Friday Evening

Speaker: Neil Lutsky, Carleton College, Department of Psychology

Talk Title: Why the Word “Lies” Will Never Appear in My QR Talk Title

Abstract: Would you buy an argument from people who suggest their field is saturated with lies, misrepresentations, and misuses? This talk will consider consequences of negative framings of quantitative reasoning and statistics, as represented, for example, in the titles of these prominent works: How to Lie with Statistics (Huff, 1954), Damned Lies and Statistics (Best, 2001), The Numbers Game (Blastland & Dilnot, 2009) and A Field Guide to Lies (Levitin, 2016). I’ll suggest misrepresentations of numbers in argument, from the perspective of the psychology of human reasoning, reflect a tendency to which we are all prone—confirmation bias—and which can even be seen in a self-critical assessment of my own argument. A take-home message of the presentation will be that we should, in contrast, highlight and promote ways in which quantitative reasoning offers significant and illuminating insights for the lives we navigate and share.

Speaker Bio: Neil Lutsky is William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Psychology at Carleton College, where he teaches courses in social psychology, positive psychology, and quantitative reasoning. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and was the 2011 recipient of the American Psychological Foundation’s Charles L. Brewer Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award and the 2018 recipient of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s Undergraduate Teaching and Mentoring Award. He directed a 2004-2008 U.S. Department of Education FIPSE grant to Carleton on “Quantitative Inquiry, Reasoning, and Knowledge,” and has served on the Board of Directors of the National Numeracy Network.

Saturday Afternoon

Speakers: Laura Muller, The Jackson Laboratory, and Melissa Eblen-Zayas, Carleton College (Physics and Astronomy)

Talk Title: Improving Quantitative Skills Support Across an Institution Using an Ecosystem Framework

Abstract: We will introduce our framework for considering four domains of an institution’s quantitative skills/reasoning support ecosystem (bridge programs with a quantitative component, approaches to assessing readiness and advising, curricular on-ramps, and supplementary support). This ecosystem framework has the potential to help campus leaders coordinate institutional efforts around student success in areas connected to students’ quantitative preparation. We will provide a roadmap for attendees to use this framework to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the ecosystem at their institutions, to identify collaboration partners to maximize the effectiveness of the ecosystem, and to leverage ones’ skills and experiences in STEM classrooms or support centers to work towards institutional change.

Speaker Bios: Melissa Eblen-Zayas, a physics faculty member at Carleton College since 2005, has been Director of the Perlman Center for Learning & Teaching (2016-2020) and the Physics & Astronomy Department Chair (2012-2016). As an experimental condensed matter physicist, she is dedicated to undergraduate research, innovation in the laboratory curriculum, and creating science classrooms that support the learning of all students. Melissa has been active on committees of the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Physical Society, and she coordinated the Carleton Summer Science Fellows Program, which provides research support to students from historically marginalized groups in STEM. Relevant to this presentation, Melissa has been involved in the leadership of several educational development projects through consortial arrangements, including an Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Teaching Fellows program and the QLAB project.

Laura Muller, Director, STEM and Undergraduate Education, came to The Jackson Laboratory with 26 years of experience in Higher Ed; as a faculty member in Chemistry departments at Boston College, at Wheaton College (MA) and then as Director of Quantitative Skills Programs at Williams College. Laura’s current work builds on her experience working with undergraduate researchers in her lab - she now oversees programs like The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program that give high school and college students opportunities to work with and learn from JAX researchers.  A member of the Maine INBRE Executive Committee and the College of the Atlantic Educational Studies Committee, Laura has been involved in the QLAB project since 2016.

In person (USD)

Regular, in person - $160 (includes dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday)

Discounted, in person - $80 for K-12 teachers; Community & 2-year Colleges; CEGEP; Students; Postdocs; Sessionals; Retired; Unemployed (includes dinner on Friday and lunch on Saturday)

Online (USD)

Regular, online - $80

Discounted, online - $50 for K-12 teachers; Community & 2-year Colleges; CEGEP; Students; Postdocs; Sessionals; Retired; Unemployed

This year, the conference is located at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Click here for a dynamic map of campus. Below is quick view of the campus and the relevant buildings/parking.

The San Antonio Airport (SAT) is just 9 minutes away from the University. Once at the airport, if you are staying at the Courtyard by Marriott–San Antonio Airport, there will be a designated shuttle to and from the University at designated times (more information about this is forthcoming to conference participants). Alternatively, ride-sharing services are readily available throughout the city.

We have arranged for a discounted block of rooms, as well as shuttle service to and from Trinity University, with Courtard by Marriott–San Antonio Airport. Room prices range from $109-149 USD before taxes. You may access that block of rooms using the link here. More information about shuttle service will be shared with conference registrants.