From the Preface: The theory of optimal design of experiments as we know it today is built on
asolid foundation developed by Jack Kiefer who formulated and resolved some of the major
problems of data collection via experimentation. A principal ingredient in his formulation was
statistical efficiency of a design. Kiefer's theoretical contributions to optimal designs can
be broadly classified into several categories: He rigorously defined developed and
interrelated statistical notions of optimality. He developed powerful tools for verifying and
searching for optimal designs this includes the averaging technique... for approximate or
exact theory and patchwork... for exact theory... Kiefer and Wolfowitz provided a theorem now
known as the Equivalence Theorem. This result has become a classical theorem in the field. One
important feature of this theorem is that it provides a measure of how far a given design is
from the optimal design. He characterized and constructed families ofoptimal designs. Some of
the celebrated ones are balanced block designs generalized Youden designs and weighing
designs. He also developed combinatorial structures of these designs. Kiefer's papers are
sometimes difficult. In part this is due to the precision and care he exercised which at times
forced a consideration of pathologies and special cases...A reading of his papers on design is
replete with examples of his scholarship his innovativeness ingenuity and strength as a
researcher.
