DaSSWeb | Promoting Statistical and Data Science Literacy

Speaker
John Bailer
Miami University in Ohio, USA

Link Zoom

Abstract

How much statistics training does a manager of a company or a research scientist have? How about general members of the public? What role does statistics play in understanding the world and in the translation and communication of stories? The goals associated with quantitative literacy, statistical literacy and, now, data science literacy are explored as part of this talk.
The reporting of science and statistics in the news provides an important case study to think about statistical literacy. How do you learn about what’s going on in the world? Did a news headline grab your attention? Did a news story report on recent research? What do you need to know to be a critical consumer of the news you read?
Strategies and a framework to inspire individuals to develop data self-defense and critical news consumption skills are discussed. The perspective presented reflects insights from a long-term collaboration with journalists to consider how a tactic promoting quantitative literacy led to a podcast exploring the statistics behind the stories and the stories behind the statistics and a book that did the same.

Short Bio

John Bailer is emeritus professor and founding chair of the Department of Statistics at Miami University in southwest Ohio. He retired in 2022 after 34 years at Miami University. His research interests included quantitative risk estimation, the design and analysis of environmental toxicology & occupational health studies studies and gerontological data analysis. He has published 160 peer-reviewed papers, 5 books, 1 audiobook and 40+ other publications, and has contributed to the ISI Statisticians React to the News blog.
Promoting quantitative literacy and enhancing connections between statistics and journalism continue to be passions for him. This first resulted in the Stats+Stories podcast that he developed in 2013 with journalism colleagues. In 2020, Bailer, Rosemary Pennington and Richard Campbell received the Joint Program Board in Mathematics (JPBM) communications award in recognition of the Stats+Stories podcast. His book with Rosemary Pennington, Statistics Behind the Headlines (he describes this as a perfect gift for someone you love) was published in 2022 and a freely available audiobook version released in 2024.
Bailer served as ISI President from 2019-2021 and on the ISI Executive Committee in preceding years. He was on the ASA Board of DIrectors (2011-2013) and served on other ASA-related groups including the PStat Accreditation Committees, as an officer of the Cincinnati Chapter and as an officer of multiple ASA sections. He currently serves as Chair of the ASA Excellence in Statistical Reporting Award Committee (2024-2026). He is a Fellow of the ASA, AAAS, and Society for Risk Analysis and a recipient of the ASA Founder’s Award and the Mu Sigma Rho William Warde Award for Statistical Education.