Sir Bernard Silverman FRS

I am a statistician whose research has ranged widely across theoretical and practical aspects of statistics. The focus has been on computational statistics, researching the ways that computing power has changed our ability to collect, analyse, understand and utilise data.  I have collaborated in many scientific fields, and with various areas of industry and government.  After an academic career, I spent seven years as Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office.

I now work freelance, with roles including research, consultancy, and expert advice.  My current portfolio encompasses modern slavery, security, official statistics, research integrity, and science and technology for policy and government.  

Modern slavery: my work (more details here) centres around my post as Professor of Modern Slavery Statistics at Nottingham University and also encompasses various national and international advisory activities.  
 
Other major current activities include chairing the implementation group of the "Era of Mathematics" review; Chief Scientific Adviser to PUBLIC; advisory board member of Goodbox and board member of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology.   
A full list  is available here.   

Security: I chair the Technology Advisory Panel to the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, whose office provides independent oversight of the use of investigatory powers by intelligence agencies, police forces and other public authorities.

The Census: I chair the Methodological Assurance Panel for the Modernisation of the 2021 Census. Our task is to assure the National Statistician that the statistics resulting from the 2021 Census will meet the code of practice for official statistics and that the predominately online census is methodologically robust.

Some interviews and talks about me and what I do

A photo from Chalkdust

I talked to the students from UCL who edit Chalkdust magazine about science, statistics, government and more besides.  

When I was at the Home Office, I was interviewed for the house magazine Inside Track. 

For more about statistics and Modern Slavery, watch this TEDx talk. There's also a podcast, a radio segment and a webinar on my Modern Slavery media page.

Part of a conference on Global Systems Dynamics and Policy, this podcast has some thoughts about the larger aspects of the way that science interacts with policy.

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