It was UK Volunteers’ Week last week, and we took the opportunity to ask our fantastic community of volunteers what keeps them coming back to give their time so generously. Their answers may just inspire you to consider getting involved in an RSS initiative yourself. We also took the opportunity to chat in more depth with one volunteer, Kelly H Zou, who’s dedicated work on the Significance
editorial board has shaped our voice and that of cutting edge statistical journalism over the course of her tenure.
What is something volunteering lets you do that your day job doesn’t?
Volunteering on the editorial board of Significance lets me use my voice and judgment to strengthen the publication by providing expert input. I get to help shape the stories that reach our readers, and that sense of influence feels meaningful.
I also love how much I’ve grown through the process over the years, including through judging the Significance early career writing contest. Serving on an editorial board sharpens my critical thinking, deepens my communication skills, and exposes me to viewpoints I might never encounter otherwise. Every meeting, every draft, and every discussion pushes me to think more clearly and collaborate more thoughtfully.
What makes it especially fulfilling is the community. Working alongside people who care about quality and storytelling as much as I do creates a genuine sense of connection. When a writer tells me that my feedback helped them improve, or when our team publishes something powerful, I feel proud of the time I’ve given.
What has been your biggest ‘I’m glad I said yes to this’ moment while volunteering?
One example was when I was reviewing an article on the Higgs boson, often referred to as the God particle, which was both challenging and deeply motivating for me. As a statistician, mathematician, and physicist, I have the technical grounding to understand the theories and methods behind these discoveries, yet I am also fully aware that these subjects sit at the very edge of human knowledge.Even with advanced training in statistics – and with my current positions in the American Statistical Association (Chair of Caucus of Industry Representatives and President of the New York City Chapter) – each new article has pushed me to think more critically and question long‑held assumptions. That intellectual stretch, the balance between expertise and uncertainty, is part of what keeps me invested.
What makes reviewing these topics especially meaningful is their potential to reshape our understanding of the universe. Breakthroughs at this scale influence physics, technology, and even philosophy. I was glad to be a second set of eyes to translate complex ideas into engaging explanations without losing their depth. Sharing that sense of discovery with others is one of the most rewarding parts of the work.
Tell us about a time volunteering pushed you outside your comfort zone?
As much as I enjoy engaging with complex scientific material, I want to be transparent about the limits of my statistical knowledge when it comes to reviewing highly specialized submissions into laymen's readability. My background gives me a strong foundation for evaluating methodological soundness, logical coherence, and the clarity of an argument, and I can assess work that involves standard statistical models, probabilistic reasoning, experimental design, and quantitative interpretation.
However, I am not a master of every advanced statistical technique. When a submission requires deep expertise in niche statistical theory or leading computational approaches, I may not be able to offer the level of in‑depth evaluation that such work deserves. In those cases, I believe it is more responsible to defer to someone with the appropriate specialization.
My goal is to contribute meaningfully while maintaining honesty about where my expertise begins and ends.
What keeps you coming back to volunteer?
What keeps me volunteering – in an era of data science and AI – is the sense of purpose I feel when helping shape how these rapidly evolving fields communicate their ideas. These disciplines influence everything, from discovery to policy, while the underlying methods are often misunderstood or misapplied. Contributing my time allows me to support work that brings clarity, rigor, and accessibility to complex concepts. I stay involved because thoughtful editorial review genuinely strengthens the quality of discourse across all three areas.
I am also motivated by the intellectual challenge. Each submission exposes me to new statistical methods, emerging data science practices, and innovative applications of AI. Even when a topic stretches my expertise, the process of evaluating assumptions, checking reasoning, and assessing clarity sharpens my own thinking.
Finally, the collaborative aspect is also rewarding. I particularly admire the thought process of my fellow international editorial board, coming from the UK, Australia, and the United States. The sense of the scientific community makes a difference in the world.