The Statistics New Zealand
invited speaker is John Deely the Emeritus Professor of Statistics, University of Canterbury and is currently a
much admired visiting lecturer at the Department of Statistics, Purdue
University, having won the David S. Moore Service Teaching Award in
2004. John has been working at the University of Canterbury since
1968 and awarded a professorship in 1972 and has continued to make
major contributions to statistics in New Zealand and internationally
since departing Canterbury in 1996.
John is a key proponent of the Bayesian paradigm, becoming a leader in this endeavour and providing the first NZ stronghold here in Canterbury when he arrived in the late 1960’s. John has inspired numerous generations of statisticians (including our own Murray Smith and Frank Lad of course) and is still doing so today, so be prepared!
John Deely: Against All Odds
What are the odds that a little shoe shine boy from Texas would not only obtain an Engineering degree but go on to obtain a PhD from a leading University in the field of Statistics?
What are the odds that this boy would find himself one day as Professor of Statistics at a university in a country which were both totally unknown at that age? What are the odds that in this far away land he would make contact and teach some of the most stimulating outstanding students in the world and assist them to become internationally recognized in the statistical profession?
What are the odds that during his tenure at that obscure little University in that far away country he would contact some of the most outstanding statisticians in the world and co-author papers with them? In addition he would participate in the most explosive change in international statistical thinking over the past 100 years.
What are the odds that he would later be honoured by these same students in a Conference such as this and have such gifted internationally recognized statisticians return to New Zealand for this event?
What are the odds this particular person doesn't cry at least once during the ceremonies?
This talk will retrace those experiences and detail what contributed to them and why they were successful. Particular emphasis will given to how the Bayesian movement generated and was able to make such a impact in the statistical community. It will be somewhat nostalgic in nature as we discuss some of these students, some of these statisticians and their contributions. Along the way some relevant technical material will be intertwined.
The welcome speech will be given by Professor Roy Sharp, Vice Chancellor of University of Canterbury.
There is a Conference in Honour of John Deely following the NZSA 2007 conference.