Gertrude Mary Cox
Encyclopedia
Gertrude Mary Cox was an influential American
statistician
and founder of the department of Experimental Statistics at North Carolina State University
. She was later appointed director of both the Institute of Statistics of the Consolidated University of North Carolina
and the Statistics Research Division of North Carolina State University. Her most important and influential research dealt with experimental design; she wrote an important book on the subject with W. G. Cochran
. In 1949 Cox became the first female elected into the International Statistical Institute
and in 1956 she was president of the American Statistical Association
.
Gertrude Cox was born in Dayton, Iowa
on January 13, 1900. Cox at first intended to become a Methodist Episcopal minister and director of an orphanage, but in college she heeded a new calling of statistics to help Iowan farmers make better agricultural research. She graduated from Iowa State College with a B.S. degree in Mathematics and received her Masters degree in statistics in 1931 from Iowa State.
Gertrude Cox studied at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa
, graduating in 1918. At this time she decided to become a deaconess in the Methodist Church and worked towards that end. However, in 1925, she decided to continue her education at Iowa State College in Ames where she studied mathematics and statistics and was awarded a B.S. in 1929 and a Master's degree in statistics in 1931.
From 1931 to 1933 Cox undertook graduate studies in statistics at the University of California at Berkeley, then returned to Iowa State College as assistant in the Statistical Laboratory. Here she worked on the design of experiments
. In 1939 she was appointed assistant professor of statistics at Iowa State.
In 1940 Cox was appointed professor of statistics at North Carolina State University
at Raleigh. There she headed the new department of Experimental Statistics.
In 1945 she became director of the Institute of Statistics of the Consolidated University of North Carolina
, and the Statistics Research Division of the North Carolina State College which was run by William Gemmell Cochran
. In the same year of 1945 Cox became the editor of Biometrics Bulletin and of Biometrics
and she held this editorship for 10 years. In 1947 she was a founder member of the International Biometric Society
.
In 1950 she published a joint work with Cochran, Experimental Design, which quickly became a classic text.
In 1960 she took up her final post as Director of Statistics at the Research Triangle Institute in Durham, North Carolina. She held this post until she retired in 1964.
Cox received many honours. In 1949 she became the first woman elected into the International Statistical Institute
. In 1956 she was elected President of the American Statistical Association
while in 1975 she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statistician
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
and founder of the department of Experimental Statistics at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
. She was later appointed director of both the Institute of Statistics of the Consolidated University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
and the Statistics Research Division of North Carolina State University. Her most important and influential research dealt with experimental design; she wrote an important book on the subject with W. G. Cochran
William Gemmell Cochran
William Gemmell Cochran was a prominent statistician; he was born in Scotland but spent most of his life in the United States....
. In 1949 Cox became the first female elected into the International Statistical Institute
International Statistical Institute
The International Statistical Institute is a professional association of statisticians. The Institut International de Statistique or International Statistical Institute was founded in 1885 although there had been international congresses from 1853.. The Institute publishes a variety of books and...
and in 1956 she was president of the American Statistical Association
President of the American Statistical Association
The President of the American Statistical Association is the head of the American Statistical Association . According to the association's bylaws, the president is an officer, and a member of the board of directors and of the executive committee. Elections for the position are held annually, in...
.
Gertrude Cox was born in Dayton, Iowa
Dayton, Iowa
Dayton is a city in Webster County, Iowa, United States. The population was 884 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dayton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
on January 13, 1900. Cox at first intended to become a Methodist Episcopal minister and director of an orphanage, but in college she heeded a new calling of statistics to help Iowan farmers make better agricultural research. She graduated from Iowa State College with a B.S. degree in Mathematics and received her Masters degree in statistics in 1931 from Iowa State.
Gertrude Cox studied at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa
Perry, Iowa
Perry is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, United States, along the North Raccoon River. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, graduating in 1918. At this time she decided to become a deaconess in the Methodist Church and worked towards that end. However, in 1925, she decided to continue her education at Iowa State College in Ames where she studied mathematics and statistics and was awarded a B.S. in 1929 and a Master's degree in statistics in 1931.
From 1931 to 1933 Cox undertook graduate studies in statistics at the University of California at Berkeley, then returned to Iowa State College as assistant in the Statistical Laboratory. Here she worked on the design of experiments
Design of experiments
In general usage, design of experiments or experimental design is the design of any information-gathering exercises where variation is present, whether under the full control of the experimenter or not. However, in statistics, these terms are usually used for controlled experiments...
. In 1939 she was appointed assistant professor of statistics at Iowa State.
In 1940 Cox was appointed professor of statistics at North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
at Raleigh. There she headed the new department of Experimental Statistics.
In 1945 she became director of the Institute of Statistics of the Consolidated University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, and the Statistics Research Division of the North Carolina State College which was run by William Gemmell Cochran
William Gemmell Cochran
William Gemmell Cochran was a prominent statistician; he was born in Scotland but spent most of his life in the United States....
. In the same year of 1945 Cox became the editor of Biometrics Bulletin and of Biometrics
Biometrics (Journal)
Biometrics is a journal that publishes articles on the application of statistics and mathematics to the biological sciences. It is published by the International Biometric Society....
and she held this editorship for 10 years. In 1947 she was a founder member of the International Biometric Society
International Biometric Society
The International Biometric Society is an international professional and academic society promoting the development and application of statistical and mathematical theory and methods in the biosciences....
.
In 1950 she published a joint work with Cochran, Experimental Design, which quickly became a classic text.
In 1960 she took up her final post as Director of Statistics at the Research Triangle Institute in Durham, North Carolina. She held this post until she retired in 1964.
Cox received many honours. In 1949 she became the first woman elected into the International Statistical Institute
International Statistical Institute
The International Statistical Institute is a professional association of statisticians. The Institut International de Statistique or International Statistical Institute was founded in 1885 although there had been international congresses from 1853.. The Institute publishes a variety of books and...
. In 1956 she was elected President 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...
while in 1975 she was elected to the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The 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...
.
External links
- Gertrude Mary Cox Collection, 1918-1983 (North Carolina State University Libraries)
- "Gertrude Cox", Biographies of Women Mathematicians, Agnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
- MacTutor biography
- ASA: Gertrude M. Cox
- NC State University Gertrude Cox Award