If You Can Calculate Risk, You Can Make Better Judgments

If You Can Calculate Risk, You Can Make Better Judgments

Insight

How do we live with risk? How do we quantify it? How do we talk about it? Can we understand uncertainty better? David has made this his life's work.

David Spiegelhalter is Winton Professor of the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge and Senior Scientist in the MRC Biostatistics Unit. 

His background is in medical statistics, particularly the use of Bayesian methods in clinical trials, health technology assessment and drug safety.  

He led the statistical team in the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry and also gave evidence to the Shipman Inquiry.  In his post, he leads a small team which attempts to improve the way in which the quantitative aspects of risk and uncertainty are discussed in society.  

He works closely with the Millennium Mathematics Project in trying to bring risk and uncertainty into education.  

He gives many presentations to schools and others, advises organisations on risk communication, and is a regular newspaper columnist on current risk issues. 

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