Statistics great and good – at the double

05 Sep 2016

University hosts two major statistical conferences attracting 750 delegates

The annual Royal Statistical Society international conference is taking place at the University this week – bringing together 750 of the world’s leading statisticians and users of big data.

In addition to the RSS’s conference, a parallel meeting of the Government Statistical Service is also being held on the University’s campus.

Dr Richard Emsley, Professor of Medical Statistics in the Centre for Biostatistics, is the conference’s Programme Chair, and the conference board has put together a programme reflecting Manchester’s role as European City of Science. Session streams cover topics from data science and medical statistics through to statistics in sport.

“One of the reasons the University was selected to host both conferences this year is the outstanding role statisticians play in almost every aspect of the University’s research activity,” Professor Emsley said.

“There are major statistics groups based in each Faculty – including biostatistics, social statistics, and mathematical statistics – so our role is truly interdisciplinary. Having the chance to show 750 of the best statisticians in the world our facilities – and our people – is a great honour.”

There are a number of keynote speakers, including the former Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission discussing the relation between policy makers and statisticians – a topic which has taken on even more significance given the EU referendum outcome.

The Royal Statistical Society was founded in 1834, and as well as being the professional body for all statisticians and data analysts, is one of the world’s oldest learned societies.