Mark Brewer
@markjbrewer.bsky.social
Director of Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BioSS) www.bioss.ac.uk - but not the Michigan politician...
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Our colleagues Esther Jones and @kateywhyte.bsky.social contributed to delivering a multi-generational workshop, bringing together young people, educators, academics, and industry leaders. 🌍
Read more about the project here:
www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
Funded by @sefariscot.bsky.social.
Read more about the project here:
www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
Funded by @sefariscot.bsky.social.
Adapting Education to the Climate Transition: A collaborative workshop for change
BioSS participated in a multi-actor and multi-generational workshop on rethinking how education meets the demands of the climate transition.
www.bioss.ac.uk
November 11, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Our colleagues Esther Jones and @kateywhyte.bsky.social contributed to delivering a multi-generational workshop, bringing together young people, educators, academics, and industry leaders. 🌍
Read more about the project here:
www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
Funded by @sefariscot.bsky.social.
Read more about the project here:
www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
Funded by @sefariscot.bsky.social.
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Say what you want, but these companies’ commitment to releasing half baked, insecure, or just plain dangerous products is something to behold.
AI browsers are here, and they're already being hacked
Hackers can target AI browsers with prompts hidden in websites.
www.nbcnews.com
October 31, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Say what you want, but these companies’ commitment to releasing half baked, insecure, or just plain dangerous products is something to behold.
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Our colleagues @spcatterall.bsky.social & Martin Knight attended the ModStatSAP network UK - France Workshop 2025 in Paris last week and presented work on “Modelling disease spread when the populations at risk are poorly mapped” & “Disease risk-based trading in the Scottish cattle trading system”
October 30, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Our colleagues @spcatterall.bsky.social & Martin Knight attended the ModStatSAP network UK - France Workshop 2025 in Paris last week and presented work on “Modelling disease spread when the populations at risk are poorly mapped” & “Disease risk-based trading in the Scottish cattle trading system”
Reposted by Mark Brewer
This year’s SEFARI Science for Life Lecture, hosted by @bioss.bsky.social, was delivered by David G. Farquhar FRGS - a talk that championed throwing out the rule book and finding your niche.
As he put it, ‘Science is a chance to be daring.’
As he put it, ‘Science is a chance to be daring.’
October 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
This year’s SEFARI Science for Life Lecture, hosted by @bioss.bsky.social, was delivered by David G. Farquhar FRGS - a talk that championed throwing out the rule book and finding your niche.
As he put it, ‘Science is a chance to be daring.’
As he put it, ‘Science is a chance to be daring.’
Reposted by Mark Brewer
We tried to tell y'all to stop calling everything "AI" many years ago and you just wouldn't listen and now the poor machine learners must also suffer alongside the statisticians 😜
so I can explain this: it's not generative AI: it's usually deep learning models trained on meteorology tasks and it can be quite effective
I know It would only annoy me, but if you are using weather balloons for data, where does the AI come in?
Because it sounds like they’re just doing meteorology and complicating it with AI.
Because it sounds like they’re just doing meteorology and complicating it with AI.
October 24, 2025 at 4:23 PM
We tried to tell y'all to stop calling everything "AI" many years ago and you just wouldn't listen and now the poor machine learners must also suffer alongside the statisticians 😜
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Check out this new publication from our Dave Ewing, on tracking the spread of #AvianInfluenza inside a #seabird colony.
📰 Read the summary: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
📕 Read the full paper: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@daveewing.bsky.social @animalecology.bsky.social
📰 Read the summary: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
📕 Read the full paper: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@daveewing.bsky.social @animalecology.bsky.social
Inside a Seabird Colony: Tracking the Spread of Avian Influenza
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has caused unprecedented mortality in wild birds and led to the culling of millions of poultry worldwide. Since 2021, this ongoing global outbreak has severely...
www.bioss.ac.uk
October 17, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Check out this new publication from our Dave Ewing, on tracking the spread of #AvianInfluenza inside a #seabird colony.
📰 Read the summary: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
📕 Read the full paper: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@daveewing.bsky.social @animalecology.bsky.social
📰 Read the summary: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
📕 Read the full paper: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@daveewing.bsky.social @animalecology.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Kind reminder that the registration deadline for the SEFARI Science for Life Lecture 2025 is today! tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
"Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society" by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh
"Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society" by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh
October 17, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Kind reminder that the registration deadline for the SEFARI Science for Life Lecture 2025 is today! tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
"Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society" by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh
"Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society" by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh
Reposted by Mark Brewer
🎉 A HUGE congratulations to the winners of the ENRA conference poster session
🥇Oana Petre @rowettinstitute.bsky.social
🥈Amanpreet Kaur @hutton.ac.uk
🥉Gillian Mitchell @moredunfoundation.bsky.social
The early career researcher prize went to Grant Henderson @bioss.bsky.social
🥇Oana Petre @rowettinstitute.bsky.social
🥈Amanpreet Kaur @hutton.ac.uk
🥉Gillian Mitchell @moredunfoundation.bsky.social
The early career researcher prize went to Grant Henderson @bioss.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 11:03 AM
🎉 A HUGE congratulations to the winners of the ENRA conference poster session
🥇Oana Petre @rowettinstitute.bsky.social
🥈Amanpreet Kaur @hutton.ac.uk
🥉Gillian Mitchell @moredunfoundation.bsky.social
The early career researcher prize went to Grant Henderson @bioss.bsky.social
🥇Oana Petre @rowettinstitute.bsky.social
🥈Amanpreet Kaur @hutton.ac.uk
🥉Gillian Mitchell @moredunfoundation.bsky.social
The early career researcher prize went to Grant Henderson @bioss.bsky.social
Reposted by Mark Brewer
📢 Last chance for the 2025 SEFARI Science for Life Lecture organised by @bioss.bsky.social!
How can we better deploy science to create impact? - David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⌛12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by tomorrow! 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
How can we better deploy science to create impact? - David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⌛12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by tomorrow! 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Science for Life Lecture
Science for Life Lecture hosted by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland
tinyurl.com
October 16, 2025 at 3:01 PM
📢 Last chance for the 2025 SEFARI Science for Life Lecture organised by @bioss.bsky.social!
How can we better deploy science to create impact? - David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⌛12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by tomorrow! 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
How can we better deploy science to create impact? - David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⌛12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by tomorrow! 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Reposted by Mark Brewer
A nice thread highlighting key findings from our new paper estimating parameters of #HPAI in subsequent outbreaks in common terns. We developed a Bayesian inference approach to infer parameters from just carcass counts. #seabirds #statisticalecology #diseaseecology
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
October 9, 2025 at 10:35 AM
A nice thread highlighting key findings from our new paper estimating parameters of #HPAI in subsequent outbreaks in common terns. We developed a Bayesian inference approach to infer parameters from just carcass counts. #seabirds #statisticalecology #diseaseecology
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
doi.org/10.1111/1365...
Reposted by Mark Brewer
October 5, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Reposted by Mark Brewer
One path to a successful career as a columnist is to be repeatedly wrong. Not to have unique takes on matters of opinion, but confident declarations proven wrong by events. If you can condescend to people proven right no matter how often you are wrong, the most prominent media would like to pay you.
October 4, 2025 at 11:17 AM
One path to a successful career as a columnist is to be repeatedly wrong. Not to have unique takes on matters of opinion, but confident declarations proven wrong by events. If you can condescend to people proven right no matter how often you are wrong, the most prominent media would like to pay you.
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Join us at the SEFARI Science for Life Lecture 2025!
Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society
by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society
by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Science for Life Lecture
Science for Life Lecture hosted by Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 3, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Join us at the SEFARI Science for Life Lecture 2025!
Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society
by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Giving life to your science so it impacts the transformation of agriculture, environment and society
by David G Farquhar FRGS
🗓️Friday Oct 24th
⏰12:30 - 3:30pm
📍Edinburgh Training and Conference Venue
Register by 17th Oct: tinyurl.com/mv3smw57
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Wikipedia:
▫️Free
▫️Sources at the bottom
▫️Full edit history
▫️Discussion page to check controversies
▫️Openly stated editing policies
Academia: "This isn't trustworthy!!"
AI:
▫️Literally none of the above and, usually, the complete opposite
Academia: "I guess we have to embrace this!"
▫️Free
▫️Sources at the bottom
▫️Full edit history
▫️Discussion page to check controversies
▫️Openly stated editing policies
Academia: "This isn't trustworthy!!"
AI:
▫️Literally none of the above and, usually, the complete opposite
Academia: "I guess we have to embrace this!"
September 19, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Wikipedia:
▫️Free
▫️Sources at the bottom
▫️Full edit history
▫️Discussion page to check controversies
▫️Openly stated editing policies
Academia: "This isn't trustworthy!!"
AI:
▫️Literally none of the above and, usually, the complete opposite
Academia: "I guess we have to embrace this!"
▫️Free
▫️Sources at the bottom
▫️Full edit history
▫️Discussion page to check controversies
▫️Openly stated editing policies
Academia: "This isn't trustworthy!!"
AI:
▫️Literally none of the above and, usually, the complete opposite
Academia: "I guess we have to embrace this!"
Reposted by Mark Brewer
960+ people. 4 days. 1 unforgettable conference. Thanks to everyone who made #RSS2025 such a standout event!
Our president John Aston shares some reflections, including a timely reminder that transparency is key to trust in official stats 👉 rss.org.uk/news-publica...
Our president John Aston shares some reflections, including a timely reminder that transparency is key to trust in official stats 👉 rss.org.uk/news-publica...
President's blog: Reflections on a record breaking RSS Conference
rss.org.uk
September 8, 2025 at 1:53 PM
960+ people. 4 days. 1 unforgettable conference. Thanks to everyone who made #RSS2025 such a standout event!
Our president John Aston shares some reflections, including a timely reminder that transparency is key to trust in official stats 👉 rss.org.uk/news-publica...
Our president John Aston shares some reflections, including a timely reminder that transparency is key to trust in official stats 👉 rss.org.uk/news-publica...
Reposted by Mark Brewer
We're heading to the @royalstatsoc.bsky.social International Conference this week in Edinburgh! 📊
Our team are contributing to the exciting programme by leading 11 sessions, giving 11 talks, and presenting 2 posters.🎤🗣️
Hopefully see you there!
#RSS2025Conf #RSS2025 #Statistics
Our team are contributing to the exciting programme by leading 11 sessions, giving 11 talks, and presenting 2 posters.🎤🗣️
Hopefully see you there!
#RSS2025Conf #RSS2025 #Statistics
September 1, 2025 at 7:14 AM
We're heading to the @royalstatsoc.bsky.social International Conference this week in Edinburgh! 📊
Our team are contributing to the exciting programme by leading 11 sessions, giving 11 talks, and presenting 2 posters.🎤🗣️
Hopefully see you there!
#RSS2025Conf #RSS2025 #Statistics
Our team are contributing to the exciting programme by leading 11 sessions, giving 11 talks, and presenting 2 posters.🎤🗣️
Hopefully see you there!
#RSS2025Conf #RSS2025 #Statistics
Reposted by Mark Brewer
BioSS researcher Dr Ana Couto worked with a team of international scientists who tracked over 100 marine species of large vertebrates to identify the most critical locations for conservation in the global ocean. 🌍🌊
Read more here: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
#conservation #marinebiology
Read more here: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
#conservation #marinebiology
Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets
The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals to protect, conserve, and manage at least 30% of the world's oceans in an effort to halt the loss of important mari...
www.bioss.ac.uk
August 21, 2025 at 12:47 PM
BioSS researcher Dr Ana Couto worked with a team of international scientists who tracked over 100 marine species of large vertebrates to identify the most critical locations for conservation in the global ocean. 🌍🌊
Read more here: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
#conservation #marinebiology
Read more here: www.bioss.ac.uk/case-studies...
#conservation #marinebiology
Reposted by Mark Brewer
I really dislike how science has started calling almost any fancy computational technique AI. 🧪
The framing of this entire article makes it sound like a benevolent AI independently made these drugs.
That is *pure fantasy*.
Instead: a team of scientists made a machine learning model for a study.
The framing of this entire article makes it sound like a benevolent AI independently made these drugs.
That is *pure fantasy*.
Instead: a team of scientists made a machine learning model for a study.
August 15, 2025 at 6:14 AM
I really dislike how science has started calling almost any fancy computational technique AI. 🧪
The framing of this entire article makes it sound like a benevolent AI independently made these drugs.
That is *pure fantasy*.
Instead: a team of scientists made a machine learning model for a study.
The framing of this entire article makes it sound like a benevolent AI independently made these drugs.
That is *pure fantasy*.
Instead: a team of scientists made a machine learning model for a study.
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Registration is now open to attend the one-day workshop on “Statistical Challenges in the Agri-Environment Sector” organised jointly by the BIR (British and Irish Region of the International Biometric Society) and NABES (UK Network of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statisticians).
August 12, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Registration is now open to attend the one-day workshop on “Statistical Challenges in the Agri-Environment Sector” organised jointly by the BIR (British and Irish Region of the International Biometric Society) and NABES (UK Network of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statisticians).
Reposted by Mark Brewer
I'm not saying you can't generate a hypothesis from data.
I'm just saying that generating a hypothesis from the entirety of human knowledge that preceded your data is a much safer bet.
I'm just saying that generating a hypothesis from the entirety of human knowledge that preceded your data is a much safer bet.
July 4, 2025 at 2:16 PM
I'm not saying you can't generate a hypothesis from data.
I'm just saying that generating a hypothesis from the entirety of human knowledge that preceded your data is a much safer bet.
I'm just saying that generating a hypothesis from the entirety of human knowledge that preceded your data is a much safer bet.
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Our Iain McKendrick is at the Royal Highland Show 2025 to launch a new public information film. It warns about the risks from bringing animal and plant products into Scotland. 🧀🥩✈️
🎦Watch here: www.epicscotland.org/resources/an...
@epicscotland.bsky.social @planthealthscot.bsky.social @hutton.ac.uk
🎦Watch here: www.epicscotland.org/resources/an...
@epicscotland.bsky.social @planthealthscot.bsky.social @hutton.ac.uk
June 20, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Our Iain McKendrick is at the Royal Highland Show 2025 to launch a new public information film. It warns about the risks from bringing animal and plant products into Scotland. 🧀🥩✈️
🎦Watch here: www.epicscotland.org/resources/an...
@epicscotland.bsky.social @planthealthscot.bsky.social @hutton.ac.uk
🎦Watch here: www.epicscotland.org/resources/an...
@epicscotland.bsky.social @planthealthscot.bsky.social @hutton.ac.uk
Reposted by Mark Brewer
The latest Household Costs Indices (HCIs) are out: www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...
March HCI inflation: 2.6% (same as CPI)
But the detail matters:
Non-retired: 2.8%
Retired: 2.1%
Renters: 3.6%
Owners: 1.8%
📑Read more in our policy briefing
rss.org.uk/RSS/media/Fi...
March HCI inflation: 2.6% (same as CPI)
But the detail matters:
Non-retired: 2.8%
Retired: 2.1%
Renters: 3.6%
Owners: 1.8%
📑Read more in our policy briefing
rss.org.uk/RSS/media/Fi...
May 29, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The latest Household Costs Indices (HCIs) are out: www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...
March HCI inflation: 2.6% (same as CPI)
But the detail matters:
Non-retired: 2.8%
Retired: 2.1%
Renters: 3.6%
Owners: 1.8%
📑Read more in our policy briefing
rss.org.uk/RSS/media/Fi...
March HCI inflation: 2.6% (same as CPI)
But the detail matters:
Non-retired: 2.8%
Retired: 2.1%
Renters: 3.6%
Owners: 1.8%
📑Read more in our policy briefing
rss.org.uk/RSS/media/Fi...
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Ecologists’ endless quest for automatic inference
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/05/28/e...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/05/28/e...
Ecologists’ endless quest for automatic inference | Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu
May 28, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Ecologists’ endless quest for automatic inference
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/05/28/e...
statmodeling.stat.columbia.edu/2025/05/28/e...
Reposted by Mark Brewer
Congratulations to joint @srucnews.bsky.social / @bioss.bsky.social PhD student Claire Stainfield and senior statistician Dr. Thomas Cornulier who both delivered amazing talks at last week's 2025 Pint of Science UK festival in Aberdeen! #pint25 #scicomm #pintofscience #bioss #sruc
May 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Congratulations to joint @srucnews.bsky.social / @bioss.bsky.social PhD student Claire Stainfield and senior statistician Dr. Thomas Cornulier who both delivered amazing talks at last week's 2025 Pint of Science UK festival in Aberdeen! #pint25 #scicomm #pintofscience #bioss #sruc