Halbert White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Halbert Lynn White
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|---|---|
| Born | November 19, 1950 |
| Died | March 31, 2012 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | American |
| Institution | University of Rochester University of California, San Diego |
| Field | Econometrics |
| Alma mater | Princeton University Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Doctoral advisor |
Jerry A. Hausman Robert Solow Lester Thurow |
| Doctoral students |
Jeffrey Wooldridge |
| Contributions | White test Heteroscedasticity-consistent standard errors |
Halbert Lynn White Jr. (born November 19, 1950 – died March 31, 2012) was a very important economics professor. He taught at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He was also a member of special groups like the Econometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Halbert White's Life and School
Halbert White was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He was a very bright student. In 1968, he graduated from Southwest High School as the second-best student in his class.
He then went to Princeton University and earned his degree in economics in 1972. After that, he continued his studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He received his PhD in economics in 1976. His main teachers there were Jerry A. Hausman and Robert Solow.
White started his teaching career at the University of Rochester. Later, in 1979, he moved to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He stayed at UCSD until he passed away from cancer.
Halbert White's Important Research
Halbert White was famous in a field called Econometrics. This is a part of economics that uses math and statistics to study economic information. He developed important methods that help economists understand data better.
One of his most well-known contributions was in 1980. He created something called "robust standard errors." This method helps make sure that economic models are reliable. It's especially useful when the data isn't perfectly neat or predictable. This work is one of the most referenced papers in economics since 1970.
He also developed the White test. This test helps economists check if their data has a problem called "heteroskedasticity." This is a fancy word for when the spread of data points changes across different values. His test helps fix this issue.
In 1982, White also helped develop "quasi-maximum likelihood estimation." This is another advanced statistical method. It helps researchers make good guesses about economic models even when they don't have all the perfect information.
Besides these big ideas, he also worked on other areas. These included topics like neural networks (which are used in computer science) and even medicine. In 1999, he helped start an economic consulting company called Bates White. This company is located in Washington, D.C..
