STATISTICAL CONSULTANCY
AT DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS
DR. GABRIELA CZANNER, 30 NOVEMBER 2011
Web: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics/riscu
Email: riscu@warwick.ac.uk
WHAT IS RISCU
• The Risk Initiative and Statistical Consultancy Unit (RISCU)
• It is one of the foci for the application of statistical methods, risk
and decision analysis and probability
• It is an active unit at the Department of Statistics at the University
of Warwick.
• RISCU’s mission
• Contributing to multi-disciplinary research projects with other
University departments,
• Supporting the application of probability, risk and statistical theory
in other disciplines,
• Executive and continued professional development, other
knowledge transfer activities and the promotion of the
Department's research and professional interests.
Risk Initiative and Statistical Consultancy Unit
Department of Statistics, University of Warwick
PEOPLE AT RISCU
Prof. Simon French
Prof. Jim Smith
Dr. Gabriela Czanner
PEOPLE INVOLVED ON
PROJECTS VIA RISCU
Academics and
students of Department
of Statistics, and
academics from
University of Warwick
Prof. Simon French
Director
Prof. Jim Smith
Chairman
Dr. Gabriela Czanner
Research Fellow
RISCU’s mission. RISCU is one of the foci for the application of statistical methods, risk and
decision analysis and probability within the Department of Statistics at the University of Warwick.
Primarily this takes the form of providing consultancy services across the private, public and NGO
sectors. However, the unit has a role in other forms of engagement both within and outwith the
University: contributing to multi-disciplinary research projects with other university departments
and other organisations, supporting the application of probability, risk and statistical theory in
other disciplines, executive and continued professional development, other knowledge transfer
activities and the promotion of the Department’s research and professional interests.
RISCU’s projects. Our past and recent clients include PWC, RailTrack, The Home Office, the
Forensic Science Service, Unilever, Metro Net, Pesticide Science Division, National Grid, JohnsonMatthey Ltd, NFU Mutual, Law Society, Fugro-Robertson, Noise.co.uk.
Support for external clients. We welcome approaches from organisations to explore how we might
help them address data analytic, risk issues and decision problems. We would emphasise that
RISCU, while situated in the Department of Statistics, is networked into the whole of the University
of Warwick. Thus we can form an interface to a much broader range of consultancy services,
offering both process and content expertise. Indeed, when circumstances demand we will draw in a
range of consultants from outside Warwick. Our aim is to meet our clients’ needs in the most
effective way possible. We seek to build relationships with our clients that enable longer term
knowledge transfer and professional developmental activities.
Support for internal clients. For internal clients from within the University we can provide statistical
advice on projects. RISCU proposes to provide a forum for staff from other Departments with an
interest in statistics. We shall be arranging informal meetings to provide an opportunity for staff to
meet, swap interests, learn what is new and meet some of the Statistics staff.
Contact Information.
RISCU, Department of Statistics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
Email: riscu@warwick.ac.uk, Tel: +44-2476-524630, Web: http:/ / go.warwick.ac.uk/ riscu/
HISTORY
• History of RISCU
• Since 1985 the Statistics Department has had a statistical
consulting service.
• 1995 RISCU was founded by Professor Henry Wynn
• Until June 2011 Dr John Fenlon is director of RISCU
• Since August 2011 Professor Simon French is director of RISCU
• Current ambitions of RISCU
• RISCU is entering a period of growth which will see it expand its
work in risk and decision analysis while maintaining its statistical
consultancy activities.
• We seek to build relationships with our clients that enable longer
term knowledge transfer and professional development activities.
STATISTICAL EXPERTISE
• RISCU’s expertise
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Risk and decision analysis
Applied statistics
Use of statistical software
The expertise of individual staff of RISCU is on web page:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics/riscu
• RISCU links the expertise of Department of Statistics
• RISCU links to expertise of research centres: e.g. CRiSM
• The expertise of individual research staff of Department of Statistics is
on its web page:
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics
• Other academics from across the University as associate consultants
INTERNAL CONSULTANCY
• Contribution for research proposals
• RISCU acts on research proposals and ethical approval applications.
• RISCU as a point of contact to other academics at Department of Statistics
• Club and forum
• RISCU is currently developing a club and forum for stafff and research students
from other Departments and clients of RISCU to provide general statistical, risk
and decision analytic advice and introductions to key areas of statistics that
they may need in their work.
• We shall be arranging informal meetings to provide an opportunity for staff to
meet, swap interests, learn what is new and meet some of the Statistics staff.
• We also plan to develop an occasional seminar series in the Spring of 2012.
• Statistical enquiries to RISCU
• Examples:
• Statistics questions of a PhD research project: student comes to us with his/her supervisor
• Academics come to us with pilot studies that need to be analyzed as an input for grant
applications.
• HRI department hired us to run a statistics help desk on 7 Wednesdays in Summer 2010
• We may give advice or recommend other statistician from Dep. of Statistics.
• However, please note that neither we nor others in the Department can offer
unlimited statistical advice without funding.
EXTERNAL CONSULTANCY
• Advisory Service
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•
•
•
•
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Help and guidance on all statistical matters
Statistical, risk and decision analysis
Sampling and experimental design
Statistical analysis of all forms of data
Modelling, statistical computing
Data visualisation and presentation
• Data Analysis and Reporting
• We can provide full statistical, risk and decision analytic analyses
supported professional reports.
• Research
• We provide access to modern statistical, risk and decision analytic
techniques and ideas that can enhance clients' projects and add
considerable value to their businesses.
• Proof of concepts for cutting edge methodology
• RISCU often involves other academic from the Department and
sometimes others from across the University as associate consultants.
EXTERNAL CONSULTANCY
• RISCU provides statistical consultancy to clients with different
needs
• We have worked with small companies where short term
guidance was needed. This has included advice on data
management and on what basic statistical methods to use to best
meet their goal.
• Larger, national and international companies have come to us
with projects involving analysis using classical or Bayesian methods
for data analysis, software development for modern statistical
methods, reporting.
• Our past and recent clients include
• PWC, RailTrack, The Home Office, the Forensic Science Service,
Unilever, Metro Net, Pesticide Science Division, National Grid,
Johnson-Matthey Ltd, NFU Mutual, Law Society, Fugro-Robertson,
Noise.co.uk.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN
YOU MEET A STATISTICIAN?
• For effective collaboration the statistician will need to learn
• If you need to design experiment or collected data already?
• It is crucial that you come to statistician before you collect data!
• “To consult the statistician after an experiment is finished is often merely to ask
him to conduct a post mortem examination. He can perhaps say what the
experiment died of.” (Ronald Fisher)
• What are your goals or hypotheses?
• Or if you want to do a descriptive exploratory study.
• Statistician will need to learn about your subject
• About your specific research area in physics, chemistry…
• Sources of variability: bias, measurement errors, potential other factors…
• Most of the real life statistical problems are much more complex than the
textbook statistical examples.
• The statistician will need to do his own research to see what statistical methods
are most appropriate for your analysis.
• Statisticians are trained to extend the existing statistical methods into new
modern statistical methods that most effectively answer your research questions.
• Ideally the best is to form a collaborative partnership with statistician
THANK YOU
Contact Information:
RISCU
Department of Statistics
University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
e: riscu@warwick.ac.uk
t: +44-2476-524630
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/statistics/riscu/