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Kimiko Bowman, who became a U.S. citizen in 1958,
was the first ‘foreigner’ to receive a doctorate from the
University of Tokyo.
At Virginia Tech, Kimiko Bowman worked with L. R. Shenton, her thesis advisor, to provide a
About a year later, Bowman graduated with a
formula for approximating the distribution of maximum likelihood estimators.
bachelor’s degree and won a National Institutes
of Health fellowship in mathematical statistics
space,” said Shenton. Bowman not only imple-
from Virginia Tech that sealed her interest in the
mented the algorithm, but “it works, thanks
statistics profession. Three years after that, she
to Dr. Bowman,” said Shenton.
had in hand a master’s degree and PhD in sta-
Bowman’s life wasn’t all work, however. She also
tistics. She completed her education with a doc-
found time to be a strong advocate for those with
torate in mathematical engineering from Tokyo
disabilities. She served on the National Science
University, but it was during her time at Virginia
Foundation Equal Opportunities in Science and
Tech that her research really took hold.
Engineering advisory committee and Committee “
One must not
on People with Disabilities. She wrote a report
lose sight of
Bowman met L. R. Shenton, her thesis
advisor, at Virginia Tech and—for the next
while chairing the latter that resulted in grants what we want
45 years—worked with him to provide a for-
being set aside to provide accommodation or
special equipment for people with disabilities—
to accomplish.
mula for approximating the distribution of
maximum likelihood estimators. They suc-
which helped promote their participation in sci-
So, I tried
ceeded by developing formulae for skewness
ence and engineering at NSF.
Bowman also chaired the Statistical Tracking of
not to worry
and kurtosis statistics of maximum likelihood
estimators with respect to sample size and by
Employment of People with Disabilities task force
about slights
developing an approximation formula for the
for the President’s Committee on Employment of
percentage points of Pearson distributions.
People with Disabilities. Her main duty was to
or insignificant
By combining the two results, Bowman and
monitor the questionnaire for Census 2000 so
things.
Shenton were able to approximate the distri-
relevant questions were asked about people with
bution of maximum likelihood estimators.
disabilities and accurate results were obtained.

Another important accomplishment was
Perhaps her interest in being a champion for
successfully implementing a divergent series
people with disabilities stems from the physical
algorithm for large computers. “In sampling,
hardships she, herself, has overcome. In her youth,
statistics series like this often occur, and the
Bowman suffered from polio that paralyzed
algorithm for the coefficients is extremely
her from the neck down. Doctors told her she
complicated and reaches four-dimensional
would never walk again, but after two years of
SEPTEMBER 2008 AMSTAT NEWS 5
SEPTEMBER AMSTAT FINAL.indd 5 8/20/08 2:26:54 PM
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