‘Mathematics, statistics, data-science and public health emergencies‘
Dr Thomas Finnie, Head of Modelling and Data-Science for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response
“In this presentation, Dr Thomas Finnie from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) taught us all about the role of mathematical modelling, in both anticipating future emergencies and responding to current ones.
The talk started with a brief background on Tom, his time as a PhD student at Imperial College London, and as a postgrad at University of Oxford, prior to joining the UKHSA. We were then given a tour of the workflow for a mathematician outside of academia, the role of modelling in policy-making and the difficulties of communicating mathematics to non-experts.
This was contextualised by a number of recent examples which the UKHSA has worked on, with in-depth discussions of the underlying logic model design for each example.
The role of logical problem solving in public sector health work was highlighted, citing the need to consider the ways in which modelling assumptions can change the interpretation of statistics.
The talk concluded with a discussion of public sector work as an alternative post-PhD pathway, alongside academia and industry, signposting opportunities with various UK bodies, including the UKHSA, the Government Operational Research Service (GORS), the NHS and various others.”
- Emma Tarmey, Compass CDT student (Cohort 4) and Megan Ruffle, PhD student, School of Mathematics.
Speaker’s abstract:
Of all the events that can affect a population, those most broadly felt, and with the deepest effects, are those associated with public health. Public health is driven by quantitative analysis and data, and intersects many other realms within the scientific sphere: from chemical reaction kinetics at the lowest level, through the physics of particles and plumes, to the behaviour of individuals and crowds at the population level.
In this talk, through a range of examples, from ‘confirmatory’ testing of Lateral Flow Device (LFD) results during the Covid 19 pandemic, via how optimisation and emulation matter in finding disease sources, to how machine vision and remotely sensed data can aid a response, Dr Finnie will look at the role that mathematics, statistics and data-science play in the preparedness for and response to public health emergencies.
About Dr Finnie:
Dr Thomas Finnie is Head of Modelling and Data-Science for Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR) at the UK Health Security Agency and is an expert member of the Scientific Pandemic Infections group on Modelling (SPI-M).
He has provided advice to decision makers across a diverse range of events, including the 2009 and 2020 pandemics, and preparedness for incidents including the 2012 Olympics, Ebola in Africa, Zika and bioterrorism.
About the UKHSA:
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is the national public health agency, with a broad remit to prevent, prepare for and respond to infectious diseases, and environmental hazards. It aims to keep all our communities safe, save lives and protect livelihoods.
Schedule:
- 2.00pm – 3.00pm – Seminar + Q&A – G.07, Fry Building
- 3.00pm – 4.00pm – Refreshments and networking session – Common Room, Fry Building