18.09.2025
research
Krista Fischer
PhD (Mathematics)
Faculty of Science and Technology
Institute of Mathematics and Statistics
Professor of Mathematical Statistics 0.8 p, Academician, Programme Director for Mathematical Statistics doctoral
r 4101
Institute of Genomics
Estonian Genome Centre
Academician, Associate Professor of Biostatistics 0.2 p
+372 737 5496
+372 515 3679 (4446)
main organiser

PHOTOS, RECORDINGS AND PRESENTATIONS: conference “150 Years of Data Visualisation in Tartu: A Tribute to Wilhelm Lexis”

Krista Fischer, President of the Estonian Statistical Society and UT Professor of Mathematical Statistics, in the main assembly hall of the University of Tartu.
Krista Fischer, President of the Estonian Statistical Society and UT Professor of Mathematical Statistics, in the main assembly hall of the University of Tartu.
Author: Matemaatika ja statistika instituut / Institute of Mathematics and Statistics

The conference on 17 October marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of a landmark work in statistics, demography, and data visualisation. The conference presentations are now available for viewing, along with the presentation materials and photos.

In 1875, while working as a professor at the University of Tartu (UT), the German-born scholar Wilhelm Lexis published the book Einleitung in die Theorie der Bevölkerungsstatistik (in English it would be Introduction to the Theory of Population Statistics). In this work, he introduced the so-called Lexis diagrams for the first time, which remain popular among demographers as well as epidemiologists. Lexis has also left his mark on economics, finance, and actuarial mathematics.

The conference “150 Years of Data Visualisation in Tartu: A Tribute to Wilhelm Lexis” featured as keynote speakers Klára Hulíková Tesárková, docent of demography and geodemography at Charles University in the Czech Republic and author of the book Lexis in Demography, and Bendix Carstensen, senior statistician at the Steno Diabetes Center in Denmark, who has published numerous works on the use of Lexis diagrams and related methods in epidemiology and has also developed corresponding software.

The conference was organised by the Institute of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Tartu, the Estonian Statistical Society and Statistics Estonia. The recording quality is modest, as the videos were made using available resources rather than by a professional video team.

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Author: Matemaatika ja statistika instituut / Institute of Mathematics and Statistics

SCHEDULE AND PRESENTATIONS
UNIVERSITY OF TARTU MAIN BUILDING (ASSEMBLY HALL)
10:00–10:30opening remarks (pdf, video)

Urmas Klaas, Mayor of Tartu

Krista Fischer, President of the Estonian Statistical Society and UT Professor of Mathematical Statistics

10:30–10:50„The University of Tartu in the 19th century – the creative environment of the young Wilhelm Lexis“ (in English, pdf, video)Ene-Margit Tiit, UT professor emeritus
10:50–11:10„Wilhelm Lexis in Tartu: The development of the Lexis diagram“ (in English, pdf, video) Mai Britt Meriloo, junior model validation specialist at Swedbank
11:10-11:40„Is Lexis the author of the Lexis diagram used in demography?“ (in English, pdf, video) Klára Hulíková Tesárková, docent of demography and geodemography at Charles University in the Czech Republic and author of the book Lexis in Demography
11:40-12:10coffee break
12:10-12:40„Practical use of the Lexis diagram in modern register research: multiple states and multiple time scales“ (in English, pdf, video)Bendix Carstensen, senior statistician at the Steno Diabetes Center in Denmark, who has published numerous works on the use of Lexis diagrams and related methods in epidemiology and has also developed corresponding software
12:40–13:00„Wilhelm Lexis: Contributions to Statistics“ (in English, pdf, video)Tõnu Kollo, UT professor emeritus
13:00–14:40 lunch (individually in the city)
DELTA CENTRE (ROOM 1037)
14:40–15:00„Aspects of cognition in later life“ (in English)Liili Abuladze, Tallinn University senior research fellow
15:00–15:20„Storytelling with Health Data“ (in English, pdf, video)Maarja Pajusalu, UT junior research fellow of health informatics
15:20–15:40„From Data to Insights: Visualizing Human Movement Across Space and Time“ (in English, pdf, video)Anto Aasa, UT associate professor in human geography
15:40–16:00„Mathematical literacy and relationships – a data story“ (in English, video)Indrek Seppo, UT visiting lecturer and data analysis trainer
16:00–16:20„Biological age as a tool for communication and visualization of risk“ (in English, pdf, video)Māra Delesa-Vēlina, UT research fellow of mathematical statistics
16:20–16:50 coffee break
16:50–17:10„Dynamics of fertility and the role of family policy: challenges, opportunities, and their reflection“ (in Estonian, pdf)Alis Tammur, statistician
17:10–17:30„Visualizing Data with Statistics Estonia Dashboards“ (in Estonian, pdf)Gerli Õunapuu, Statistics Estonia head of the dissemination team
17:30–18:00Announcement of the Albert Pullerits Young Statistician Award (in Estonian, pdf)Liina Osila, Statistics Estonia deputy director general for data governance and data science
18:00–20:00reception (at the Delta Centre)

If you were unable to attend the conference in person but would still like to listen to the presentations, you will soon be able to watch the recording. Please note that the recording quality is modest, as it was made using available resources rather than by a professional video team.

PICTURES

RECORDINGS OF PRESENTATIONS

17 Oct

Conference "150 years of data visualisation in Tartu: tribute to Wilhelm Lexis"

Main building of the University of Tartu and Delta Centre
17 Oct 2025 10:00
Organisers: