[Please Note: This session has already occurred. Go to the News Story to read about what happened.]
Government institutions have a unique mission when it comes to the data they collect as well as the importance of the research they engage in. This research becomes the principle foundation for informing policy issues that impact all aspects of society.
What is it like to work as a statistician in a government agency? What kinds of opportunities are there for data scientists in the federal government?
More importantly, how do you prepare yourself for obtaining a position?
Once again, NISS has gathered an incredible trio of speakers. Not only do they bring extensive experience working in the federal government, but these individuals have as their priority a willingness to share their experiences so that others may better understand and be better prepared for working for a federal agency.
Each presenter will have 15 minutes to address the following general topics:
- What are the job opportunities for statisticians/data scientists/analysts in your agency?
- Describe the range of skills statisticians/data scientists/analysts need to succeed in your agency?
- What is the career path for statisticians/data scientists/analysts in your agency?
- Is your agency currently hiring statisticians/data scientists/analysts?
- What advice would you give to students based on your experience?
This is not a session to be missed!
Speakers
Jeffrey Gonzalez, (USDA Economic Research Service) [Presentation postponed until Spring]
Patricia S. Hu, (Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
Rachel E. Morgan, (Bureau of Justice Statistics)
Moderator
Eileen O’Brien (National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS))
The Career Fair will be conducted using Zoom.
Open and Free to the Anyone Interested
Agenda
About the Speakers
Jeff Gonzalez [Presentation postponed] is a research mathematical statistician in the Food Assistance Branch of the Food Economics Division. He is currently leading the survey and data development efforts for the Second National Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS-2). His research interests include modular survey designs, responsive/adaptive designs, respondent burden, and nonresponse bias. Jeff joined the Economic Research Service in December 2019. Prior to joining ERS, Jeff was a mathematical statistician at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jeff worked on various aspects of the statistical and survey methodology for its national surveys on employee compensation and working conditions. He also conducted research for the redesign efforts for the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Jeff received his PhD in Survey Methodology (with a Statistical Science concentration) from the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland – College Park. He also has an MS in Biostatistics from the University of Michigan and a BS in Biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Patricia (Pat) Hu is the Director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Prior to that appointment, she was the Director of the Center for Transportation Analysis at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. As BTS Director, she is focusing on enhancing the quality, timeliness, accessibility, and availability of transportation statistics to inform transportation decisions. For the past two decades, Ms. Hu has led numerous research projects in the areas of travel behavior, traffic operations, transportation safety and security, data models, and visualization. Pat Hu is an active member of the National Research Council’s Transportation Research Board (TRB). She chaired TRB’s Standing Committee on National Data Requirements and Programs, and serves on many other committees and expert panels. She served on the editorial advisory board of the international journal Accident Analysis & Prevention from 1996 to 1999, and on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Transportation and Statistics from 1998 to 2005. Pat Hu received her B.S. in Statistics from the Chengchi University in Taiwan, and an M.S. in Statistics from the University of Guelph at Canada. She is also the new chair for the ASA, Transportation Statistics Interest Group starting January 2022.
Rachel E. Morgan is a Statistician in the Victimization Statistics Unit at the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). BJS is the primary statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Justice and collects, analyzes, publishes, and disseminates information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of the justice system at all levels of government. Dr. Morgan’s research interests and work focus on criminal victimization, stalking, financial fraud, and the intersection of race and crime using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey. During her tenure at BJS, Dr. Morgan has presented on criminal victimization at the Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology, American Society of Criminology, Coalition for Public Safety, and American Educational Research Association. She has authored many BJS statistical reports including, Criminal Victimization, 2020, Services for Crime Victims, 2019, Race and Hispanic Origin of Victims and Offenders, 2012-2015, and Financial Fraud in the United States, 2017. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Central Florida.
Moderator
Eileen O’Brien is Deputy Director of the Research and Development Division at the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), U.S. Department of Agriculture. At NASS, she directs efforts to advance geospatial analysis, sampling, and statistical estimation methods. She is leading programs to build cloud computing capacities to leverage a wider variety of data with survey-based estimates, which includes remote sensing/satellite, economic, environmental, and administrative records data. Over 34 years of public service, Eileen has served in three federal statistical agencies with technical leadership in survey methods, program development, international capacity building, and IT modernization. Her subject expertise includes agricultural, economic, environmental, housing, population, and energy demand statistics. She has a BA in Economics from Michigan State University and an MS from the Joint Program in Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland. Eileen is past president of the Washington Statistical Society and of the DC Chapter of the American Association for Public Opinion Research.
Event Type
- NISS Hosted
- NISS Sponsored
Host
Cost
Website
Location
Policy
![Speakers: Jeffrey Gonzalez, (USDA Economic Research Service), Patricia S. Hu, (Bureau of Transportation Statistics) and Rachel E. Morgan, (Bureau of Justice Statistics) Speakers: Jeffrey Gonzalez, (USDA Economic Research Service), Patricia S. Hu, (Bureau of Transportation Statistics) and Rachel E. Morgan, (Bureau of Justice Statistics)](https://www.niss.org/sites/default/files/styles/event_photo/public/event_images/speakers-cf_12-8-21.png?itok=7KcicpCT)
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