海外留学时期的戴世光

Overseas Formative Years of Tai Shih-kuang

戴世光先生是我国著名的经济统计学家、人口统计学家,为我国改革开放以后统计学科拨乱反正、追赶国际先进水平做出了卓越贡献。戴世光1935年至1938年以清华留美公费生身份在美国学习数理统计学、应用统计学,在美国、英国、印度等多个国家考察、实习国情普查。海外留学时期是戴世光学术道路的关键阶段,对于其学术方向、学术成果乃至学术品格都产生了重要影响。详实的档案资料多为首次披露,为追述戴世光留学的经历及影响提供了依据,更能反映早期统计学科人才培养的模式以及以戴世光为代表的一代统计学人的报国之志。

Tai Shih-Kuang was a prominent Chinese statistician,best known for his work in economic statistics and demography.After the Reform and Opening-up of China,he played a pivotal role in reshaping and developing statistics as a discipline in China.Tai Shih-Kuang pursued his study in mathematical and applied statistics in the United States from 1935 to 1938,as a full scholarship student sent by Tsinghua University.During this time,he also toured countries such as the United Kingdom and India,where he studied census work.This experience as a foreign student was seminal to Tai’s long and productive academic career,and its influence on the formation of his research directions,achievements and even academic integrity cannot be overstated.Based on extensive archived documents,this paper traces Tai’s journey overseas to evaluate its impact,explores the way statisticians were cultivated at the time,and reflects the patriotism shared by Tai and his contemporary statisticians.