Dennis Lindley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dennis Victor Lindley
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| Born | 25 July 1923 Surbiton, London, England
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| Died | 14 December 2013 (aged 90) Somerset, England
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| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge |
| Known for | Bayesian statistics, Lindley's Paradox, Lindley equation, Cromwell's Rule |
| Awards | Guy Medal (Silver, 1968) (Gold, 2002) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Cambridge University of Wales, Aberystwyth University College London |
| Doctoral advisor | George A. Barnard |
| Doctoral students | Adrian Smith John Gittins Thomas H. Leonard José-Miguel Bernardo |
Dennis Victor Lindley was an important English statistician. He was born on July 25, 1923, and passed away on December 14, 2013. He is best known for being a strong supporter of Bayesian statistics, which is a way of using math to understand how likely things are to happen.
Contents
About Dennis Lindley
Early Life and Education
Dennis Lindley grew up in Surbiton, a town near London, England. He was an only child. His father worked as a building contractor. Dennis went to Tiffin School, where he learned about many interesting subjects. After school, in 1941, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge to study mathematics.
During World War II, his university course was shorter, lasting only two years. After graduating, Dennis had a choice. He could join the armed forces or work for the government as a statistician. He chose to become a statistician. He joined a part of the Ministry of Supply that did statistical work.
His Career in Statistics
After the war, Lindley worked at the National Physical Laboratory. Then he returned to Cambridge for more studies. From 1948 to 1960, he worked at University of Cambridge. He started as a demonstrator and later became the director of the Statistical Laboratory.
In 1960, Lindley moved to a new teaching position at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. In 1967, he moved again to University College London.
In 1977, Lindley decided to retire early at age 54. From then until 1987, he traveled around the world. He continued to write and attend important meetings about statistics. In 2002, he received the Royal Statistical Society's highest honor, the Guy Medal in Gold.
His Work with Bayesian Statistics
When Lindley first started studying statistics, he saw it as a set of tools. He wanted to find a strong mathematical foundation for these tools. He learned about probability from Kolmogorov, whose ideas were not well-known in Britain at the time.
In 1954, Lindley met Leonard Savage. Savage was also looking for a deeper reason behind the ideas of other famous statisticians. Both Lindley and Savage found their answers in Bayesian theory. They became strong supporters of this new way of thinking about statistics.
Lindley became a very enthusiastic supporter of the Bayesian approach. He helped many people understand and use these ideas. In 1959, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.
In 2000, a group called the International Society for Bayesian Analysis created the Lindley prize. They did this to honor his important work and contributions to the field.
