David R. Cox Foundations of Statistics Award

Nancy Reid

University of Toronto

For contributions to the foundations of statistics that significantly advanced the frontiers of statistics and for insight that transformed understanding of parametric statistical inference, Nancy Reid is the inaugural recipient of the David R. Cox Foundations of Statistics Award, presented by the American Statistical Association (ASA). Reid will formally receive the award and deliver a lecture at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Toronto in August.

Reid, University Professor of Statistical Sciences at the University of Toronto, co-authored with David Cox an influential 1987 J. Roy. Statist. Soc. B discussion paper entitled “Parameter orthogonality and approximate conditional inference.” With this paper, and subsequent work with Cox and others, Reid has made major contributions to higher-order inference and various aspects of conditioning.

In addition to her work in foundational areas of statistics, Reid has successfully pursued numerous other lines of research, contributing to experimental design, nonparametric statistics, robust statistics, and comparisons and contradictions between Bayesian and frequentist inference.

The David R. Cox Foundations of Statistics Award was created in 2022 through an endowment created by Deborah G. Mayo, Professor Emerita of Philosophy at Virginia Tech. The ASA presents the award in odd-numbered years. The recipient receives a $2000 honorarium and is invited to give a lecture at the Joint Statistical Meetings.

If you are interested in supporting the ASA's effort to increase the size of the award through a possible matching donation, email ASA Director of Development Amanda Malloy.

About the Award

This award honors the contributions of David R. Cox to the foundations of statistical inference, experimental design, and data analysis. It was established in 2022 to promote research and teaching that illuminates conceptual, theoretical, philosophical, and historical perspectives on statistical science and to advance understanding of comparative approaches to the interpretation and communication of statistical data.

The honoree will receive a $2,000 honorarium and up to $1,000 toward travel expenses to present a lecture at JSM.

Selection Criteria

The award will be for a paper, monograph, book, or cumulative research. Anyone who has made noteworthy contributions to statistics in the spirit of Cox’s contributions as outlined above may be nominated.

Award Recipient Responsibilities

The award recipient is responsible for providing a current photograph and general personal information the year the award is presented. The American Statistical Association uses this information to publicize the award and prepare the check and certificate.

Nominations

Nominations are due by December 1 and require the following:

• Nomination letter
• Candidate’s CV
• Two letters of support, not to exceed two pages each

Questions

Please contact the committee chair.

Note: The David Cox Foundations of Statistics Award will be given biennially to start, but will be given annually when funding is sufficient. Interested in contributing to this award? Contact ASA Director of Development Amanda Malloy.