SoDa Symposium: Frontiers of Statistics in Science and Engineering, 2035 and Beyond
A Presentation with Q&A
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (ONLINE)
Please join us for a presentation on the future of the statistical sciences and their critical role in addressing emerging scientific and technological challenges.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, and National Institutes of Health, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently conducted a decadal-like assessment of statistics as the discipline prepares for 2035 and beyond.
Abstract:
Katherine Ensor and Lance Waller will present highlights from the study and discuss its vision of statistics as an essential foundation for modern science and engineering. Topics will include the growing role of statistical thinking in artificial intelligence and machine learning, uncertainty quantification, digital twins, privacy and responsible data sharing, and the analysis of complex and high-velocity data. They will also explore how statistical innovation is advancing fields ranging from biomedical and health sciences to engineering, manufacturing, finance, energy, and environmental science, as well as the education and workforce needs required to prepare the next generation of statisticians and data scientists.
The presentation will highlight the study’s major findings and recommendations and consider how research priorities and funding portfolios can evolve to ensure that statistics continue to drive discovery, innovation, and national priorities in the decade ahead. We plan on having an extensive discussion with the audience, moderated by Frauke Kreuter.
Presenters:
Katherine Ensor
Noah G. Harding Professor of Statistics
Rice University
Bio:
Katherine Bennett Ensor is the Noah G. Harding Professor of Statistics at Rice University where she serves as director of the Center for Computational Finance and Economic Systems (cofes.rice.edu). Ensor develops statistical methods for practical problems with specific interests in finance, energy, environment, health, and risk analytics. Ensor served as the 117th president of the American Statistical Association and is a fellow of ASA, AAAS, and an elected member of ISI. She has been recognized for her leadership, scholarship, and mentoring. She holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Texas A&M University, and an M.S. and B.S.E. in Mathematics from Arkansas State University.
Lance A. Waller
Professor
Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University
Bio:
Lance A. Waller, Ph.D. is a Professor and former Chair in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, a recent co-chair of National Academies’ Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics, and a former member of the U.S. Census Scientific Advisory Committee. Dr. Waller is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, the Royal Geographical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research involves the development of statistical methods for geographic data including applications in environmental health, epidemiology, disease surveillance, and disease ecology. His research appears in biostatistical, statistical, environmental health, and ecology journals and in the textbook Applied Spatial Statistics for Public Health Data (2004, Wiley).
Moderator:
Frauke Kreuter
Professor
Joint Program in Survey Methodology
Co-Director, Social Data Science Center (SoDa)
University of Maryland
Chair of Statistics and Data Science in Social Sciences and Humanities
Ludwig-Maximilian, University of Munich
