GASP 2019 

 

Government Advances in Statistical 

Programming workshop 

September 23rd, 2019, 8:00am-4:30pm 

Janet Norwood Conference and Training Center 

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE 

Washington, DC 20212 

Thanks to our supporters and sponsors: Washington Statistical Society, 

Interagency R Users Group, and the 

Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Computational Statistics Interest Group 
Introductions 

8:00 - 8:30am Check in 

8:30 - 8:45am Introductions, Learning to Network Mike Jadoo (BLS) 

 Robert Brandau (Career Confidence)

8:45 - 9:00am Check-in, networking game to meet two new people 

 

 

Early Morning Sessions 9:00 am to 10:30 am

Session 1A: Using R to streamline analysis Rooms 1 and 2 

 Who is more likely to submit a 311 request, Monica Puerto (American University)

 Generic Drug Evaluation and R-package SABE, Elena Rantou (US Food and Drug 

Administration)

 Using Amazon Web Services in R with the Paws package, David Kretch (Summit Consulting)

 Using the Current Population Survey to Answer DOL-Relevant Questions: Applications in R, 

Samuel Rowe (Department of Labor’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy)

Session 1B: Model selection/validation with statistical software Rooms 7 and 8 

 A glimpse into the “Electricity Initiative” at the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Greg 

Lawson (Energy Information Administration)

 Tableau for Data Scientists, Joel Hutchison (Tableau)

 Using Cross-Validation for Variable Selection in Generalized Linear Models with Complex 

Survey Data, Darryl Creel (RTI International)

 Scalable Approximate Kernelized Logistic Regression in R with an Application to the Census 

of Agriculture, Jonathan Abernethy (USDA-NASS)

Break 10:30 to 10:45 am 

Network with a presenter - ask about their project, meet a new person 

 
Late Morning Sessions: 10:45 am to 12:15 pm

Session 2A: Python libraries for text analysis and to streamline production Rooms 1-2 

 Easy deep learning text classification with gobbli, Jason Nance (RTI International) 

 Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning to Process Open Text Field

Comments in a Panel Study, Kristin Chen (Westat)

 (SLIDES NOT POSTED) Using Active Learning Framework and Automated Machine

Learning Algorithms to Code Open-ended Responses, Rosalynn Yang (Westat)

Session 2B: Using R and open source to automate for efficiency Rooms 7 and 8 

 R Data Packages of Multi-Reader Multi-Case Studies and Simulation Tools to Support the

Development of Reader Performance Evaluation Methods, Si Wen (FDA)

 Hierarchical models in the production of official statistics: a discussion of some practical

aspects, Andreea Erciulescu (Westat) 

 Topic Modeling Consumer Complaints for Risk Analysis, Benjamin Bloom (Federal Reserve 

Board)

 Beyond the Analysis: An Approach to Operationalizing Your Results using Open Source

JavaScript Frameworks, Dylan Holt (Accenture Federal)

Session 2C: Lightning Round! Room 3 

• Complex Survey Variance Estimation and Design Effects in R using the Rstan and Survey

packages, Matt Williams (NCSES/NSF)

• Responses of SRISK to Changes in Bank Capital Regulation, Elizabeth Duncan and Benjamin 

Kay (Federal Reserve Board) WITHDRAWN

• Ensemble Models with Basketball, John Thomas (George Washington University)

• Automating the Maintenance of Survey Frames, Elizabeth Willhide and Keith Finlay (Census 

Bureau)

• Text Analysis of Death Certificate Records to Ascertain Drugs Involved in Deaths from the

National Vital Statistics System, Merianne Spencer and Brigham Bastian (NCHS)

Lunch: 12:15 to 1:15pm Lunch, on your own. 

The BLS cafeteria is on the first floor, and Union Station has many restaurants.
Early afternoon sessions: 1:15 to 2:45 pm

Session 3A: Data dashboards for quick monitoring and analysis Rooms 1 and 2 

 SMART: An Open Source Tool to Facilitate Auto-Coding, Caroline Kery (RTI International)

 (SLIDES NOT POSTED) Power Up NASS Data Analytics with MS Power BI, Leanne Tang 

(USDA-NASS)

 Think Outside of the Box(plot), Jerry Valerio (Tableau) 

 Modern Techniques for Exploring Text Data, Peter Baumgartner (RTI International)

Session 3B: Open source software for fast information Rooms 7 and 8 

 Faster Computation for Hierarchical Bayesian-Model Using Rcpp Packages, Lu Chen 

(USDA-NASS)

 Asking Consumers about their Finances, Kimberly Kreiss and Mike Zabek (Federal Reserve 

Board)

 Using Python, PostgreSQL and R to analyze NIBRS data from the Crime Data Explorer, Ian 

Thomas (RTI International)

 Weight Calibration across Packages, Dr. Stanislav Kolenikov-(Abt Associates)

Session 3C: Lightning Round! Room 3 

 Create Interactive Motion Charts Using R Package GoogleVis, Bidong Liu (Data and Analytic 

Solutions, Inc.) and Zhengyi Fang (Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.)

 Automating Occupational Profiles Using RMarkdown, McLeod Brown (BLS)

 Using R to Automate the Development of Custom Reports in Word Format, Alexandra Gates 

and Mina Zheng (NORC at the University of Chicago) 

 Linking EEOC Case Investigation Records by Employer Name using Text Analytics, Ada 

Harris (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) 

 Rapid Implementation of Test Design Using Python, David Oh (BLS)

Break 2:45 to 3:00pm 

Network with a presenter - ask about their project, meet a new person 
Late afternoon sessions, 3:00 to 4:15pm 

Session 4A: Application of Python and other software for production – Rooms 1 and 2 

 Analyze, visualize, and . . . itemize: Tax policy analysis with Tax-Cruncher, Peter Metz 

(American Enterprise Institute

 Synergy between remote sensing and machine learning for crop yield prediction, Luca Sartore 

(USDA-NASS)

 Getting Started with Using Amazon Mechanical Turk to Label Data, Brandon Kopp (BLS)

Session 4B: Analysis using R-shiny and other open source software Rooms 7 and 8 

 Using R and Shiny Applications to Analyze and Visualize NAEP Assessment Data, 

Emmanuel Sikali, Michael Lee, Paul Bailey and Ting Zhang (American Institutes for 

Research and NCES)

 A Tour of USDA NASS’s Decision Support System, Nathan Cruze (USDA-NASS) 

 Measuring the cost and impact of open source software as intangible capital, Gizem Korkmaz 

(University of Virginia) 

Session 4C: Lightning Round! Room 3 

 Adaptivity of Media and Behavioral Modeling, Mitchell Shuey (Independent)

 (SLIDES NOT POSTED) What is the meaning of this? How natural language processing can 

analyze unstructured data, Kelsey Gray (Insight Policy Research)

 Routine Automation and Replication of PowerPoint Presentations in Python, Elaine WilcoxCook (Insight Policy Research)

 An Exploratory Research on Optimization of CFS Sampling Design, Mehdi Hashemipour 

(BTS)

 Science of Visual Analysis – Beyond Statistics, Jerry Valerio (Tableau)

Announcements and Adjournment, 4:15 - 4:30pm Rooms 1 and 2 
Remote Access Information by Session 

AUDIO: Audio information can be found once you access the meeting. Note that you can dial-in for audio 

only, if necessary. 

 Audio on the WebEx sessions (2C, 3C, 4C: Lightning Rounds) is all via the telephone with the same 

number and access code used for all. The number is given here: 1-866-865-9536, 744 124 3 #

 Audio on the Zoom sessions (all of the rest) can be via telephone or the computer. PLEASE use the 

computer for audio, if possible. If you use the phone for Zoom sessions, then the phone number for 

all sessions is 1-929-205-6099 or 1-669-900-6833. Only the access codes change for each session. 

 If remote access isn’t working for you we may be able to help on the spot; email meyer.peter@bls.gov, 

Jadoo.michael@bls.gov, and Martinez.wendy@bls.gov. 

 Please send slides by Friday Sept 20. You may bring an update on a flash drive but it adds difficulty. 

9:00 AM to 10:30 AM 

Session 1A Using R to streamline analysis 666126207 #

Session 1B Model selection/validation with statistical software 722857413 #

10:45 AM to 12:15 PM 

Session 2A Python libraries for text analysis 977147246 #

Session 2B Using R to automate for efficiency 373757563 # 

Session 2C Lightning round Audio: 1-866-865-9536, 744 124 3 #

1:15 PM to 2:45 PM 

Session 3A Data dashboards 437101314 #

Session 3B Open source software 384613050 # 

Session 3C Lightning round Audio: 1-866-865-9536, 744 124 3 #

3:00 PM to 4:15 PM 

Session 4A Applications of Python 838338005 # 

Session 4B Analysis using R-Shiny 899402835 #

Session 4C Lightning round Audio: 1-866-865-9536, 744 124 3 #

 
GASP 2019 

 

Government Advances in Statistical 

Programming workshop 

Conference coordinator and program chair: Mike Jadoo (BLS) 

Volunteer coordinator: Peter B. Meyer (BLS) 

We thank many volunteers for their efforts. 

Thanks again to sponsorship from the Washington Statistical Society, the Interagency R Users Group, 

and the FCSM Computational Statistics Interest Group. 

Special thanks to: