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

Welcome to the Latest Edition of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) Newsletter

As we move into a vibrant season of activity for the SSA, we’re delighted to share a new round of updates, opportunities, and community highlights with you. From recognising excellence to celebrating innovation, there’s plenty to explore in this edition.

We’re proud to announce that nominations are now open for two of the Society’s highest honours—the Pitman Medal and Honorary Lifetime Membership. These awards celebrate exceptional contributions to the field of statistics. If you know a colleague who has made a lasting impact, we encourage you to nominate them and help us honour their achievements.

Looking ahead, excitement is building for the Australian Statistical Conference 2025. Set to unite the statistical and data science communities in Perth, this event will offer a rich program of knowledge-sharing and connection. The conference website will be launching in the coming weeks, with expressions of interest to attend and call for abstracts opening soon—watch this space!

As always, we welcome member submissions to showcase the breadth of talent across our community. Whether you’re working on cutting-edge research, unique applications, or fresh insights into statistical practice, we’d love to feature your work in an upcoming issue.

Wishing you a joyful and relaxing Easter weekend—we hope it brings you some well-deserved rest and a chance to recharge.

Some of the alarming implications of the Trump administration for research funding and education have received wide attention in the Australian press recently.  This week, the Advisory Board on Ethics of the International Statistical Institute has commented on some potential changes to methods for producing US official statistics. Former Australian Statistician, Dennis Trewin, and Professor Ayse Bilgin, Professor at Macquarie University and Co-Chair of the SSA Statistical Education Section, are members of this Advisory Board.

Looking to get into statistical programming but lack industry experience? We spoke with several statistical programmers from diverse backgrounds, and one thing became clear—there’s no single path to success in this field.

This issue’s cover feature is a must-read for anyone who enjoys the educated guessing games known as prediction tournaments. And if you don’t enjoy them, because you don’t do very well in them, you’re in good company – as the article reveals, neither did the great Stephen Hawking!

We also tackle the rise of randomised non-comparative trials (RNCTs), which are now being published in high-impact journals despite being described by experienced clinical trial statisticians as “absolutely terrible” and “disastrous”.

Please read and let us know your thoughts.

The Prestigious Pitman Medal – Recognising Excellence in Statistics

The Society awards a gold medal, the Pitman Medal, at most once annually, in recognition of outstanding achievement in, and contribution to, the discipline of Statistics.

This is the Society’s premier award and recognises the recipient’s innovations in statistics, and the impact that these have had. The recipient’s work will have enhanced the international standing of Australia in the discipline of Statistics.

Initial nomination is by means of a 1-2 page description of the nominee’s achievements and their impacts, preferably in a form that can be used in a citation for the recipient.

Nominations close on 31 May.

Honorary Life Membership

Honorary Life Membership honours outstanding contribution to the profession, including through contribution to the SSA at Branch and National level – although innovation and impact in statistics are also considered.

Initial nomination is by means of a 1-2 page description of the nominee’s achievements and their impacts, preferably in a form that can be used in a citation for the recipient.

Nominations close on 31 May.

Society Service Award

A Society Service Award may be awarded to a Society member in recognition of sustained (at least 3 years) and significant service to the Statistical Society of Australia at Branch and/or National level.

Nomination is by means of a 1 page description of the nominee’s service to the Society and the impact of that effort on the success of the SSA.

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!

This series of webinars, a collaboration between the ECSSN and the History Standing Committee of the Statistical Society of Australia, explores the personal journeys of senior Australian statisticians who have made a significant impact.

Through these conversations, we delve into their career paths, challenges, and achievements, offering valuable lessons and inspiration for early career and student statisticians.

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 a dynamic week filled with cutting-edge presentations, engaging workshops, and invaluable networking opportunities with professionals, academics, and industry data leaders.

The conference website will be live in the next few weeks, with registrations and call for abstracts opening soon—so stay tuned for updates on keynote speakers, programme highlights, and ways to get involved!

Developing Essential Communication Skills for a Successful Career in Statistics

Date: 1 May 2025

Time: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Online

Text Analysis with Large Language Models

Date: 3 Jun 2025 - 4 Jun 2025

Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM each day

Location: Online

Streamline Your Workflow: Effectively Managing Projects, Time, and Emails

Date: 5 Jun 2025

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: Online

Tips for Interview Success

Date: 19 Jun 2025

Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Location: Online

Item Nonresponse and Imputation

Date: 24 Jun 2025

Time: Weekly 1 hour meetings taking place Tuesdays

Location: Online

The first ICOTS to be held in Australia is in the heart of Brisbane 12th -17th July, 2026.

Propose a paper to feature in one of ICOTS 12 Main Topics.

Important Dates

Due date for Main Topic paper proposals: 31 May 2025

Outcome by: 30 August 2025

Due date for contributed and other paper proposals desiring refereeing: 31 July 2025

Acceptance by: 30 August 2025

An optional refereeing process is available for all papers accepted as above.

Papers will appear in the international ICOTS Proceedings. Due date for Papers requesting refereeing: 31 October 2025

Referee reports by: 31 December 2025

See Home • ICOTS 12 for Main Topics (under Scientific Programme) and for Submissions.

STEM Women’s Development Scholarships

We’re offering partial scholarships for women in the STEM Industry ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per person, for one of four leadership and workplace skill development programs.

These scholarships are aimed at encouraging more women to increase their impact at work, progress their career, and step into leadership roles.

Application Deadline: Friday 6th June 2025.

Eurostat is pleased to announce the final round of the European Statistics Awards for Web Intelligence, with a focus on Multinational Enterprise (MNE) Groups Data: Discovery & Extraction Challenges. Running in parallel, these competitions aim to drive innovation, develop new methodologies, and benchmark approaches for processing web content in MNE Group data analysis.

Both competitions are now open for registration and the deadline for registering is 22 April 2025.

AMSI invites experienced lecturers to teach an honours/masters level statistics or probability course at the 2026 AMSI Summer School, held at Monash University from January 12 to February 6.

This unique opportunity allows you to engage with a diverse, national cohort of highly motivated honours and post-graduate students in an intensive learning environment.

To apply, please complete the attached proposal and submit to Anna Muscara and Ngang Le at coordinator_rhed@amsi.org.au by Friday 9 May.

Apply Now

Calling all early-career statisticians: 2025 Significance magazine Early Career Writing Competition

Do you have an interesting tale to tell with statistics? Would you like to win a shiny trophy and publication in Significance and a slot at the 2025 Royal Statistical Society (RSS) Conference? Then start flexing your fingers – this one’s for you!

Entries for this year’s Significance Statistical Excellence Award for Early Career Writing are now open. The award was established to raise the profile of emerging statistics communicators by sharing their work with a global audience. The winning article will be published in Significance, and finalists’ articles on the Significance website.   Winners and runners-up will be announced at the RSS Statistical Excellence Awards in London in July 2025 and invited to present their articles at the 2025 RSS Conference in Edinburgh (1–4 September 2025).

Articles can be on any topic. To get started, check out the entries from previous winners are runners-up, including SSA member Damjan Vukcevic.

Stay Connected – Follow SSA’s Official LinkedIn Page!

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

By following us, you’ll gain access to:

• Regular updates on SSA events and conferences
• The latest industry news and trends
• Exclusive career opportunities and professional development resources
• Member highlights and community insights

Stay informed, connect with fellow statisticians and data professionals, and be part of the growing SSA network. Follow us today!

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.