episode 46—Data Is My Superpower: A Conversation with the Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award Recipient first appeared on Amstat News.
Statistics in the Community, or STATCOM, is a student-run community outreach program launched at Purdue University in 2006. It offers students a unique opportunity to apply their statistical expertise by providing pro bono consulting services to community organizations.
This month, Annie Cohen and Hanna Venera join Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein to discuss their roles as co-presidents of STATCOM at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. They can’t contain their enthusiasm for this special initiative and the intrinsic reward of working within the community, although they acknowledge the ...
The post Practical Significance | Episode 45: Statistics in the Community (STATCOM)—Service in Action first appeared on Amstat News.
The American Statistical Association recently joined forces with Instats, an organization dedicated to enhancing global research practices by offering expert-led training to researchers through its online platform. The ASA/Instats partnership will bring members a broad set of learning opportunities.
Practical Significance co-hosts Donna LaLonde and Ron Wasserstein engage with Michael Zyphur, director of Instats, to explore this innovative learning experience—including the unique features that set the Instats platform apart.
ASA members will have access to live seminars, on-demand seminars, and structured courses. They can also easily filter these offerings based on their ...
The post Practical Significance | Episode 44: Lifelong Learning—New Opportunities for ASA Members first appeared on Amstat News.
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