Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: The Misapplication of Statistics in American life.
Dr. Talithia Williams
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Abstract
As such, statistical literacy is necessary for members
of society to critically evaluate the bombardment of charts, polls,
graphs, and data that are presented on a daily basis. However, what
often passes for "statistical" calculations and discoveries need to be
taken with a grain of salt.
Talk
This talk will examine the applications of
statistics in American media and give examples of where statistics has
been grossly misused.
Biography
Dr. Talithia Williams is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and
Statistics at Harvey Mudd College. In her present capacity as a junior
faculty member, she exemplifies the role of teacher and scholar through
outstanding research, with a passion for integrating and motivating the
educational process with real world statistical applications. Her
educational background includes a Bachelors degree in Mathematics,
Masters' degrees in both Mathematics and Statistics, and a Doctorate in
Statistics.
Her professional experiences include research appointments
at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the National Security Agency
(NSA), and NASA. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Talithia
is also a woman of faith. The multifaceted nature of her being is
infused with bold, vibrant splashes of servitude that embody a quest to
live out the eternal ideals of God. She and her husband, Donald,
actively teach and share the biblical constructs of Christian marriage.
Their ministry involvement ranges from marriage mentoring to teaching
Natural Family Planning (NFP) fertility awareness methodologies. She is
a member of Pomona First Baptist Church and resides in Pomona,
California with her husband, Donald, and their sons, Josiah (3.5 yrs)
and Noah (16 months). They are expecting Baby Williams 3 in January
2012.