2024 Elections
Election Information
General information
Welcome to the voting page for the 2024 Classification Society General Election. This year, you are invited to elect one member to fill the secretary/treasurer position and two members to fill the general director positions that will become vacant on January 1, 2025. The term of the secretary/treasurer to be elected will be two years (January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2026), and the terms of the general directors to be elected will be three years (January 1, 2025 - December 31, 2027). Following the instructions are a short biography and statement of interest for each candidate and the voting tools.
Voting instructions
1. Please vote yes or no for the secretary/treasurer using the corresponding radio button.
2. For the general director positions, please rank the candidates from 1 to 2, where the top of the list corresponds to a ranking of 1 and the bottom of the list corresponds to a ranking of 2.
Meet the Candidates
For Secretary/Treasurer
Brian Franczak (MacEwan University)
Biography: Brian Franczak is an associate professor of statistics at MacEwan University. His research interests include clustering and classification with a focus on applications of finite mixture models. Brian has served as secretary/treasurer of the Classification Society since 2016 and has been a regular member since 2012.
Statement of interest: I have been an active member of the Classification Society since 2012 when I attended the annual meeting at Carnegie Mellon University. I quickly became a supporter of the Classification Society and have attended every meeting since 2014. It has been a privilege to serve as Secretary/Treasurer of the Classification Society since 2016. During my tenure, I have worked with many members to promote the Society. I am honored to be nominated to serve as Secretary/Treasurer for another term, and if elected, I will continue to work to promote the Classification Society.
For General Director
Xu (Sunny) Wang (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Biography: Sunny Wang currently is a Professor of Statistics and Data Science in the Department of Mathematics, Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada). Sunny started her career at St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada) and then moved to Wilfrid Laurier University in 2016. Sunny’s research lies at the intersection of modern statistical learning/deep learning ideas and “traditional” statistical approaches. Her research is supported by NSERC (National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada) and other academia-industry fundings. Sunny is a devoted educator, which has earned her several faculty and university teaching awards such as Donald F. Morgenson Awards for Teaching Excellence in the Category of Innovation, Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also a strong advocate for Statistical Education and has started many initiatives to promote Statistics in general public in Canada as the President of Statistical Education Section of Statistical Society of Canada (SSC).
Statement of interest: I have been a member of the Classification Society since 2016, serving in various roles, including as an elected director and a member of the Dissertation Award Committee. To me, the society feels like a close-knit, welcoming community—a place where I can make friends, engage in open discussions, and, of course, explore research ideas. I am eager to continue serving the society by promoting interdisciplinary research collaborations, building connections with industry partners, and, most importantly, providing mentorship to our younger members.
Cristina Tortora (San Jose State University)
Biography: Cristina Tortora, Associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at San José State University, completed her Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of Naples Federico II in 2012. Her research centers on clustering techniques, with a focus on model-based methods and fuzzy clustering. She collaborates with experts in applied fields, and she is also an officer of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the American Statistical Association (since 2019).
Statement of interest: My research focuses on developing flexible clustering techniques that can be applied across a wide range of real-world problems. While my core expertise lies in methodological statistics, I have collaborated extensively with experts from diverse fields to promote the use of advanced statistical techniques. Recently, my work has addressed topics such as cyclist habits and harassment in public transportation.
I had the privilege of serving as the General Director of the Classification Society, where I played a key role in organizing the annual conference, selecting award winners, and fostering the growth and organization of the society. In general, a central aspect of my work has been engaging students in research, which includes active participation in conferences. I firmly believe that the role of a teacher extends beyond the classroom.
Additionally, I am deeply committed to promoting international collaborations, which have greatly benefited both students and faculty. It would be a true honor to continue serving the Classification Society in this role, further advancing research exchanges, student involvement, and global partnerships.
2024 Voting Form
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