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     The 2011 Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies Fisher Lectureship Committee has named Census Bureau executive Roderick J. Little to deliver the Fisher Lecture at the Joint Statistics Meetings (JSM) in San Diego this summer. The Fisher Lectureship and Award, awarded annually, was established in 1963 by the Committee of Presidents of Statistical Societies to honor the outstanding contribution of a contemporary statistician in statistical theory and applications.

     “Rod Little is one of the world's best statisticians and survey methodologists,” said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. “The Fisher Lectureship recognizes meritorious achievement and scholarship in statistical science and the award is a great honor for Rod and the Census Bureau.”

     “Building a federal statistical system for the 21st century requires innovative thinking as well as deep knowledge of the best practices, and that is where Rod Little excels,” said Katherine Wallman, Chief Statistician of the Office of Management and Budget. “As the society becomes more complex, we need to make sure our survey methods improve to meet the challenges. The Fisher Award recognizes Rod's bountiful contributions both in academic research and in government applications. He is truly among the best in bridging these worlds.”

     The R.A. Fisher Lectureship is one of several major statistical awards jointly sponsored by the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, the International Biometric Society Eastern North American Region, the International Biometric Society Western North American Region and the Statistical Society of Canada.

     Rod Little joined the U.S. Census Bureau in September 2010 as the Associate Director for Research and Methodology and Chief Scientist. Little leads a new directorate that focuses on enhancing the research and methodology capacity of the Census Bureau.

     Little is on leave from the University of Michigan, where he is a Richard D. Remington Collegiate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics, a department he chaired from 1993 to 2001 and 2006 to 2009. He is also a professor of statistics and research in the Institute for Social Research at Michigan.