Roderick J. A. Little

RJALittle

Roderick J. A. Little is a prominent statistician known for his significant contributions to the field of statistics, particularly in the areas of missing data analysis and survey methodology. He has held various academic and professional positions and has been recognized with numerous awards for his work.

Early Life and Education

Roderick J. A. Little was born in the United Kingdom. He pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Cambridge, where he earned a degree in Mathematics. He later completed his Ph.D. in Statistics at the University of London.

Career

Little began his academic career as a faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He later joined the University of Michigan, where he served as the Chair of the Department of Biostatistics. He has also held visiting positions at various institutions, including the Harvard School of Public Health.

Contributions to Statistics

Roderick J. A. Little is best known for his work on missing data and survey methodology. His research has provided foundational methods for handling missing data in statistical analyses, which are widely used in various fields, including biostatistics, epidemiology, and social sciences.

Missing Data

Little's work on missing data includes the development of the Expectation-Maximization algorithm and multiple imputation techniques. These methods allow researchers to make valid inferences from incomplete data sets, which is a common issue in many scientific studies.

Survey Methodology

In the field of survey methodology, Little has contributed to the design and analysis of complex surveys. His work has improved the accuracy and reliability of survey data, which is crucial for policy-making and social research.

Awards and Honors

Roderick J. A. Little has received numerous awards for his contributions to statistics, including the Jerzy Neyman Medal and the Wilks Memorial Award. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics.

Selected Publications

• Little, R.J.A., & Rubin, D.B. (2002). Statistical Analysis with Missing Data. John Wiley & Sons.
• Little, R.J.A. (1988). "Missing-data adjustments in large surveys". Journal of Business & Economic Statistics.

Personal Life

Little resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he continues to be active in research and teaching. He is also involved in various professional organizations and continues to mentor young statisticians.

Related Pages

• Statistics
• Missing data
• Survey methodology
• Expectation-Maximization algorithm
• Multiple imputation
• American Statistical Association
• Institute of Mathematical Statistics

See Also

• Jerzy Neyman
• Donald Rubin
• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Social sciences