Catriona Keerie, Statisticians for Society scoping committee member
Catriona Keerie is a Assistant Statistical Director (Commercial) at the Edinburgh Clinical Trials Unit, University of Edinburgh
What does the role involve?
I undertake the initial discussion with charities to help scope out their project with a view to better understanding their needs for pro bono statistical support.
This initial discussion is then written up more formally and shaped into a specific project proposal for a volunteer to put their name forward for. Our aim is to identify volunteers who have the skillset to undertake the work and, if possible, have a personal interest in either the charity or the topic area.
There is then a selection stage for prospective volunteers and I collaborate with another member of the Scoping Committee to ensure we select the most appropriate candidate
Why did you choose this role?
I have taken an interest in S4S activities for a number of years, but don’t currently have the time to undertake a large volunteering opportunity alongside my current role. The scoping role seemed like a good alternative - the time commitment is much less, but it’s a means of feeling involved in this initiative. I also have previous statistical consultancy experience, so this felt a natural fit for me.
Has the experience been valuable for your professional development?
Yes, definitely. It’s an excellent means of interacting with a different community to the world of clinical trials. This is both in terms of the personnel from the charities and also the other members of the Scoping Committee. It’s been rewarding to be involved in statistics, but in a completely different domain to my day-to-day role.
What have you enjoyed most about volunteering with the RSS?
I enjoy the discussions I have with the charities – they are enthusiastic and extremely engaged in the work they do and it’s a pleasure working out how we can help them analytically.
What advice would you give to anyone interested in volunteering with the RSS?
There are many opportunities within the RSS, not all of which need to be all-consuming if you don’t have much time to spare.
What’s next?
Yes, I’d like to carry on with this role and perhaps also extend my involvement with S4S by becoming a member of one of their other committees. One day I hope to actually have time to be the volunteer on a S4S project - something different from the day-job! Longer term, I would definitely consider other roles within the RSS.
The Statisticians for Society Scoping Committee is looking for new members - find out more and how to apply.