The Role of the Joint Program in Survey Methodology in Training U.S. Federal Statisticians

The Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) was established in 1993 to support the U.S. federal statistical system by providing advanced training in survey statistics and methodology. Until then, traditional graduate degree programs did not provide the interdisciplinary training needed for large-scale surveys and censuses. Graduates of statistics departments were well-versed in advanced statistical estimation, but had little practical knowledge of how to design complex samples or how to develop survey instruments. A major part of JPSM's mission is to fill that gap by providing graduate-level training to current and future federal statisticians. In this article we review the history of the program and its initial efforts, discuss the different types of collaboration and how they have enhanced survey methodology, and review efforts that are being made to strengthen the program and provide a more integrated research environment for the future.