The Advanced Study Institute on Statistical Distributions in Scientific Work

Abstract

Under the auspices of the Scientific Affairs Division of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the National Research Council of Canada and the United States Army Research Office, the Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on Statistical Distributions in Scientific Work was held at the University of Calgary from 29 July to 10 August 1974 as a satellite program before the International Congress of Mathematicians and the Annual Meeting of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. The International Statistical Institute and the Indian Statistical Institute co-sponsored the ASI. The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Calgary provided the facilities. Professors G. P. Patil, S. Kotz and J. K. Ord served as scientific directors of the program with Professor Patil assuming the responsibility of its direction from its conception to its conclusion. Professors E. G. Enns, J. K. Wani and P. C. Consul served on the local arrangements committee. The program was a great success and stands out as a very pleasant and fruitful effort. The ASI consisted of three advanced seminars entitled Models and Structures, Model Building and Model Selection, and Characterizations and Applications. The planned activities of the ASI consisted of main lectures and expositions, seminar lectures and study group discussions, tutorials and individual study. The activities also included meetings of editorial committees to discuss editorial matters for the publication of the proceedings, which consist of contributions that have gone through the usual refereeing process. A special session was organized to consider the potential of introducing a course on statistical distributions in scientific modelling in the curriculum of statistics and quantitative studies. The overall perspective for the ASI was provided in his inaugural address by the Institute Director, Professor Patil. The Linnik Memorial inaugural lecture of the Characterizations Conference part of the ASI was given by Professor C. R. Rao.