JDS Journal of Data Science 1683-86021680-743X1680-743X School of Statistics, Renmin University of China JDS1115 10.6339/23-JDS1115 Data Science Conversation Legendary Career and Colorful Life: A Conversation with Dr. Bob Riffenburgh BarHaimhaim.bar@uconn.edu1∗ YanJun1 Storrs, CT, University of Connecticut, United States Corresponding author. Email: haim.bar@uconn.edu. 2023121020232148188371920232392023 2023 The Author(s). Published by the School of Statistics and the Center for Applied Statistics, Renmin University of China.2023 Open access article under the CC BY license.

In 2022 the American Statistical Association established the Riffenburgh Award, which recognizes exceptional innovation in extending statistical methods across diverse fields. Simultaneously, the Department of Statistics at the University of Connecticut proudly commemorated six decades of excellence, having evolved into a preeminent hub for academic, industrial, and governmental statistical grooming. To honor this legacy, a captivating virtual dialogue was conducted with the department’s visionary founder, Dr. Robert H. Riffenburgh, delving into his extraordinary career trajectory, profound insights into the statistical vocation, and heartfelt accounts from the faculty and students he personally nurtured. This multifaceted narrative documents the conversation with more detailed background information on each topic covered by the interview than what is presented in the video recording on YouTube.

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