Statistical Literacy

Rhys, Professor of Statistical Literacy, is an internationally recognised educational leader with significant experience in curriculum development and curriculum theory, statistics education, and engaging students in small and large classroom settings (offline and online). He also has extensive experience of using digital literacy skills and learning analytics to enhance the student experience, using digital platforms to assess student engagement and interaction. His disciplinary background was originally in the areas of biochemistry and immunology, which later focused on his passion for building bridges to make statistics more accessible for students and teachers

Rhys is a member of the Royal Statistical Society teaching section, as well as the Education Policy Advisory Group. Both committees work on a National and international level to improve the teaching of statistics and data science in schools, universities and relevant industry sectors. He is also a trustee of the Teaching Statistics Trust and an International Statistical Institute elected member. Formerly, he worked as an Associate Dean of Education at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, at the University of Surrey. Prior to this, he was based in the Department of Statistics at the University of Auckland, which is a world leading department in the areas of statistics and statistics education.

He has a broad academic background in the areas of biology, chemistry, statistics, and education, and has held lecturing positions at institutions including Cardiff University, London Southeast College, and Birmingham City University. Over his career he has taught a variety of subjects, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, which include statistics, quantitative methods, mathematics for science, teacher training, research methods, biomedical science, nutrition and organic chemistry, health and well-being, and clinical anatomy and physiology. He has also taught a variety of science-based subjects in FE colleges, which include GCSE, BTEC, Access and A levels. His primary research contributions are in the areas of curriculum development, randomness misconceptions, and the role of context in statistics education. Rhys's research interests also focus on mathematical and statistical anxiety, helping to inform strategies to engage and motivate people in these subjects.

Rhys has developed global perspectives and methods in using active learning approaches in the teaching of statistics, to thousands of students over his career. In using these approaches, he has thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of bringing to life the teaching of statistics, across a range of disciplines and education levels (in schools and at university) across the planet. These teaching and learning activities have been incorporated throughout his books, to help engage and excite people in the art of statistical literacy, and the creation of compelling data stories.