Nicholas Cox

Dr. Nicholas Cox is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at Durham University, specializing in statistical applications within geography. His work spans exploratory data analysis, graphics, smoothing, probability distributions, circular statistics, and spatial analysis. Within geomorphology, hydrology, and climatology, his research covers morphometry, modeling of hillslope, glacial, and karstic forms, analysis of precipitation distributions, and temperature variations in the Durham University Observatory record.

Dr. Cox's research interests focus on environmental statistics, geomorphology, the history and methodology of geography, and Stata statistical software. His work bridges the gap between theoretical statistics and practical geographical applications, with particular emphasis on data visualization, exploratory analysis, and distribution fitting. He has developed significant expertise in creating accessible statistical methods for geographers through software development and clear documentation.

His publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on statistical methodology development, particularly for the Stata software environment. Over the years, his work has evolved from basic statistical programming to sophisticated visualization techniques and specialized analytical methods. Recent publications emphasize advanced graphical techniques, handling of temporal data, and innovative approaches to data representation.

• Chair of Stata London User Meetings (1997, 2000, 2002)
• Former Associate Editor of the Stata Technical Bulletin
• Executive Editor of the Stata Journal
• Book Review Editor of Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
• Associate Editor of the Journal of Statistical Software

Dr. Cox is highly active in the Stata community as a prolific program writer, with many of his programs incorporated into official Stata releases (versions 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0). He is a frequent contributor to Statalist and has developed software in various statistical and mathematical languages including Stata, Awk, and J. His collaborative work includes joint editorial projects such as the History of the Study of Landforms, volume 4, and research on hard rock steep slopes on the Colorado Plateau.

His methodological work supports substantial research in geomorphology, hydrology, and climatology, with applications ranging from debris-flow avulsion controls to glacier dynamics in Antarctica. Dr. Cox's approach emphasizes practical implementation of statistical methods that address real geographical challenges.