Nils Lid Hjort
Encyclopedia
Nils Lid Hjort is a Norwegian
statistician
, and has been a professor of mathematical statistics
at the University of Oslo
since 1991. Hjort's research themes are unusually varied, with particularly noteworthy contributions in the fields of Bayesian probability
(Beta processes for use in non- and semi-parametric models, particularly within survival analysis
and event history analysis, but also with links to Indian buffet processes in machine learning
), density estimation
and nonparametric regression
(local likelihood methodology), and model selection
(focused information criteria
and model averaging). An article on frequentist model averaging
, with co-author Gerda Claeskens, was selected as Fast Breaking Paper in the field of mathematics by the Essential Science Indicators in 2005. He has also worked with spatial statistics, statistics of remote sensing
, pattern recognition
, etc.
Hjort is a core member of the Centre of Excellence Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis
, on the scientific advisory board of the Centre for Innovation Statistics for Innovation
, and also involved with the Centre for Biostatistical Modelling in the Medical Sciences
, all within the University of Oslo
. Hjort is an elected member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
since 1999.
Hjort has also served on the editorial board
s on various journals dedicated to the methodology and application of statistical research, including the Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B, and the Annals of Statistics
, and has been on the programme committees of numerous international conferences.
On the applied side, Hjort demonstrated in 1994 that there is a small but Olympically significant difference between inner-lane and outer-lane starts for 500 m speedskating races, after a systematic analysis of world sprint championships data, implying that the Olympic 500 m event has been unfair since 1924. As a result of Hjort's work and initiative, the International Skating Union
and the International Olympic Committee
changed the rules; since Nagano 1998 onwards, the sprint skaters race the 500 m twice, with one start in inner lane and one start in the outer lane. He is also a regular contributor to the Speedskating World
magazine. Other applied work has involved analysis of literary texts. In the famous case of potential plagiarism where Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and others accused Mikhail Sholokhov of not being the rightful author of And Quiet Flows the Don
, Hjort's analysis gives full support to Sholokhov.
Hjort's other interests include Disney comics
(where he has given public lectures and written scholarly articles for various publishers), chamber music
and choir singing
(taking part in more than ten CD recordings with Grex Vocalis
), gøbbing (exchanging ideas with members of a think tank
) and cross-country skiing
. He has edited two books with the works of notable Disney comics artist Don Rosa
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
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...
, and has been a professor of mathematical statistics
Mathematical statistics
Mathematical statistics is the study of statistics from a mathematical standpoint, using probability theory as well as other branches of mathematics such as linear algebra and analysis...
at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
since 1991. Hjort's research themes are unusually varied, with particularly noteworthy contributions in the fields of Bayesian probability
Bayesian probability
Bayesian probability is one of the different interpretations of the concept of probability and belongs to the category of evidential probabilities. The Bayesian interpretation of probability can be seen as an extension of logic that enables reasoning with propositions, whose truth or falsity is...
(Beta processes for use in non- and semi-parametric models, particularly within survival analysis
Survival analysis
Survival analysis is a branch of statistics which deals with death in biological organisms and failure in mechanical systems. This topic is called reliability theory or reliability analysis in engineering, and duration analysis or duration modeling in economics or sociology...
and event history analysis, but also with links to Indian buffet processes in machine learning
Machine learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
), density estimation
Density estimation
In probability and statistics,density estimation is the construction of an estimate, based on observed data, of an unobservable underlying probability density function...
and nonparametric regression
Nonparametric regression
Nonparametric regression is a form of regression analysis in which the predictor does not take a predetermined form but is constructed according to information derived from the data...
(local likelihood methodology), and model selection
Model selection
Model selection is the task of selecting a statistical model from a set of candidate models, given data. In the simplest cases, a pre-existing set of data is considered...
(focused information criteria
Focused information criterion
In statistics, the focused information criterion is a method for selecting the most appropriate model among a set of competitors for a given data set...
and model averaging). An article on frequentist model averaging
Focused information criterion
In statistics, the focused information criterion is a method for selecting the most appropriate model among a set of competitors for a given data set...
, with co-author Gerda Claeskens, was selected as Fast Breaking Paper in the field of mathematics by the Essential Science Indicators in 2005. He has also worked with spatial statistics, statistics of remote sensing
Remote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
, pattern recognition
Pattern recognition
In machine learning, pattern recognition is the assignment of some sort of output value to a given input value , according to some specific algorithm. An example of pattern recognition is classification, which attempts to assign each input value to one of a given set of classes...
, etc.
Hjort is a core member of the Centre of Excellence Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis
Nils Christian Stenseth
Nils Christian Stenseth is a biologist with a focus on ecology and evolution. He is the leader of the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis at the University of Oslo. He is also the Chief Scientist at the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research in Norway...
, on the scientific advisory board of the Centre for Innovation Statistics for Innovation
Arnoldo Frigessi
Arnoldo Frigessi di Rattalma is an Italian statistician based in Norway, where he is a professor at the Department of Biostatistics with the Institute of Basic Medical Research at the University of Oslo...
, and also involved with the Centre for Biostatistical Modelling in the Medical Sciences
Odd Aalen
Odd Olai Aalen is a Norwegian statistician and is a professor at the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of Oslo....
, all within the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
. Hjort is an elected member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is a learned society based in Oslo, Norway.-History:The University of Oslo was established in 1811. The idea of a learned society in Christiania surfaced for the first time in 1841. The city of Throndhjem had no university, but had a learned...
since 1999.
Hjort has also served on the editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
s on various journals dedicated to the methodology and application of statistical research, including the Scandinavian Journal of Statistics, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B, and the Annals of Statistics
Annals of Statistics
The Annals of Statistics is a peer-reviewed statistics journal published by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. It was started in 1973 as a continuation in part of the Annals of Mathematical Statistics, which was split into the Annals of Statistics and the Annals of Probability.Articles older...
, and has been on the programme committees of numerous international conferences.
On the applied side, Hjort demonstrated in 1994 that there is a small but Olympically significant difference between inner-lane and outer-lane starts for 500 m speedskating races, after a systematic analysis of world sprint championships data, implying that the Olympic 500 m event has been unfair since 1924. As a result of Hjort's work and initiative, the International Skating Union
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...
and the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
changed the rules; since Nagano 1998 onwards, the sprint skaters race the 500 m twice, with one start in inner lane and one start in the outer lane. He is also a regular contributor to the Speedskating World
Speedskating World
Speedskating World is an international magazine devoted to news and discussions pertaining to speed skating and speedskaters. The magazine is the only English-language publication of its kind, and has had subscribers in more than twenty-five countries. The SSW first saw light in 1995, and...
magazine. Other applied work has involved analysis of literary texts. In the famous case of potential plagiarism where Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and others accused Mikhail Sholokhov of not being the rightful author of And Quiet Flows the Don
And Quiet Flows the Don
And Quiet Flows the Don or Quietly Flows the Don is the first part of the great Don epic Tikhiy Don , written by Michail Aleksandrovich Sholokhov. It originally appeared in serialized form between 1928 and 1940...
, Hjort's analysis gives full support to Sholokhov.
Hjort's other interests include Disney comics
Disney comics
Disney comics are comic books and comic strips featuring Walt Disney characters.The first Disney comics were newspaper strips appearing from 1930 on . In 1940, Western Publishing began producing Disney comic books in the United States...
(where he has given public lectures and written scholarly articles for various publishers), chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
and choir singing
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
(taking part in more than ten CD recordings with Grex Vocalis
Grex Vocalis
Grex Vocalis is a Norwegian chamber choir, formed in 1971 by Carl Høgset, who remains its conductor. The repertoire spans from the renaissance to music by contemporary composers...
), gøbbing (exchanging ideas with members of a think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
) and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
. He has edited two books with the works of notable Disney comics artist Don Rosa
Don Rosa
Keno Don Hugo Rosa, known simply as Don Rosa, is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and other characters created by Carl Barks for Disney comics, such as The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.-Early life:Don Rosa's grandfather,...
.
External links
- Interview on frequentist model averaging Interview
- Mangfoldig talltrollmann Interview in forskning.no
- The physics of Santa Claus Hjort and other scholars argue for the existence of Santa Claus
- The annual World Cup Speedskating Contest Each year participants from about ten countries compete for the Nils Lid Hjort trophy
- The Annual Ludwig von Drake Award Hjort was its first recipient
- The two Don Rosa books These feature Lancelot Pertwillaby and Captain Kentucky
- Speedskating Race of the Burg of Ducks With Don RosaDon RosaKeno Don Hugo Rosa, known simply as Don Rosa, is an American comic book writer and illustrator known for his stories about Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and other characters created by Carl Barks for Disney comics, such as The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck.-Early life:Don Rosa's grandfather,...
- The Olympic 500-m The Statistical Research Report that contributed to changing the Olympic Rules
- The Olympic 1000-m Research implying an Olympically significant difference also for the 1000-m
- Highly Structured Stochastic Systems Oxford University Press book, 2003
- And Quiet Does not Flow the Don: Statistical Analysis of a Quarrel between Nobel Laureates Solzhenitsyn vs. Sholokhov, 2007
- Bayesian Nonparametrics at the Isaac Newton Institute The research programme and conference on Bayesian Nonparametrics, 2007
- Model Selection and Model Averaging Cambridge University Press book, 2008
- Bayesian Nonparametrics Cambridge University Press book, 2010