From: Statistical Science Majors Union
Date: January 26
Subject: SSMU Snapshots: Week of Jan 26, 2026


Happy snow day! Thank you to our study abroad panelists from our GBM last week, and thank you to everyone who showed out!

📣 Announcements

1. Register for SSMU's first Data Mini! 🏆
This series is run by the Statistical Science Majors Union's Competitions and Opportunities Committee and is open to all students. The competition will take place on February 8th from 10 am-1 pm in Physics 128. Please note that teams should consist of 3-4 members, and all members must complete this form. If you would like to receive a random team, please specify during registration. You will receive and be introduced to the dataset at the start of the competition. Your team will have 2 hours to analyze the data and prepare a presentation. The last hour of the competition will be spent presenting your findings. Snacks will be included!
🗓️ 10 AM - 1 PM on Sunday, February 8th (correction from last week)
📍 Physics 128

🍵 Upcoming Events

1. [TOMORROW!] Sign up for Group FLUNCH with Dr. David Banks 🍎
FLUNCHes are a great way for faculty and students to connect over lunch, fostering mentorship and informal conversation outside the classroom. Our next group FLUNCH is with Dr. Banks, and you can sign up here!
🗓️ 12-1 PM on Tuesday, January 27th
📍 The Commons (3rd floor of WU)

2. [TOMORROW!] Stats Chats 🥐
Come join us for a relaxed afternoon chat with Statistics professors! Ask questions, get advice, or just talk about anything stats (or not!). We’ll have bagels, cookies, and good company—all you need to bring is yourself! (RSVP)
🗓️ 1:30-2:30 PM on Tuesday, January 27th
📍 Old Chem 211

3. Welcome Back Juniors Event 🎊
Join us in welcoming back the juniors who were studying abroad at this social event! (RSVP)
🗓️ 6-9 PM on Friday, January 30th
📍 McClendon Tower 5

4. SSMU Seminar - Ed Tam 💡
The Research Committee is excited to welcome Dr. Edric (Ed) Tam for an upcoming virtual seminar! Dr. Tam is a statistics and machine learning researcher at Stanford, with a PhD from Duke, degrees from UChicago, Yale and Johns Hopkins, and industry experience at Google, Meta, Amazon and Apple. He will discuss the statistical limitations of generative AI models, and the application of AI/ML methods in Bayesian inference. Snacks will be provided for in-person attendees in Wilkinson 126. Register here: https://cglink.me/2do/r2277647.
🗓️ 3:15-4:15 PM on Tuesday, February 3rd
📍 Wilkinson 126 and Zoom

🌱 Competitions & Opportunities

1. The World Bank is hosting a Poverty Prediction Challenge in which competitors will develop models to estimate household consumption and poverty rates. Participants will create survey-to-survey imputation models using anonymized historical data, with prizes ranging from $1,500 to $4,000 for top placements, plus a $2,000 bonus for the most accurate poverty rate predictions. This competition that simulates real-world challenges faced by World Bank economists in producing timely poverty measurements for evidence-based policy decisions. The challenge is open until February 4th and accepting submissions now!

2. Women in Data Science (WiDS) is now accepting applications for their 2026 Ambassador Program, which empowers supporters to lead independent WiDS activities in their local regions. Ambassadors can organize events such as regional conferences, workshops, networking groups, datathon sessions, and NextGen programs—all aimed at increasing women's participation in data science for global impact. Ambassadors become part of the larger Women in Data Science Worldwide community, working toward equal representation in decision-making, economic prosperity, and career opportunities in the field.

📅 Stay Connected

Want to keep track of all our events? Add our Google Calendar here (SSMU Events Calendar) and follow us on Instagram @dukessmu!

Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you at our events!

Stay warm,
SSMU

Got ideas for events or newsletter features? Reply to this email; we’d love to hear from you!

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EVENT

January Stats Chats!

clock Tuesday, January 27
1:30pm - 2:30pm
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Take a break and join us for snacks, tea, coffee, and conversation! Stats Chats is a casual monthly gathering where students, faculty, staff, and graduate students in the Statistics Department can connect outside of class. Whether you want to meet new people, catch up with friends, or just enjoy some free pastries and tea, stop by and hang out. Everyone in the community is welcome, whether you're a major, minor, or just interested in stats!
REGISTER
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EVENT

SSMU Welcome Back Juniors Event!

clock Friday, January 30
6:00pm - 9:00pm
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Join us in welcoming back the juniors who were studying abroad at this social event!
REGISTER
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EVENT

Seminar: Ed Tam

clock Tuesday, February 3
3:15pm - 4:15pm
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Join SSMU's Research Committee for a seminar featuring Dr. Ed Tam, statistics/machine learning researcher at Stanford (and former Duke PhD student), as he discusses generative models, their underlying statistics, and their development and modern applications in industry and scientific research!
REGISTER
Statistical Science Majors Union. Cover image

EVENT

SSMU Data Mini 1!

clock Sunday, February 8
10:00am - 1:00pm
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Join us in short and fun data science competition! Groups of 2-3 students will compete to analyze a mystery dataset over the course of 2 hours, and present it to a panel of judges.
REGISTER