Westat staff will be participating in the 2025 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), the largest annual gathering of statisticians and data scientists in North America. Held August 2-5 in Nashville, Tennessee, this year’s conference centers on the theme “Statistics, Data Science, and AI Enriching Society,” offering a dynamic platform for thought leadership and collaboration. Westat’s experts will contribute to this conversation by delivering presentations that highlight innovative applications of statistical methods and data science across topic areas.
Westat Staff Honored
In addition to Westat’s strong program of presentations, staff members Jeri Mulrow, MS, Vice President and Sector Lead, Data Solutions, and Andreea Erciulescu, PhD, Associate Vice President, will be among those celebrated at the conference. Mulrow is currently serving as ASA’s President-Elect and will be taking on the responsibilities of President in January 2026. She is eager to continue supporting activities that engage and inspire future generations of statisticians, championing statistical and data science literacy, and helping ASA and its members navigate the exciting opportunities offered by AI. Mulrow recently sat down for a Westat.com interview to talk about her plans as president.
Erciulescu has recently been named an ASA Fellow, an honor only given to just 1/3 of 1% of ASA’s membership each year. This achievement recognizes her innovative developments in statistical integration via hierarchical modeling with complex survey data, outstanding contributions to applications, including official statistics, and dedication to the field of statistics.
“The Joint Statistical Meetings provide a valuable forum for statisticians and data scientists to exchange ideas, present their work, and engage in discussions that advance the field,” said Mulrow. “It’s an event that I, along with my Westat colleagues, look forward to each year.”
Westat Presentations
Our team of statisticians and data scientists will be actively engaged at this year’s conference, sharing insights on a selection of current and impactful topics. From data integration and synthetic data generation to evidence-based policymaking, including leveraging Generative AI and beyond, our presentations reflect the breadth and depth of Westat’s expertise. View the full list of sessions below, with Westat presenters highlighted in bold.
Monday, August 4
7:00-8:15 am
Session: Government Statistics Section A.M. Roundtable Discussion
Paper: Tom Krenzke and Minsun Riddles. ML01: Inference Using Synthetic Data.
Tuesday, August 5
8:30-10:20 am
Session: Recent Innovations and Advances in Mixed-Mode Surveys
Organizer: Brad Edwards
10:30 am-12:20 pm
Session: Advances in Generative Models
Paper: Kristin Schrader, Sylvia Chou, Anna Gaysynsky, Irina Iles, Abigail Muro, and Nicole Senft. AI-Generated Images of Cancer Patients: Comparing the Results of Two Generative AI Models
Session: Preparing for a Career in Industry
Panelist: William Cecere
Session: Progress in the Use of Traditional and Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government
Paper: Elizabeth Mannshardt and Gizem Korkmaz. Leveraging Generative AI to Improve the Survey Process: Use Cases and Challenges.
2:00-3:50 pm
Session: Communication in Statistics and Data Science
Panelist: Elizabeth Mannshardt
Wednesday, August 6
10:30 am-12:20 pm
Session: Record Linkage and Estimation Using Alternative and Linked Data
Chair: Oksana Balabay
Thursday, August 7
8:30-10:20 am
Session: Diverse Applications Using Modern Surveys
Paper: Oksana Balabay and Andreea Erciulescu. Disaggregating Health Official Statistics by Integrating Data From Multiple Sources.
Examples of Westat Research and Insights
Westat’s enterprise-wide data intelligence platform uses our subject matter, technical, and methodological expertise to manage, engineer, and analyze data, regardless of type, volume, or origin. Be on the lookout for upcoming news about this tool and check out the following research and insights from Westat staff below.
- What Impact Is AI Having in Government Research?
- Leveraging Paradata and AI to Improve Survey Participation Rates
- Fine-Tuning LLMs to Improve Adverse Drug Event Detection and Reporting
- Westat Experts Contribute to Survey Methodology Special Issue
- Westat Explores Use of Machine Learning to Improve Survey Response
- Rowley Authors Study on Prevention Effectiveness
- New R Packages Enhance Complex Survey Analysis
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