Congratulations to RSS fellow and Chartered Statistician, Professor Stephen Evans, who was made an MBE for services to the Safety of Medicines in the 2024 New Years Honours List. Stephen is Emeritus Professor of Pharmacoepidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He has had a long and distinguished career in medical statistics, including working with data-monitoring committees for both drug and vaccine trials. Until 2018, he was an independent expert member of the Pharmacovigilance (Drug Safety) and Risk Assessment Committee at the European Medicines Agency, and he continues to be involved in activities of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and in the OpenSafely collaboration. He also provided important analysis and media commentary on vaccine and treatment trials for COVID-19.
Other notable recipients of honours from the world of statistics and data science include:
Professor John Edmunds, Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who received a Knighthood for services to Epidemiology.
Professor Michaela Benzeval, Professor of Longitudinal Research and Director of Understanding Society at the University of Essex was made a CBE for services to social science.
Dr Laura Gilbert, Director of Data Science in the Prime Minister’s Office was made a CBE for services to Technology and Analysis.
Tim Gardam, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Foundation, was made a CBE for services to Journalism and to Education.
Thomas Critchley, Data Scientist in the Prime Minister’s Office was made an OBE for services to Evidence-Based Policy.
Tori Olphin, Chief Data Scientist and Head of Research at Thames Valley Police, made an MBE for services to Technology in the Public Sector.
RSS CEO Dr Sarah Cumbers commented, “We’re very happy to see so many statisticians and data scientists in the New Years Honours List once again, as well as those whose work supports a greater public understanding of our disciplines. This is reflective of the huge importance of data in our society, and it's good to see the leaders in the field getting the recognition they deserve. Congratulations to all those who have received an honour.”