Prof Mark Kelson
Professor of Statistics for Health
Location: Laver Building 604
Telephone: 01392 722562
Extension: (Streatham) 2562
I am a statistician/biostatistician/data scientist/data consultant/machine learner/data botherer (delete as appropriate).
What I do is analyse data using whatever approach fits best. Actually, that’s not quite correct. I mostly attend meetings and write recommendation letters these days (I’m getting pretty good at both). But occasionally I carve out enough time to do some actual work and I’m never happier.
I paddle my metaphorical canoe at the confluence of clinical trials, medical statistics, causal inference, reproducibility and data science. The waters are choppy. And murky. And filled with hungry giant octopuses. Where was I?
I apply myself to human health- mostly physical activity and mental health but I increasingly work on policy evaluation.
I suppose the perfect study for me would be an open and pre-registered policy evaluation of physical activity on some health outcome (with free coffee, international travel and academic acclaim assured).
I am interested in bringing the rigour, methodology and philosophy of clinical trials into settings outside of trials, as well as delivering the insights that causal inference brings into the trials setting. If this sounds good to you, do get in touch.
I’m on LinkedIn, BlueSky and Mastodon
And for the search engine optimisation, here’s a word-explosion: statistics, causality, data science, machine learning, clinical trials, policy evaluation, Nobel-prize winning potential, devastatingly handsome, hilarious, genius god-like brilliance.
Teaching
I lead an MSc module called “Working with Data”. I lead the Applied Data Science and Statistics programme. I am the academic lead for an undergraduate degree apprenticeship in Data Science run in partnership with Exeter College. I also run meta-analysis training with Cardiff University.
Other bits
I am a research Fellow with the Alan Turing Institute.
I am the Reproducibility Network institutional lead for the University of Exeter and chair of the ethics committee for Engineering, Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics.
I am an Assistant Director for the Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence with the remit of partnerships. I sit on the IDSAI management group.
I am an editor for Statistical Methods in Medical Research http://journals.sagepub.com/home/smm and statistical editor for the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/
I am available to supervise undergraduate projects on physical activity or mental health. I currently supervise
Xiaoqing Chen - The Alan Turing Institute - “Theory and Application of Highly Multivariate High-dimensional Spatial Stochastic Processes”
Olivia Malkowski - University of Bath - “Developing a precision, machine learning-powered, technological intervention to promote physical activity and healthy ageing in older adults of low socioeconomic status.”
Ceren Barlas - University of Exeter - “An index for climate change adaptation in the UK”
Marisa Casanova Dias - University of Cardiff - “Individualising the risk of recurrence for women with bipolar disorder in the perinatal period”
I sit on a number of committees for trials including