Helen Abbey
Helen Abbey | |
---|---|
Born | September 1, 1915 |
Died | March 4, 2001 | (aged 85)
Nationality | |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Biostatistics |
Thesis | An Examination of the Reed-Frost Theory of Epidemics |
Doctoral advisor | William Gemmell Cochran |
Notable students | Victor A. McKusick Alfred Sommer Ann Zauber |
Helen Abbey (September 1, 1915 – March 4, 2001) was an American biostatistician known for her research on the health effects of radiation and on infections among Native Americans, and for her prolific mentoring of students in statistics.[1][2] She was affiliated with Johns Hopkins University for over 50 years.[2]
Education and career
Abbey graduated from
At Johns Hopkins, she became affiliated with the departments of biostatistics, epidemiology, population and family health sciences, medicine, and ophthalmology.[1] She retired in 1999.[2]
Contributions
The topics of her own research included the effects of low-level radiation on cataracts, skin cancer, and other health issues, and the history of food-borne diseases among Native American populations.[1][2] One of Abbey's studies, a 1952 work on infectious diseases, has been called "the classic study" of the Reed–Frost model in small communities.[3]
Former students
Abbey taught over 4000 students at Johns Hopkins and was the mentor to over 700 graduate theses and dissertations.[1][2] The story went that "if you parachuted anywhere on earth, you would land within 50 miles of a former student" of hers.[4]
Former students of her include the following:
Recognition
Abbey became a
The Helen Abbey and Margaret Merrell Professorship in Biostatistics Education at Johns Hopkins University is named after her and Professor Margaret Merrell. Part of the initial funding for the position was funded by her estate after she died.[7]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Dr. Helen Abbey: In Memoriam, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, retrieved 2019-01-21
- ^ Baltimore Sun
- ISBN 9789401180504. See in particular p. 40.
- ISBN 9781421421087
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4214-2108-7.
- ^ ASA Fellows list, American Statistical Association, archived from the original on 2019-04-25, retrieved 2019-01-21
- ^ "Helen Abbey and Margaret Merrell Professorship in Biostatistics Education". Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved 15 March 2020.