About the Meeting
The FIU Department of Biostatistics and Department of Mathematics and Statistics are delighted to host the 2026 Annual ASA Florida Chapter Meeting on March 6-7, 2026.
The meeting will be held in the FIU Ryder Business Building Room 120. The days' events will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and feature keynote speakers, presentations and student competitions.
Check back soon for a full agenda. We look forward to welcoming you warmly to Miami!
Abstract Submissions
The deadline for abstract submission is February 28th, 2026. All abstracts have to be submitted online.
Important: If you submitted your abstract but did not receive a confirmation email, please contact ercarril@fiu.edu.
Student Competitions
Student Travel Award for ASA FL Chapter 2026
The ASA Florida Chapter is pleased to announce a student award for research in statistical methodology, theory, and applications. Winners of the competition will receive partial support to attend the ASA FL Chapter 2026 meeting in Miami, Florida.
Eligibility
- Full-time students (undergraduate, master’s, or Ph.D.) enrolled at a university or reside in Florida after September 1, 2025, are eligible.
- Participants must register and present at the ASA FL Chapter 2026 meeting in a contributed talk or poster session to be eligible for the travel award.
Application Deadline
- February 28, 2026, by 5 PM EST
Prizes
- Travel awards will be granted to student winners.
- Students will be assessed based on their presentation at the ASA FL Chapter 2026 Meeting.
- Winners will be announced at ASA FL Chapter 2026 Meeting.
Student Data Competition (ASA South Florida Chapter)
The ASA South Florida Chapter is hosting the 2026 ASA South Florida Student Data Challenge, an applied data analysis and visualization competition open to students from any institution, using real-world public health data derived from NHANES.
The competition is open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, with separate award categories by academic level. Participants may compete individually or in teams of up to four students.
Competition tracks include:
- Prediction Track: Develop models to predict HDL cholesterol using the provided dataset
- Visualization Track (High School): Create visualizations to explore patterns and insights in the data
Selected winners will be invited to present their work as posters at the 2026 ASA Florida Chapter Meeting.
Review competition website, data and submission details
Submission deadline: February 20, 2026 (11:59 PM EST)
Keynote Speaker
Our keynote speaker, Natesh S. Pillai, is Professor of Statistics at Harvard University and most recently served as a Distinguished Engineer at LinkedIn, where he works on Responsible AI. He earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from Duke University and his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology.
His research focuses on Bayesian inference, machine learning, and the statistical foundations of artificial intelligence. His work bridges probability, computation, and modern data science, with emphasis on developing theoretically grounded methods for reliable AI systems. He will present Introduction to AI Safety, offering a statistical perspective on AI safety and discussing the role of rigorous statistical principles in building reliable and trustworthy AI systems.
Dr. Natesh Pillai
Introduction to AI Safety
ASA Representative Address
Dr. Ji-Hyun Lee, University of Florida
Other Invited Speakers
Dr. Anshul Saxena, Baptist Health
Dr. Gabriel Odom, Veterans Affairs
Dr. Jon Jonare, Assurant Insurance
Dr. Golam Kibria, FIU
Mr. Sha Edathumparampil, Baptist Health
Hotel Information
Individual No-Shows and Cancellation Policies: Any guest who does not show up (no show) on their specified day of reservation will be assessed a one-night room charge to their guaranteed method of payment or credit card on file. Any guest (individual) cancellation made within (24) hours of arrival date, will be assessed one-night room charge to their guaranteed method of payment or credit card on file.
Billing Procedure: Sleeping Rooms Individuals Pay Own – We understand that all room, tax and incidental charges will be paid on an individual basis.
Residence Inn by Marriott - Doral Mall Area
10234 NW 19th Street, Miami, FL 33172
25 Rooms Available
$230 plus tax per night
Reservations
Cutoff date for reservations: Feb. 6, 2026.
InterContinental at Doral Miami
2505 NW 87th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33172
10 Rooms Available
$215 per night
Reservations • 1-888-890-0224
Please provide the Group Code: ASA or Group Name: FIU ASA Florida Chapter CRB, and the agent will assist you in booking at the discounted rate of $215.00 per night.
Cutoff date for reservations: Feb. 2, 2026.
Parking Information
Visitor parking is available at metered parking lots and garages throughout all FIU campuses. You can pay using the on-site Parkeon kiosks or PaybyText simply by looking out for signage across our various parking locations. For PayByText, text the parking lot location code to 727563.
ADA Accommodations
Should you need an ADA accommodation to participate in a university event, program, or activity or need to request materials in an accessible format, please contact FIU’s Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Accessibility (CRCA) at 305-348-2785 or accommodations@fiu.edu. All requests for ADA accommodation or accessible materials for this event must be submitted to CRCA at least seven (7) business days prior to the event or at the earliest possible opportunity.