Sociologist Robert B. McGinnis, founder and first director of the Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research (CISER) and a pioneer in applying mathematical principles to quantitative social analysis, died Feb. 22 in Ithaca. He was 73.

McGinnis joined the Cornell faculty as professor of sociology in 1961 after appointments at Florida State University and the University of Wisconsin. He was an early advocate for the application of rigorous quantitative methods of sociology. Partly due to his efforts, the American Sociological Association established a section on methodology in 1961.

McGinnis's 1965 landmark book Mathematical Foundations for Social Analysis established the mathematical principles necessary for quantitative social analysis. His papers on applying these methods became known as the Cornell Mobility Model, which was applied to the study of social mobility. His subsequent papers on the utilization, training and mobility of scientists and engineers later led to the establishment of the Research Program on Social Analyses of Social Systems in 1973, which he directed. As a strong influence in the establishment of the Society for Social Studies of Science, McGinnis hosted its first international meeting, held at Cornell in 1976.

He founded CISER in 1981 to promote collaboration among the hundreds of social scientists across campus and to provide them with research assistance. CISER was home to the first mainframe computer in the country, funded by the National Science Foundation for use by sociologists, linguists, historians, economists and other social scientists. CISER also maintains one of the nation's largest social science data archives.

McGinnis was elected to the founding editorial boards of the journals Sociological Methodolog y in 1969 and Sociological Methods and Research in 1972. He was also a former editor of the American Sociological Review and author of several books. McGinnis attended high school in Oakland, Calif., and served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific during World War II. He received his B.A. from San Francisco State University in 1950, his M.A. from Stanford University in 1951, and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1955.

Following his retirement from Cornell, McGinnis spent winters at his home on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. He is survived by his wife, Mary (a former coordinator of Cornell and Ithaca Volunteers in Training and Service Program), three children and several grandchildren.

No calling hours or services are planned.