William Gemmell Cochran was an early specialist in the fields of applied statistics, sample surveys, experimental design, observational studies, and analytic techniques. He was born in Rutherglen, Scotland, to Thomas and Jeannie Cochran on July 15, 1909, and he died on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on March 29, 1980, at the age of 70. In 1927, Cochran participated in the Glasgow University Bursary competition and took first place, winning enough funds to finance his education. After taking a variety of classes, he was awarded an M.A. in mathematics and physics at the University of Glasgow in 1931. He then received a scholarship for a Cambridge University doctoral program, where he studied mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics. He began his professional career at the Rothamsted Experimental Station ...