STATISTICIANS IN HISTORY
In an interview with David
Marker and David Morganstein,
Waksberg said Hansen convinced
“
Very rarely is there
a conflict that you
the bureau to make two changes
to the census: use sampling and do not resolve by
take control of the interviewing
process. Waksberg also noted it
joint work before
From the
became clear to Hansen that “if
you try to con-
you were concerned about the
interviewer not using the correct
front people
words, then give the respondent ”
.
the questionnaire to fill out.” This
led to mailing the census question-
of Survey Statisticians, an honor-
naire to respondents in advance
ary member of the International
during the 1960 Census.
Statistical Institute, and an honor-
Hansen believed in working
ary Fellow of the Royal Statistical
with a team of people and in
Society. He was Fellow and pres-
sharing credit for his accomplish-
ident of both the Institute of
ments. “By and large, I think a
Mathematical Statistics in 1953
team approach is what has made
and the American Statistical
things work,” Hansen said in
Association in 1960. He served
a 1983 interview with James
on many advisory committees
O’Brien, former assistant division
in both the United States and
chief at the bureau. “Very rarely
abroad and was a member of the
is there a conflict that you do not
National Academy of Science.
resolve by joint work before you
He also received an honorary
try to confront people. … When
doctorate from the University
there are things to fight for, fight
of Wyoming.
for standards when they are need-
Hansen died on October 9,
ed, and do not fight for trivia.”
1990, at the age of 79. In his
Hansen also collaborated for
memoriam for The American
eight years with William Hurwitz
Statistician, Waksberg and
and William Madow to produce
another of Hansen’s colleagues,
the two-volume book Sample
Benjamin Tepping, wrote that
Survey Methods and Theory. The
he was a “major influence in the
book was published in 1953 and
direction of their professional
became a standard reference for
careers.” They also wrote, “His
the theory and application of
keen intelligence, his ability
probability sampling.
to recognize and focus on the
important elements of a prob-
After the Census
lem, his strong drive and leader-
Hansen retired from the Census
ship qualities, and his incredible
Bureau in 1968 and went to
capacity for hard work made it a
work for Westat, Inc. on sur-
pleasure to work with him.”
vey designs. He was chair of
After his death, Hansen’s
the board at Westat and also
colleagues at Westat asked the
worked as statistical advisor
Washington Statistical Society to
and senior vice president. It was
develop an ongoing lecture series
Here is a page from Volume iV of the Journal of
there that he helped redesign
in his honor. For more informa-
the American Statistical Association. The article,
the sampling and estimation
tion about the series, visit www.
published in September 1895, is a study of 228
for the National Assessment of
scs.gmu.edu/~wss/hansen/index. women in the city and county almshouse of San
Education Progress.
html. Additionally, for more
francisco. The study was written by Mary Roberts
Hansen’s accomplishments
information about Hansen’s life
Smith, who was an assistant professor of social
were numerous, as were his
and work, visit
www.census.gov/
science from Leland Stanford Junior University.
awards. He was the first president
prod/2003pubs/oh-hanse.pdf. n
of the International Association
SEPTEMbER 2009 AMSTAT NEwS 17
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