Dear {Contact_First_Name},
One of my favourite things to do is to notify recipients of SSA’s awards and grants. There is the E J G Pitman Young Statisticians prize, the Louise Ryan award, the Bill Venables award, top-up scholarships and fellowship funding support, to name just a few.
Earlier this year I had the pleasure of notifying Dr Lizzie Korevaar that she had won the 2023 SSA & CSIRO/Data 61 Betty Allan Travel award. This award, first introduced at the end of 2019, is named after Frances Elizabeth (Betty) Allan, CSIRO’s first statistician, who provided statistical support across the organisation. Betty Allan also lectured in mathematics and statistics at Canberra University College and the Australian Forestry School. By naming the award after Betty Allan, the SSA sought to honour her contribution to Australian statistics. The $3,000 award is jointly funded by the Statistical Society and CSIRO’s Data 61.
I was absolutely delighted being able to tell Lizzie that she was the recipient of the 2023 Betty Allan award. Having joined the SSA in 2018 as a student member, Lizzie threw herself into SSA from the get-go. She quickly got involved with what was then known as the Vic Branch (now Vic&Tas Branch), supporting various activities for students and early career statisticians, helping with the administration of branch workshops and managing the branch’s finances. More recently Lizzie has taken on a national leadership role within SSA’s Mentoring Committee, becoming a Co-Chair of the committee.
Lizzie has come to my rescue on many occasions, sending me much needed articles for the SSA newsletter and always presenting them in a way that I can simply cut and paste her words – no editing or reformatting required on my part. Not only that, but Lizzie’s email communications are without fail upbeat and cheerful, brightening up my day with every message.
The 2023 Betty Allan Travel Award supported Lizzie’s attendance of the 30th Anniversary Cochrane Colloquium in London in September. She gave an oral presentation on a project from her recently completed PhD (which examined statistical methods for meta-analysis of results from interrupted time series studies), and for the first time in her statistical career, delivered two workshops (leading the delivery of one and co-facilitating the other).
Thankfully, Lizzie let us share her experience through a report, mentioning standout talks and key learnings from her Cochrane Colloquium attendance. You can read the report and see three pictures of the event here. |
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Notice: The SSA office will be closed on Tuesday, 7 November 2023. |
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Is there a limit to the potential human lifespan?
Yahoo!News shared an article by Sarah-Louise Kelly, last week where the author discusses human longevity. Based on scientific research, what is the maximum age that humans can potentially live to? Dutch researchers in 2017 identified a "ceiling" for human lifespan, stating that the maximum age for females is 115 years old and for males, it's 114 years. The research used data from 75,000 Dutch people and was conducted by statisticians at Tilburg and Rotterdam's Erasmus universities. One of the researchers, Professor John Einmahl, noted that while the average life expectancy has increased, the age ceiling has not changed in the last thirty years. This finding is consistent with U.S. research conducted a year earlier, which also emphasised that while life expectancy might improve, the maximum potential lifespan is unlikely to change. Jan Vijg, a senior author of the paper, suggested that medical advances would have to overcome numerous genetic variants that seem to determine human lifespan to extend it beyond current limits. The article concludes by raising the question of whether efforts to extend lifespan should instead focus on improving the quality of life in old age. Hear hear, I say.
Read the full article |
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Australia's population by country of birth
This week the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its latest report on Australia's population by country of birth, providing fascinating statistics on Australia's estimated resident population by country of birth.
Key findings were:
- the number of Australia's population born overseas was 7.7 million people in 2022
- the proportion of Australia's population born overseas was 29.5% in 2022
- those born in England, India, China and New Zealand were the largest groups of migrants
- the Indian-born group recorded the largest increase since 2012
- Western Australia had the highest proportion of migrants (34%) of all states and territories in 2021.
You can read the report and see the figures here. If you have an X (formerly Twitter) account see some stunning visualisation here. |
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2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum
The final results of the referendum held on 14 October were released by the Australian Electoral Commission this week. If you are interested in the finer details, please click here. |
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Kirsch's million-dollar bet: Do COVID vaccine deaths outscore COVID deaths?
This week I came across the short article “Vaccine’ Killed 3.5 X more Americans than COVID virus” by Steve Kirsch, published on the website Catholicism.org (27 October 2023). Kirsch claims that his research unequivocally indicates that COVID vaccines have resulted in 3.5 times as many deaths as the COVID virus itself, and that his survey's methods and results have been scrutinised by professionals in the fields of statistics and epidemiology, and no mistakes were identified.
He concludes his article with the offer of putting “a million dollars on the table that this is right and that the vaccines have killed more people than COVID. Any takers?”
I thought I’d pass on the challenge to our members. Should any one of you win the million dollars, I'd like my cut in the form of a box of Lindt chocolates, please. |
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SSA Mentoring Program:
Application deadline extended until 13 November!
The application form is available via the SSA Mentoring website. |
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Reviewing & renewing your current insurance
As a member of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA), you can access the exclusive partnership between our Society and KBI Specialist Insurance Brokers.
Before you renew your business insurance, you should consider evaluating your current coverages and compare them to the tailored insurance designed exclusively for SSA members by KBI. This will ensure that you have adequate coverage for you and your organisation at a very competitive rate.
KBI’s insurance program for members of SSA offers:
- Customised coverages designed for your statisticians and data scientists
- Competitive pricing
- A streamlined renewal process,
- A strong service commitment to out members
- Tailored advice
KBI recommends that you request a complimentary review two months before the renewal of your current insurance is due to receive a customised coverage report. Request a review. |
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Mentioned in previous newsletters: |
Be a tech hero: Volunteer for ASC 2023 parallel session support
We are looking for volunteers to help with tech support for parallel sessions during the 2023 ASC conference. The responsibilities include:
To load slides for the session and run pre-talk check To provide computer support and to set up Zoom connection To control Lights and air conditioning when necessary To liaise with personnel in charge on the day if there is any problem
Training will be provided and volunteers will receive a token of appreciation for their contribution. We require that volunteers commit to a minimum of one full day of availability. If you would like to express your interest, please send an EOI, including your availability to Pauline (poshaugh@uow.edu.au) by Friday, 10 November 2023. If you would like to know more about this opportunity, please feel free to email Pauline. If you know someone else could be interested, please pass on this email. |
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SA Branch: 2023 E.A. Cornish Memorial Lecture
15 Nov 2023, 5:30 PM – 7:15 PM (ACDT),Schulz 214/218 Lecture Room, Level 2 Schulz Building, North Terrace Campus at The University of Adelaide.
Held every two years, this lecture is the highlight of our Branch’s speaker program. The 2023 lecture will be presented by Professor Julie Simpson on the topic "Integration of statistical modelling and mathematical biology to improve the treatment of malaria." This presentation will outline an interdisciplinary approach using mathematical biology and Bayesian statistical methods, to determine optimal treatment regimens and how this work has informed WHO treatment guidelines for malaria.
Post-lecture dinner: For attendees who wish to join Professor Simpson and the colleagues at the Branch, a dinner will be held at La Buvette Bistro, 27 Gresham Street, Adelaide SA 5000. RSVP is essential as reservation spaces are limited. To confirm your attendance to the dinner, please email the Branch Secretary at statsoc.sa.branch@gmail.com by COB Monday 13 November.
Please register your attendance to the lecture with the Eventbrite link: https://tinyurl.com/3ktnmwyx
Events previously mentioned:
Surviving Grant Season: Lessons Learned & Practical Tips for NHMRC, MRFF and Investigator Grant development
14 Nov 2023, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (AEDT), online
To register click here.
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SSA WA November: Maintenance Policy for a Latent Degradation System (Dr Soudabeh Shemehsavar)
14 Nov 2023, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (AWST), Room 360.3.002 (Innovation Hub in Boola Katitjin), Murdoch University
For details click here.
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SSA Vic & Tas Panel Discussion - Statisticians in Society
21 Nov 2023, 6:00 PM (AEDT), RMIT Building 15, Level 3, Room 10, 124 La Trobe Street Melbourne or online via Zoom
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NSW Branch: 2023 Annual Event: JB Douglas award, Annual lecture by Prof. Sally Cripps, Annual Dinner
22 Nov 2023, 2:00 PM – 10:00 PM (AEDT), Cullen Room, The University of Sydney
To register click here and to register for the dinner click here.
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WA Branch End of Year Function
Tuesday, 28 Nov 2023, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM (AWST)
Register here.
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Statistical Consulting Network Monthly Meet-Up
24 November 2023, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM AEDT, held online
Come along with your thinking cap, maybe a problem, and some lunch!
The Statistical Consulting Network invites you to their monthly meet-up, a virtual lunchtime meeting where statisticians help each other out with problems that they aren’t sure how to deal with. This virtual meeting is held on Zoom at lunchtime on the last Friday of each month, 12:30-1:30 PM (AEDT). We start each meet-up with announcements, or occasionally a special topic discussion, then discuss problems that attendees have brought along with them.
We also have a Slack workspace where members of the consulting network can communicate between meetings, or post problems or relevant materials they would like to discuss during a meeting.
Zoom link Password: 660145
Slack Workspace link |
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ASC and OZCOTS 2023 Social Events
Early Career and Student Statisticians Network ASC Social on 12 December 2023, held at the Illawarra Brewery’s outdoor terrace at WINN stadium. The ECSSN is organising a social get-together during the ASC2023! They are inviting students, early career and more senior statisticians to join them a lovely beach view and network with like-minded people you might not see very often, plus have some fun, nibbles, and drinks!
Statistical Conference Dinner on 13 Dec 2023, at the Grand Ballroom at the Sage Hotel. Just minutes from the beach, come and join us for a three-course dinner. (You register on the same page as the conference registration page)
OZCOTS 2023 Social on 14 Dec 2023, at Lucia's by the Sea, next to the Novotel Hotel. The OZCOTS committee invites you to come and join them for a lovely meal and catch-up at a beautiful beach front venue. |
Childcare available at ASC&OZCOTS 2023, but you need to book ahead!
We are offering low cost onsite childcare to anyone attending ASC&OZCOTS2023 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday through licensed childcare Abracadabra. The cost is $60 per child per day or $150 for all three days, the room is in building 11 (same as keynote presentations). There will be age appropriate activities for all children attending. Parents/guardians will need to pick up children for a brief lunch.
Find out more. |
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Value of Networking and Mentoring to Achieve Your Best:
Do you have to be a Superwoman to be Successful? |
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A free webinar, presented by the ISI Committee on Women in Statistics (CW-ISI) and proudly sponsored by SSA. Register here.
8 November 2023, 23pm-24:00 AEDT
Speaker: Professor Ayse Aysin Bilgin |
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If you have news from the Australian statistical community to share in Stats Matters and Events, please get in touch with us! We love getting feedback too. |
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