Belz, Maurice Henry (1897 - 1975)

In 1948 Belz headed the first autonomous Department of Statistics at the University of Melbourne and was the foundation Professor of Statistics there 1955-63. Many of the initial generation of Australia's professional statisticians were either trained or taught in Belz's department, which ran a course for graduates from science and industry.

Born Auburn, New South Wales, 1 February 1897. Died Melbourne, 28 March 1975. Educated Universities of Sydney (BSc 1918) and Cambridge (MSc 1922). Lecturer in mathematics, University of Melbourne 1923-28; senior lecturer 1928-32; research into the application of mathematics to economics, London School of Economics and University of Oslo 1933-36; senior lecturer in mathematical economics, faculty of commerce, University of Melbourne 1937-47; associate professor of mathematical statistics 1948-54; professor of statistics 1955-63. President, French-Australian Association of Victoria 1944-70. Légion d'honneur 1954.

Head of Department

• Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science (1948 - 1995)

  [1948? - 1963]

• 'Belz, Maurice Henry (1897 - 1975), Biographical Entry', in Bright Sparcs, 2001 edn, 2001, http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/biogs/P000222b.htm.