Dr. Ron Wasserstein will be presenting and refreshments will be served.

Moving to a World Beyond p<0.05

For one hundred years, the concept of “statistical significance” has been fundamental to statistics and to science. In this accessible and humor-filled talk, KSU Statistics alumnus (Ph.D., ’87) Ron Wasserstein reviews why "statistical significance" arose, how it has become scientific gospel, and why its retirement is long overdue. He'll argue that this artificial boundary has warped research incentives, publication practices, and ultimately scientific progress itself. Most importantly, he'll present practical alternatives that embrace uncertainty and nuance, leading to better science. Please note: Dr. Wasserstein will be speaking in his capacity as an individual researcher and not in his role as Executive Director of the American Statistical Association.

About Ron

Ronald L. (Ron) Wasserstein is the executive director of the American Statistical Association (ASA). Wasserstein assumed the ASA’s top staff leadership post in August 2007.

In this role, Wasserstein provides executive leadership and management for the association and is responsible for ensuring that the ASA fulfills its mission to promote the practice and profession of statistics. He also is responsible for a staff of 36 at the ASA’s headquarters in Alexandria, Va. As executive director, Wasserstein also is an official ASA spokesperson.

Prior to joining the ASA, Wasserstein was a mathematics and statistics department faculty member and administrator at Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., from 1984–2007. During his last seven years at the school, he served as the university’s V.P. for academic affairs.

Wasserstein is a longtime member of the ASA, having joined the association in 1983, and has been active as a volunteer in the ASA for more than 20 years. He twice served as president of the Kansas-Western Missouri Chapter of the ASA. Wasserstein served as chair of two ASA sections—the ASA Section on Statistical Education and the ASA Section on Statistical Consulting. He also chaired the Council of Chapters Governing Board in 2006 and was a member of the ASA Board of Directors from 2001–2003.

Wasserstein is a Fellow of the ASA and American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was presented the John Ritchie Alumni Award and Muriel Clarke Student Life Award from Washburn University, the Manning Distinguished Service Award from the North American Association of Summer Schools, and the George Mach Distinguished Service Award from Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society.

Ron and his wife, Sherry, live in northern Virginia and enjoy jogging, movies, binge-watching TV series, live theater, books, and doting on their children and grandchildren.