Stephen Fienberg's influence on algebraic statistics

Abstract

Stephen Fienberg (1942-2016) was a statistician whose career has been an inspiration for the engagement of statistics with social and scientific issues, and it is in this spirit that he helped steer algebraic statistics toward more of a mainstream. Many of his favorite topics in the area are covered in this special issue. We are grateful to all authors for contributing to this volume to honor him and his influence on the field. During the preparation of this issue, we also learned about the tragic killing of his widow, Joyce Fienberg, in the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. This issue is dedicated to their memory.