Tom Snijders
Encyclopedia
Tom A. B. Snijders is professor
of Statistics
in the Social Sciences
at Nuffield College, Oxford
, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford
(since October 1, 2006). He has also been a professor of Methodology at the University of Groningen
for more than twenty years.
, a son of Jan Snijders, professor of Psychology
at Groningen University from 1949 to 1980, and Nan Snijders-Oomen, an internationally well-known child psychologist (author of the SON nonverbal intelligence test, 1943, 1978, 1991).
Snijders grew up in the province of Groningen
, in the northern part of the Netherlands
. He was awarded a cum laude Ph.D. in Mathematics
, specializing in mathematical statistics, for his thesis Asymptotic optimality theory for testing problems with restricted alternatives. Since 1985 he worked as a professor of various forms of mathematics serving social science. He was parttime professor of Mathematical Sociology at Utrecht University
from 1989-1992 and is an honorary senior fellow
of the University of Melbourne
in Australia. Stockholm University
made him an honorary doctor in 2005.
s and in network evolution, in social science, mathematical sociology and mathematical response theory, and also in multilevel models analysis, about which he wrote a textbook, titled Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modeling (1999). Apart from this he developed new statistical methods for social science applications, often in combination with the development of computer software
to implement these methods. Together with professor Patrick Doreian of the University of Pittsburgh
Tom Snijders edits the international scientific journal Social networks. An international journal of structural analysis.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Statistics
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....
in the Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
at Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(since October 1, 2006). He has also been a professor of Methodology at the University of Groningen
University of Groningen
The University of Groningen , located in the city of Groningen, was founded in 1614. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands as well as one of its largest. Since its inception more than 100,000 students have graduated...
for more than twenty years.
Career
Tom Snijders was born in TilburgTilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
, a son of Jan Snijders, professor of Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at Groningen University from 1949 to 1980, and Nan Snijders-Oomen, an internationally well-known child psychologist (author of the SON nonverbal intelligence test, 1943, 1978, 1991).
Snijders grew up in the province of Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
, in the northern part of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He was awarded a cum laude Ph.D. in Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, specializing in mathematical statistics, for his thesis Asymptotic optimality theory for testing problems with restricted alternatives. Since 1985 he worked as a professor of various forms of mathematics serving social science. He was parttime professor of Mathematical Sociology at Utrecht University
Utrecht University
Utrecht University is a university in Utrecht, Netherlands. It is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands and one of the largest in Europe. Established March 26, 1636, it had an enrollment of 29,082 students in 2008, and employed 8,614 faculty and staff, 570 of which are full professors....
from 1989-1992 and is an honorary senior fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in Australia. Stockholm University
Stockholm University
Stockholm University is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. It has over 28,000 students at four faculties, making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world...
made him an honorary doctor in 2005.
Social networks
Snijders is a prominent researcher in the field of statistic methods in behavioural and social sciences. In 1998, together with others, he created Stocnet, an open software system for the advanced statistical analysis of social networks. Snijders is working especially in social network analysis: statistical methods for analysing social networkSocial network
A social network is a social structure made up of individuals called "nodes", which are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.Social...
s and in network evolution, in social science, mathematical sociology and mathematical response theory, and also in multilevel models analysis, about which he wrote a textbook, titled Multilevel Analysis. An Introduction to Basic and Advanced Multilevel Modeling (1999). Apart from this he developed new statistical methods for social science applications, often in combination with the development of computer software
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
to implement these methods. Together with professor Patrick Doreian of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
Tom Snijders edits the international scientific journal Social networks. An international journal of structural analysis.
Sources and links
- Nuffield College, Sociology Group
- University of Groningen, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences
- Social Network Analysis page of Tom Snijders
- Social networks. An international journal of structural analysis
- Website of Tom Snijders with a full list of functions, publications and interests
- Knipscheer, Corn.J.: XIX generaties Oome- Oomen- Oomens- Oomes. Breda, 1984.
- Snijders, Jan: Snijders-Oomen. Een levens- en familieverhaal. Den Haag, 1997.