Norman Lloyd Johnson
Encyclopedia
Norman Lloyd Johnson was a professor of statistics
and author or editor of several standard reference works in statistics and probability theory
.
, and went on to University College London
, where he obtained a B.Sc. in mathematics 1936 and a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in statistics in 1937 and 1938.
, he served under his former Professor Egon Pearson
as an Experimental Officer with the Ordnance Board. He returned to the Statistics Department at UCL in 1945 and stayed there until 1962, as Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer and then Reader. In 1948 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Statistics for his work on the Johnson system of frequency curves. In 1949 he became a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries
.
Two visiting appointments in the USA, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(UNC) in 1952–1953 and at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio
, in 1960–1961, led to his permanent appointment as Professor in the Department of Statistics at UNC in 1962. He was Chairman 1971–1976 and officially retired in 1982, but continued to be active in scholarship and research as Professor Emeritus almost until his death. UNC named a distinguished endowed chair in his honour. He expressed a wish to retire completely and return to live in Ilford, but never managed it.
, a standard reference series, Distributions in Statistics. This series has been described as of "virtually Biblical authority", a comment that he (a devout Christian) firmly rejected. He was editor-in-chief of the 10-volume Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences
, widely regarded as one of the most important reference works in statistical methodology. He also wrote several textbooks and about 180 papers. His book "Survival Models" was co-authored with his wife Regina Elandt Johnson, herself a professor of biostatistics
.
, the Shewhart
Medal of the American Society for Quality Control and a D.Sc. degree from UCL.
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
and author or editor of several standard reference works in statistics and probability theory
Probability theory
Probability theory is the branch of mathematics concerned with analysis of random phenomena. The central objects of probability theory are random variables, stochastic processes, and events: mathematical abstractions of non-deterministic events or measured quantities that may either be single...
.
Education
Johnson attended Ilford County High SchoolIlford County High School
Ilford County High School is a selective boys' secondary grammar school and a specialist science college in the Barkingside area of the London Borough of Redbridge.ICHS is a four-form entry school, each form comprising up to 30 pupils...
, and went on to University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where he obtained a B.Sc. in mathematics 1936 and a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in statistics in 1937 and 1938.
Career
On qualification in 1938, Johnson was appointed Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Statistics at UCL. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served under his former Professor Egon Pearson
Egon Pearson
Egon Sharpe Pearson, CBE FRS was the only son of Karl Pearson, and like his father, a leading British statistician....
as an Experimental Officer with the Ordnance Board. He returned to the Statistics Department at UCL in 1945 and stayed there until 1962, as Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer and then Reader. In 1948 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Statistics for his work on the Johnson system of frequency curves. In 1949 he became a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries
Institute of Actuaries
The Institute of Actuaries was one of the two professional which represented actuaries in the United Kingdom . The Institute was based in England, while the other body, the Faculty of Actuaries, was based in Scotland...
.
Two visiting appointments in the USA, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
(UNC) in 1952–1953 and at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, in 1960–1961, led to his permanent appointment as Professor in the Department of Statistics at UNC in 1962. He was Chairman 1971–1976 and officially retired in 1982, but continued to be active in scholarship and research as Professor Emeritus almost until his death. UNC named a distinguished endowed chair in his honour. He expressed a wish to retire completely and return to live in Ilford, but never managed it.
Publications
He wrote, together with Samuel KotzSamuel Kotz
Samuel Kotz was a Professor and Research Scholar in the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science at The George Washington University since 1997 until his death on March 16, 2010...
, a standard reference series, Distributions in Statistics. This series has been described as of "virtually Biblical authority", a comment that he (a devout Christian) firmly rejected. He was editor-in-chief of the 10-volume Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences
Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences
The Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences is the largest-ever encyclopaedia of statistics. It is published by John Wiley & Sons.The first edition, in nine volumes, was edited by Norman Lloyd Johnson and Samuel Kotz and appeared in 1982. The second edition, in 16 volumes, was published in 2006. ...
, widely regarded as one of the most important reference works in statistical methodology. He also wrote several textbooks and about 180 papers. His book "Survival Models" was co-authored with his wife Regina Elandt Johnson, herself a professor of biostatistics
Biostatistics
Biostatistics is the application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology...
.
Honours
He was honoured in numerous ways, including the Wilks Award of the American Statistical AssociationAmerican Statistical Association
The American Statistical Association , is the main professional US organization for statisticians and related professions. It was founded in Boston, Massachusetts on November 27, 1839, and is the second oldest, continuously operating professional society in the United States...
, the Shewhart
Walter A. Shewhart
Walter Andrew Shewhart March 18, 1891 - March 11, 1967) was an American physicist, engineer and statistician, sometimes known as the father of statistical quality control.W...
Medal of the American Society for Quality Control and a D.Sc. degree from UCL.