New Chief Scientist for Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau has announced the appointment of Johns Hopkins University professor Thomas A. Louis as the new Associate Director for Research and Methodology and Chief Scientist, effective January 7, 2013.

Louis will lead a directorate of research centers, each with a specific remit to develop coverage of social and economic statistical information in a certain area - these change over time as needs and methods evolve. At present, they include the Center for Adaptive Design, the Center for Administrative Records Research and Acquisition, the Center for Disclosure Avoidance Research, the Center for Economic Studies, the Center for Statistical Research and Methodology and the Center for Survey Measurement.

Louis is professor of biostatistics at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has a doctorate in mathematical statistics from Columbia University. He headed the biostatistics department at the University of Minnesota; is an elected member of the International Statistical Institute and has served as President of the International Biometric Society, Chairman of the AAAS Statistics Section, as well as on boards for a number of high-level state and professional boadies.

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves announced in April this year that he would be resigning from the post towards the end of August . Of the new hire, he comments: 'I am overjoyed that we were able to attract a world-class scientist to lead the research directorate. Dr. Louis will add to the innovation Dr. Roderick Little brought to the position over his successful leadership. He will, no doubt, increase the rate of scientific discoveries, which permits the Census Bureau to do its work more efficiently.'

Web site: www.census.gov .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.