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STATISTICIANS IN HISTORY
Morris Hansen:
Innovative,
Influential, Inspiring
Megan Murphy, ASA
Communications Manager
M
orris Howard Hansen
has been referred to as
the 20th century’s
most influential statistician when
it comes to the evolution of sur-
vey methodology. He also influ-
enced and inspired others. What’s
interesting is that he didn’t start
out wanting to be a statistician. It
was while earning his undergrad-
uate degree in accounting from
the University of Wyoming that
Hansen met Forrest Hall, the
teacher who turned Hansen away
from a career in accounting and
toward a career in statistics.
Hansen later called Hall an
“exceedingly good teacher in sta-
tistics” and a great influence on
his life.
After earning his bachelor’s of
science degree in 1934, Hansen
worked as an accountant for a
year before being offered the

When I started at the
opportunity to work in the
personnel division of the U.S.
bureau, I was a youngster
Census Bureau. A year later, he
with much to learn

.
moved to the statistical divi-
sion and, in 1940, earned his
master’s degree in statistics from
American University. “When
I started at the bureau, I was a
youngster with much to learn,”
said Hansen. “A major goal of the
Census Bureau at that time was
to awaken and modernize. This
created an excellent opportunity
for innovation.”
SEPTEMbER 2009 AMSTAT NEwS 15
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