Rate My Professor John Rayner

Conjoint Professor John Rayner holds the position of Honorary Professor in the School of Computer and Information Sciences, specialising in Statistics, within the College of Engineering, Science and Environment at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He was appointed Professor of Statistics at the University of Newcastle's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences in 2006, serving until his retirement in 2011, after which he continued in a conjoint capacity. Previously, Rayner held positions as Associate Professor from 1996 to 2006 and Senior Lecturer from 1992 to 1996 at the School of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong. From 1973 to 1992, he was employed by the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. His academic qualifications include a PhD from the University of Wollongong, as well as a Master of Arts (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from the University of Sydney.

Rayner's research focuses on goodness of fit for statistical model assessment and nonparametric statistics, which involve minimal modelling assumptions. He has produced over 150 refereed publications, including articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, and encyclopedia entries, four co-editorships, and seven books. Notable books include An Introduction to Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel Testing and Nonparametric ANOVA (2023, with G.C. Livingston), Introductory Nonparametrics (2016), Smooth tests of goodness of fit: Using R (2010, with O. Thas and D.J. Best), Nonparametrics For Sensory Science: A More Informative Approach (2005, with D.J. Best, P.B. Brockhoff, and G.D. Rayner), and A Contingency Table Approach to Nonparametric Testing (2001, with D.J. Best). Rayner has received recognition through invited plenary presentations, such as at the international workshop on goodness of fit in Paris in May 2000 and the New Zealand Mathematics Colloquium at Massey University in December 2001. He has also contributed review articles to the Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences and the International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and delivered an invited joint presentation to the NSW Branch of the Statistical Society of Australia in 1999.