Sally C. Morton Public Lecture: Lessons Learned as a Statistician
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
3:30 PM
Transportation Center, 600 Foster Street
Light reception to follow talk
Abstract: Evidence-based decision-making, particularly in the age of big data, demands statisticians not only contribute as scientists but also excel as leaders, communicators and collaborators. In this talk, I will reflect on my own journey as a statistician – opportunities, successes, and missteps. Case studies from the healthcare arena will illustrate the importance of statistical science in policy, as well as underscore the need for statisticians to engage decision-makers and communicate information from a policy perspective while being mindful of the political realities. Based on experience in both industry and academe, I will share lessons learned as a statistical leader by both assignment and influence. The time is now to advance ubiquitous data-driven decisions, and statisticians are particularly well-suited to make the most of this opportunity.
Event co-sponsored by the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences and the Association of Women in Mathmetatics
About Sally C. Morton
Sally C. Morton is Dean of the College of Science, Interim Director of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute, and Professor of Statistics at Virginia Tech. Her methodological work focuses on evidence synthesis, particularly meta-analysis, and patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. Previously, she was chair of the Biostatistics Department at the University of Pittsburgh, vice president for statistics and epidemiology at RTI International, and head of the RAND Corporation Statistics Group. She is currently a member of the National Center for Health Statistics Board of Scientific Counselors, the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research Advisory Committee, and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Methodology Committee. Dr. Morton served as the 2009 president of the American Statistical Association and received a PhD in statistics from Stanford University.
