Getting to know Rob Hyndman
Name: Rob Hyndman
Title: Professor of Statistics
Faculty/Division: Monash Business School
Department: Econometrics & Business Statistics
Campus: Clayton
How long have you worked at Monash?
I started in 1995 in the Department of Mathematics, and switched to the Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics in 1998. I've been here ever since. So this is my 21st year at Monash.
Where did you work prior to starting at the University?
The University of Melbourne
What do you like best about your role?
I think I have the best job in the world. I get to work on data analysis problems from every field imaginable. I have research papers in atmospheric science, chemistry, business, demography, ecology, econometrics, epidemiology, energy, finance, optometry, pharmacology, tourism, and more. When I'm not working with people in other fields, my research mostly involves developing statistical models for forecasting. The best part is seeing a lot of my research ideas getting used in practice by business and government.
Why did you choose your current career path?
I'm not sure that anyone really chooses their career path. I got interested in statistics and data analysis, and just took whatever jobs that came along. It turned out that there were plenty of jobs in statistics, and that I was quite good at data analysis.
First job?
I was quite entrepreneurial as a teenager and found lots of ways of making money, including cleaning graves at the local cemetery, marking targets at the rifle range, raking greens at the golf course, sourcing old newspapers for the local grocer, and so on. I was running about 6 micro-businesses by the time I was 14.
Worst job?
Picking horse-chestnuts one summer.
What research/projects are you currently working on and what does it involve?
I am doing some work on analysing and forecasting very large collections of time series. I am working with Yahoo in California on analysing 15-minute web traffic data on many thousands of web servers. I am also working with manufacturing companies in forecasting monthly sales on thousands of products in thousands of stores. The scale of the problem makes any statistical models tricky to implement.
What is your favourite place in the world and why?
The Victorian Alps, anywhere above the treeline. I love the beauty and the solitude of the mountains, especially around Mt Hotham and Falls Creek in summer.
What is your favourite place to eat and why?
Two places that I really like are Piqueos in Carlton (an Argentinean/Peruvian restaurant with amazing food) and Utsav in Heathmont (one of the best Indian restaurants in the eastern suburbs).
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
“Remember … that many places you would like to see are just off the map and many things you want to know are just out of sight or a little beyond your reach. But someday you'll reach them all, for what you learn today, for no reason at all, will help you discover all the wonderful secrets of tomorrow.” (Princess of Sweet Rhyme in The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, p.234)
Tell us something about yourself that your colleagues wouldn’t know?
I'm a professional accredited cricket umpire.