Johannes Cornelis "Hans" van Houwelingen (25 March 1945 – 14 May 2026) was a Dutch mathematician and a professor of medical statistics at Leiden University.
Life and career After graduating from Utrecht University in 1968 with a major in mathematics and a minor in theoretical physics and mathematical statistics, Van Houwelingen started working at Utrecht University at the Institute for Mathematical Statistics. In 1969 he joined Philips. A year later he returned to the Institute for Mathematical Statistics. Van Houwelingen earned his PhD at Utrecht University in 1973; his dissertation, entitled On empirical Bayes rules for the continuous one-parameter exponential family, was supervised by Gerard Jan Leppink. He was appointed a professor at Leiden University in 1986. Van Houwelingen's research was focused mainly on survival analysis.
In his retirement speech on 26 November 2008, Van Houwelingen stated that "Expecting the Unexpected is a very accurate job description for a biostatistician. The mission of statisticians is to anticipate what could happen and assist others in forming sensible responses. This mission is not limited to advising others. It also concerns research in their own field." He continued to publish as an emeritus, at least until 2024.
Van Houwelingen died in De Bilt on 14 May 2026, at the age of 81.
Awards and honours Year Organisation Award / Honour 1992 Biometrics Section of Dutch Statistical Society Dutch Biometry Award for joint paper with S. le Cessie 1994 Biometrics Section of Dutch Statistical Society Dutch Biometry Award for joint paper with P.J.M. Verweij 2001 American Statistical Association Fellow 2006 Biometrics Section of Dutch Statistical Society Dutch Biometry Award for joint paper with R. Elgalta, J.J. Houwing-Duistermaat, C. van Duijn 2007 Dutch region of the International Biometric Society Honorary Member 2008 Biometrics Section of Dutch Statistical Society Honorary Member 2008 Dutch Government Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (26 November 2008) 2010 International Biometric Society An issue of the Biometrical Journal was dedicated to Van Houwelingen. 2011 International Society for Clinical Biostatistics Honorary Member 2015 Biometrics Section of Dutch Statistical Society The biannual BMS-ANed Biometry Award was renamed Hans van Houwelingen Biometry Award 2018 International Biometric Society Honorary Life Member (Tuesday 10 July 2018 at the IBS Awards Ceremony)
Books Inleiding tot de medische statistiek (in Dutch), 1993, with Theo Stijnen and Roel van Strik, Dynamic Prediction in Clinical Survival Analysis, 2011, with Hein Putter, published by Taylor & Francis, Handbook of Survival Analysis, 2013, with John P. Klein, Joseph G. Ibrahim, and Thomas H. Scheike, published by Taylor & Francis,
References
External links Profile page (Leiden University) List of publications on Google Scholar