By Kimberly Webb, Center for Biostatistics and Qualitative Methodology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Statisticians spend countless hours honing their technical skills through coursework, problem sets, and repeated practice. However, for many students and early-career professionals, it can be difficult to find guidance and practice for professional skills such as networking and communication. This is why the ASA Committee on Career Development continued their annual interactive event, Networking Like a Pro: A Guided Networking Session, at the 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. The session included an expert panel of “pro networkers,” who provided guidance and advice between a series of networking practice sessions. The event featured the following three leaders from academia, government, and industry:
- F. DuBois Bowman, President, Morehouse College
- Susan Paddock, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist, NORC at the University of Chicago
- Rajeshwari Sundaram, Senior Investigator, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Branch of the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development
The annual networking event is traditionally held on the Sunday afternoon of JSM, before the Opening Mixer, to allow participants to practice networking skills in time for the conference. Although the featured panelists provided countless networking tips and tricks throughout the session, the following are a few:
Tip #1: Build Relationships Proactively
Throughout the discussion, the panelists urged participants to approach networking with a mindset of building relationships, rather than pursuing transactional exchanges. Bowman emphasized that this process should be proactive. By investing time in making meaningful connections, he suggested it becomes easier to seek help down the road. Bowman advised participants to use simple emails to mentors, such as periodic career or academic updates, to nurture a professional relationship outside of times one might ask for advice.
This proactive approach came to life at the networking event. While committee members provided conversation prompts to facilitate initial interactions, many participants moved beyond those prompts to build genuine connections with those around them, often exchanging contact information to ensure the connections continue after JSM.
Tip #2: Emphasize Your Strengths
Turning to the topic of career growth and promotion, the panelists agreed it is important to focus on your unique talents and contributions rather than trying to fit into a mold. Sundaram advised participants to not become unnerved by the promotion process. “In your career, you will be pulled in so many different ways,” she said. “Knowing your strengths” and maximizing your contributions will help early-career professionals make a case for promotion.
The 2022 committee chair, Elizabeth Mannshardt, emphasized this advice in her conversations with student and early-career attendees, who were often looking to discuss job-market readiness and résumé advice during the interactive networking periods. “A tip I shared was to highlight an applied, real-world project on your resume,” she said. Mannshardt added that rehearsing before an interview can help applicants clearly communicate their strengths. “Before an interview, practice explaining your contributions and impact.”
Tip #3: Be Curious
Paddock highlighted how statisticians can have an outsize impact on collaborative science by emphasizing the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. “Be curious and dive into whatever you are working on. Learn the subject matter expertise. It will make you a better statistician,” she said. Such curiosity naturally allows statisticians to contribute to interdisciplinary teams, build new relationships, and provide deeper insights.
With a wide range of statisticians in the room representing several fields, the networking event created meaningful opportunities for attendees to engage in conversation and exchange insights across diverse experiences and expertise.
Tip #4: You Are Not a Burden
One of the most reassuring pieces of advice shared during the session was the reminder from Bowman that “you are not a burden” when reaching out for guidance and support from your network. Often, early-career statisticians may hesitate to follow up with mentors or connections for fear of taking up too much of their time. The panelists stressed that mentors may be busy but appreciate proactive, thoughtful communication.
The committee plans to host the event again at JSM 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
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