American Statistical Association (ASA) Section on Statistics and the Environment (ENVR)

The ASA ENVR Strategic Plan contains the following recommendation: Using the very successful, ENVR sponsored ASA Conference on Radiation and Health as a model, the section will continue to sponsor or co-sponsor small, focused meetings and workshops. These will take at least three forms:

1. meetings of expert statistical practitioners designed to review and reach consensus on the state-of-the-art in a given area;
2. training meetings designed to acquaint statistical practitioners with available tools and methodology for specific applications;
3. jointly-sponsored meetings designed to foster interaction between statisticians and other scientists who want statistical help.

A strategy developed in 1996 by the ad hoc ENVR Special Meetings Committee to implement this recommendation was approved by the ENVR Executive Committee during their November 14, 1996 conference call. The approved strategy is as follows:

Organizational Structure And Function

The ENVR Special Meetings Committee shall consist of the ENVR Liaison Officer, who will serve as chair of the committee, 2 appointed ENVR members, and the ENVR ASA staff liaison officer who will serve as an ex-officio member. The appointed committee members shall be appointed no later than January 15 by the current Chair of the ENVR.

Each appointed member of the committee shall serve a 2 year term with one new member appointed each year. In the first year of the committee's existence, one individual will be appointed to a one year term and one individual to a two year term.

The committee shall be pro-active in developing new opportunities for special meetings and workshops.

The functions of the committee shall include, but are not be restricted to:

1. overseeing implementation of the meetings and workshops,
2. appointing one or more coordinators for each meeting and workshop,
3. working with coordinators and the ENVR ASA staff liaison officer to arrange for funding, publicity, meeting hotel, registration, lodging, special recreational events, and coordination with other professional societies, and
4. preparing a short annual report (2 or 3 pages) for review by the ENVR Executive Committee before the annual Joint Statistical Meetings in August. The annual report will summarize meetings and workshops held during the past 12 months and make recommendations for improving future meetings and workshops.

ASA Office Support Role

The ASA office, through the ENVR liaison officer, shall provide support in the following areas:

1. production and mailing of meeting and workshop announcements, flyers, registration materials, lodging and travel information, group activities, etc. to ENVR members,
2. advertisement of meetings and workshops in AmStat News and ASA journals at no cost whenever possible,
3. general advice on all aspects of the planning and implementation of special topic meetings and workshops.

Finance

Efforts shall be made to obtain funding to support special meetings and workshops, including ASA office support, from:

1. government agencies, universities, private industry and non-profit organizations,
2. meeting and workshop registration fees, and
3. the ENVR budget.

Meeting Topics And Format

Potential meeting topics shall be determined by the ENVR Special Meetings Committee in consultation with the ENVR Executive Committee, potential co-sponsoring ASA sections and other professional organizations, and ENVR members at large. These topics shall be presented to the ENVR Executive Committee for final approval before implementation is initiated. The format of specific meetings shall be determined by the Special Meetings Committee and the appointed meeting coordinator, with oversight by the ENVR Chair.