Robbins obtained his PhD from Harvard U in 1938. After a spell in the United States Navy, he joined Hotelling at UNC. In 1952 he moved to Columbia U where he spent the rest of his career. He was the Neyman Lecturer of the IMS in 1982, having been its Rietz Lecturer in 1963, its President in 1966, and its Wald Lecturer in 1969. He was the COPSS Fisher Lecturer in 1993. He was elected to membership of both the NAS and the AAAS.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/15/nyregion/herbert-robbins-86-statistician-who-fueled-interest-in-math.html Obituary.