Statistics at a Crossroads; Who is for the Challenge?

Abstract

This project was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and organized by a steering committee and a group of theme leaders. The six-member steering committee, consisting of James Berger, Xuming He, David Madigan, Susan Murphy, Bin Yu, and Jon Wellner, was responsible for the overall planning of the project. This report is designed to be accessible to the wider audience of key stakeholders in statistics and data science, including academic departments, university administration, and funding agencies. After the role and the value of Statistics and Data Science are discussed in Section 1, the report focuses on the two goals related to emerging research and data-driven challenges in applications. Section 2 identifies emerging research topics from the data challenges arising from scientific and social applications, and Section 3 discusses a number of emerging areas in foundational research. How to engage with those data-driven challenges and foster interdisciplinary collaborations is also summarized in the Executive Summary. The third goal of creating a vibrant research community and maintaining an appropriate balance is addressed in Sections 4 (Professional Culture and Community Responsibilities) and 5 (Doctoral Education).