Edinburgh Local Group Pre-Conference
Highlighting the Past, Present, and Future of Statistics in Edinburgh
Location: The Bayes Centre
Date: 27 November 2024
Time: 14:30 - 19:30
Note: Registration is required for this event.
14:30 - 15:30 | The Past
Hosted by Tony Wilkes
Two local group members present their work in statistics and data visualisation.
Nevil Hopley, Senior Data Analyst - Scottish Qualifications Authority
The Secret Diary of an RSS Local Group Member
Nevil Hopley will describe the statistical activities that he has been involved in over the last two years that have included changing careers, organising and delivering RSS Local Group events and talks, gaining the RSS Data Science Professional certification, and becoming an RSS Ambassador. The talk's intention will be to demonstrate how the RSS has supported a diverse array of fun and developmental pathways that are open to everyone.
Murray Dick, Senior Lecturer - Newcastle University, School of Journalism
A Cultural Comparative History of Data Journalism in the UK
Drawing partly on personal experience, and partly on journalism historiography, this talk will explore why a culture of data journalism emerged much later in the UK, than it did in the US. This anomaly will be shown to represent a challenge to the 'Anglo-American' model of journalism, as it is commonly understood.
15:30 - 16:30 | The Present
Hosted by Ozan Evkaya
A discussion panel on responsible science in tackling the climate crisis.
Chair: Amy Wilson, Lecturer - University of Edinburgh, School of Mathematics
Amy is a lecturer at The University of Edinburgh in industrial mathematics with a background in interdisciplinary applied statistics for problems in industry and government. Applications she has worked on include the modelling of extremes for energy capacity adequacy studies (assessing the risk of shortfalls), uncertainty quantification (including Bayesian emulation) for large scale computer or simulation models and decision-making under uncertainty in legal cases and energy policy. She is particularly interested in applications in statistics and the law and in energy systems. She is also the current chair of the RSS Statistics and the Law section.
Panelist: Federico Andreis, Head of Quantitative Methods - Nesta
Fede is the Head of Quantitative Methods in the Chief Practices Office at Nesta. He is also responsible for the creation and implementation of activities and processes that ensure Nesta’s practices and missions remain cutting-edge in their use of statistical methods, which includes identifying and addressing learning and development needs across the organisation. Fede also provides scientific and statistical advice to projects across the missions.
Panelist: Connor Galbraith, Senior Data Engineer - Hypercube
Connor has worked across academia, startups, and consultancies specialising in data and machine learning for the energy sector, primarily on power markets and platform design for asset owners and operators. His background spans aerospace engineering, deep reinforcement learning, wind farm optimisation, and battery management, focused on accelerating the clean energy transition towards a fair and sustainable future.
16:30 - 17:00 | Break 1
17:00 - 18:00 | The Future
Hosted by Anastasia Istratuca
Mini-talks from early career researchers in Edinburgh showcasing statistics across various fields.
Johnny Lee, PhD Student - University of Edinburgh, School of Mathematics
Calming the Furious Inferno: A Bayesian Lasso for Tail Index Regression
Extreme events can be better comprehended through the lens of regression models tailored for extreme values. Our work introduces a conditional Pareto-type specification, enriched by Bayesian Lasso-type shrinkage priors and generalised additive framework to identify the drivers of the extreme events.
Maria Insa Iglesias, Data Visualiser - Intelligent Growth Solutions
Data Made Simple: Data Visualisation for Impactful Decisions
Maria is a Data Visualiser and Scientist currently working at Intelligent Growth Solutions, a pioneer company in vertical farming. Her work focuses on turning complex data into accessible visualisations and apps, enabling stakeholders to easily digest information and make data-driven decisions. Maria is particularly interested in advancing human-AI collaboration to develop tools that foster informed decision-making, accessibility and create a positive societal impact.
Ismail Ozkaraca, Postdoctoral Research Fellow - University of Edinburgh, MRC Human Genetics Unit
From Ranking Premier League Teams to Deciphering Temporal Dynamics in Tumour Evolution for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancers
Ismail will discuss how we can study tumour evolution in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancers by tracking DNA changes using a League Model framework adapted from sports rankings.
Clara Panchaud, PhD Student - University of Edinburgh, School of Mathematics
Incorporating Memory into Spatially-Explicit Capture-Recapture Models
Estimating wildlife species abundance and distribution underpins the conservation and management of animal populations and natural reserves. Spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) models are often applied to data collected from camera traps to obtain population and spatial density estimates of animal populations, which are important to assess the conservation status and the impact of conservation actions. The current models consider that an individual’s known location from a previous trap sighting does not influence the probability of being seen at future times, which is unrealistic as animals move through space and time smoothly. We propose a new continuous-time modeling framework to account for spatial correlation of observations due to both an individual’s (latent) activity centre and (known) observed locations from previous captures. I will present the novel model as well as simulations and a case study on American martens.
18:00 - 18:10 | Break 2
18:10 - 18:30 | AGM
Hosted by Tess Vernon
Join the Edinburgh Local Group AGM 2024 to reflect on past events and elect the 2025 committee.
18:30 - 19:30 | Keynote Speech
Ally McAlpine, Chief Statistician - The Scottish Government
Statistics at the Heart of Government: Insights and Innovations from Edinburgh
In this talk, Ally McAlpine will explore the evolving role of official statistics in shaping evidence-based policymaking in Scotland. Ally will highlight key examples of the Scottish Government’s statistical work from recent years, showcasing personal highlights from his tenure as Chief Statistician. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how data-driven insights have shaped responses to critical issues such as public health, economic recovery, and environmental sustainability. The talk will also emphasize Edinburgh’s significance as a hub for statistical innovation and excellence, demonstrating its vital role in fostering a more informed and equitable society.