Nikolai Smirnov Scientist
Nikolai Vasilyevich Smirnov (Russian: Николай Васильевич Смирнов) (4 October 1900 – 2 June 1966) was a Soviet mathematician noted for his work in various fields including probability theory and statistics.In 1926, Smirnov obtained his first degree from Moscow University; and, in 1938, his doctoral degree, which served as the foundation for his work on non-parametric tests. In 1938, Smirnov became a researcher at the V.A. Steklov Institute of Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R. In 1957, he was made the Head of Mathematical Statistics.Smirnov's principal works in mathematical statistics and probability theory are devoted to the investigation of limit distributions by means of the asymptomatic behaviour of multiple integrals as the multiplicity is increased with limit. He was one of the creators of the non-parametric methods in mathematical statistics and of the theory of limit distributions of order statistics.