DOCSLIB.ORG

An Interview with Frank Hansford-Miller

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Interview with Frank Hansford-Miller statistical society of australia incorporated newsletter November, 2002 Number 101 Registered by Australia Post Publication No. NBH3503 issn 0314-6820 An interview with Frank Hansford-Miller To those who regularly attend the some lateral thinking. Indeed, at the As a tribute to Frank the Branch WA Branch of the SSAI meetings, dinners following the meetings, Executive felt that someone from the Frank Hansford-Miller is which Frank cannot attend due to local branch should interview him. As immediately recognizable as the none of the ladies in the executive felt his being located north of the end of person who almost always asks a brave enough, they asked me to question of the speaker. His question the train line in Perth, it is often interview Frank because I have known is usually spiced with some aspect of remarked upon about what form him since he tutored statistics part time his varied life and usually involves Frank was in that night! at Murdoch University in the 80’s. I was happy to oblige. The following are some of the facts gained from my interview with Frank on 23rd August 2002 at his house in Yanchep. Frank Hansford-Miller comes from a working class background. Born in London in 1916, he will turn 86 in November 2002. He was educated at Colfe’s Grammar School. In 1940 he volunteered for the Armed Forces and served six years in the war, seeing service in the Royal Artillery defending London against enemy aircraft. He entered University College London, to read mathematics, in 1946. His studies were interrupted in 1947- 1949 by a hospitalisation due to tuberculosis of the spine where three vertebrae were eaten away. He was not beaten; he fought back and graduated BSc, later entering King’s College in the University of London, at first full time and then part-time doing research for Frank Hansford-Miller his MSc and PhD. Frank met Phyllis, his wife to be, in London during the war. They had a In this issue happy relationship and were married Shaping the Statisticians of the Member Advantage .......................7 for 48 years. He misses her greatly and Future ............................................4 Branch Reports .............................8 his house in Yanchep is adorned with her paintings. Frank took up singing 55th Session of ISI .......................5 Conferences ................................16 after his wife’s death and two years ago was voted the best karaoke singer gone through a terrible century with in the Burswood International Cabaret Hitler and Stalin and are more aware Lounge. He has produced 3 CD’s and now. There’s no reason why the world 10 singles under his singing name of shouldn’t be a happy and prosperous PO Box 85, “Frisky Frank”. He is obviously proud place. of his activity and mentioned that he Ainslie ACT 2602 The statistician that Frank most admires has produced 50-60 books (on a Phone/Fax (02) 6249 8266 is Maurice Kendall. Indeed, in a recent diverse selection of subjects) not just on Email: [email protected] RSS News he wrote that he would like to statistics and related areas. Frank Society Web Page see a plaque commemorating Kendall, publishes his many works under just as the RSS dedicated a plaque http://www.statsoc.org.au ABCADO publishers, which he commemorating Fisher’s life. Frank also founded in 1966. spoke admiringly of David Cox. 1 Editors Frank proudly boasts that he is /2 1 When Frank turned 65, he and his wife Russian and /2 English since his Alice Richardson, School of Mathematics mother’s father was born in Russia emigrated to Australia where he was and Statistics, University of Canberra, and he believes this mix is what makes gladly accepted, being no burden to the PO Box 1, Canberra ACT 2616 Email: him think differently from others. He state. They came to Perth where his [email protected] has a wide range of interests including wife’s sister and family had settled Fax: (02) 6201 2683 religion, politics, geography, poetry earlier. He was introduced to Terry Eden Brinkley, Australian Bureau of and history. While colleagues found it Speed, Head of Mathematics at the Statistics, Locked Bag 10, Belconnen, better for their careers to concentrate University of Western Australia at the ACT 2616 on one thing, he claimed that was not time, who immediately recognized Email: [email protected] what he was like. Frank’s name from many published Phone: (02) 6252 6068 proceedings of the RSS, in which Frank’s introduction to statistics was at discussions of papers read to the RSS Correspondence University College, and he has always often included Frank’s contributions. Please direct all editorial correspondence been interested in politics. To him Consequently, Frank became a tutor at to Alice Richardson. statistics involves the whole of life and UWA, Murdoch University, and Curtin that’s what he likes about it. He was Disclaimer University. Frank coaxed Terry into elected as a Fellow of the Royal doing a marathon with him, and Frank The views of contributors to this Statistical Society while working in went on to do 7 marathons only retiring Newsletter should not be attributed to London and he is now a life member. the Statistical Society of Australia, Inc. when his wife died. Frank was the During this time in London, meetings World Champion Race Walker at the were held at the School of Hygiene and Subscriptions Brisbane World Masters Games in 1994. Tropical Medicine in Senate House. The Newsletter of the Statistical Society At the age of 69 he published a paper of Australia is supplied free to all Frank says that his interest in statistics on Australian Numbers in the journal members of the society. Any others stems from wanting to do something “Teaching Mathematics and Its wishing to subscribe to the Newsletter for the world and make it a better Applications”, Volume 6, pp8-12. This may do so at an annual cost of A$25.00 place. He feels that we have become for an issue of four numbers. paper is a tribute to his endeavour to too technical and should ask “How is assimilate into his adopted country this piece of research going to help Advertising and in it he notes the number 69 is in humanity?” His advice to young Advertising will be carried in the fact “69-any way up”. But if in fact one statisticians is to try to broaden their inverts the digits individually, 69 Newsletter on any matters which the interests, try to get in touch with the Editors feel are of interest to the members becomes 96. He wrote the article with world and not devote 100% of their of the Society. For details of advertising the idea in mind that Australia is energy to the mathematics side but to rates, etc. contact the Editors at the above known as “Down-Under” and, try to see what really is the end product addresses. jokingly, as being “Upside Down”. He to society of the new things they are aspires to this next milestone which is Printer doing. He says we need to adopt a reaching 96, despite medical setbacks, more unselfish approach and to think National Capital Printing but he may well do it in his own of others if we are to become better 22 Pirie Street, Fyshwick ACT 2609 inimitable way, and I am sure he will individuals in society. We can’t think of accept whatever God has in store. statistics outside of society; we need to DEADLINE FOR put statistics back in and make a When I left, Frank was in good spirits, NEXT ISSUE: bigger contribution of society. and I’d gleaned much more than I can write here. This is just a glimpse into 20 January 2003 Frank denies having any fears for the his long and varied life. current millennium. He trusts in the Lord and is a Christian. He said we’ve Brenton R. Clarke 2 SSAI Newsletter – November 2002 Editorial What did the Australian Science former Questacon exhibit. that if it’s big, if you can play with Festival bring to your area? Here Standing about 6 feet high, the it, then it attracts a crowd. What in Canberra there was a busy idea was to drop a golf ball in the other possibilities are there for programme of events in August top, watch it rattle past the posts statistics to be represented at including ActewAGL’s Amazing (50% chance of left and right at future exhibitions? ANSTO drew World of Science - an exhibition each post) and watch the binomial the crowds in with a display with displays from over 50 proportions settle into place at the entitled “A day in the life …”, organisations ranging from ACT bottom of the device. Every time describing everyday events and Workcover to the University of we walked past, there was a small products along with their reliance Canberra. crowd of children and adults, on radio isotopes. What about “A dropping balls and discussing the day in the life …” with a We strolled around looking for the results with ANU exhibitors on probabilistic or statistical bent? statistical aspects, and almost hand. Any other bright ideas? Think came away empty-handed. But in about it for next year, get in on the one corner the Physics Department This display was the only overtly act and as always, tell us all how it at the Australian National statistical one. But note that if it’s went! University had a quincunx on statistical it need not be boring - display. We were told it was a the quincunx seems to indicate Alice Richardson Correction Funding formulae for non WIN! government schools Announcing the first in a The final formula in my article in the last newsletter contained an series of statistical error, in the denominator.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • F:\RSS\Me\Society's Mathemarica
    School of Social Sciences Economics Division University of Southampton Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK Discussion Papers in Economics and Econometrics Mathematics in the Statistical Society 1883-1933 John Aldrich No. 0919 This paper is available on our website http://www.southampton.ac.uk/socsci/economics/research/papers ISSN 0966-4246 Mathematics in the Statistical Society 1883-1933* John Aldrich Economics Division School of Social Sciences University of Southampton Southampton SO17 1BJ UK e-mail: [email protected] Abstract This paper considers the place of mathematical methods based on probability in the work of the London (later Royal) Statistical Society in the half-century 1883-1933. The end-points are chosen because mathematical work started to appear regularly in 1883 and 1933 saw the formation of the Industrial and Agricultural Research Section– to promote these particular applications was to encourage mathematical methods. In the period three movements are distinguished, associated with major figures in the history of mathematical statistics–F. Y. Edgeworth, Karl Pearson and R. A. Fisher. The first two movements were based on the conviction that the use of mathematical methods could transform the way the Society did its traditional work in economic/social statistics while the third movement was associated with an enlargement in the scope of statistics. The study tries to synthesise research based on the Society’s archives with research on the wider history of statistics. Key names : Arthur Bowley, F. Y. Edgeworth, R. A. Fisher, Egon Pearson, Karl Pearson, Ernest Snow, John Wishart, G. Udny Yule. Keywords : History of Statistics, Royal Statistical Society, mathematical methods.
    [Show full text]
  • Calibrated Bayes: a Bayes/Frequentist Roadmap
    Calibrated Bayes: A Bayes/Frequentist Roadmap Roderick LITTLE pects of the conflict are illustrated with basic and more general examples. In Sections 3 and 4, I provide my personal perspec- The lack of an agreed inferential basis for statistics makes life tive on strengths and weaknesses of the frequentist and Bayesian “interesting” for academic statisticians, but at the price of nega- approaches to statistics, and in Section5Iarguethat calibrated tive implications for the status of statistics in industry, science, Bayes is a compromise that capitalizes on the strengths of both and government. The practice of our discipline will mature only systems of inference. The calibrated Bayes compromise pro- when we can come to a basic agreement about how to apply vides a useful roadmap, but remains sketchy on the boundary statistics to real problems. Simple and more general illustrations between inference and model selection, suggesting areas of fu- are given of the negative consequences of the existing schism ture development. In Section 6, I discuss some implications of between frequentists and Bayesians. the proposed compromise for the future teaching and practice An assessment of strengths and weaknesses of the frequen- of statistics. tist and Bayes systems of inference suggests that calibrated Bayes—a compromise based on the work of Box, Rubin, and 2. THE BAYES/FREQUENTIST SCHISM: others—captures the strengths of both approaches and provides DOES IT MATTER? a roadmap for future advances. The approach asserts that infer- I was a student of statistics in London in the early 1970s, ences under a particular model should be Bayesian, but model when debates raged about alternative philosophies of statistics.
    [Show full text]
  • “It Took a Global Conflict”— the Second World War and Probability in British
    Keynames: M. S. Bartlett, D.G. Kendall, stochastic processes, World War II Wordcount: 17,843 words “It took a global conflict”— the Second World War and Probability in British Mathematics John Aldrich Economics Department University of Southampton Southampton SO17 1BJ UK e-mail: [email protected] Abstract In the twentieth century probability became a “respectable” branch of mathematics. This paper describes how in Britain the transformation came after the Second World War and was due largely to David Kendall and Maurice Bartlett who met and worked together in the war and afterwards worked on stochastic processes. Their interests later diverged and, while Bartlett stayed in applied probability, Kendall took an increasingly pure line. March 2020 Probability played no part in a respectable mathematics course, and it took a global conflict to change both British mathematics and D. G. Kendall. Kingman “Obituary: David George Kendall” Introduction In the twentieth century probability is said to have become a “respectable” or “bona fide” branch of mathematics, the transformation occurring at different times in different countries.1 In Britain it came after the Second World War with research on stochastic processes by Maurice Stevenson Bartlett (1910-2002; FRS 1961) and David George Kendall (1918-2007; FRS 1964).2 They also contributed as teachers, especially Kendall who was the “effective beginning of the probability tradition in this country”—his pupils and his pupils’ pupils are “everywhere” reported Bingham (1996: 185). Bartlett and Kendall had full careers—extending beyond retirement in 1975 and ‘85— but I concentrate on the years of setting-up, 1940-55.
    [Show full text]
  • JAMES DURBIN James Durbin 1923–2012
    JAMES DURBIN James Durbin 1923–2012 PROFESSOR JAMES DURBIN died on 23 June 2012 in London, at the age of 88. ‘Jim’, as he was universally known except in the most formal circum- stances, was born into a non-academic family in Widnes on 30 June 1923. He showed considerable promise at school, where he excelled in most subjects, except physics. However, he developed strength in mathematics and it was in that subject that he obtained a scholarship to St John’s College, Cambridge, which he entered in 1942. This was in the middle of the Second World War when special arrangements were in force for those eligible for war service. Jim completed five terms of residence after which he worked in the Army Operational Research Group until 1945. On the strength of this he was awarded a ‘wartime’ BA which was subsequently turned into an MA in the usual Cambridge fashion. He then spent a period (1946–7) working for the British Boot, Shoe and Allied Trades Research Association. On returning to Cambridge in 1948 it was Jim’s intention to take Part II of the Economics Tripos. This would have taken two years but he was advised by his College tutor, an Economics lecturer, that his time would be better spent taking the one-year Diploma in Mathematical Statistics. He therefore completed his formal university education in a little under three years which, as he later used to point out, must have been a shorter time than for any of his peers. Jim joined the newly created Department of Applied Economics (DAE) at Cambridge in 1948.
    [Show full text]
  • Three Twin Sciences, Born with the First Census
    Three twin sciences, born with the fi rst census Associate Professor Gheorghe SĂVOIU, Ph.D. [email protected] Lecturer Mariana BĂNUŢĂ, Ph.D. [email protected] Lecturer Mihaela GADOIU, Ph.D. [email protected] University of Piteşti, Faculty of Economic Sciences Abstract: The hyphotesis of this paper is based on the idea that three sciences have been born during the same event or ancient period: the fi rst census. These three memorable sciences are statistics, demography and accountancy. This paper presents an brief analysis of the common history of these three sciences. The results of this analysis represents the basis for a comparative study in the future about the common moments for the multidisciplinary investigations such as the census. Keywords: alphabet, census, statistics, demography, accountancy. JEL classifi cation: C46, E16, J11, H83, N33. 1. Introduction The occurrence of proto-statistics or old statistics and of the fi rst specifi c data and information are related to the census as a periodic set of state records concerning the population (subsequently defi ned by Romans as census or by periodic resumption census), land, agriculture, ships built, navigation, and have an attested oldness of approximately fi ve to six thousand years. Ancient civilizations from the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Chinese, and Greek one to the Roman Empire, as well as the whole Middle Ages do not indicate the systematization of concepts, principles, methods, techniques and instruments, able to prove the scientifi c nature of statistics. Between the fi rst Roman “census”, from the time of King Servius Tullius (6th century b.C.) and the English cadastre, performed between 1083 and 1086, in the time of William the Conqueror, no clear idea about the independent nature of statistics as a science appears.
    [Show full text]
  • An Engine, Not a Camera Studies of Science and the Institute for Scientific Information, for Career Contributions to the Field of Science Studies
    MacKenzie_jkt.qxd 3/30/06 1:27 PM Page 1 economics/science, technology, and society Donald MacKenzie is Professor of Sociology (Personal Chair) at the University of Edinburgh. He was the winner of the 2005 John Desmond Bernal Prize, awarded jointly by the Society for Social An Engine, Not a Camera Studies of Science and the Institute for Scientific Information, for career contributions to the field of science studies. His books “In one lifetime modern finance theory has revolutionized the arts of canny include Inventing Accuracy (1990), Knowing Machines (1996), and investing. MacKenzie knows this exciting story, and he tells it well.” How Financial Models Shape Markets Mechanizing Proof (2001), all published by The MIT Press. Portions Paul A. Samuelson, MIT, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences (1970) An Engine, Not a Camera of An Engine, Not a Camera won the Viviana A. Zelizer Prize in . economic sociology from the American Sociological Association. “Having returned from an audacious incursion into the black box of modern How Financial Models Shape Markets financial markets, Donald MacKenzie shows how economic theory has succeeded in capturing and shaping them. This book will be of substantial interest to specialists in a range of fields including economics, finance theory, Donald MacKenzie economic sociology, and science and technology studies. But MacKenzie’s tour An h de force is to make clear, even to nonspecialists, that through complex tech- Engine, DDoonnaallddMMaaccKKeennzziiee nical issues, alternative forms of economic organization can be imagined and Not a In An Engine, Not a Camera, Donald MacKenzie argues that the discussed.” Camera emergence of modern economic theories of finance affected Michel Callon, Ecole des Mines de Paris financial markets in fundamental ways.
    [Show full text]
  • First Generation
    First Generation 1. George Yule was born1 about 1752 in Dirleton, East Lothian. Issue 8, Fall 1994 In this issue, we are concentrating on the YULE family East Lothian This family served for generations as tenant-farmers on the Dirleton Estate. Yule families had been in east Lothian from 12th Century but there is a gap in records available from early 1600's to 1700's. There were still YULE families farming on the Dirleton Estates as late as 1875. George YULE (b.ca. 1752) Dirleton, East Lothian, married Elizabeth Rose (Ross) daughter of Rev. James Rose, minister at Udney Parish, Aberdeenshire. (1) James YULE b. ca. 1760 (2) William YULE b.22 Sep 1764 Direleton, E.L. d. 6 Oct. 1839 Edinburgh, M.L. Udney YULE b.ca. 1765 d. 4 Mar 1830, Edinburgh, M.L. Marion YULE b.ca.1767 m. 1 Feb. 1787, Athelstaneford, E.L. to James Dudgeon Mary YULE b.ca. 1780 d. Weem (?) m. Thomas Cleghorn (1) James YULE , son of George and Elizabeth (ROSE) YULE, was born ca.1760 East Lothian. He married 1 Feb. 1785, Haddington, E.L. to Alison Dungeon. He was listed as the landed proprietor of Grisslees Estate on death record for Patrick. Patrick YULE b.ca 1792 d. 6 Mar 1873 Inverleith Hill, Edinburgh m. 7 Apr. 1858 Westminister, London Anna L. Samuel (3) John William YULE b.ca.1783 m. Mary H. Anstruther Mary YULE b. ca. 1795 d. 2 Feb 1865 16 Carlton Place, Edinburgh (CD#155) 21 Nov 2018 Descendants of George Yule Page 1 Robert YULE (of London, informant of the above death) (2) William YULE , son of George and Elizabeth (ROSE) YULE, was born 22 Spt.
    [Show full text]
  • Zbwleibniz-Informationszentrum
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Mills, Terence C. Article Yule's lambdagram revisited and reclaimed Economics & Finance Research Provided in Cooperation with: Taylor & Francis Group Suggested Citation: Mills, Terence C. (2013) : Yule's lambdagram revisited and reclaimed, Economics & Finance Research, ISSN 2164-9499, Taylor & Francis, Abingdon, Vol. 1, Iss. 1, pp. 1-12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21649480.2012.751518 This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/147686 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. www.econstor.eu Economics & Finance Research, 2013 Vol. 1, 1–12, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21649480.2012.751518 Yule’s lambdagram revisited and reclaimed Terence C.
    [Show full text]
  • IMS Bulletin 33(1)
    Volume 33 Issue 1 S Bulletin IM IMS also provides support, and limited funds, for mini-meetings, ProgrammingAndrew Nobel writes: IMS which Meetings are one- or two- day scientifi c Th e IMS Program workshops organized by IMS mem- January/February 2004 http://imstat.org/program/). Th e format of Secretary oversees bers ( hey IMS involvement in, minimeeting.htm CONTENTS and sponsorship of, mini-meetings is meant to promote Members’ News; professional meetings 2 the intensive exchange of ideas; t Contacting the IMS Check page y reports around the world. I are short, informal and focused on Surve began my three year numbers!! Annual topics of active research. 3 Looks Back Th e planning of the scientifi c President 4 With Interest tenure as Program Secretary in August, program for sponsored IMS meetings and will endeavor to maintain the very typically begins with the selection of Statistics for Professionals 5 ssue; Last call high standards set by my energetic and an IMS program chair, who proposes Special I JCGS capable predecessor Susan Murphy. Below and solicits ideas for invited sessions, 6 , for Laha is an overview of IMS sponsorship and and who names session organizers.ENAR s & Competitions Th e principal annual meetings Offer planning of the main annual meetings. IMS Annual 8 IMS supports professional meet- sponsored byJSM the ,IMS and arethe Obituary: , the 10 WNAR Richard L Anderson ings through sponsorship or co-spon- . Th e IMS Eastern Regional sorship. In each case, support takes Meeting IMS Meetings 11 the form of advertisement and website, in access the to Meeting (ENAR) is held jointly with Other Meetings and IMS Bulletin Biometrics Society in late March of 19 Announcements members and membership lists, and each year, with the planning begin- IMS endorsement.
    [Show full text]
  • “But You Have to Remember P. J. Daniell of Sheffield”
    “But you have to remember P. J. Daniell of Sheffield” JOHN ALDRICH1 Abstract: P. J. Daniell is a mysterious figure who appears at several turns in the history of mathematics in the 20th century, in the fields of integration, stochastic processes, statistics, control engineering and even in the history of English mathematical education. The main focus of this paper is on Daniell’s work in relation to the development of probability in the twentieth century. But as it seems that no survey of his work and life has been attempted for 60 years I try to consider all his contributions and place them in an appropriate historical context. R´esum´e: P. J. Daniell est un personnage myst´erieuxqui apparaˆıt`aplusieurs moments clefs de l’histoire des math´ematiquesdu 20`emesi`ecle, dans le do- maine de l’int´egration,des processus stochastiques, des statistiques, de la commande optimale et mˆemedans l’histoire de l’´educationmath´ematique en Angleterre. Ce papier se concentre sur le travail de Daniell en relation avec le d´eveloppement des probabilit´esau vingti`emesi`ecle.Comme aucune description de sa vie et de son œuvre n’a semble-t-il ´et´er´ealis´eedepuis 60 ans, nous essayons de dresser un tableau de l’ensemble de ses contributions et de les placer dans un contexte historique appropri´e. 1Economics Division. School of Social Sciences, University of Southampton. Southampton SO17 1BJ. UK. [email protected] P.J.Daniell (Courtesy of Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, USA c Rice University 2007) 1 Introduction In a conversation with David Kendall, the doyen of British probabilists, Bingham (1996, p.
    [Show full text]
  • A Statistical Biography of George Udny Yule
    A Statistical Biography of George Udny Yule A Statistical Biography of George Udny Yule: A Loafer of the World By Terence C. Mills A Statistical Biography of George Udny Yule: A Loafer of the World By Terence C. Mills This book first published 2017 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2017 by Terence C. Mills All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-4438-5067-5 ISBN (13): 978-1-4438-5067-4 CONTENTS List of Tables .............................................................................................. ix List of Figures........................................................................................... xiii Preface .................................................................................................... xviii Chapter One ................................................................................................. 1 Udny Yule: A Sketch of the Life and Career of a Statistician Chapter Two .............................................................................................. 11 Skew Curves, Epidemiology and Accident Distributions Chapter Three ...........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 2 Yule and Hooker and the Concepts of Correlation and Trend
    Notes 2 Yule and Hooker and the Concepts of Correlation and Trend 1. Galton is often regarded as the father of correlation, but the concept – or at least the word – had been in common use, particularly in physics, since the middle of the cen- tury. The historical development of correlation, although fascinating, lies outside the scope of this study. A contemporary account of the development is provided by Pear- son (1920): for a later, rather more detached, discussion, see Stigler (1986, chapter 8). 2. George Udny Yule plays a major and recurring role in our story. Born on 18 February 1871 in Beech Hill near Haddington, Scotland, Yule was a member of an established Scottish family composed of army officers, civil servants, scholars and administrators and both his father, also named George Udny, and a nephew were knighted. Although he originally studied engineering and physics at University College, London (UCL), and Bonn, Germany, publishing four papers on electric waves, Yule returned to UCL in 1893, becoming first a demonstrator for Karl Pearson, then an Assistant Professor. Yule left UCL in 1899 to work for the City and Guilds of London Institute but also later held the Newmarch Lectureship in Statistics at UCL. In 1912 he became lecturer in statistics at the University of Cambridge (later being promoted to Reader) and in 1913 began his long association with St. John’s College, becoming a Fellow in 1922. Yule was also very active in the Royal Statistical Society: elected a Fellow in 1895, he served as Honorary Secretary, was President and was awarded the prestigious Guy Medal in Gold in 1911.
    [Show full text]