Dear {Contact_First_Name},
In 2021, SSA member Eric Sowey made me an offer I could not refuse: He asked me if I wanted to have his collection of SSA newsletters going back to 1977. Did I want them? I sure did!
Of course, the SSA office already had a collection of SSA’s newsletters, but they are bound into a book, tucked away in a cupboard, accessible to no one except for me.
Eric posted the newsletters out to me, and there were a lot! He suggested uploading them to the SSA website, for the pleasure of everybody. While this was the obvious thing to do, it proved to be a huge undertaking. Keep in mind I work part-time.
It took me three years and the assistance of a moderately enthusiastic teenager to get them up on the SSA website. My son Thomas Rankin scanned the newsletters for me during his 2022 Christmas break. It then took me a further eighteen months to upload them to the SSA website. I am very proud of this achievement, and absolutely delighted that I was able to do this for our membership before I disappear into retirement next month.
I would like to take this opportunity to give a big shout-out to Eric Sowey for making his newsletter collection available to SSA. Thank you, Eric!
With one exception you can now read every newsletter that SSA has ever produced here. Issue 2 (1977) will be added next month (for reasons too complicated to go into right now).
Going through the newsletters is great fun, and I invite you to take a look when you have a moment. You’ll come across many familiar names. If you have been a member of SSA for a while, you may even find a photograph of your younger self here and there. Of course, in the early days of newsletter publication, the inclusion of photographs was not as straightforward as it is today. The arrival of digital photography changed all that and from 1998 onwards our newsletters regularly included photos.
If you find any errors, such as a heading not being linked to the correct newsletter, or a link being completely broken, please let me know straight away. As you can imagine, uploading over 100 newsletters is a monotonous, repetitive task, inviting mistakes as your mind starts to wander to more interesting past-times. Any errors can be easily fixed once they are brought to my attention. Thank you in advance.
Marie-Louise Rankin
Executive Officer
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Changes in parental misperceptions about routine childhood vaccination in Australia before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study
A study "Misperceptions about routine childhood vaccination among parents in Australia, before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey study", published on 4 June 2024 in the Australian Medical Journal, investigates changes in parental beliefs and childhood vaccination rates in Australia from 2017 to 2023. SSA member Monsurul Hoq is a co-author.
Many of us were able to witness firsthand how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted vaccination services and increased misinformation and vaccine hesitancy globally.
In Australia, childhood vaccination rates slightly declined, with a notable drop among Indigenous children. The study utilised cross-sectional online surveys in 2017 and 2023, drawing from a nationally representative panel. It assessed parents' beliefs about vaccines and their children's vaccination status.
Key findings include an increase in misperceptions among parents, such as the belief that children receive too many vaccines, vaccines cause autism and vaccine ingredients are harmful. Conversely, fewer parents believed vaccines caused allergies in 2023 compared to 2017. The overall reported vaccination rate for children decreased from 94.8% in 2017 to 87.0% in 2023.
The study highlights the need for ongoing monitoring and addressing misinformation to prevent further declines in vaccination rates. The authors point out that the representativeness of the sample by socio-economic status and remoteness was unclear, suggesting caution in generalising the findings to all Australian parents. Read more about the study here. |
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July issue of Significance available now What makes a sports star the greatest of all time? This issue we try to answer the question – at least, partially. Our writers bring you the statistics behind some of the most exciting sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer – athletics, gymnastics, basketball, endurance sports and swimming – and some of the biggest names, including Steph Curry, Simone Biles and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who’ll all be hoping to keep the USA at the top of all all-time Olympics medal table.
We also explore the data on baby names, consider how the media presented the R number during Covid, and bring you part one of our data visualisation guide (page 38), which we will be serialising over the next few issues. This comprehensive handbook, commissioned last year with our sister website Real World Data Science, is part of our efforts to present data in its best form, and as consistently and accessibly as possible.
July issue highlights:
Athletes’ peaks and primes How performance data can reveal when a track and field star is most likely to grab gold
What makes a winning gymnastics team?
Statistical advice for Team USA on picking the perfect team for Paris
Swimming for victory
Top-level science and coaching combine to reduce random error for Dutch swimmers
Women and endurance sports
We explore the issues helping, and hindering, women in sports such as marathon-running
Basketball
Unveiling NBA eras with clustering
The R number and the media
The third in our six-part series by Gavin Freeguard on the evolution and usefulness of the pandemic’s famous epidemiological tool
Baby names
How pop music, movie stars and presidents influence American parents
Data visualisation guide: part 1
An introduction and overview
Access the digital version of Significance through your membership portal. Print issues will be mailed to subscribers soon.
Significance is also online here. |
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News from the Statistical Education Section
Come and be Counted15th International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME-15)Sydney, Australia (7 – 14 July 2024)
The SSA, via the Statistical Education section, was part of the consortium which won the right for Australia to host ICME2024. This quadrennial event was last held in Australia in 1984!
ICME-15 is for everyone involved in mathematics/statistics education – mathematicians/statisticians, researchers, teachers at all levels, teacher educators, administrators, curriculum developers, and resource producers.
Register here.
Two key aspects:
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Submissions due: 21 June, 2024.
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Please inform school networks.
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Examples that may interest SSA members include:
· TSG 1.7: Teaching and learning of statistics
Co-Chairs: Ayse Bilgin, Mauren Porciuncula
· TSG 1.6: Teaching and learning of probability
Chair: Mathieu Thibault
· Topic Study Group 3.18: Data science teaching and learning
Co-Chairs: Daniel Frischemeier, Michelle Wilkerson
· TSG 1.3: Teaching and learning of algebra at secondary and tertiary levels
Co-Chairs: Lynda Ball, Ami Mamolo
· TSG 3.2: Mathematics education at tertiary level
Co-Chairs: Nadia Azrou, Elena Nardi
· TSG 3.8: The role and the use of technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics at upper secondary and tertiary level
Co-Chairs: Alison Clark-Wilson, Allen Leung
Additionally, “Surveys teams are commissioned by the IPC to examine new developments and progress on specific themes and issues that have arisen in mathematics education during recent ICMEs”.
Examples of those that may interest SSA members, includes:
· Survey 2: Mathematics education and Indigenous perspectives
· Survey 3: Statistics and data science education as a vehicle for empowering citizens |
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Statistics Education: Collaborate – Investigate – Create
The National Schools Poster Competition (NSPC) – now in its 11th year!
This year students may submit in a team (2 to 5 students) OR as an individual !
Please inform school networks, family, friends, colleagues – school awareness is key!
ü Free to enter – submissions are due online by 10 November! ü Open to Years 3 to 12 Australian students – they: · Conduct a small-scale version of a real-world investigation on a topic of interest to them! · Create an informative e-poster presentation communicating the investigation clearly, concisely and creatively…much like a conference poster! · Develop core STEM, data & cross-functional skills which support national curriculum outcomes! ü Teachers (incl home-schooling) register and upload submissions. ü Certificates for all participants ü Prizes for divisional winners and their school
Please view the annual winners and honourable mentions**, and the feedback we now provide as part of our aim to develop students’ statistical skills.
**There’s even a capture-recapture based project in 2022, with lollies in the wild!
Topics are numerous and diverse, examples include: nutrition, health, psychology, sustainability, space, diversity and inclusion, biology, science, finance, aspects of political and social interest, sports, physics, chemistry, product preferences, physiology and solar energy.
Please contact me (peterhowley0@gmail.com … zero precedes the @) if you are interested in being part of the delivery of this annual initiative! It needn’t be too onerous – let’s chat.
Peter Howley
Professor, Chair of SSA Statistical Education Section
Career Profile
Education, Health and Industry Consultant
Hunter Medical Research Institute Affiliate
International Statistical Institute – Elected Member
Vice President – Hunter Innovation and Science HUB
Advisory Board – International Statistical Literacy Project |
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The latest episode of The Random Sample is out!
Our guest is UNSW Professor Jason Sharples – considered the leading mathematical modeller when it comes to understanding bushfires. Jason talks about how he uses maths to better understand the complex interactions that bushfires have with the environment and terrain. I’ve attached a social media tile for you to use. Listen to the podcast here. |
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What's new in the Australian Data Science Network (ADSN)? Read the June newsletter here and find out about news, events, job openings and opportunities from across the ADSN. |
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SSA WA: Perth Biostats/Bioinfo Meetup 2024
11 Jun 2024, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (AWST), McCusker Auditorium, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research (North), QEII Medical Centre, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands WA 6009
The purpose of this event is to bring together those with expertise and/or interest in medical and healthcare statistics in Perth. It is an opportunity to socialise and network, and to encourage upcoming professionals to pursue a career in this worthwhile field.
The invited speakers this evening are Dr Emma de Jong and Dr Charlotte Rasmussen.
For details on the speakers and their talks, please click here. This event is free but please register your attendance to assist with catering and meeting dietary requirements. |
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SSA Vic & Tas: June Mentoring Event
18 Jun 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (AEST), The Clyde Hotel, 385 Cardigan St, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
Are you interested in a career in statistics or data science? Join us at the Clyde Hotel for an evening of networking with statisticians and data professionals. Mentees will have the opportunity to chat with each of our mentors in small groups, so come prepared with some questions for our mentors. Places will be limited so book early to secure your spot! Finger food will be provided, so registration will close the Thursday before the event (13 June) so we can finalise catering numbers.
For more information and to register click here. |
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SSA NSW June Event – John Ormerod and Jackson Zhou - Sydney Uni
19 Jun 2024, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (AEST), University of Sydney (Room TBA) and via Zoom.
We're thrilled to announce an upcoming seminar featuring Associate Professor John Ormerod and Jackson Zhou.
Agenda: 5:30pm - 6:15pm: Presentation by Jackson Zhou 6:15pm - 6:30pm: Intermission (accommodating dietary preferences) 6:30pm - 7:30pm: Lecture by Associate Professor John Ormerod 7:30pm onwards: Dinner with the speakers (Please RSVP) Should you have any inquiries, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at secretary.nswbranch@statsoc.org.au.
Click here for details on their talks and to register. |
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Statistical Consulting Network Monthly Meet-Up
28 June 2024, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM AEST, 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 (AEST). 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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Machine Learning II
23 Sep 2024 (AEST) – 11 Nov 2024 (AEDT), Online- 1 hour a week
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 (IPSDS), a joint program of the University of Mannheim and the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland. Places are limited, please register early to take advantage of early bird discounts and secure a place.
Short Course Description
Social scientists and survey researchers are confronted with an increasing number of new data sources such as apps and sensors that often result in (para)data structures that are difficult to handle with traditional modeling methods. At the same time, advances in the field of machine learning (ML) have created an array of flexible methods and tools that can be used to tackle a variety of modeling problems. Against this background, this course discusses advanced ML concepts such as cross validation, class imbalance, Boosting and Stacking as well as key approaches for facilitating model tuning and performing feature selection. In this course we also introduce additional machine learning methods including Support Vector Machines, Extra-Trees and LASSO among others. The course aims to illustrate these concepts, methods and approaches from a social science perspective. Furthermore, the course covers techniques for extracting patterns from unstructured data as well as interpreting and presenting results from machine learning algorithms. Code examples will be provided using the statistical programming language R.
For all the details click here. |
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Early Career & Student Statisticians Conference 18th - 21st November 2024
Join us for the biennial Early Career & Student Statisticians Conference (ECSSC). Organised by the ECSS Network of SSA and SECS Network of NZSA, this event offers invaluable insights and networking opportunities.
Bookmark the event website. |
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International Association for Statistical Education (IASE)
Upcoming webinar:
Statistical Tools to learn about Climate Change
20 June 2024; 6:00am – 7:30am AEST
Presenters: Joachim Engel and Laura Martignon, Ludwigsburg University of Education, Germany
The webinar presents and discusses educational materials that aim to
(1) enable students (middle school, high school, college) to explore important data sets providing evidence of climate change and related phenomena such as rising temperatures and CO2 levels in the atmosphere, melting glaciers,
(2) to empower students to evaluate risks related to issues of environmental policy as well as to individual life style choices
(3) and to initiate reflections and discussions among students on how to regulate access to and use of common goods within a game-line scenario called Mazu.
All tools are based on CODAP and plug-ins designed by Tim Erickson.
Register here. |
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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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