Peter Diggle

Peter John Diggle
Peter John Diggle
Born	24 February 1950 (age 74); Lancashire, United Kingdom
Alma mater	University of Liverpool; University of Oxford; Newcastle University
Known for	Spatial Statistics; Longitudinal Data; Time-series analysis
	Scientific career
Fields	Statistics
Institutions	Newcastle University; University of Lancaster
Thesis	Spatial Processes with Applications in Ecology (1977)
Academic advisors	Julian Besag

Peter John Diggle, (born 24 February 1950, in Lancashire, England) is a British statistician. He holds concurrent appointments with the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University, and the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool.^[1] From 2004 to 2008 he was an EPSRC Senior Research Fellow.^[2] He is one of the founding co-editors of the journal Biostatistics.^[3]

Previously, he has held positions at Newcastle University, and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia. He also holds honorary appointments with Johns Hopkins, Columbia and Yale.^[1]

Early life and education

He attended school in Scotland, where discovered his affinity and aptitude in mathematics.^[4]

Diggle originally attended Edinburgh University to study mathematics, but halfway through, he was transferred to the University of Liverpool, where he studied "Computational and Statistical Science" (B.Sc. 1972). Under the tutelage of Julian Besag, he began to gain an interest in statistics.^[4]

He matriculated at the University of Oxford and in 1973, gained his masters in statistics, by thesis "Contagion and Allied Processes" (M.Sc., 1973). After completion of his masters, Diggle enrolled in a PhD programme at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where he gained his doctorate in 1977 in statistics by thesis, with the research topic "Spatial Processes with Applications in Ecology".^[5]

Academic career

From 1974 to 1983, Peter held a lectureship at Newcastle University for statistics before becoming a reader for the duration of 1984. While at Newcastle, he went under Robin Plackett’s wing, whose obituary he wrote.^[5]

Spatial statistics was still a relatively new field in the 70s. Peter took part in organising conferences for this field. Virtually everyone in the country who worked in spatial statistics (between 30 – 50 people) would attend these conferences in Newcastle.^[5]

He worked in the CSIRO division for Mathematics and Statistics in Australia. He started as a senior research scientist from 1985 – 1986. Then, from 1986 – 1987, he became a chief research scientist until his promotion to Chief of Division from 1987 – 1988. From 1988 – 2007, he became a professor of statistics at Lancaster University.^[5]

Societal recognition

In 1997 he was awarded the Guy Medal in Silver by the Royal Statistical Society.^[6]

His works have been recognised by many statistical societies, but some of the most notable recognitions are:

Presidency of the Royal Statistical Society from 2014 – 2016, starting his term early on the resignation of John Pullinger who was appointed National Statistician.^[7]^[8] He also started a fundraising campaign to send RSS fellows to teach MSc courses in statistics for Tanzanian students at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in 2016.^[9]
Being invited to give talks all around the world at the International Statistical Institute from 1983 – 2011.^[5]
Holding a post at the board of trustees at Biometrika since 1993.^[5]

Research

Diggle's main methodological research interests are in spatial statistics, longitudinal data analysis and environmental epidemiology. Most of his research is motivated by applications in the biomedical, clinical or health sciences. Diggle has a particular interest in real-time health surveillance and in tropical disease epidemiology. He also leads the CHICAS research group (a research group at the University of Lancaster).^[10]

COVID-19

In April 2020, the RSS formed a COVID-19 task force. The task force is using their statistical expertise to help with COVID data collection and analysis. Peter Diggle is part of this task force.^[11]

Seminal works

Scholia has a profile for Peter Diggle (Q16728567).

Professor Peter Diggle has authored a range of texts detailing methods in geostatistics. Below are titles of some of his most influential work:

Statistics and scientific method: an introduction for students and researchers. Diggle, P., Chetwynd, A. 2011 New York : Oxford University Press. 172 p. ISBN 9780199543199. Book
Model-based Geostatistics. Diggle, P.J., Ribeiro, P.J. 03/2007 New York, USA : Springer. 228 p. ISBN 0387329072 978–0387329079. Book
Handbook of spatial statistics Gelfand, A., Diggle, P., Guttorp, P., Fuentes, M. 2010 CRC Press. 619 p. ISBN 978-1420072877. Book
Statistical analysis of spatial point patterns. Diggle, P.J. 2003 London : Edward Arnold. 159 p. ISBN 0340740701. Book
Time series: a biostatistical introduction Diggle, P. 1990 Oxford : Oxford University Press. 257 p. ISBN 0198522061. Book
Discrete mathematics. Chetwynd, A.G., Diggle, P.J. 1995 London : Arnold. 209 p. ISBN 0340610476. Book

References

^ ^a ^b "Peter Diggle, Prof - Personal Statement". University of Liverpool. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ "Professor Peter Diggle". Lancaster University. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ "Editorial Board". Oxford Journals. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ ^a ^b Atkinson, Peter M.; Mateu, Jorge (August 2019). "A Conversation with Peter Diggle". Statistical Science. 34 (3): 504–521. doi:10.1214/19-STS703. ISSN 0883-4237. S2CID 209982479.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Curriculum Vitae". Retrieved 25 June 2019.
^ "Guy Medal in Silver - Previous Recipients". Royal Statistical Society. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ "Peter Diggle to begin his RSS presidency early as John Pullinger steps down". www.statslife.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ "RSS - Past presidents". RSS. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
^ "RSS 'Statistics in Africa' Fundraising Campaign Hits Halfway Mark – African Institute for Mathematical Sciences". nexteinstein.org. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
^ "Research Interests". Retrieved 25 June 2019.
^ "RSS - Covid-19 Task Force". RSS. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

[Liverpool-1] "Peter Diggle, Prof - Personal Statement". University of Liverpool. Retrieved 13 December 2013.

[2] "Professor Peter Diggle". Lancaster University. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.

[3] "Editorial Board". Oxford Journals. Archived from the original on 18 December 2005. Retrieved 13 December 2013.

[:0-4] Atkinson, Peter M.; Mateu, Jorge (August 2019). "A Conversation with Peter Diggle". Statistical Science. 34 (3): 504–521. doi:10.1214/19-STS703. ISSN 0883-4237. S2CID 209982479.

[:1-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Curriculum Vitae". Retrieved 25 June 2019.

[6] "Guy Medal in Silver - Previous Recipients". Royal Statistical Society. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.

[7] "Peter Diggle to begin his RSS presidency early as John Pullinger steps down". www.statslife.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2013.

[8] "RSS - Past presidents". RSS. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

[9] "RSS 'Statistics in Africa' Fundraising Campaign Hits Halfway Mark – African Institute for Mathematical Sciences". nexteinstein.org. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

[10] "Research Interests". Retrieved 25 June 2019.

[11] "RSS - Covid-19 Task Force". RSS. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

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v t e Presidents of the Royal Statistical Society
19th century	1834–1836 The Marquess of Lansdowne 1836–1838 Sir Charles Lemon, Bt 1838–1840 The Earl FitzWilliam 1840–1842 Viscount Sandon 1842–1843 The Marquess of Lansdowne 1843–1845 Lord Ashley 1845–1847 The Lord Monteagle of Brandon 1847–1849 The Earl FitzWilliam 1849–1851 The Earl of Harrowby 1851–1853 The Lord Overstone 1853–1855 The Earl FitzWilliam 1855–1857 The Earl of Harrowby 1857–1859 Lord Stanley 1859–1861 Lord John Russell 1861–1863 Sir John Pakington, Bt 1863–1865 William Henry Sykes 1865–1867 The Lord Houghton 1867–1869 William Ewart Gladstone 1869–1871 William Newmarch 1871–1873 William Farr 1873–1875 William Guy 1875–1877 James Heywood 1877–1879 George Shaw-Lefevre 1879–1880 Thomas Brassey 1880–1882 James Caird 1882–1884 Robert Giffen 1884–1886 Rawson W. Rawson 1886–1888 George Goschen 1888–1890 Thomas Graham Balfour 1890–1892 Frederic J. Mouat 1892–1894 Charles Booth 1894–1896 The Lord Farrer 1896–1897 John Biddulph Martin 1897 Alfred Edmund Bateman 1897–1899 Leonard Courtney 1899–1900 Henry Fowler 1900–1902 The Lord Avebury
20th century	1902–1904 Patrick George Craigie 1904–1905 Sir Francis Powell, Bt 1905–1906 The Earl of Onslow 1906–1907 Richard Martin 1907–1909 Sir Charles Dilke, Bt 1909–1910 Jervoise Athelstane Baines 1910–1912 Lord George Hamilton 1912–1914 Francis Ysidro Edgeworth 1914–1915 The Lord Welby 1915–1916 Lord George Hamilton 1916–1918 Bernard Mallet, Registrar General 1918–1920 Herbert Samuel 1920–1922 R. Henry Rew 1922–1924 The Lord Emmott 1924–1926 Udny Yule 1926–1928 The Viscount D'Abernon 1928–1930 A. William Flux 1930–1932 Sir Josiah Stamp 1932–1934 The Lord Meston 1934–1936 Major Greenwood 1936–1938 The Lord Kennet 1938–1940 Arthur Lyon Bowley 1940–1941 Henry William Macrosty 1941 Hector Leak 1941–1943 William Beveridge 1943–1945 Ernest Charles Snow 1945–1947 The Lord Woolton 1947–1949 David Heron 1949–1950 Sir Geoffrey Heyworth 1950–1952 Austin Bradford Hill 1952–1954 Ronald Fisher 1954–1955 The Lord Piercy 1955–1957 Egon Pearson 1957–1959 Harry Campion 1959–1960 Hugh Beaver 1960–1962 Maurice Kendall 1962–1964 Joseph Oscar Irwin 1964–1965 Sir Paul Chambers 1965–1966 L. H. C. Tippett 1966–1967 M. S. Bartlett 1967–1968 Frank Yates 1968–1969 Arthur Cockfield 1969–1970 R. G. D. Allen 1970–1971 Bernard Benjamin 1971–1972 George Alfred Barnard 1972–1973 Harold Wilson 1973–1974 D. J. Finney 1974–1975 Henry Daniels 1975–1977 Stella Cunliffe 1977–1978 Henry Wynn 1978–1980 Sir Claus Moser 1980–1982 David Cox 1982–1984 Peter Armitage 1984–1985 Walter Bodmer 1985–1986 John Nelder 1986–1987 James Durbin 1987–1989 John Kingman 1989–1991 Peter G. Moore 1991–1993 T. M. F. Smith 1993–1995 D. J. Bartholomew 1995–1997 Adrian Smith 1997–1999 Robert Nicholas Curnow 1999–2001 Denise Lievesley
21st century	2001–2003 Peter Green 2003–2005 Andy Grieve 2005–2007 Tim Holt 2008–2009 David Hand 2010–2010 Bernard Silverman (resigned Feb 2010; replaced pro tem by David Hand) 2011–2012 Valerie Isham 2013–2014 John Pullinger 2014–2016 Peter Diggle 2017–2018 David Spiegelhalter 2019– Deborah Ashby
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