Michael Ward graduated with combined honors in economics and statistics from the University of Exeter and with an M.A. from the University of Cambridge. His first appointment was as an official statistician in Central Africa, where he acquired the basics of the craft of data collection in the field. He is past Director of Studies in Economics and Dean of Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, and a former Principal Economist in Operations (Southeast Asia) and Policy at the World Bank. Mr. Ward has authored many articles and official reports in both applied economics and statistics and has published several books. In 1999, in Helsinki, he was awarded the Henry Methorst Medal of the… International Statistical Institute for "outstanding contributions to international statistics." In 2000, he was elected Chair of the International Association for Research in Income and Wealth and currently serves on its Council. He is also on the Statistical Advisory Panel for the Human Development Report.