American Statistical Association History of Statistics
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The ASA History of Statistics Interest Group brings together everyone with an active interest in the history of statistics to share research and resources.
#OTD 1891, Karl Pearson gives his Gresham lecture on "The Geometry of Statistics" in which he presents graphs showing distributions of deaths & discusses actuarial methods, variation, & chance. He later expands on these ideas in his 1897 book The Chances of Death
November 19, 2025 at 11:14 AM
#OTD 1891, Karl Pearson gives his Gresham lecture on "The Geometry of Statistics" in which he presents graphs showing distributions of deaths & discusses actuarial methods, variation, & chance. He later expands on these ideas in his 1897 book The Chances of Death
Happy belated 🎂 to David L Sackett (17 Nov 1934-13 May 2015) FRSC OC. With Archie Cochrane, father of modern clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine (which he explicitly defined in 1996). 1/2
November 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Happy belated 🎂 to David L Sackett (17 Nov 1934-13 May 2015) FRSC OC. With Archie Cochrane, father of modern clinical epidemiology and evidence-based medicine (which he explicitly defined in 1996). 1/2
Between 17 Nov 1891 & 11 May 1894 Karl Pearson gives 38 Gresham College lectures on statistics, free to the public. The lectures resulted in his first 2 published statistical papers, were the basis of his statistical theories, & led to the creation of his Biometric School. 1/🧵
November 17, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Between 17 Nov 1891 & 11 May 1894 Karl Pearson gives 38 Gresham College lectures on statistics, free to the public. The lectures resulted in his first 2 published statistical papers, were the basis of his statistical theories, & led to the creation of his Biometric School. 1/🧵
István Hatvani d #OTD 1786 (b 21 Nov 1718). First Hungarian to apply the law of large numbers to mortality statistics he studied with Johann & Daniel Bernouilli, was an early proponent of probability theory 1757 & advocated quantitative methods when philosophical deductive methods predominated
November 16, 2025 at 11:06 AM
István Hatvani d #OTD 1786 (b 21 Nov 1718). First Hungarian to apply the law of large numbers to mortality statistics he studied with Johann & Daniel Bernouilli, was an early proponent of probability theory 1757 & advocated quantitative methods when philosophical deductive methods predominated
In Nov 1904 Karl Pearson introduces the first clinical meta-analysis evaluating effectiveness of typhoid inoculations for British soldiers. He gives a pooled estimate of effect & comments on the ‘significance’ of correlations between inoculation, escape, & recovery.
November 15, 2025 at 2:53 PM
In Nov 1904 Karl Pearson introduces the first clinical meta-analysis evaluating effectiveness of typhoid inoculations for British soldiers. He gives a pooled estimate of effect & comments on the ‘significance’ of correlations between inoculation, escape, & recovery.
#OTD 1716 Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz d (b 1 Jul 1646) Although he is best known for his work on differential & integral calculus, & the binary system of arithmetic, he also invented an early calculating machine (‘stepped reckoner’) c 1672. 1/2
November 14, 2025 at 2:58 PM
#OTD 1716 Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz d (b 1 Jul 1646) Although he is best known for his work on differential & integral calculus, & the binary system of arithmetic, he also invented an early calculating machine (‘stepped reckoner’) c 1672. 1/2
Joseph L Fleiss b #OTD 1937 (d 12 Jun 2003) ASA Fellow 1973, President ENAR 1986. Best known for work on intraclass correlation & rater agreement, his 1974 paper showed that different psychiatric providers were rarely in agreement when using DSM-II to diagnose patients with similar problems
November 13, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Joseph L Fleiss b #OTD 1937 (d 12 Jun 2003) ASA Fellow 1973, President ENAR 1986. Best known for work on intraclass correlation & rater agreement, his 1974 paper showed that different psychiatric providers were rarely in agreement when using DSM-II to diagnose patients with similar problems
Happy 🎂 to the normal curve! #OTD 1733 Abraham de Moivre published a description in Latin. It had the catchy title Approximatio ad Summam Terminorum Binomii (a + b)n in Seriem expansi [Approximation of the Sum of the Terms of the Binomial (a + b)n expanded into a Series] 1/2
November 12, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Happy 🎂 to the normal curve! #OTD 1733 Abraham de Moivre published a description in Latin. It had the catchy title Approximatio ad Summam Terminorum Binomii (a + b)n in Seriem expansi [Approximation of the Sum of the Terms of the Binomial (a + b)n expanded into a Series] 1/2
#OTD 1918 the Armistice was signed, ending the fighting in WWI. Casualties among French mathematicians were enormous as they were not a protected category, unlike in Germany & Britain. Among them was Major André-Louis Cholesky 1/2
November 11, 2025 at 12:18 PM
#OTD 1918 the Armistice was signed, ending the fighting in WWI. Casualties among French mathematicians were enormous as they were not a protected category, unlike in Germany & Britain. Among them was Major André-Louis Cholesky 1/2
Jacques Bertillon b #OTD 1851 (d 4 July 1922)
Chief Statistician of Paris, Honorary ASA Fellow & RSS Fellow. Best known for his work on disease classification, he led the charge in promoting the combined application of statistics & data visualization methods for medicine & social sciences 1/2
Chief Statistician of Paris, Honorary ASA Fellow & RSS Fellow. Best known for his work on disease classification, he led the charge in promoting the combined application of statistics & data visualization methods for medicine & social sciences 1/2
November 11, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Jacques Bertillon b #OTD 1851 (d 4 July 1922)
Chief Statistician of Paris, Honorary ASA Fellow & RSS Fellow. Best known for his work on disease classification, he led the charge in promoting the combined application of statistics & data visualization methods for medicine & social sciences 1/2
Chief Statistician of Paris, Honorary ASA Fellow & RSS Fellow. Best known for his work on disease classification, he led the charge in promoting the combined application of statistics & data visualization methods for medicine & social sciences 1/2
Beginning Nov 1924, studies on the effect of lighting on worker productivity were performed at the Western Electric Hawthorn Plant. These were the basis for the concept of the Hawthorne Effect 1/2
November 10, 2025 at 10:09 AM
Beginning Nov 1924, studies on the effect of lighting on worker productivity were performed at the Western Electric Hawthorn Plant. These were the basis for the concept of the Hawthorne Effect 1/2
Leonard Henry Caleb (L.H.C).Tippett d #OTD 1985 (b 8 May 1902) ASA Fellow 1950, Guy Silver Medal, President RSS 1965, Shewhart Medal. A father of statistical operations research, he invented the random number table 1927 & developed extreme value theory with Fisher and Emil Gumbel 1/3
November 9, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Leonard Henry Caleb (L.H.C).Tippett d #OTD 1985 (b 8 May 1902) ASA Fellow 1950, Guy Silver Medal, President RSS 1965, Shewhart Medal. A father of statistical operations research, he invented the random number table 1927 & developed extreme value theory with Fisher and Emil Gumbel 1/3
George Dantzig b #OTD 1914 (d 13 May 2005). “Father of linear programming”, John von Neumann Theory Prize, National Medal of Science (1975) The most famous story about him is the basis for the story line of the movie “Good Will Hunting” 1/5 🧵
November 8, 2025 at 9:20 AM
George Dantzig b #OTD 1914 (d 13 May 2005). “Father of linear programming”, John von Neumann Theory Prize, National Medal of Science (1975) The most famous story about him is the basis for the story line of the movie “Good Will Hunting” 1/5 🧵
Beatrice Shulamit Orleans b #OTD 1908 (d 22 Oct 2011) ASA Fellow 1979 Chief statistician, US Naval Sea Systems Command Developed quality control procedures & Bayesian sequential testing methods for assessing reliability & cost effectiveness of naval defense systems.
November 7, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Beatrice Shulamit Orleans b #OTD 1908 (d 22 Oct 2011) ASA Fellow 1979 Chief statistician, US Naval Sea Systems Command Developed quality control procedures & Bayesian sequential testing methods for assessing reliability & cost effectiveness of naval defense systems.
Arthur L Bowley b #OTD 1869 (d 21 Jan 1957) KBE, Guy Silver (1895) & Gold (1935) Medals, President RSS 1938-40. In 1919 he became one of the first Chair of Statistics in the UK. He,Yule & Edgeworth were the only RSS members interested in mathematical statistics for decades 1/2
November 6, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Arthur L Bowley b #OTD 1869 (d 21 Jan 1957) KBE, Guy Silver (1895) & Gold (1935) Medals, President RSS 1938-40. In 1919 he became one of the first Chair of Statistics in the UK. He,Yule & Edgeworth were the only RSS members interested in mathematical statistics for decades 1/2
Ida Craven Merriam b #OTD 1904 (d 8 Apr 1997) ASA Fellow 1965. Director of Research and Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Research and Statistics for the Social Security Administration, she built SAA research operations into “one of the very best in the federal government”.
November 6, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Ida Craven Merriam b #OTD 1904 (d 8 Apr 1997) ASA Fellow 1965. Director of Research and Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Research and Statistics for the Social Security Administration, she built SAA research operations into “one of the very best in the federal government”.
Hirotugu Akaike b #OTD 1927 (d 4 Aug 2009) ASA Fellow 1981, RSS Fellow. His information criterion AIC was first presented in English in 1971. The 1974 publication is one of the top-cited statistics articles of all time, but AIC is now so commonly used it isn’t cited anymore
November 5, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Hirotugu Akaike b #OTD 1927 (d 4 Aug 2009) ASA Fellow 1981, RSS Fellow. His information criterion AIC was first presented in English in 1971. The 1974 publication is one of the top-cited statistics articles of all time, but AIC is now so commonly used it isn’t cited anymore
Joseph Stancliffe Davis b #OTD 1885 (d 23 April 1975)
ASA Fellow 1924; 31st ASA President 1936. Director of Stanford’s Food Research Institute & international authority on world food production, he was an economist & member of Council of Economic Advisers to President Eisenhower
ASA Fellow 1924; 31st ASA President 1936. Director of Stanford’s Food Research Institute & international authority on world food production, he was an economist & member of Council of Economic Advisers to President Eisenhower
November 5, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Joseph Stancliffe Davis b #OTD 1885 (d 23 April 1975)
ASA Fellow 1924; 31st ASA President 1936. Director of Stanford’s Food Research Institute & international authority on world food production, he was an economist & member of Council of Economic Advisers to President Eisenhower
ASA Fellow 1924; 31st ASA President 1936. Director of Stanford’s Food Research Institute & international authority on world food production, he was an economist & member of Council of Economic Advisers to President Eisenhower
#OTD 2023 Colin Lingwood Mallows d (b 10 September 1930) ASA Fellow 1969; Elected Fellow IMS, RSS. Best known for the Cp statistic for regression model diagnostics developed with Cuthbert Daniel. They called it C after themselves, Cuthbert & Colin (p is the number of variables) 1/2
November 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM
#OTD 2023 Colin Lingwood Mallows d (b 10 September 1930) ASA Fellow 1969; Elected Fellow IMS, RSS. Best known for the Cp statistic for regression model diagnostics developed with Cuthbert Daniel. They called it C after themselves, Cuthbert & Colin (p is the number of variables) 1/2
#OTD 1726 James Stirling was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. It cost him £20 to resign when he could no longer afford the annual fee. His main contribution to statistics is Stirling's asymptotic approximation for factorials fundamental to combinatorics & approximating gamma distribution.
November 3, 2025 at 10:40 AM
#OTD 1726 James Stirling was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. It cost him £20 to resign when he could no longer afford the annual fee. His main contribution to statistics is Stirling's asymptotic approximation for factorials fundamental to combinatorics & approximating gamma distribution.
#OTD 1815 George Boole b (d 8 Dec 1864) FRS ‘Father of binary logic’ best known for his system of Boolean logic, foundation for modern computing. His 1854 book “Laws of Thought” proposes methods to determine probabilities of events logically associated with any system of events. 1/2
November 2, 2025 at 10:13 AM
#OTD 1815 George Boole b (d 8 Dec 1864) FRS ‘Father of binary logic’ best known for his system of Boolean logic, foundation for modern computing. His 1854 book “Laws of Thought” proposes methods to determine probabilities of events logically associated with any system of events. 1/2
On this Day of the Dead, let us remember John Graunt, Edmund Halley, & the almost unknown Edward Wigglesworth, inventors of the lifetable (or tables of mortality). Life tables find wide application in insurance, annuities, biology, & epidemiology 1/6 🧵
November 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
On this Day of the Dead, let us remember John Graunt, Edmund Halley, & the almost unknown Edward Wigglesworth, inventors of the lifetable (or tables of mortality). Life tables find wide application in insurance, annuities, biology, & epidemiology 1/6 🧵
#OTD Abraham Wald b (d 13 Dec 1950) ASA Fellow 1945 Best known for his WWII work on aircraft survivability & survival bias, estimation and hypothesis testing. & sequential analysis. He was a member of the Statistical Research Group at Columbia formed in 1942 to support the war effort. 1/2
October 31, 2025 at 9:57 AM
#OTD Abraham Wald b (d 13 Dec 1950) ASA Fellow 1945 Best known for his WWII work on aircraft survivability & survival bias, estimation and hypothesis testing. & sequential analysis. He was a member of the Statistical Research Group at Columbia formed in 1942 to support the war effort. 1/2
#OTD 1933 Jerzy Neyman (ASA Fellow 1942) and Egon Pearson (Honorary ASA Fellow) read a paper to the Royal Society where they first use the terms “Type I and Type II error”. In 1928, they had called them “first and second source of error” & in Feb 1933 “errors of first and second kind”.
October 30, 2025 at 9:10 AM
#OTD 1933 Jerzy Neyman (ASA Fellow 1942) and Egon Pearson (Honorary ASA Fellow) read a paper to the Royal Society where they first use the terms “Type I and Type II error”. In 1928, they had called them “first and second source of error” & in Feb 1933 “errors of first and second kind”.
Happy Belated 🎂to Pierre François Verhulst b 28 Oct 1804 (d 15 Feb 1849), who developed the logistic function as a model for limited population growth. Forgotten for almost 80 years, it was rediscovered by Pearl & Reed (1920) & Yule (1925) who revived the name ‘logistic’. 1/5
October 29, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Happy Belated 🎂to Pierre François Verhulst b 28 Oct 1804 (d 15 Feb 1849), who developed the logistic function as a model for limited population growth. Forgotten for almost 80 years, it was rediscovered by Pearl & Reed (1920) & Yule (1925) who revived the name ‘logistic’. 1/5