Roy C. Geary
Encyclopedia
Dr. Robert Charles Geary (April 11, 1896 – February 8, 1983) was an Irish statistician
and founder of both the Central Statistics Office
and the Economic and Social Research Institute
. He held degrees from University College Dublin
and the Sorbonne
. He lectured in mathematics at University College Southampton
(1922–23) and in applied economics at Cambridge University (1946–47). He was a statistician in the Department of Industry and Commerce between 1923 and 1957. He was the founding director of the Central Statistics Office (Ireland)
(in 1949). He was head of the National Accounts
Branch of the United Nations
in New York
from 1957 to 1960. He was the founding director of the Economic and Social Research Institute
(in 1960) where he stayed till his retirement in 1966. He was an honorary fellow of the American Statistical Association
and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics
. In 1981, he won the Boyle Medal.
Roy Geary is known for Geary's C
, the Geary–Khamis dollar, the Stone–Geary utility function, and Geary's Theorem, which has that if the sample mean is distributed independently of the sample variance, then the population is distributed normally.
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 founder of both the Central Statistics Office
Central Statistics Office (Ireland)
The Central Statistics Office is the statistical agency responsible for the gathering of "information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions" in Ireland, in particular the National Census which is held every five years. The office is answerable to the Taoiseach and has...
and the Economic and Social Research Institute
Economic and Social Research Institute
The Economic and Social Research Institute is a think tank in Dublin, Ireland. Its research focuses on Ireland's economic and social development in order to inform policy-making and societal understanding....
. He held degrees from University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
and the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
. He lectured in mathematics at University College Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
(1922–23) and in applied economics at Cambridge University (1946–47). He was a statistician in the Department of Industry and Commerce between 1923 and 1957. He was the founding director of the Central Statistics Office (Ireland)
Central Statistics Office (Ireland)
The Central Statistics Office is the statistical agency responsible for the gathering of "information relating to economic, social and general activities and conditions" in Ireland, in particular the National Census which is held every five years. The office is answerable to the Taoiseach and has...
(in 1949). He was head of the National Accounts
National accounts
National accounts or national account systems are the implementation of complete and consistent accounting techniques for measuring the economic activity of a nation. These include detailed underlying measures that rely on double-entry accounting...
Branch of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1957 to 1960. He was the founding director of the Economic and Social Research Institute
Economic and Social Research Institute
The Economic and Social Research Institute is a think tank in Dublin, Ireland. Its research focuses on Ireland's economic and social development in order to inform policy-making and societal understanding....
(in 1960) where he stayed till his retirement in 1966. He was an honorary 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...
and 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...
. In 1981, he won the Boyle Medal.
Roy Geary is known for Geary's C
Geary's C
Geary's C is a measure of spatial autocorrelation. Like autocorrelation, spatial autocorrelation means that adjacent observations of the same phenomenon are correlated. However, autocorrelation is about proximity in time. Spatial autocorrelation is about proximity in space...
, the Geary–Khamis dollar, the Stone–Geary utility function, and Geary's Theorem, which has that if the sample mean is distributed independently of the sample variance, then the population is distributed normally.