Dr. James O. Berger

Class of 2024-25

Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Statistics
Department of Statistical Science
College of Arts and Sciences
Duke University

James O. Berger is known for his pioneering work in Bayesian statistical analysis, decision analysis and uncertainty quantification, as well as the application of statistics to other disciplines such as astronomy, pharmaceutical research and geoscience.

His current research focuses are on the foundations of Bayesian statistics and uncertainty quantification for computer modeling of processes (such as climate modeling). He is completing a book on Bayesian model uncertainty, having just finished an accompanying book on objective Bayesian inference.

Berger received his Ph.D. from Cornell University.

He was the Richard M. Brumfield Distinguished Professor of Statistics at Purdue University until 1997. He has served as honorary professor at East China Normal University since 2011.

Berger is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Spanish Real Academia de Ciencias.

Honors include the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Sloan Fellowship, the Samuel S. Wilks Memorial Award from the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the Arnold Zellner Medal from the International Society of Bayesian Analysis. He received the Wald Lectureship from the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the Fisher Lectureship from the ASA, the highest honors of each society. He has authored or co-authored 18 books and 209 peer-reviewed articles.

Berger has served as co-editor of the Annals of Statistics and was a founding co-editor of the Journal on Uncertainty Quantification.

Berger will collaborate with faculty and students in the College of Arts and Sciences.