A Random Walk with Drift: Interview with Peter J. Bickel

TL;DR

This interview with Peter J. Bickel recounts his academic journey, collaborations, and influence in statistics, highlighting his mentorship and research evolution over decades.

Contribution

Provides an in-depth personal account of Peter J. Bickel's career, mentorship, and contributions to statistical science through an informal interview format.

Findings

Highlights Bickel's mentorship impact

Details his collaborative research contributions

Chronicles his influence on statistical methodology

Abstract

I met Peter J. Bickel for the first time in 1981. He came to Jerusalem for a year; I had just started working on my Ph.D. studies. Yossi Yahav, who was my advisor at this time, busy as the Dean of Social Sciences, brought us together. Peter became my chief thesis advisor. A year and a half later I came to Berkeley as a post-doc. Since then we have continued to work together. Peter was first my advisor, then a teacher, and now he is also a friend. It is appropriate that this interview took place in two cities. We spoke together first in Jerusalem, at Mishkenot Shaananim and the Center for Research of Rationality, and then at the University of California at Berkeley. These conversations were not formal interviews, but just questions that prompted Peter to tell his story.