Bernard Silverman


Welcome to Bernard Silverman's home page.  I hold the title of Professor of Statistics at Oxford University and I am currently a Professorial Research Associate at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics and Senior Research Fellow at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.  I am a Fellow of Green Templeton College, Oxford. 

 

On 1 April 2010 I will take up the post of Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office.  

 


Books (selected)


Research

My recent and current research is in a range of areas in theoretical, computational and applied statistics. Particular recent examples include the use of methods of functional data analysis in neuroscience, wavelet and empirical Bayes methods in genomics research, and approaches to the muliresolution analysis of function and image deformations.   My current research appointments involve greater engagement with human genetics and with issues around climate change.  


See my CV for a list of scientific and links to government reports with which I have been involved.


Professional activities

  • I am President of the Royal Statistical Society but will be standing down shortly; see Royal Statistical Society statement.
  • I am a Fellow of the Royal Society and am a member of the Society’s Council for the years 2009 and 2010.   I regularly serve on the Society's committees and working parties. Currently I am chair of the 'State of the Nation' working party which is producing a series of reports on Science and Mathematics education in the United Kingdom
  • I am a former President of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics. Based in the USA, the Institute is the leading international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. One of the main activities of the  Institute is the publication of learned journals in these fields. I have recently completed a term as Editor (jointly with Susan Murphy of the University of Michigan) of the Institute's theoretical and methodological journal Annals of Statistics. The journal receives approximately 500 submissions per year, of which 20% to 25% are accepted for publication.
  • The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008) was conducted jointly by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and its counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I served as chair of the Statistics sub-panel in this exercise.
  • My recent work for the UK Government includes a non-executive directorship of the Defence Analytical Services Agency, the Statistics and Economics agency of  the Ministry of Defence. Recently, I chaired the peer review panel for the Department for Transport's Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow and was a member of the Government’s GM Science Review Panel, which produced two reports on the science behind the debate on genetic modification issues.
  • I am Chair of the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT). The Trust is a registered charity which aims to advance the education of children and young people in mathematics. It organises national mathematics competitions and other mathematical enrichment activities for 11-18 year old UK school pupils. These range from popular "mass" Maths Challenges to team competitions, forums for teachers and the selection and training of the UK team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).  I have also served as Chair of the Joint Mathematical Council of the United Kingdom
  • I am an elected member of the Council of Oxford University, and a member of several university committees.

Please note: Because of pressures on my time, I very much regret that I cannot take on the supervision of research students or the refereeing of scientific papers. Please accept my apologies.


Contact Information

Email:

bernard.silverman AT stats.ox.ac.uk

Web:

www.bernardsilverman.com

Postal address:

Professor Bernard W. Silverman FRS
Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment

Hayes House

75 George Street

Oxford   OX1 2BQ