COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar: Leadership in Communication of Statistics

Join us for the COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar, focusing on leadership in communication of Statistics!

With the increasing attention and public debate on AI, influential leaders will share their unique experience, vision and suggestions on how to effectively communicate and convey the impact and the central role played by Statistics to diverse audiences (including scholars from other fields, industry, policymakers, media, and the public).

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable perspectives on leadership in communication of Statistics!

Speakers

Francesca Dominici, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Biostatistics, Population, and Data Science at Harvard University

David Spiegelhalter, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge 

Moderator

Daniele Durante, Associate Professor of Statistics, Department of Decision Sciences at Bocconi University

About the Speakers

Dr. Francesca Dominici is the Clarence James Gamble Professor of Biostatistics, Population and Data Science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Director of the Harvard Data Science Initiative at Harvard University.  She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and of the International Society of Mathematical Statistics. In 2024, she was named by TIME100 Health as one of the most influential scientists in global health in the world. Before being appointed founding Director of the Harvard Data Science Initiative, she was Senior Associate Dean for Research at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Dominici is also the founder and lead Principal Investigator (PI) for the National Studies on Air Pollution and Health Group (NSAPH), as well as a co-founding PI and leader for the BUSPH-HSPH Climate Change and Health Research Coordinating Center, CAFÉ. Dr. Dominici’s research has focused on machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, causal inference, and data science to impact climate and environmental policy.   Her air pollution studies have directly and routinely impacted air quality policy, leading to more stringent ambient air quality standards in the U.S. Her work has been covered by the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the BBC, the Guardian, CNN, and NPR.  Among her most recent awards, she was recognized as the Mosteller Statistician of the Year by the Boston Chapter of the American Statistical Association in 2022. The award is given to a distinguished statistician who has made exceptional contributions to the field of statistics and outstanding service to the statistical community. See Academic Profile

Sir David Spiegelhalter is a distinguished statistician and professor known for his exceptional contributions to statistical methodology and public understanding of data. He is the Emeritus Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge, where he has focused on improving how statistical information is conveyed to the public. With expertise in Bayesian statistics and uncertainty analysis, Spiegelhalter has made significant advancements in medical statistics, including assessing health risks and developing statistical tools for clinical trials. A Fellow of the Royal Society, he has been recognized with numerous accolades, including a knighthood in 2014 for his services to statistics. Beyond academia, Spiegelhalter is a passionate advocate for data literacy and evidence-based decision-making. He is well-known for his ability to demystify complex statistical concepts through engaging media appearances, books, and public lectures. His works, such as *The Art of Statistics: Learning from Data,* have reached a broad audience, fostering greater appreciation for the power of data in everyday life. A frequent commentator on critical issues, from health risks to algorithmic transparency, Spiegelhalter continues to bridge the gap between rigorous statistical science and practical real-world applications. See Academic Profile

About the Moderator

Daniele Durante is an Associate Professor of Statistics in the Department of Decision Sciences at Bocconi University in Italy and a Research Affiliate to the Bocconi Institute for Data Science and Analytics, and the DONDENA Centre for Research on Social Dynamics and Public Policy. Prior to joining Bocconi University in 2017, he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Statistical Sciences at the University of Padova, where he obtained a PhD in 2016 and an MSc in 2012 in Statistics under the supervision of Professor Bruno Scarpa and the co-supervision of Professor David Dunson. During his PhD experience, he has been a Visiting Research Scholar from 2014–2015 in the Department of Statistical Sciences at Duke University. Daniele is Associate Editor of Biometrika, the Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics and the Journal of Multivariate Analysis. His research is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach at the intersection of Bayesian methodology and modern applications to develop rigorous and tractable probabilistic representations of complex, high-dimensional and network-related phenomena, especially in Social Sciences. For his research, he has received several national and international research awards, including, among others, the COPSS Emerging Leader Award, the Leonardo da Vinci Medal, the Mitchell Prize (twice) and the Laplace Prize. Currently, he is also the PI of the ERC Starting Grant "sociogeNEsis of criMinal nEtworks: reconStruction, dIscovery and diSruption" [NEMESIS, 2024–2029]. See Academic Profile

About the COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar Series

COPSS (Committee of the Presidents of Statistical Societies) and NISS have come together to organize and host a new webinar series focusing on leadership in statistics and data science. Plan to attend these webinars every month during the academic year! Visit the COPSS-NISS Leadership Series Page for previous webinars.

The COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar Series is co-organized by the Committee of the Presidents of Statistical Societies (COPSS) Emerging Leaders in Statistics and the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS). The purpose of the webinar series is to promote leadership skills for members of the statistical societies at any stage in their careers. The series features conversations with leaders throughout the discipline, including leaders from major academic and government institutions, and companies. Invited speakers share their leadership stories and answer questions about their experiences. Each webinar is moderated by a member of the COPSS Emerging Leaders in Statistics program.

Access the Full COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar Series YouTube Playlist | COPSS-NISS Leadership Webinar Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoRtupvDJTjvFukMcO6NfDr0GvxDsIj81