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Centenary of statistical science at UCL
U
CL’s Department of Statistical
Science was established in 1911
and was the first statistics department
worldwide.
Courses
on
mathematical statistics had been given at
UCL by Karl Pearson since he joined the
college in 1884 as professor of applied
mathematics and mechanics. In 1903
Pearson’s Biometric Laboratory was established, and in 1907 Francis Galton's
Eugenics Record Office transferred to UCL
as the Galton Eugenics Laboratory under
Karl Pearson. On Galton’s death, in 1911,
a chair of eugenics was endowed at UCL,
and the Biometric and Eugenics
Laboratories were combined to form the
Department of Applied Statistics under
Karl Pearson as the first Galton Professor.
On 17 January, the centenary of
Galton’s death was marked by UCL’s
Genetics Institute. The Otto Wolf Lecture
on Francis Galton ‘Francis Galton 100
years on: current topics in genotypephenotype research’ given by David
Balding contained fascinating insights into
the early development of statistical
genetics. Then, on the following day, the
Department of Statistical Science celebrated its centenary with colleagues from
across UCL and other UK statistics departments as well as with many of the
department’s alumni.
After introduction and welcome from
Valerie Isham, current head of Statistical
Science, and from Malcolm Grant, UCL’s
president and provost, the first Pearson
Lecture was given by Stephen Stigler.
Stephen is very well known for his work
on the history of statistics, on which he
has written widely, and is the author
several books. His stimulating and inform-
Stephen Stigler delivers the Pearson Lecture
ative lecture was entitled ‘Karl Pearson
and the rule of three’.
Discussion was led by Eileen Magnello
(Science and Technology Studies, UCL) a
well-known expert on Karl Pearson. The
lecture on Pearson was sponsored by the
Biometrika Trust, whose support is gratefully acknowledged. Biometrika pre-dates
the department, having already celebrated its centenary. The journal was
founded in 1901 by Pearson, WFR Weldon
(professor of zoology and comparative
anatomy at UCL) and Francis Galton, with
Pearson as its first editor, and the department still plays a role in its publication.
Following a break for coffee and tea,
the afternoon continued with a session on
‘Computing and statistical practice’
comprising three talks from distinguished
UCL alumni: Tony O’Hagan (University of
Sheffield) ‘O computer, do we love you
not wisely but too well?’, Denise Lievesley
(King’s College London) ‘Technology in the
capture and liberation of official data’ and
David Spiegelhalter (University of
Cambridge and MRC) ‘Graphical models
and Bayesian analysis’. All three lectures
were highly enjoyable blends of anecdotes
and reminiscences of life in the department in former times and thoughtprovoking science. The afternoon’s
proceedings were brought to a close by
the dean of UCL’s Faculty of Mathematical
and Physical Sciences, Richard Catlow.
The lively reminiscences continued
into the evening for alumni and invited
guests at a reception, after which Stephen
Stigler gave a short account of the department’s history. This was followed by a
discussion of current research areas by
members of staff. The evening concluded
with a dinner at which the provost
proposed a toast to the department and
its next hundred years. I
Report by Sofia Olhede