Latest News ~ SSA Events ~ Career Centre ~ Member Contributions ~ Other Events

Welcome to the latest edition of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) Newsletter.

We are delighted to bring you the latest updates from the SSA, including exciting events, professional development opportunities, industry news, and member achievements.

In this edition, we reflect on the success of our International Women’s Day Panel Discussion, where we celebrated the incredible contributions of women in statistics and data science. Thank you to everyone who participated in this inspiring conversation on gender equity and inclusion in our profession.

Looking ahead, we are excited about this year’s Australian Statistical Conference in beautiful Perth. This premier event will bring together statisticians, data scientists, and industry leaders for a dynamic exchange of ideas, networking, and collaboration. Stay tuned for more details!

We are also thrilled to showcase new member submissions, highlighting the diverse and impactful work within our community. From groundbreaking research to innovative applications of statistical methods, our members continue to push the boundaries of our field. If you’d like to see your work featured in a future edition, we encourage you to submit your research, articles, or insights—let’s celebrate and share the amazing contributions of our SSA community.

The SSA newsletter is your hub for staying informed, connected, and engaged. We invite you to participate, contribute, and help shape the future of statistics and data science.

Dear Queensland Members,

As Cyclone Alfred approaches land, know that as a community we are thinking of you. We hope you and your loved ones remain safe, that disruption from the cyclone is minimal, and that recovery is swift.

Please take care.

Lynne Giles

President SSA

Many of us are proud to have learned sophisticated statistical methods like structural equation modeling and multilevel modeling and are eager to use these methods to test increasingly sophisticated hypotheses.

Synthetic data is increasingly employed across fields such as healthcare, political science, and economics, allowing researchers to work without breaching privacy.

SSA’s International Women’s Day event was a resounding success, bringing together an incredible community to celebrate and empower women in statistics and data science. The event featured inspiring speakers who shared their experiences, insights, and strategies for success in the field.

If you missed it, you can now watch the recording and be part of this uplifting and insightful discussion.

The 2024 Tjanpi Award for best Student paper in Environmental Statistics

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Tjanpi Award, the annual student prize for best student paper in environmental statistics, sponsored by the SSA Environmental Statistics Section. To be eligible a student must be:

An author of a paper that has been accepted during 2024, having made a substantial contribution to the work. This paper should concern statistical methods or their application, with particular relevance to the environmental sciences

A student as of June 30 2024

A current member of the SSA and the Environmental Statistics Section

The winner will receive $500 and will be asked to present in an invited session on environmental statistics at the next annual stats conference.

Please submit your nominations to contact@statsoc.org.au (self-nominations welcome), with Tjanpi Award submission in the header, by 5 PM ADST Friday March 14th 2025, including:

- Full name, institution

- Paper, as one pdf file.

- Letter of support from supervisor or other academic at the institution, confirming student status of applicant and describing the student's role in the paper.

The Prestigious Pitman Medal – Recognising Excellence in Statistics

The Statistical Society of Australia proudly awards the Pitman Medal, a prestigious honour recognising outstanding achievement and significant contributions to the field of statistics. This distinguished award celebrates individuals whose work has had a profound impact on the discipline.

The Pitman Medal Committee, chaired by the SSA President, carefully reviews nominations and makes recommendations to the Central Council. As with Honorary Life Memberships, the recipient of the Pitman Medal is traditionally announced at the Society’s Conference, making it a highly anticipated moment in our community.

Nominations Opening Soon! SSA members are encouraged to put forward candidates who have made exceptional contributions to statistical research, practice, and education.

Stay tuned for more details on how you can participate in recognising excellence in our field.

Communicating Your Research with Tim Macuga

Did you miss our recent hands-on workshop with Tim Macuga? No need to worry—we have you covered. This insightful session addressed common challenges in effective science communication, providing practical tools to help researchers convey their work with clarity and confidence.

Watch the recording to gain valuable insights and strategies shared by Tim.

Showcase Your Work in Our New Member Contributions Section

We’re excited to announce a new opportunity for our members to share their expertise, insights, and achievements with the wider Statistical Society of Australia community. The Member Contributions section in our e-newsletter is your platform to:

• Build a Stronger Community: Share your ideas and foster meaningful connections within the SSA network.
• Showcase Your Work: Highlight your research, articles, or professional achievements to inspire and inform fellow members.
• Amplify Your Impact: Gain recognition and visibility for your work among statisticians, data analysts, and industry leaders.

All submissions will be reviewed for potential inclusion in an upcoming edition of the newsletter. Whether you have groundbreaking research, a thought-provoking article, or news about recent accomplishments, we want to hear from you!

Mark your calendars! The Australian Statistical Conference (ASC2025) is coming to Perth, WA, from 1–5 December 2025. This year’s conference promises to be an unmissable event, bringing together leading minds in statistics and data science from across Australia and beyond.

Join us for an exciting week of cutting-edge presentations, engaging workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities with professionals, academics, and industry leaders.

Stay tuned for more details, including keynote speakers, program highlights, and how you can get involved.

The first meeting for 2025 is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the WA Branch of the Statistical Society of Australia.

Date: 11 Mar 2025

Time (AGM): 5:15PM to 6:00PM (AWST)

Time (Webinar): 6:00PM to 7:00PM (AWST)

Location: Blakers Lecture Theatre, The University of Western Australia.

Personal Journey of Len Cook: A Webinar by Early Career & Student Statisticians Network and History Standing Committee of SSA

Date: 11 Mar 2025

Time: 12:30 and 2:30 AEDT

Location: Online

Venables Award Webinar

Date: 18 Mar 2025

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: Online

Large Language Models for R Users

Date: 19 Mar 2025

Time: 12:45 PM-5:00 PM AEDT

Location: Online

The Social Research Centre and the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) are very proud to offer statistical training from the International Program in Survey and Data Science.

Date: May 22 – June 12, 2025

Time : 11:00 am – 12:00 pm (AEST).

Location: Online- Weekly 1 hour meetings taking place Thursdays.

WA Branch AGM

Date: 11 Mar 2025

Time: 5:15 PM – 7:00 PM (AWST)

Enhancing Decision-Making with analytics in the Government and Mining sector- Ming Dong, Senior Analytics Consultant, Minitab Pty Ltd.

QLD Branch AGM

Date: 19 Mar 2025

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (AEST)

Speaker: Professor Angus Ng, Senior Biostatistician at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University.

VIC & TAS Branch AGM

Date: 25 Mar 2025

Time: 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM (AEDT)

Designing cluster randomised trials for the real world- Jessica Kasza

SA Branch AGM

Date: 26 Mar 2025

Time: 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM (ACDT)

The Statistical Society of Australia National Speaker Series - presentation by Dr Lan Kelly.

NSW Branch AGM + Lancaster Lecture by Andrew Zammit Mangion

Date: 27 Mar 2025

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (AEDT)

Spatio-temporal modelling of environmental data: Progress, challenges, and the road ahead.

ICOTS 12 is calling for contributions

You are warmly invited to the first ICOTS to be held in Australia, from 12th to 17th July 2026. The beautiful conference venue is in the heart of Brisbane.

ICOTS, held every four years in different countries around the world, is a most important event for all interested in the teaching and learning of the statistical and data sciences. As well as internationally renowned speakers, the ICOTS 12 programme has an overall Theme and Main Topics ranging widely over school, tertiary and workplace contexts within and across disciplines, technologies, training and research at all educational levels. ICOTS 12 has 10 named Main Topics and a Contributed and Other Topic.

The first call for abstracts is now open for paper proposals to be featured under Main Topics 1-10. See Home • ICOTS 12 for Main Topics (under Scientific Programme) and for Submissions and Important dates under Notices and Guidelines.

Summer School on Modern Methods in Biostatistics and Epidemiology 2025

Dates: 1 - 14 June 2025 

Location: Cison di Valmarino - Treviso - ITALY

Dates: 2 - 7 August 2025 

Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Dates: 1 May 2025

Location: Online

We’re Moving – Follow Our Official SSA LinkedIn Page

We’re excited to invite you to follow our official Statistical Society of Australia LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/statsocaus/

This page will be your go-to source for regular updates on SSA events, industry news, career opportunities, member highlights, and important announcements. Whether you're looking to stay informed about upcoming conferences, professional development opportunities, or the latest trends in statistics and data science, our LinkedIn page will keep you connected with the SSA community.

Our SSA Communications LinkedIn account will be deleted this evening on the 6th of March, so make sure to follow us today to stay engaged with fellow statisticians, data analysts, and industry professionals.

The SSA Career Centre is your go-to platform for connecting statisticians and data scientists with prospective employers.

For Employers:
Advertise job openings to a highly targeted audience of statisticians and data professionals. Once registered, employers can:

• Post and manage job advertisements.
• Search for and manage prospective candidates.
• Create a detailed company profile to enhance visibility.

Advertising fees start at just $130, providing an affordable way to reach top talent.

For Job Seekers:
Boost your career with tools designed to help you stand out:

• Post your résumé anonymously for potential employers to view.
• Set up personalised job alerts to be notified when roles matching your criteria are advertised.
• Take advantage of our free résumé review service to refine your profile before uploading it.

Whether you’re hiring or seeking, the SSA Career Centre makes connecting easy and efficient. Register today to get started!

Whether you’re looking to sponsor an event, support a conference, or explore a long-term partnership, we’re excited to work with you. Collaborate with the Statistical Society of Australia to connect with our vibrant community of statisticians and data professionals.

Reach out to Jodi Phillips at events@statsoc.org.au to start the conversation and explore possibilities.