| Abstract: | I describe how developments over the past 25 years in computing, funding, personnel, purpose, and training have affected academic statistical consulting centers and discuss how these developments and trends point to a range of potential futures. At one extreme, academic statistical consulting centers fail to adapt to competition from other disciplines in an increasingly fragmented market for statistical consulting and spiral downward toward irrelevancy and extinction. At the other extreme, purpose-driven academic statistical consulting centers constantly increase their impact in a virtuous cycle, leading the way toward the profession of statistics having greater positive impact on society. I conclude with actions to take to assure a robust future and increased impact for academic statistical consulting centers. |
