People News for April 2011

C. R. Rao

C. R. Rao was recently awarded an honorary doctor of science degree at the first convocation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Kakinada, India. He delivered the convocation address with a talk titled “The Role of Statistics as the Key Technology of the Future.”

Rao has received 33 honorary degrees from universities in 18 countries spanning six continents.

Richard Landis

The department of biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health recently named Richard Landis the recipient of the 2011 Marvin Zelen Leadership Award in Statistical Science. Landis is a professor in the department of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and professor of statistics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

This annual award was established to honor Marvin Zelen’s long and distinguished career as a statistician and his major role in shaping the field of biostatistics. It recognizes an individual in government, industry, or academia who, by virtue of his/her outstanding leadership, has greatly affected the theory and practice of statistical science. While individual accomplishments are considered, the most distinguishing criterion is the awardee’s contribution to the creation of an environment in which statistical science and its applications have flourished.

Landis will deliver a public lecture on statistical science on May 20 at the Harvard School of Public Health and be presented with a citation and honorarium.

Manning Feinleib

The Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health recently named Manning Feinleib, professor emeritus of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the department of epidemiology, the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Alum Award.

Each year, the Distinguished Alum Award is given to an individual in government, industry, or academia who—by virtue of applications to support research, methodology and theory, significant organizational responsibility, and teaching—has affected the theory and practice of statistical science. The overall career of the individual is considered, with an emphasis on how the nominee has used their experience to bring out the best in life with research and academics.

Feinleib, who graduated from Harvard School of Public Health’s department of biostatistics in 1966 with his PhD, will be presented with a plaque and deliver a lecture during the fall of the 2011–2012 academic year at the Harvard School of Public Health.