Spread the Word About Byar Award

Do you know an early-stage investigator who is planning to submit an abstract for the 2020 Joint Statistical Meetings? If so, alert them to the ASA Biometrics Section’s 2020 JSM early-stage investigator awards.

We will consider papers from two categories: Biometric Methodology and Biometric Practice. Papers in methodology should propose novel statistical methodology addressing a problem relevant to the biological sciences. Applications in Biometric Practice should demonstrate innovative applications of an existing method in a novel context, reexamine statistical practices from a new perspective, or propose innovative and practical data analysis strategies.

Travel awards in the amount of $1,000 will be awarded to the most outstanding papers in each category to help cover conference expenses.

The best overall paper will be awarded the David P. Byar Young Investigator Award. 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 of the Byar award will receive $2,000.

All applicants for the early-stage investigator awards must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have held a doctorate in statistics, biostatistics, or a related quantitative field for three or fewer years as of April 1 of the current year or be currently enrolled as a student in a program in statistics or biostatistics and in active pursuit of a degree.
  • Be a current member of the Biometrics Section (applicant may join at the time of submission for a $5 annual membership fee [$3 for students]). Note that membership in the 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 unsubmitted, submitted, or under review, but may not have already appeared in a journal either online or in print at the time of the application or have been accepted for publication as of December 5, 2019.
  • Be scheduled to present the same paper submitted for the award at the 2020 Joint Statistical Meetings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as either a talk or poster.
  • Have submitted the paper to no more than one other ASA section 2020 student or early-stage investigator award competition. In the event of a paper winning two competitions, the author is permitted to accept only one of the two awards.
  • Have not been a previous Byar Award or Biometrics Section travel award winner.

Applicants must submit their JSM abstracts to the Biometrics Section, which will organize a series of topic-contributed sessions to highlight the awards winners. Applicants must also complete their application by submitting the following materials:

  • A current CV
  • A one-page cover letter that summarizes the paper’s content and contribution
  • One PDF copy of the paper

The paper must be a maximum of 25 double-spaced pages (with maximum of 25 lines per page), including references but not including tables and figures. Papers not within these restrictions will not be considered.

All materials must be submitted electronically on or before December 1, 2019. The electronic submission website will be open by November 1, 2019. Questions should be sent to the 2020 Byar Award Chair Sheng Luo.

The 2020 Awards Committee is composed of the 2020 current and past section chairs and chair-elect, as well as additional individuals to be appointed by the section chairs prior to the competition.

For the 2020 competition, the Byar Award and travel award winners will be announced by January 15, 2020. Winners should contact the 2020 Section JSM Program Chair Samrachana Adhikari and submit a topic-contributed abstract for JSM 2020.

More information about this award is available on the section website.