December 2019: Sir Bernard Silverman FRS

Bernard Silverman’s research has ranged widely across theoretical and practical aspects of statistics. His focus has been on computational statistics, investigating the ways that computing power has changed our ability to collect, analyse, understand and utilise data. He has collaborated in many scientific fields, and with various areas of industry and government. He has held senior academic positions at the Universities of Bath, Bristol and Oxford, where he was Master of St Peter’s College from 2003 to 2009, as well as being a regular academic visitor to universities worldwide, most frequently Stanford, California. From 2010 to 2017 he was Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office.

He now works freelance, with roles including research, consultancy, and expert advice. His current portfolio encompasses modern slavery, security, official statistics, research integrity, and science and technology for policy and government. He is a past president of the Royal Statistical Society and was knighted in 2018 for Public Service and services to science.