Even for a statistics whiz like him, there’s no formula for determining the single-most influential educator during Dan Naiman’s time in C-U.
Call it a 10-way tie for first.
On the academic side, “I am fortunate to have been profoundly influenced by many folks in the mathematics and statistics departments and would be hard-pressed to single out one as most influential,” says the Johns Hopkins professor (Ph.D. ’92, mathematics).
“Bill Stout, Steve Portnoy, Bob Bohrer, John Marden, Don Burkholder, Joe Doob and Irving Reiner were wonderful mentors.
“In addition to having an amazing academic experience at UIUC, I was profoundly influenced by the jazz scene, and got involved in many big bands there, with wonderful musical experiences playing under band directors Doug Tidaback, Ray Sasaki and the legendary John Garvey.
“Back then, I spent a huge amount of time anonymously blowing my saxophone in a couple of the nearby parking garages because I loved the acoustics. I wonder how many folks look back on their years at UIUC as noisy ones, thanks to people like me.”
