Howard Wainer, PhD

Statistician & Research Scientist

Dr. Wainer is an award-winning American statistician and research scientist. His specialization is the use of graphical methods for data analysis and communication, robust statistical methodology, and the development and application of generalizations of item response theory. 

After serving on the faculty of the University of Chicago, a period at the Bureau of Social Science Research during the Carter Administration, Dr. Wainer served for 21 years as Principal Research Scientist in the Research Statistics Group at Educational Testing Service. He recently retired from his position as Distinguished Research Scientist at the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Wainer has authored or co-authored more than 20 books, the latest of which is A History of Data Visualization and Graphic Communication, co-authored with Michael Friendly.

In addition to his work with LearningRx, Dr. Wainer is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Gibson Institute of Cognitive Research.

Books & Publications

• ResearchGate Profile
• A History of Data Visualization and Graphic Communication
• Truth or Truthiness: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction by Learning to Think Like a Data Scientist
• Medical Illuminations: Using Evidence, Visualization and Statistical Thinking to Improve Healthcare
• A Statistical Guide for the Ethically Perplexed
• Uneducated Guesses: Using Evidence to Uncover Misguided Education Policies
• Picturing the Uncertain World: How to Understand, Communicate, and Control Uncertainty through Graphical Display
• Graphic Discovery: A Trout in the Milk and Other Visual Adventures (Awarded “Best Math Book 2005” by Choice)
• Visual Revelations: Graphical Tales of Fate and Deception from Napoleon Bonaparte to Ross Perot​​​​​​
• Google Scholar Citations

Awards & Honors

• Fellow of American Statistical Association
• Fellow of American Educational Research Association
• Career Achievement Award for Contributions to Educational Measurement by National Counsel on Measurement in Education in 2007
• Samuel J. Messick Award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions from the American Psychological Associations in 2009
• Lifetime Achievement Award from Psychometric Society in 2013
• ACT/AERA E. F. Lindquist Award for Outstanding Research in Testing & Measurement in 2015

Contact

• LinkedIn