Name
Karen Facey.
How long have you been an RSS member?
31 years.
Volunteer title
Honorary Officer for Sections and Local Groups.
In a nutshell, your volunteer role is to…
Support the work of Sections and Local Groups who are the 'face of the RSS' for many. My aim is to help them develop their networks and ensure their great expertise is used to further the important policy objectives of the society, like developing professionalism and improving statistical literacy.
Why did you volunteer for this role?
I’m passionate about promoting statistics to develop robust evidence that informs good decisions in all fields. When I undertook a review of sections, I was really impressed by the expertise of our section committees, but felt that more could be done to link them in with the work of staff in Errol Street to promote statistical policy. Hence I took on this role to empower Sections and Local Groups to contribute to the ideals of the RSS.
Why should members get involved in sections and local groups?
Sections cover a diverse range of topics and provide the opportunity for discussion of methodological issues, implementation challenges and professional development. They enable great connections and collaborations. Local Groups bring the RSS to your area – with presentations from internationally renowned speakers and contact with statisticians in your locale working in a range of fields.
What opportunities are there for members to get involved in these groups?
Any RSS member can sign up to a Section or Local Group on their MyRSS profile page and can find out about upcoming meetings on the events calendar.
What if there isn’t a group in their local area or covering their area of interest?
We welcome proposals from groups of RSS members who would like to start up a new Section in an area of statistical methodology or application, or who would like to start a Local Group. Our lovely Membership Engagement Manager, Amaka Nwagbara, will be happy to help with the proposal.
What's the most fun/memorable thing you've done with your local group/section?
Annual meetings with Officers are always great. I love meeting these wonderful volunteers who are the lifeblood of the RSS.
Who is your stats superhero and why?
John Lewis, AstraZeneca and Medicines Control Agency. He was the first statistician at the UK medicines’ regulatory agency and my mentor. He was a pragmatic, wise statistician, whose expertise and diplomacy moved statistics from being a skeptical add on to medicines’ assessment to being an essential part of the evaluation, not just in the UK, but internationally.