The Oxford University Statistical Consulting team has just come back from the Royal Statistical Society Conference in Harrogate (4-7 September 2023). In addition to attending many interesting talks, we had the opportunity to organise and participate in two invited sessions. Mariagrazia Zottoli and Cora Mezger gave a talk on the work we are doing with OxUSC, and the challenges and rewards of providing statistical consultancy in an academic setting.

Other contributions came from Penny Reynolds, University of Florida, and Sara Hilditch, Sheffield Statistical Services Unit. We also learned much from a panel session on how to help students develop statistical consultancy skills from a fantastic group of panellists, including our very own Maria Christodoulou, as well as Philip Sedgwick, St. George’s; John Addy, Rothamsted Institute; Serveh Sharifi Far, University of Edinburgh; and Jessica Hargreaves, University of York. It’s been inspiring to hear how skills relevant to a successful statistical consultant career can be integrated in undergraduate and graduate curricula and applied dissertations.