The American Statistical Association is the main professional organization for statisticians and related professionals in the United States. It was founded in Boston, Massachusetts on November 27, 1839, and is the second oldest continuously operating professional society in the US. The ASA services statisticians, quantitative scientists, and users of statistics across many academic areas and applications. The association publishes a variety of journals, and sponsors several international conferences every year.
Mission
The organization's mission is to broadly promote good application of statistical science, specifically to:
support excellence in statistical practice, research, journals, and meetings
work for the improvement of statistical education at all levels
promote the proper application of statistics
anticipate and meet member needs
use the discipline of statistics to enhance human welfare
seek opportunities to advance the statistics profession
Membership
ASA has about 18,000 members, found in government, academia, and the private sector. The membership is involved in a wide variety of activities including:
the setting of standards for statistics used at all levels of government
the promotion and development of statistical education for the public and the profession, and
the expansion of methods and the use of computers and graphics to advance the science of statistics
Fellowship
New Fellowships of the ASA are granted annually by the ASA Committee on Fellows. Candidates must have been members for the preceding three years but may be nominated by anyone. The maximum number of recipients each year is one-third of one percent of the ASA membership.
Organizational structure
ASA is organized in Sections, Chapters and Committees. Chapters are arranged geographically, representing 78 areas across the US and Canada. Sections are subject-area and industry-area interest groups covering 22 sub-disciplines. ASA has more than 60 committees coordinating meetings, publications, education, careers, and special-interest topics involving statisticians.
Accredited Professional Statistician
, the ASA offers the Accredited Professional Statistician status, to members who meet the ASA's credentialing requirements, which include an advanced degree in statistics or related quantitative field, five years of documented experience, and evidence of professional competence. A list of current members with PStat status is available.