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Welcome to this edition of SSA eNews
In this post-conference edition, we reflect on an inspiring week at ASC2025 in Perth and extend our sincere thanks to everyone who made the conference such a success – our Local Organising Committee, volunteers, sponsors, partners, and, most importantly, our delegates. We also celebrate excellence across our community, highlighting this year’s ASC2025 awards and medals, including the Pitman Medal, Honorary Life Membership, and SSA Society Service Awards.
Looking ahead, you’ll find information on a range of opportunities and events, including ICOTS 12 in Brisbane and the 2026 Biostatistics Summer School as well as reminders about how to stay connected via SSA’s LinkedIn page, contribute news to e-News, explore the SSA Career Centre, and partner with us through sponsorship.
We hope you enjoy this edition and continue to see SSA as your professional home – for your work, your voice, and your community.
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ASC2025 Wrap-Up: Our Sincere Thanks to All Involved
ASC2025 in Perth was an inspiring and energising gathering of statisticians and data scientists from across Australia and beyond. This year’s conference brought together a vibrant community of researchers, practitioners, students, and industry partners for five days of learning, collaboration, and connection. The success of ASC2025 was a testament to the dedication, enthusiasm, and collective effort of our entire community.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for their leadership and commitment throughout the planning and delivery of the conference. Their hard work shaped every element of ASC2025 — from the scientific program to the social activities ensuring a smooth and engaging experience for all delegates.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to the many volunteers who supported sessions, assisted with registration, welcomed attendees, guided presenters, and helped behind the scenes. Their efforts ensured that each day ran seamlessly, and their warm presence was felt throughout the week.
We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, partners, and exhibitors, whose support made it possible to deliver such a high-quality program. Their involvement enriched the conference by fostering opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing across sectors.
Most importantly, we thank all delegates who travelled to Perth and contributed to the energy and spirit of ASC2025. Your participation — whether through presenting, attending sessions, engaging in discussions, networking, or supporting colleagues — created a thriving environment that truly embodied this year’s theme: Advance, Support, Connect.
As we close ASC2025, we are excited to look ahead. Planning has now begun for ASC2028 in Adelaide, and we look forward to welcoming you once again as we continue to strengthen and celebrate our national community.
To help us shape future conferences, we invite all ASC2025 attendees to complete the conference evaluation form, now open. Your feedback is invaluable in guiding how we design and deliver the next ASC.
Thank you once again for being part of ASC2025 and for everything you contribute to the Statistical Society of Australia.
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Celebrating Excellence – ASC2025 Awards & Medals
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Pitman Medal 2025 awarded to Professor Des Nicholls (right) by SSA Vice President, Ben Harrap (left)
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One of the most significant moments of ASC2025 was the opportunity to honour individuals whose work, leadership, and service have made an enduring impact on our profession and the Statistical Society of Australia. This year’s awards reflected both distinguished careers and the ongoing contributions that strengthen our national community of statisticians and data scientists.
2025 Pitman Medal
Professor Des Nicholls
We are delighted to announce Professor Des Nicholls as the recipient of the 2025 Pitman Medal, the Society’s highest honour. His pioneering work in time series analysis, spanning over three decades, has positioned him as one of Australia’s leading statisticians. Des’ contributions—to theory, applied research, government policy, and the national statistical community have been profound and lasting. Professor Des Nicholls.docx
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Honorary Life Membership
Dr John Henstridge
The Society is proud to confer Honorary Life Membership upon Dr John Henstridge, in recognition of his exceptional service to statistics and to the SSA over nearly five decades. John’s leadership, mentorship, foundational role in Data Analysis Australia, and significant contributions at both branch and national levels illustrate his deep commitment to the advancement of our profession.
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SSA Society Service Awards – 2025 Recipients
This year, the SSA recognises five outstanding individuals for their sustained service, leadership, and dedication across our branches and national committees.
Prof Adrian Barnett – Queensland Branch
Adrian has made impactful contributions over two decades, serving in key branch and national roles, including National President. His leadership, mentorship, and tireless support have been vital for the Queensland Branch.
Service awards citations
Assoc Prof Thomas Fung – NSW Branch
Thomas has provided exceptional service across branch and national activities for more than 10 years. His leadership roles, contributions to ASC2023, and strong sense of community have made him a respected and valued member.
Service awards citations e-News
Lee Jones – Queensland Branch
Lee’s long-standing commitment and leadership have been central to maintaining and energising the Queensland Branch. Her initiative, volunteerism, and support for members make her an invaluable contributor.
Service awards citations e-News
Warren Müller – ACT Branch
Warren has demonstrated consistent, dedicated service since 2010, across executive roles and numerous branch activities. His institutional knowledge, generosity, and steadfast support have made him a “branch treasure.”
Service awards citations e-News
Dr Alun Pope – Vic/Tas Branch
Alun’s contributions span multiple branches and national roles, including leadership of the Accreditation Committee. His decades of service, mentorship, and commitment to governance make him highly deserving of recognition. Service awards.docx
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VIC & Tas ECSS End-of-Year Social Dinner
The VIC & Tas Branch Early Career & Student Statisticians (ECSS) network recently held its end-of-year social dinner, bringing together students, recent graduates, and early career statisticians for an evening of relaxed conversation and connection.
Held in a warm and informal setting, the event offered an excellent opportunity for attendees to meet peers from a range of universities and disciplines, including statistics, data science, and biostatistics. The evening encouraged open discussion, with many sharing experiences, comparing study pathways, and exchanging insights about early career development.
One attendee, Mel Egan, shared her reflections:
“I found out about the ECSS social through the SSA events page and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to meet people in a similar situation to me. The event was relaxed and welcoming, making it easy to connect with other students and recent graduates from various universities in data science, statistics, biostatistics and related fields. I gained invaluable insights and advice for taking the next steps in my career. I would highly recommend events like this, particularly for those studying online like myself.” Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to a supportive and engaging evening. Chris Selman |
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Feature selection can be a major bottleneck in machine learning. In this article, Nicolas Vana introduces the Greedy Boruta algorithm, a faster adaptation of the Boruta method that delivers substantial speed gains while preserving high recall. By relaxing the confirmation step, the algorithm achieves reliable convergence and identifies all relevant features far more efficiently — making it a practical option for high-dimensional data analysis.
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Understanding living systems often requires looking beyond average behaviour to the fluctuations that drive change. In this article from the Max Planck Society, researchers present a new mathematical framework that applies techniques from particle physics to describe nonequilibrium dynamics in living and active matter. The approach offers a rigorous way to capture how microscopic fluctuations shape system-level behaviour, providing new tools for analysing complex biological systems and designing artificial active materials. |
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SSA Mentoring Program – Applications Now Open for 2026
Are you an early or mid-career statistician looking for support as you develop your career? Or an experienced statistician keen to share your knowledge with the next generation? The SSA Mentoring Program may be the perfect opportunity.
The SSA Mentoring Committee is now preparing for the 2026 program intake, a six-month mentoring program commencing in March 2026. The program includes two facilitated online training sessions for all participants, scheduled for 4–5 February 2026.
Applications are now open and close on Friday 16 January 2026.
Information and application form (member login required)
Successful applicants will be notified in late January 2026.
For enquiries, please contact the SSA Mentoring Committee at: mentoring@statsoc.org.au
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ICOTS 12 – Registrations are now Open
The Statistical Society of Australia is thrilled to share that for the first time, the International Conference on Teaching Statistics (ICOTS) will be held in Australia. ICOTS 12 will take place from 12–17 July 2026 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing together educators, practitioners, and researchers from around the world. |
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Contributed abstract submission open until 31st January, 2026.
Submission portal: Program
ICOTS 12 will feature an engaging scientific program, including a series of pre-conference workshops on 11–12 July, and a selection of excursions on 15 July showcasing Australian fauna, flora, culture, and food. Details and registration for workshops and excursions will be released in early 2026.
We encourage members involved in statistics and data science education to consider submitting an abstract and joining this important international event. |
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2026 Biostatistics Summer School
Registrations are now open for the 2026 Biostatistics Summer School, to be held from 13–20 February 2026 at the University of Melbourne. The program features four one- and two-day courses presented by leading international and Australian experts, covering topics including causal inference, estimands in clinical trials, network meta-analysis, and cluster randomised trials.
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SAHMRI Registry Centre Datathon – EOI Open
SAHMRI will host a free full-day Datathon on 12 March 2026 in Adelaide. Open to statisticians, data scientists, researchers, clinicians, students and more.
EOI closes 10 January 2026.
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Statistical Consulting Network Monthly Meet-Up
Last Friday of the month, 12-1 PM AEST. 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 can help each other out with challenging problems or just discuss topical issues. This virtual meeting is held on Zoom at lunchtime on the last Friday of each month, 12-1 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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Your work. Your voice. Your community.
From research breakthroughs to innovative applications of data science, our members are shaping the world through statistics and we want to celebrate it!
SSA e-News is your platform to share insights, achievements, and experiences that inspire others across our community. Whether you’ve published, presented, or simply discovered something worth sharing, we’d love to hear from you.
Share your story and let’s celebrate the people behind the numbers! |
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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!
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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! |
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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 Michelle Wightwick , events officer at events@statsoc.org.au to start the conversation and explore possibilities. |
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