BIOMETRICS SECTION NEWSLETTER, JANUARY 2010

Good News: New Strategic Initiatives Grant Opportunity
The ASA Biometrics Section is partnering with ENAR to fund 3-4 applications of up to $3000 each to support projects that raise awareness of the biostatistics profession among high school and college students. We are particularly interested in projects that encourage students to pursue advanced training in biostatistics. Funds may be used to supplement ongoing efforts or to create new projects. In one recent case, the grant provided seed funding for a subsequent, successful NIH grant application. Some applications that were funded in the past include

• "Promoting Biostatistics: Developing Materials for Linking Statistics and Biology Classes";
• "Developing a Web Site to House Outreach Materials for AP Statistics Students and Their Teachers: Case Studies in Collaborative Research";
• "A Biostatistics Apprenticeship Outreach Program for Urban Magnet High School Students";
• "A Synergistic Effort to Recruit Future Biostatisticians in Arkansas High Schools"; and
• "Developing Outreach Materials for AP Statistics Students and Their Teachers: Case Studies in Collaborative Research".

A three-page application is due JANUARY 31, 2010 and should be in the following format: Title; Objectives & Specific Aims; Background, Significance & Rationale; Design & Methods; and Budget. A project period with start date no earlier than MARCH 1, 2010 and ending no later than MARCH 1, 2011 should be specified. Permitted expenditures include supplies, domestic travel when necessary to carry out the project, and cost of computer time. Expenditures that are NOT allowed include secretarial/administrative personnel, tuition, foreign travel, and honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers to the investigator's home institution.

Applications should be submitted electronically to the Strategic Initiatives Subcommittee chairperson, Bonnie LaFleur at blafleur@email.arizona.edu . All investigators will be expected to submit a brief report at the conclusion of the project. For more information, please contact Bonnie LaFleur.

Time to Submit Abstracts for the JSM!
The Biometrics Section is pleased to sponsor the following invited sessions at the 2010 Joint Statistical Meetings in Vancouver , B.C.:

- Statistical Evaluation of Markers Used to Select Treatment, Organizer: Margaret Pepe ( University of Washington ).
- Study Design and Statistical Analysis Challenges in Women's Health Studies, Organizer: Marcia Ciol ( University of Washington ).
- Evaluation of Risk Prediction, Organizers: Shulamith Gross ( Baruch College ).
- Getting More From Genome-Wide Association Studies, Organizer: Mitchell Gail (National Cancer Institute).

Abstract submission opens December 1 for regular contributed and topic contributed papers for the 2010 JSM, which will be held July 31st to August 5th in Vancouver , B.C. All abstracts are due February 1st. See www.amstat.org for more information.

Topic-contributed sessions are nice alternatives to regular contributed sessions because the sessions are organized around a central topic, the talks are longer (20 minutes rather than 15), and they can include discussants as well as regular talks. Typically sessions consist of five speakers (e.g., four speakers and one discussant, or three speakers and two discussants). The 2010 JSM Biometrics Section Program Chair, Hormuzd Katki, is collecting proposals for topic-contributed talks. If you are interested in organizing a topic-contributed session, please contact him at katkih@mail.nih.gov . The period for submitting topic contributed session abstracts is December 1 2009 to February 1 2010. The organizer must complete the topic contributed session form.

Also consider proposing Topic Contributed Panel Sessions. These usually have between 3 and 6 panelists, and the session format involves one abstract for all speakers. Note that if each speaker wishes to provide an abstract, speak on a specific topic and submit an individual paper for JSM Proceedings, then your session should be a Topic Contributed Paper Session.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR 2010 BYAR YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD AND BIOMETRICS SECTION TRAVEL AWARDS
Do you know a young investigator who is planning to submit an abstract for the 2010 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM)? If so, you may wish to alert that individual that the ASA Biometrics Section is seeking applications for the 2010 David P. Byar Young Investigator Award. This annual award is given to a young investigator for best emerging work to be presented at the JSM. The award commemorates the late David Byar, a biostatistician who made significant contributions to the development and application of statistical methods and was esteemed as an exceptional mentor during his career at the National Cancer Institute. The winner will receive a $1,500 cash award.

In addition to the Byar Award, the Section may provide travel awards to the authors of other outstanding papers that are submitted to the competition.

Have held a doctorate in statistics, biostatistics or a related quantitative field for three years or less as of April 1 of the current year, or be currently enrolled as a student in a doctoral program in statistics or biostatistics and in active pursuit of a doctoral degree.
Be a current member of the Biometrics Section (applicant may join at the time of submission for a $5 annual membership fee). Please note that membership in ASA does not automatically confer Section membership; ASA members must join individual sections in addition to their generic membership.
Be first author of the paper. The paper may be unsubm itted, submitted or under review, b ut may not have already appeared in a journal either on-line or in print at the time of the application or have been accepted for publication as of January 1 of 2010.
Be scheduled to present the same paper submitted for the Award at the 2010 Joint Statistical Meetings in Washington , DC as either a talk or poster.
Not have submitted the paper to any other ASA section 2010 student/young investigator award competition.

Applicants must submit their JSM abstracts to the Biometrics Section, which will organize a series of Topic Contributed sessions to highlight the submitted papers.

For the 2010 competition, applicants should first submit a Topic Contributed abstract to the JSM by the usual abstract deadline of Feb. 1, 2010. Applicants should contact the Section JSM Program Chair, Hormuzd Katki ( katkih@mail.nih.gov ), prior to the abstract deadline.

Then by March 1, applicants should complete their application by submitting the following materials:

A cover letter certifying that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements and is not submitting the paper to any other ASA section student/young investigator award competition.
A current CV.
One copy of the finished paper.

All materials must be submitted electronically on or before March 1, 2010 . Applications and questions should be sent to Daniel Heitjan at dheitjan@upenn.edu .

The 2010 Awards Committee is composed of the 2010 current and past Section Chairs and Chair-Elect as well as three additional individuals to be appointed by the Section Chairs prior to the competition. Information regarding this award is also available on the Section webpage, easily accessed by clicking on the "Section" tab at the top of the ASA website ( www.amstat.org ).