JPSM MPSDS Seminar Series: Statistics is a Core Competency for Sound Health Policy
Madhumita (Bonnie) Ghosh-Dastidar, Senior Statistician; Head, RAND Statistics Group
When:
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
12:00PM to 1:00PM
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Where:
G300 ISR-Perry
330 Packard Street
Join via Zoom:
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 92461111899
Meeting Password: 2425
Abstract:
The American Statistical Association vision imagines a world that relies on data and statistical thinking to drive discovery and inform decisions. We know the challenges to attaining this vision are significant, so collaboration is key. As a statistician working to inform policy and decision making, I know it will take collaboration across disciplines to address society’s biggest challenges—e.g., pandemic recovery, climate change, precision medicine, education reform, or criminal justice. In an era of data ubiquity and rapid analysis, statisticians and data scientists are positioned to play a central role across application areas. The gold standard for public policy is evidence-based decision making—deliberate and strategic application of real facts and research-supported principles that yields objective evidence.
Statistical science is the foundation for evidence-based decision making. As an interdisciplinary science, it has applications to every field imaginable, making statisticians uniquely qualified to lend their expertise in multiple policy domains. Effectively informing policy requires becoming involved early in the design phase; understanding the nature of the issue; and knowing how to communicate, educate, and explain. In this talk, I will provide multiple examples from health policy to highlight both valuable contributions made by statistical scientists and lessons learned – and how this model of collaboration is relevant across other fields and application areas. I will suggest areas of improvement based on lessons learned. And extrapolating from these successes, I will suggest areas for future contributions in which the stakes are very high and involving statistics will be essential.