The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact global society, exacerbating existing social inequalities, housing insecurity, disruptions to the education system, job losses, and demand for reformation of healthcare and education systems. In light of these challenges, the Symposium on Data Science and Statistics (SDSS) 2022 focused on the theme, "Influencing Science, Technology, and Society." Through this theme, we wanted to showcase the data science and statistics community's incredible work in advancing society through these turbulent times.This special issue highlights 15 articles that demonstrate the diverse ways data science and statistics contributes to social progress. All articles in this special issue were peer-reviewed.