2025 WSS Student Travel Competition Application

The Washington Statistical Society (WSS) is offering travel support to a local area student in a statistics or related discipline's degree program. The support includes $800 plus early-bird student conference registration to one American Statistical Society (ASA) meeting or conference between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026. A full list of eligible events may be found here. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one or more eligible events. A one-year student membership to the ASA and a one-year student membership to the WSS are also granted to the winner.

Applications are due at 11:59 p.m. EST on November 15, 2024, and the winner will receive notification by January 15, 2025.

Eligibility Applicants must be enrolled in the fall 2024 semester in a degree-seeking program in DC, MD, or VA. Eligible majors include statistics or related disciplines (applied statistics, biostatistics, data science, etc.). Previous WSS Student Travel Award winners are not eligible.

Application Process

Applications must include:
1. The completed application form provided on the next page.
2. A copy of most recent transcript or advising report from your university.
3. A double-spaced essay, no more than two pages, describing: your interest in statistics (including projects, internships, and/or assistantships) and activities to help improve the field of statistics (including teaching, mentoring, advising, collaborating, and service), and your interest in attending and presenting at an ASA meeting or conference.
4. A letter of support from a faculty member or ASA member, indicating knowledge of any funding support the student has already received to attend an ASA meeting or conference.

To apply, please email your academic transcripts, essay, and completed application form to the WSS Student Travel Competition Chair, Andreea Erciulescu (AndreeaErciulescu@westat.com) with the subject line WSS STUDENT TRAVEL COMPETITION. The letter of support should be sent by the reference.

Deadlines
1. The applicants email the application package to the WSS Student Travel Competition Chair with the subject line WSS STUDENT TRAVEL COMPETITION by 11:59 p.m. EST on November 15, 2024.
2. The competition winner is notified by January 15, 2025.
3. The competition winner must confirm their travel support acceptance by January 20, 2025. Failure to confirm the travel support may lead to removal as a winner.
4. The competition winner attends an ASA meeting or conference between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026.
5. The competition winner attends the WSS Annual Dinner in the spring of 2025, where they are recognized. The cost of the dinner is covered by the WSS.
6. The competition winner prepares an essay on their experience at the ASA meeting/conference. The essay will be published in the upcoming WSS Newsletter.

The applicants can address any questions to the WSS Student Travel Competition Chair, Andreea Erciulescu (AndreeaErciulescu@westat.com).
Good luck, and we hope to see you at an ASA meeting/conference in the near future!

2025 WSS Student Travel Competition Application Form

Applicant Name: _____________________________________ Full time student [ ] Part-time [ ]

University: _____________________________________

Department: ______________________________________

Mailing Address (including city/state/ZIP Code): ______________________________________________________________

Email: __________________________________Phone: ______________________________

Degree: _________________________________Anticipated graduation date: _____________

Are you considering other funding sources to attend an ASA meeting or conference? YES NO (circle one)

If YES, please describe: __________________________________________________

Are you planning to present a paper or poster at an ASA meeting or conference? YES NO (circle one)

If YES, please describe (event(s), date(s), paper or poster title(s)): __________________________________________________

Have you previously attended any professional meeting on statistics or a related discipline? YES NO (circle one)

If YES, please describe (meeting(s), location(s), date(s)): __________________________________________________

Are you currently part of, or do you have plans to join, the WSS mentoring program (or another ASA mentoring program)? YES NO (circle one)

If YES, please describe: __________________________________________________

Are you currently a member of the WSS? YES NO (circle one)

Are you currently a member of the ASA? YES NO (circle one)

Scoring Sheet (FOR JUDGES ONLY)

1. The completed application form.
a. If missing, then disqualify from competition.
2. A copy of most recent transcript or advising report from their university.
a. If missing, then disqualify from competition.
3. A double-spaced essay, no more than two pages, describing: their interest in statistics (including projects, internships, and/or assistantships) and activities to help improve the field of statistics (including teaching, mentoring, advising, collaborating, and service), and their interest in attending and presenting at an ASA meeting or conference.
a. If missing, then disqualify from competition.
b. If available, then score (score 1-5, with highest being 5) the following:
i. Clarity of writing
ii. Projects, internships, assistantships
iii. Teaching, mentoring, advising, collaborating, and service
4. A letter of support from a faculty member or ASA member, indicating knowledge of any funding support the student has already received to attend an ASA meeting or conference.
a. If missing, then disqualify from competition.
Note. Items 1, 2 and 4, in addition to the WSS President's input, will be used in the event of a tie.