Charles Roy Henderson
Encyclopedia
Charles Roy Henderson was a statistician
and a pioneer in animal breeding
— the application of quantitative methods for the genetic evaluation of domestic livestock. He developed mixed model
equations to obtain best linear unbiased prediction
s of breeding values and, in general, any random effect. He invented three methods for the estimation of variance components in unbalanced settings of mixed models, and invented a method for constructing the inverse of Wright's
numerator relationship
matrix based on a simple list of pedigree information. He, with his Ph.D. student Shayle R. Searle
greatly extended the use of matrix notation in statistics. His methods are widely used by the domestic livestock industry throughout the world and are a cornerstone of linear model theory.
Henderson obtained his B.Sc., M.Sc.(nutrition) and Ph.D.(breeding) degrees at Iowa State University
, where he was a student of Professor L. N. Hazel. Henderson joined the faculty of the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University
in 1948, and headed the Animal Breeding division for nearly 30 years until he retired in 1976. After retiring from Cornell, he was a visiting professor at the University of Guelph
and University of Illinois until his death. He completed his book in 1984 at the University of Guelph
.
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
and a pioneer in animal breeding
Animal breeding
Animal breeding is a branch of animal science that addresses the evaluation of the genetic value of domestic livestock...
— the application of quantitative methods for the genetic evaluation of domestic livestock. He developed mixed model
Mixed model
A mixed model is a statistical model containing both fixed effects and random effects, that is mixed effects. These models are useful in a wide variety of disciplines in the physical, biological and social sciences....
equations to obtain best linear unbiased prediction
Best linear unbiased prediction
In statistics, best linear unbiased prediction is used in linear mixed models for the estimation of random effects. BLUP was derived by Charles Roy Henderson in 1950 but the term "best linear unbiased predictor" seems not to have been used until 1962...
s of breeding values and, in general, any random effect. He invented three methods for the estimation of variance components in unbalanced settings of mixed models, and invented a method for constructing the inverse of Wright's
Sewall Wright
Sewall Green Wright was an American geneticist known for his influential work on evolutionary theory and also for his work on path analysis. With R. A. Fisher and J.B.S. Haldane, he was a founder of theoretical population genetics. He is the discoverer of the inbreeding coefficient and of...
numerator relationship
Coefficient of relationship
In population genetics, Sewall Wright's coefficient of relationship or coefficient of relatedness or relatedness or r is defined as 2 times the Coefficient of Inbreeding...
matrix based on a simple list of pedigree information. He, with his Ph.D. student Shayle R. Searle
Shayle R. Searle
Shayle Robert Searle Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Biological Statistics at Cornell University. He is a leader in the field of linear and mixed models in statistics, and has published widely on the topics of linear models, mixed models, and variance component estimation.Searle is one of the first...
greatly extended the use of matrix notation in statistics. His methods are widely used by the domestic livestock industry throughout the world and are a cornerstone of linear model theory.
Henderson obtained his B.Sc., M.Sc.(nutrition) and Ph.D.(breeding) degrees at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, where he was a student of Professor L. N. Hazel. Henderson joined the faculty of the Department of Animal Science at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1948, and headed the Animal Breeding division for nearly 30 years until he retired in 1976. After retiring from Cornell, he was a visiting professor at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
and University of Illinois until his death. He completed his book in 1984 at the University of Guelph
University of Guelph
The University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
.
Honors and awards
- 1955, Senior Fulbright Research Scholar (New Zealand)
- 1964, Borden Award, American Dairy Science AssociationAmerican Dairy Science AssociationThe American Dairy Science Association is a non-profit professional organization for the advancement of dairy science. ADSA is headquartered in Savoy, Illinois, located near the Urbana-Champaign, Illinois area....
- 1964, Animal Breeding and Genetics Award, American Society of Animal ScienceAmerican Society of Animal ScienceThe American Society of Animal Science is a non-profit professional organization for the advancement of livestock and meat science. Founded in 1908, ASAS is headquartered in Champaign, Illinois....
- 1969, Fellow, American Statistical AssociationAmerican Statistical AssociationThe American Statistical Association , is the main professional US organization for statisticians and related professions. It was founded in Boston, Massachusetts on November 27, 1839, and is the second oldest, continuously operating professional society in the United States...
- 1971, Morrison Award, American Society of Animal Science
- 1977, National Association of Animal Breeders Award, American Dairy Science Association
- 1981, Fellow, American Society of Animal Science
- 1982, Jay L. Lush Animal Breeding and Genetics Award, American Dairy Science Association
- 1984, Henry A. Wallace Award for Service to Agriculture, Iowa State University
- 1985, Elected to the United States National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...