Foundations, Decisions, and Data Science

A Memorial Special Issue of the New England Journal of Statistics in Data Science

The New England Journal of Statistics in Data Science (NEJSDS), the official journal of the New England Statistical Society (NESS), invites submissions for a memorial special issue honoring the life, work, and enduring influence of Professor Herman Chernoff (July 1, 1923–July 6, 2026).

A pioneering statistician and a generous mentor, Chernoff made fundamental contributions to large-sample theory, hypothesis testing, sequential analysis, experimental design, statistical decision theory, and data visualization. His work connected deep mathematical ideas with practical problems. Chernoff bounds, the Chernoff distribution, and Chernoff faces illustrate the breadth of his legacy, while his ideas in sequential experimentation and decision-making continue to inform statistics and modern data science.

Chernoff’s commitment to supporting young researchers helped shape the New England statistical community. The annual New England Statistics Symposium began in 1987 at his suggestion and helped lay the groundwork for the establishment of NESS in 2017. NESS created the Chernoff Excellence in Statistics Award in honor of his 95th birthday; the inaugural award was presented in 2019. The award is the Society’s highest honor.

This special issue will celebrate Chernoff’s legacy through new research, innovative applications, reviews, historical and expository articles, and scholarly reflections. We welcome contributions from across statistics, data science, and artificial intelligence, including work inspired by his ideas, his approach to scientific problems, and his influence as a teacher and mentor.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Applications across scientific, industrial, and public policy domains
• Data visualization and statistical computing
• Historical, expository, and personal perspectives on Chernoff’s work and influence
• Machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science
• Sequential analysis, experimental design, and decision-making
• Statistical theory, inference, and probability

We encourage contributions that reflect the breadth of Professor Chernoff’s interests and connect statistical ideas with substantive scientific questions. Submissions need not be directly related to his specific contributions.

Important Dates

Proposed schedule for editorial discussion. Review and publication dates are targets.

• Manuscript submission deadline: April 1, 2027
• First-round decisions: May 15, 2027
• Revised manuscripts due: July 1, 2027
• Final decisions: August 15, 2027
• Anticipated publication: by the enf of 2027

Manuscripts will be considered as they are received. The editorial team will aim for approximately six weeks per review round; manuscripts requiring further revision may take longer.

Submission and Review

Submit manuscripts through the NEJSDS online submission portal: https://www.e-publications.org/ness/sbs/

Please identify the submission as “For the Special Issue on The Enduring Legacy of Herman Chernoff” in the “Comments to the Editors” box.

Submissions must follow the journal’s author guidelines and meet its scientific and editorial standards. Research and review articles will undergo the journal’s regular peer-review process. Authors may choose the traditional review track or the optional hybrid track, in which author-solicited reports supplement reviews arranged by the editorial team. Authors considering a personal remembrance or historical contribution are encouraged to contact the co-editors about its scope and format before submission.

Author guidelines: https://journal.nestat.org/submission

Guest-editors

Kun Chen, University of Connecticut

kun.chen@uconn.edu

Joseph C. Cappelleri, Pfizer Inc

joseph.c.cappelleri@pfizer.com

Additional guest editors to be confirmed.

Questions, expressions of interest, and pre-submission inquiries may be directed to Prof. Kun Chen.. We welcome contributions from the international statistical and data science communities that honor Chernoff’s legacy and carry his ideas forward.