Two-day event will spotlight federal data, statistical resources & career opportunities
WASHINGTON, DC, October 24, 2013—Representatives from each of the federal government’s 14 principal statistical agencies are hosting a symposium next month in Washington that will highlight the variety of federal statistics and the numerous statistical careers available in the public sector.
The Symposium of the U.S. Statistical Agencies, which is part of the celebration of the International Year of Statistics, will be held November 13 and 14 at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Conference Center.
Open to all without cost, the two-day symposium will allow attendees to learn about federal statistical agencies, the range of statistics each produces and how to pursue a career as a government statistician.
“The Symposium of the U.S. Statistical Agencies will give attendees the opportunity to learn—in one place—about the valuable statistics and statistical services available from many federal statistical agencies,” says Ronald L. Wasserstein, executive director of the American Statistical Association, whose organization is supporting the event. “These statistics help all Americans understand current developments in our country and are indispensable to providing insightful information that helps our elected leaders plan for the future.
“We invite anyone with an interest or a stake in statistics—including econometrics, demography, health, agriculture, energy and transportation—to attend the symposium,” continues Wasserstein.
The Symposium of the U.S. Statistical Agencies will be divided into five sessions targeted to different audiences and users of federal statistics and data products. Representatives of various federal statistical agencies will present during the five sessions. Each session is open to all attendees.
The date, time and a summary of each informational session follow:
November 13, 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Statistics for Economists
During this session, presenters will focus on how statistics can be applied to areas of interest to economists and finance professionals. There also will be talks focused on data visualization, understanding price indices, and more. Speakers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau, and National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics will make presentations.
November 13, 1:15 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Statistics in Health
At this session, presenters from the National Cancer Institute, National Center for Health Statistics, Census Bureau, and Food and Drug Administration will discuss how statistical methodology can be used to better understand health-care related concerns, including health-insurance coverage, quality of cancer care, and combining information to enhance analyses related to health.
November 13, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. & 2 p.m.- 4 p.m.: Career Choices in Statistics
This two-part session, targeted to college statistics students, will explore various career paths, career-development skills, tips for landing a position with a federal statistical agency, and networking with professionals in government statistics. Representatives from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Internal Revenue Service Statistics of Income, Census Bureau, National Agricultural Statistics Service, National Center for Health Statistics, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, and Federal Reserve Board will present.
November 14, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Statistics for Journalists
Journalism students and reporters from broadcast, print and online media outlets will find this session helpful to their understanding of lesser-known federal statistical agencies, official statistics produced by these agencies, and how they can access and use official statistics, studies and analyses in their reporting. Presenters will include representatives of the Economic Research Service, National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, and National Center for Health Statistics.
November 14, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.: Statistics in the New Media Era
An array of expert speakers will discuss how statistical agencies are meeting the charge of implementing new media tools—social media, APIs, web and mobile apps, infographics and other data visualizations—that are covered in the President’s Digital Strategy. Presenters will be from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Energy Information Administration, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Free Registration
There is no charge to attend the Symposium of the U.S. Statistical Agencies. However, advance registration is required to ensure access to the BLS Conference Center.
To register, send an email to Wendy Martinez with “Symposium” in the subject line and your full name, a list of the session(s) you plan to attend, and any special needs, e.g., handicap access.
The BLS Conference Center is located near Union Station at the Postal Square Building, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Washington, D.C.
For more information, go to the Symposium of the U.S. Statistical Agencies website.
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