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Statistics

The Statistics Group conducts wide-ranging research, balancing the development of core statistical methodology and computation with substantive applications across a diverse range of fields. Our research themes include advancing Bayesian and nonparametric statistics, tackling challenges in uncertainty quantification for complex computer models, and developing novel methods for modelling structure, geometry, and shape. We also explore the foundations of statistics, including decision theory and imprecise probability. This methodological expertise is applied to address complex, large-scale challenges in fields such as cosmology, health, finance, energy, engineering, and systems biology.

Louis Aslett

Louis’ research spans methodology and applications in computational statistics, machine learning, and reliability theory. Woven through these areas he has a particular interest in both privacy aspects and high-performance computing.

Louis Aslett

Frank Coolen

Frank works mainly on theory, methods and applications of nonparametric predictive inference, statistical reproducibility, and system reliability.

Frank Coolen

Tahani Coolen-Maturi

Tahani works mainly on the development and application of nonparametric predictive inference, with further interests in reliability, survival analysis, diagnostic accuracy, and modelling dependence.

Tahani Coolen-Maturi

Peter Craig

Peter works on statistical methodology and applications to risk assessment, frequently for the European Food Safety Authority. Subjectivist Bayesian foundations and random effects models support synthesis of limited expert judgements with data.

Peter Craig

Jonathan Cumming

My research focuses on applied and computational statistics, developing Bayesian and Bayes linear methods for uncertainty analysis, emulation, and model assessment, with applications in engineering, environment, and complex simulations.

Jonathan Cumming

Reza Drikvandi

Reza works on high-dimensional statistics, change point analysis, statistical inference, longitudinal and survival analysis, addressing complex problems with applications in medical research, finance, and the social sciences.

Reza Drikvandi

Hailiang Du

Hailiang works on statistical and machine-learning methods for uncertainty quantification, probabilistic forecasting, and nonlinear dynamical systems, with applications in weather and climate modelling, energy, and environmental resilience.

Hailiang Du

Eimear Dunne

Eimear is on the Education track with an emphasis on teaching mathematics to students with a non-mathematical background and accessible module materials.

Eimear Dunne

Jochen Einbeck

Jochen works on statistical methodology for a range of statistical modelling scenarios including count data models, mixture models, and nonparametric regression. On the applied side, his main interests are statistical dosimetry as well as the analysi

Jochen Einbeck

Michael Goldstein

Michael works on foundations, methods and applications of statistics and decision making, with particular emphasis on Bayes linear inference and Uncertainty Quantification for large computer models.

Michael Goldstein

Andrew Golightly

Andrew works on Bayesian inference methodology for complex stochastic processes, including stochastic differential equations and jump processes, with applications in epidemiology, population ecology and systems biology.

Andrew Golightly

John Paul Gosling

JP uses Bayesian inference and expert elicitation to bridge qualitative insights and quantitative analysis in decision-making under uncertainty. He has worked on applications in fields such as toxicological risk assessment and flood risk management.

John Paul Gosling

Sarah Heaps

Sarah works primarily on Bayesian time-series analysis, latent variable modelling and the development of structured prior distributions. Her research is largely motivated by applications in the life sciences.

Sarah Heaps

Andrew Iskauskas

Andrew works in uncertainty quantification and calibration for complex computer models, using Bayes Linear emulation and history matching, with applications in epidemiology and physics.

Andrew Iskauskas

Samuel Jackson

Sam works on the Uncertainty Quantification, statistical analysis and Bayesian emulation of computer models, with applications including defence-threat reduction, epidemiology, physiology, systems biology and X-ray imaging.

Samuel Jackson

Ian Jermyn

My research focuses on applied and computational statistics, developing and applying Bayesian and Bayes linear methods for uncertainty analysis, emulation, and model assessment, with applications in engineering and environmental modelling.

Ian Jermyn

Sungkyung Kang

Sungkyung’s research interests include survey methodology and multilevel model analysis using population-based data. She is also interested in interpreting quantitative and qualitative findings through social and cultural lenses.

Sungkyung Kang

Georgios Karagiannis

Georgios is a Bayesian statistician focused on statistical modelling, uncertainty quantification, spatial statistics, computational methods for complex models, and statistical machine learning.

Georgios Karagiannis

James Liley

James works mostly in theory and applications of predictive models, with a particular interest in making use of predictions in medical settings. He also has interests in high-dimensional statistics, data security, and clinical trials.

James Liley

Hyeyoung Maeng

Hyeyoung works on change-point detection, dimension reduction, high-dimensional statistics, factor analysis and time series, with applications in finance and environment.

Hyeyoung Maeng

Cuong Nguyen

Cuong’s research includes methodology, theory, and applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence, with particular interests in the intersections of deep learning and statistics.

Cuong Nguyen

Emmanuel Ogundimu

Emmanuel's research focuses on variable selection, machine learning, and sample selection models, developing high-dimensional and semiparametric methods for rare-event data in biostatistics, clinical trials, credit scoring, and omics.

Emmanuel Ogundimu

Rachel Oughton

Rachel’s main area of research is causal inference in controlled and observational studies, particularly in the social sciences. She is also interested in quantification of uncertainty in computer models, and is involved in several outreach projects.

Rachel Oughton

Ian Vernon

Ian develops and applies Bayesian approaches to Uncertainty Quantification for the analysis of complex physical systems. Application areas include cosmology, epidemiology, nuclear physics, geology and systems biology.

Ian Vernon

Darren Wilkinson

Darren uses computational Bayesian inference to study stochastic dynamical systems and other complex models. He works on substantive applications in fields such as systems biology and engineering.

Darren Wilkinson

News from our department

Durham University to help deliver AI Growth Zone

Durham University will take a key role in delivering a new AI Growth Zone in North East England – an initiative that promises to create thousands of jobs.
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National Astronomy Meeting 2025 - exploring Durham’s rich astronomical research

Almost a thousand of the world’s top space scientists will visit Durham University next week (7 to 11 July) as we host the UK’s National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) 2025.
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