Statistical Engineering: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Several authors, including the American Statistical Association (ASA) guidelines for undergraduate statistics education (American Statistical Association Undergraduate Guidelines Workgroup) American Statistical Association Undergraduate Guidelines Workgroup (2014), “2014 Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Statistical Science,” Alexandria, VA: American Statistical Asociation. Available at http://www.amstat.org/education/curriculumguidelines.cfm [Google Scholar], have noted the challenges facing statisticians when attacking large, complex, and unstructured problems, as opposed to well-defined textbook problems. Clearly, the standard paradigm of selecting the one “correct” statistical method for such problems is not sufficient; a new paradigm is needed. Statistical engineering has been proposed as a discipline that can provide a viable paradigm to attack such problems, used in conjunction with sound statistical science. Of course, to develop as a true discipline, statistical engineering must be clearly defined and articulated. Further, a well-developed underlying theory is needed, one that would prove helpful in addressing such large, complex, and unstructured problems. The purpose of this expository article is to more clearly articulate the current state of statistical engineering, and make a case for why it merits further study by the profession as a means of addressing such problems. We conclude with a “call to action.”     

Efficacy of interventions targeting alcohol,drug and smoking behaviors in university and college students: A review of randomized controlled trials

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions targeting alcohol consumption, drug use and smoking for college/university students.Participants: College/University students.Methods: Studies were eligible if: (1)included students attending universities/colleges; (2)implemented in a university/college setting; (3)aimed to improve at least one of the following behaviors: alcohol and/or drug use and/or smoking; (4)were RCTs. The effect of the interventions on behaviors was determined by the percentage of studies that reported an effect. Due to the heterogeneity of outcomes meta-analysis was not conducted.Results: 88 studies met criteria. University-based interventions were effective for reducing alcohol-related outcomes (drinking patterns, BAC, consequences, problem drinking). Inconsistent findings for drug and smoking were observed.Conclusions: University-based interventions have the potential to improve health for students. While there is a breadth of research examining the efficacy of interventions to reduce alcohol consumption, further research is needed to determine the best approach for addressing smoking and drug use among students.     

Solutions to the Challenge of Meeting Rural Transportation Needs: Middle-Aged and Older Adults’ Perspectives

This study aimed to explore how the aging population in Appalachia manages its transportation and plans for the transition to non-driving and to seek possible solutions to the challenge of meeting rural transportation needs. Four focus groups (N = 38) were conducted, supplemented by a questionnaire, in Appalachian Kentucky. The results showed that few alternative transportation existed except a local paratransit service and informal transportation support. Compared to older adults, middle-aged adults reported a greater willingness to use mobile phones and the Internet to arrange transportation if they were available. Participants also recommended expanding the use of existing transportation in the community – such as church vans – to better meet the aging population’s needs. The findings suggest that partnership between government, non-profit, and private sectors is needed, not solely focusing on a tax-dependent solution. Additionally, information and communication technology-based transportation management system would help maximize the use of scare but existing resources in rural areas.     

论创造性综合教育

一 在《科学与现代世界》一书中,怀特海惊讶于有如此庞大的人口和如此悠久的历史的中国,为什么如此缺少重大发现。但几十年后,剑桥大学教授约瑟夫·里得汉姆在《中国的科学与文明》里,反映了古代中国在技术、科学、建筑、工程、化学、天文学等领域里的发明发现的广度与深度。     

International Migration as a Tool in Development Policy: A Passing Phase?

This essay examines the recent emergence of migration and development as a major area of policy concern. The focus up to now has been almost entirely upon international migration, which accounts for the minority of people who move. A consensus has emerged that migration can be managed so as to promote development, and the essay critically assesses three of the major areas of concern: remittances, skilled migration, and the diaspora. While welcoming the growing acceptance that migration is no longer seen as negative for development, the essay cautions against essentializing migration and placing too great a responsibility upon migrant agency at the expense of the institutional change necessary to bring about development. Internal as well as international migrations will need to be integrated into any development framework, and it is further argued that these migrations are essentially a consequence of development. Planning for migration as an outcome rather than a cause of development is likely to provide a more balanced policy approach.     

Child care availability and first-birth timing in Norway

Both sociological and economic theories posit that widely available, high-quality, and affordable child care should have pronatalist effects. Yet to date, the empirical evidence has not consistently supported this hypothesis. We argue that this previous empirical work has been plagued by the inability to control for endogenous placement of day care centers and the possibility that people migrate to take advantage of the availability of child care facilities. Using Norwegian register data and a statistically defensible fixed-effects model, we find strong positive effects of day care availability on the transition to motherhood.     

DECISION FLEXIBILITY AND PERCEIVED INFORMATION VALUE*

This paper reports the results of an experiment that examined the effects of information evaluators' perceptions of decision flexibility as a determinant of information value. This study suggests that subjects fall into relatively distinct groups that are differentiated by the group members' perceptions of the directionality as well as the magnitude of the effect of decision flexibility on information value. Moreover, subjects' misperceptions of information value reflect individualistic models of information evaluation.