Eugene Lukacs
Encyclopedia
Eugene Lukacs was a Hungarian
statistician
born in Szombathely
, notable for his work in characterization of distributions, stability theory, and being the author of Characteristic Functions, a classic textbook in the field.
From six weeks after birth Lukacs lived in Vienna
, Austria
. There he received primary and secondary education and studied mathematics at University of Vienna. His professors included Hans Hahn
, Eduard Helly
, Walter Meyer, Leopold Vietoris
and Wilhelm Wirtinger
. In 1930 he earned his doctorate in geometry under the supervision of Walter Meyer, and a degree in actuarial science in 1931. Eugene met his future wife Elizabeth Weisz (Lisl) in 1927 at the University of Vienna, and they married in 1935. He taught secondary mathematics for two years and later accepted a position with an insurance company, where Eduard Helly and Z. W. Birnbaum were colleagues. After Germany annexed Austria in 1938, he decided to emigrate to the United States, arriving in 1939.
In 1953 Eugene joined the Office of Naval Research
(ONR) USA, and became the director of Statistics. While at ONR he also taught at American University
in Washington, D.C.
Lukacs joined the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
in 1955. There he organized the Statistical Laboratory in 1959 and became its first and only director. Researchers at the Statistical Laboratory included Edward Batschlet, Tatsuo Kawata, Radha Laha
, M. Masuyama and Vijay Rohatgi, and many distinguished visitors.
On his retirement from Catholic University in 1972, he moved with his colleagues Laha
and Rohatgi to Bowling Green State University
in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he remained until 1976.
His primary interest was in the theory of characteristic function
s. Prior to publication of his 1960 monograph, Characteristic Functions, the English language textbooks on the subject were translations of works by Cramer, Gnedenko and Kolmogorov, and Loeve. Lukacs' monograph was the first to present a unified and detailed treatment of the subject, and has remained a classical reference on the subject. The revised and expanded second edition of Characteristic Functions appeared in 1970, followed by Developments in Characteristics Function Theory in 1983. Characteristic Functions has been translated into several languages and continues to be an essential resource on the subject.
Lukacs was an elected Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics
since 1957, and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association
since 1969. In 1973 he was elected to the Austrian Academy of Sciences
.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
statistician
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...
born in Szombathely
Szombathely
Szombathely is the 10th largest city in Hungary. It is the administrative centre of Vas county in the west of the country, located near the border with Austria...
, notable for his work in characterization of distributions, stability theory, and being the author of Characteristic Functions, a classic textbook in the field.
From six weeks after birth Lukacs lived in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. There he received primary and secondary education and studied mathematics at University of Vienna. His professors included Hans Hahn
Hans Hahn
Hans Hahn was an Austrian mathematician who made contributions to functional analysis, topology, set theory, the calculus of variations, real analysis, and order theory.-Biography:...
, Eduard Helly
Eduard Helly
Eduard Helly was a mathematician and the eponym of Helly's theorem, Helly families, Helly's selection theorem, Helly metric, and the Helly–Bray theorem. In 1912, Helly published a proof of Hahn–Banach theorem, 15 years before Hahn and Banach discovered it independently...
, Walter Meyer, Leopold Vietoris
Leopold Vietoris
Leopold Vietoris was an Austrian mathematician and a World War I veteran who gained additional fame by becoming a supercentenarian...
and Wilhelm Wirtinger
Wilhelm Wirtinger
Wilhelm Wirtinger was an Austrian mathematician, working in complex analysis, geometry, algebra, number theory, Lie groups and knot theory.-Biography:...
. In 1930 he earned his doctorate in geometry under the supervision of Walter Meyer, and a degree in actuarial science in 1931. Eugene met his future wife Elizabeth Weisz (Lisl) in 1927 at the University of Vienna, and they married in 1935. He taught secondary mathematics for two years and later accepted a position with an insurance company, where Eduard Helly and Z. W. Birnbaum were colleagues. After Germany annexed Austria in 1938, he decided to emigrate to the United States, arriving in 1939.
In 1953 Eugene joined the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
(ONR) USA, and became the director of Statistics. While at ONR he also taught at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Lukacs joined the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1955. There he organized the Statistical Laboratory in 1959 and became its first and only director. Researchers at the Statistical Laboratory included Edward Batschlet, Tatsuo Kawata, Radha Laha
Radha Laha
Radha Govind Laha was a probabilist, statistician, and mathematician, known for his work in probability theory, characteristic functions, and characterization of distributions. He was born in Calcutta, India and he was a student of C. R...
, M. Masuyama and Vijay Rohatgi, and many distinguished visitors.
On his retirement from Catholic University in 1972, he moved with his colleagues Laha
Radha Laha
Radha Govind Laha was a probabilist, statistician, and mathematician, known for his work in probability theory, characteristic functions, and characterization of distributions. He was born in Calcutta, India and he was a student of C. R...
and Rohatgi to Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he remained until 1976.
His primary interest was in the theory of characteristic function
Characteristic function (probability theory)
In probability theory and statistics, the characteristic function of any random variable completely defines its probability distribution. Thus it provides the basis of an alternative route to analytical results compared with working directly with probability density functions or cumulative...
s. Prior to publication of his 1960 monograph, Characteristic Functions, the English language textbooks on the subject were translations of works by Cramer, Gnedenko and Kolmogorov, and Loeve. Lukacs' monograph was the first to present a unified and detailed treatment of the subject, and has remained a classical reference on the subject. The revised and expanded second edition of Characteristic Functions appeared in 1970, followed by Developments in Characteristics Function Theory in 1983. Characteristic Functions has been translated into several languages and continues to be an essential resource on the subject.
Lukacs was an elected Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics
Institute of Mathematical Statistics
The Institute of Mathematical Statistics is an international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. The Institute currently has about 4,000 members in all parts of the world...
since 1957, and a Fellow of the American Statistical Association
American Statistical Association
The 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...
since 1969. In 1973 he was elected to the Austrian Academy of Sciences
Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Austrian Academy of Sciences is a legal entity under the special protection of the Federal Republic of Austria. According to the statutes of the Academy its mission is to promote the sciences and humanities in every respect and in every field, particularly in fundamental research...
.
See also
Eugene Lukacs Distinguished Visiting ProfessorLukacs Distinguished Professor
The Lukacs Distinguished Professor chair was established in 1989 by The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Bowling Green State University in honor of Eugene Lukacs, who came to Bowling Green with his colleagues Radha Laha and Vijay Rohatgi in 1972 to establish the doctoral program in...