Mathematics and statistics

Mathematics and statisticsBayesian statistical approaches to problems in ecology and the environment

In this research programme, Kerry Mengersen will focus on Bayesian statistical approaches to problems in ecology and the environment, such as the identification of anomalies in water quality and conservation of coral reefs.

She is interested in Bayesian modelling, computation and application. Regarding modelling, she focuses on representations of complex systems, such as those with latent structures (e.g., mixture models) or interacting structures (e.g., networks).

Regarding computations, she is currently interested in approximate simulation methods (e.g. ABC) and methods for tackling high dimensional problems.

Regarding applications, she focuses mainly on substantive problems in ecology and environment, health and society.

This will require the development of new Bayesian methods and efficient algorithms for highly structured big data and systems data.

Applied statistician, Kerry Mengersen holds a Research Chair in Statistics at the Queensland University of Technology.

She is also an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, and a Fellow of a number of professional statistical societies.