The theme of this meeting is Statistics: An All-Encompassing
Discipline. The theme is based on a plaque found at the entrance
of the ASA office building. The plaque states the mission of
ASA: “To promote excellence in the application of statistical
science across the wealth of human endeavor.” How well do we
succeed? How does statistical science expand into new fields?
Do statistical contributions get the recognition we statisticians
deserve? Or do we make quiet, but sometimes brilliant, contributions
in the background?