Liberal Arts Statistics Symposium

A Symposium for Liberal Arts Statisticians and Data Scientists will be held on the morning and afternoon of Wednesday, July 16th. This symposium will offer opportunities for teachers at liberal arts colleges, and those who might be considering such careers, to come together to discuss issues that especially resonate with faculty at liberal arts colleges. Examples of topics to be discussed include developing new programs and courses, curriculum development, supporting undergraduate research, consulting opportunities, interdisciplinary collaborations, facilities planning, and attracting and recruiting faculty/staff. This symposium will feature a keynote presentation, lightning talks, and many discussion sessions.

Schedule:

  • 8:30 - 9:00 am Introductions
  • 9:00 - 10:00 am Keynote Address -- Life as a liberal arts statistician: joys and challenges (Paul Roback, St. Olaf College)
  • 10:00 - 10:30 am Break
  • 10:30 - 11:30 am Discussion Session I: Based on topics from keynote talk
    • Curriculum changes (facilitator: Ann Cannon, Cornell College)
    • Data science and statistics programs (facilitator: Robin Lock, St. Lawrence University)
    • Pedagogical trends (facilitator: Nick Horton, Amherst College)
    • Statistical consulting (facilitator: Paul Roback, St. Olaf College)
    • Tenure and promotion (facilitator: Brad Hartlaub, Kenyon College)
    • Undergraduate research (facilitator: Shonda Kuiper, Grinnell College)
  • 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Lunch Break
  • 1:00 - 1:30 pm Lightning Talks I
    • Cooperative learning strategies (Andrew Sage, Lawrence University)
    • Entry points into statistics and data science (Daryl Swartzentruber, Centre College)
    • Finding space for research (Becky Tang, Middlebury College)
    • Right technology tools (Russ Goodman, Central College)
    • Statistical writing skills (Laura Hildreth, Gustavus Adolphus College)
    • Thriving in a mathematics department (Trijya Singh, Le Moyne College)
  • 1:30 - 2:15 pm Discussion Session II: Based on the topics from Lightning Talks I
  • 2:15 - 2:30 pm Break
  • 2:30 - 3:00 pm Lightning Talks II
    • Mid-career strategies (Albert Kim, Smith College)
    • New technologies (e.g., LLMs) (William Cipolli, Colgate University)
    • Nontraditional assessment (Brenna Curley, Moravian College)
    • Project design (Joe Roith, St. Olaf College)
    • Statistics and data science minors (Marina Ptukhina, Whitman College)
  • 3:00 - 3:45 pm Discussion Session III: Based on the topics from Lightning Talks II
  • 3:45 - 4:00 pm Break
  • 4:00 - 4:30 pm Wrap-up Session

 

Keynote Information

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    • Speaker: Paul Roback
    • Title: Life as a liberal arts statistician: joys and challenges
    • Abstract: Now in my 27th year as a statistician at my third liberal arts institution, I suppose I should be kicking back and reflecting, but usually there’s too much going on to pause for long. At any one time I could be: attempting to keep up with the latest trends in statistics and data science, polishing my classroom materials, interacting with awesome students, collaborating with colleagues from around the college on cool research questions, learning new tricks from stats colleagues at St. Olaf and beyond, or countless other activities. Happily, I’ve found that those activities bring me fulfillment and purpose, and they rarely feel like work (well, other than grading…). In this talk I will attempt to look back a bit to describe the many aspects of a liberal arts statistician’s role and consider how to maximize joy, optimize outcomes, and overcome inevitable challenges. I will also highlight changes that I’ve observed over the past 27 years and suggest strategies for staying on top of those changes. I’ll touch on topics such as: preparing for and finding one’s first academic position, achieving tenure and promotion, successfully guiding student learning in the classroom and beyond, starting and growing an undergraduate program in statistics and/or data science, conducting research with undergraduates, adapting to changing academic landscapes and trends, and sustaining work/life balance. I hope these topics will carry over to conversations throughout the Symposium, as I always look forward to carrying energy and exciting ideas back to campus from a conference like USCOTS.
    • Bio Sketch: Paul Roback is a Professor of Statistics and Data Science at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. At St. Olaf, Paul co-founded the Center for Interdisciplinary Research, where students collaborate on data-focused research projects with faculty from around campus; co-authored a textbook on GLMs and multilevel models; and introduced multiple data science courses into the curriculum. He has supervised undergraduate research projects involving over 125 students and has published over 25 papers. Paul is an ASA Fellow, past Chair of the ASA Section on SDS Education, Development Committee Co-Chair for AP Statistics, and an avid tennis player.