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

Welcome to this edition of SSA eNews!

With ASC 2025 in Perth now only a few months away, excitement is building! This year’s conference theme “Advance, Support, Connect” captures everything that makes our community thrive. If you haven’t already registered, now is the time—don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the biggest gathering of statisticians and data scientists in Australia.

We are also calling for expressions of interest to join the Accreditation Committee. This is a fantastic way to contribute to the profession, support colleagues seeking accreditation, and help maintain the high standards that underpin AStat and GStat recognition.

And finally, a reminder about our Member Highlights section. This space is for you—share your stories, achievements, or reflections so we can showcase the breadth of work across our community. Submissions are open, and we’d love to feature more voices from every corner of SSA.

Enjoy this issue, and thank you for being an active part of SSA.

AI is projected to add another $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, according to PwC. That's literally five years from now.

And the core function that’s fueling this growth? Data science.

Professionals with strong data science skills will help power the new AI revolution, because after all, large language models (LLMs) rely on expansive datasets.

A study by University of Hawaiʻi researchers is advancing how we learn the laws that govern complex systems—from predator-prey relationships to traffic patterns in cities to how populations grow and shift—using artificial intelligence (AI) and physics.

ASC 2025 – Regular Registration Now Open!

Early bird rates and scholarship applications have now closed, but there are still plenty of reasons to get excited about ASC 2025!

Planning is well underway, and we’ll soon be announcing our keynote speakers and workshop program. The conference will also feature a vibrant mix of sessions, networking opportunities, and social events, including the Welcome Reception and Conference Dinner.

If you haven’t secured your spot yet, now is the time – regular registration is open, and we can’t wait to see you in Perth this December.

Panel Discussion: What Makes a Great Di Cook Prize Application? — watch the recording

Missed our ECSSN × Statistical Computing & Data Visualisation Section panel? Hear insights from Dianne Cook, Nicholas Tierney, Tomasz Woźniak, Fonti Kar, and Patrick (Weihao) Li on what lifts an entry from good to compelling—plus pitfalls to avoid.

Watch the recording and share it with anyone considering a submission. 

Thinking of applying? The 2025 Di Cook Award closes Fri 31 Oct 2025.

Share Your Work in the Member Contributions Section

The Member Contributions section of our e-newsletter provides a valuable platform for SSA members to share their expertise, insights, and achievements with the wider Statistical Society of Australia community.

This section is designed to:

• Strengthen our community: Share your ideas and experiences to foster meaningful connections across the SSA network.
• Showcase your work: Highlight your research, articles, or professional accomplishments to inspire and inform fellow members.
• Increase your impact: Gain recognition and visibility for your work among statisticians, data scientists, and industry leaders.

All submissions are reviewed for potential inclusion in upcoming editions of the e-newsletter. Whether you wish to share recent research, publish a thought-provoking article, or announce a professional achievement, we welcome your contributions.

The Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) invites expressions of interest from AStat-accredited members to join its Accreditation Committee.

The Society is committed to ensuring that the composition of the Accreditation Committee reflects the diversity of its membership and the broader statistical community. We are seeking individuals from a range of sectors and areas of expertise to contribute to this important work.

Members of the Accreditation Committee play a vital role in supporting the professional development of SSA members by assessing applications for accreditation and promoting the value of professional recognition in statistics and data science.

Key Details:

• The committee meets approximately every six weeks via Zoom.
• Meetings are typically one hour in duration.
• Preparation time ranges from one to three hours, depending on the number of applications under review.
• Committee members are appointed for a three-year term, with staggered rotation to ensure continuity.

If you are interested in contributing to the work of the Accreditation Committee, please send an expression of interest along with your resume to contact@statsoc.org.au

We welcome your interest and thank you for considering this opportunity to support your professional community.

National Branch Speaker Series by WA Branch: From Electrons in the Cosmos to Electrons in Power Grids

Day: 9 Sep 2025

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (AWST)

Location: Blakers Lecture Theatre, The University of Western Australia; and Online

Introduction to Distributional Regression

Date: 10 Sep 2025

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Location: In-person: CSIRO Waterhouse Theatre, Building 101, Clunies Ross St, Black Mountain ACT 2601

SA Branch Early Career Statisticians' Evening

Date: 17 Sep 2025

Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM (ACST)

Location: Barr Smith South 2032, North Terrace Campus, University of Adelaide

NSW September event: Minh-Ngoc Tran and Dario Draca speak on Natural Gradient

Date: 17 Sep 2025

Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Location: F07.02.273 Carslaw Building, Carslaw Lecture Theatre 273, University of Sydney and Zoom

CPD 209 – Statistical Communication Workshop

Date: 1 Oct 2025 – 8 Oct 2025

Time: 2 hours a week

Location: Online

Belz Lecture and ECSS Showcase

Date: 27 Oct 2025

Time: 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Location: In-person: Theater 1, Old Geology Building, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria

OceaniaR Hackathon 2025 

Date: 23 Nov 2025 

Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM 

Location: In-person only-The Australian National University. The Sciences Teaching Building, Building Number 136, 136 Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601 

ICOTS 12 – Keynote Speakers Announced & Call for Abstracts

The Statistical Society of Australia is thrilled to share exciting updates for the 12th International Conference on Teaching Statistics (ICOTS 12), to be held in Melbourne, 12–17 July 2026 — the first time ICOTS will be hosted in Australia.

We are delighted to announce the ICOTS 12 keynote speakers:

• Prof Mine Çetinkaya–Rundel – Duke University

• Prof Dianne Cook – Monash University

• Emeritus Prof Sir Peter Donnelly – Genomics PLC, University of Oxford

• Prof Rob Gould – UCLA

• Dr Elena Proden – UNITAR

These outstanding speakers will bring a wealth of expertise and perspectives to ICOTS 12, setting the stage for an inspiring and thought-provoking program.

Call for Abstracts – Contributed & Other (Topic 11)

We warmly invite you to submit a Contributed or Other (Topic 11) abstract for ICOTS 12. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your research, teaching innovations, and ideas with an international audience.

Key dates:

• Abstract submission deadline: 31 August 2025

• Notification of acceptance: 30 September 2025

• Optional refereed paper submission deadline: 30 November 2025

• Final papers (refereed and non-refereed) due: 30 April 2026

All accepted abstracts will appear in the official Conference Programme and online Proceedings. Oral presenters are encouraged (but not required) to prepare a full paper for the Proceedings. Refereed papers will be clearly labelled as such.

For more information and to submit your abstract, please visit: ICOTS 12 Submissions

We look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne in 2026 for this landmark event in statistics education!

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

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.