Statistical Society of Australia upcoming events

SSA QLD Branch: Early Career and Student Networking Night (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 07:30:00 GMT

The Queensland Branch of the Statistical Society of Australia invites postgraduate students and early career statisticians to an evening built around the question: What does a career in statistics look like? Three speakers, with backgrounds in academia, industry and government, will share their perspective about their beginnings, what their week involves and advice for those starting out. A brief panel session will give an opportunity to ask questions, with an extended networking session over food and drinks following this.

Date: Friday 30 October 2026

Time: 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm AEST

Venue: Room 14-216, Sir Llew Edwards Building, St Lucia Campus, University of Queensland
Format: In person

Presenter Bios:

Louise Marquart-Wilson, The University of Queensland and Cancer Council Queensland

Louise is a Senior Research Fellow in biostatistics in UQ's School of Public Health and Viertel Cancer Research Centre at CCQ and came to academia after several years as a biostatistician and then senior biostatistician at QIMR. Louise leads and contributes to a range of projects within public health and cancer research, including leading analyses of the Australian Childhood Cancer Registry. Her methodological work centres on interrupted time series and understanding impact of mis-specified models for statistical inference.

Cheng-Han (Kerwin) Lin, Sanofi

Kerwin is a Senior Clinical Biostatistician in Sanofi's Translational Science Hub (TSH), based in Brisbane. He contributes to the statistical and operational aspects of vaccine development, focusing on study design and strategic planning in accordance with ICH GCP guidelines. He also supports data management to ensure clinical data integrity and quality throughout the trial lifecycle. Kerwin has gained comprehensive experience across both contract research organizations (CROs)—including Novotech and Avance—and the sponsor side (Sanofi). His CRO background specialized in operational implementation and trial execution, while his current sponsor-side role emphasizes design and strategic development phases. He holds a Master of Science in Public Health from National Yang Ming University in Taiwan.

David Bridge, Australian Bureau of Statistics

David is the Assistant Director with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Health and Vital statistics division, the national statistical agency responsible for the Census and for the official statistics that inform government policy. Within this role, he contributes to analysis and production of national health and population statistics.

Key Learnings

Understanding the different career pathways available to statisticians, in academia, industry and government
Learning how early stages of a statistics career can look like and how they can evolve over time
Hearing about the application of statistics in diverse projects

SSA WA Careers Panel on Statistical Consulting (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Western Australian Branch of the Statistical Society of Australia invites you to join them as the four panellists share their experiences with statistical consulting in industry, government, and academic settings. The four panellists are Dr Ritu Gupta, Rebecca Herbst, Alex Stuckey, and Dr Robin van de Meeberg. Dr John Henstridge will moderate the evening, with questions fielded from the floor.

Date: Tuesday 10 November 2026

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm AWST

Venue: Geographe Room, Ground Floor, State Library of Western Australia, Perth Cultural Centre, 25 Francis Street, Perth

Format: In person

This event is kindly sponsored by Data Analysis Australia (DAA).

Presenter Bios:

Dr Ritu Gupta

Ritu is an academic statistician with over 25 years of teaching and consulting experience. She is an Associate Professor at Curtin University and previously worked at the Statistical Consulting Centre at the University of Western. Ritu has taught a broad range of theoretical and applied topics to diverse cohorts across Actuarial Science, Health, Science, and Engineering programs. She also serves as the Data Science Coordinator at Curtin University. She has completed over 30 consulting projects, providing practical solutions to challenging problems for industry, government and sporting clubs. She is an Accredited Statistician (AStat) with the Statistical Society of Australia.

Rebecca Herbst

Rebecca Herbst is a Senior Consultant Statistician at Data Analysis Australia. Rebecca holds a Master of Science (Applied Statistics) from Swinburne University of Technology and a Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology (Clinical) from The University of Queensland. She has previously worked as a medical research scientist where she developed an interest in statistics. Since completing post-graduate degrees in applied statistics and clinical epidemiology, she has worked as a consultant across a variety of areas including mine safety, transport, education, agriculture and financial services.

Alex Stuckey

Alex is a Principal Consultant Statistician and Managing Director at Data Analysis Australia. Alex is an Accredited Statistician with over 20 years of experience in applying a diverse range of design, analytical and computational methods to real world problems. His fields of expertise include sample survey design and analysis, time series analysis, forecasting, official statistics and automation to inform expert systems.

Alex has formerly led teams within the Australian Bureau of Statistics responsible for supporting national economic and social statistics. Following his career in official statistics, Alex ran a statistical consulting firm supporting clients in government, industry and academia.

Dr Robin van de Meeberg

Robin is a biostatistician at The Kids Research Institute Australia, bringing across the analytical and computational skills developed as an extragalactic astrophysicist to the challenges of child health research. As a consultant statistician, he collaborates closely with clinicians, researchers and health services to design studies, manage and analyse complex datasets and turn research findings into evidence towards meaningfully improving child health outcomes. To this end, he has dedicated time and energy to developing software packages that streamline the production of scientific tables, figures and analytical workflows. Whether observing cosmic structures of the Universe or the intricacies of the human body, Robin has always been motivated by a common goal: using data to better understand the world and communicate scientific research in a meaningful and impactful way.

Dr John Henstridge (Moderator)

John Henstridge is the Chief Consultant Statistician at Data Analysis Australia and one of Australia’s most eminent Statisticians. In a career spanning 40 years, he has been recognised as a national leader in developing solutions to real world data problems, through modern technology and innovative statistics.

John’s particular strength is in quickly understanding complex systems, envisioning the approach to a solution and providing strategic and actionable advice. John is highly experienced in delivering results across a plethora of industries including government, commercial and legal. John has held the position of National President with the Statistical Society of Australia and is a Fellow and Chartered Statistician with the Royal Statistical Society in the United Kingdom.

Refreshments and Dinner

Members, visitors, and guests are invited to mingle over light refreshments from 5:45 PM. Following the meeting, everyone is invited to dine with the panellists and fellow attendees at a nearby restaurant.

Venue details

This meeting is in the Geographe Room on the Ground Floor of the State Library of Western Australia. The library is in the Perth Cultural Centre just north of Perth Train Station. Google map

The area has numerous parking options, including on-street parking and parking beneath the library at the CPP State Library, accessed from 15 Francis Street, Northbridge. An alternative car park is the CPP Cultural Centre, with an entrance at 2 Roe Street, Northbridge.

Due to construction work as part of the Perth Cultural Centre Rejuvenation Project, we recommend entering via the Francis Street Entrance or taking the lift from the underground car park.

From the Francis Street Entrance, walk a short distance into the library before turning right down the ground floor gallery away from the cafe.

For further information please contact the WA Branch Secretary: wa.branch@statsoc.org.au

SSA Statistical Education Section webinar: Rethinking Student Learning and Assessment in AI-Supported Classrooms (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The Statistical Education section of the Statistical Society of Australia invites members to a webinar titled "Rethinking Student Learning and Assessment in AI-Supported Classrooms" delivered by Emanuela Furfaro.

Date: Thursday 19 November 2026

Time: 11:00 am AEDT

Format: Online via Zoom. Details provided upon registration

Abstract: Rethinking Student Learning and Assessment in AI-Supported Classrooms

How can we support student learning with generative AI while ensuring students still engage in meaningful thinking? This webinar introduces LLteacher, an open-source tool for designing AI-mediated learning activities in statistics courses. Emanuela Furfaro will demonstrate the tool, share experiences from its use in a large introductory statistics course, and discuss how AI-supported learning can balance student support with productive struggle.

The session will include time for Q&A and discussion.

Presenter Bio: Emanuela Furfaro

Emanuela Furfaro is an Associate Teaching Professor and the Undergraduate Program Coordinator. She has a strong commitment to connecting with learners, understanding where they are and creating opportunities to better support their learning experience. Her research has a highly interdisciplinary aspect and it focuses on the development and application of statistical methods and models with collaborations in the field of social sciences, psychology, and demography.

Key Learnings from attending webinar

Participants will:

Explore how conversational AI can support learning and assessment in statistics.
Identify approaches that promote conceptual understanding and critical thinking.
Consider how to balance AI support with productive struggle in student learning.

ADSN Pre-Conference Workshop: Modern Data Linkage Methods and Implementation Using Splink (25 Nov 2026)

Tue, 24 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Pre-Conference Workshop

Linked data assets, such as Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA), are a rich source of information, allowing the analysis of interconnected systems such as healthcare, government services, education, and taxation. But the creation of these assets is not always straightforward, as often there is not a deterministic way of identifying individuals across datasets, such as with a unique identifier. Probabilistic data linkage methods can help resolve this problem by comparing fields common across datasets and give an estimate of how likely two records belong to the same individual.

Join us for a separate one-day pre-conference workshop on probabilistic linking using the Python package Splink, presented by Aymon Wuolanne and Daniel Fearnley from the Data Linking Methodology section in the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The workshop will cover the theory underpinning probabilistic linking, as well as how to perform a basic Splink linkage. It will also explore advanced techniques for customising Splink for specific use cases. No prior background in probabilistic linking theory is required, although a basic understanding of Python is recommended.

The workshop will be held day before the Australian Data Science Network Conference and is open to everyone, not just conference delegates.

Please note that workshop registration is separate from conference registration.

Registration will close 3 weeks prior to Pre-Conference Workshop and Conference dates.

Date: Wednesday 25 November 2026

Times (AEDT): 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Schedule will be released closer to the date)

Venue: ABS House, Belconnen, ACT

Format: In person

Key Learnings:

Participants will come away with an understanding of the fundamental methods underlying probabilistic linkage and how to perform linkages using Splink.

Presenter Bio:

Daniel Fearnley

Daniel Fearnley joined the ABS in 2011, and has spent the last 3 years in Data Linking Methodology where he has led the team responsible for assessing the feasibility of the probabilistic linkage tool Splink, and the transition to using Splink as the default linking tool for all ABS person-level linkages. His team won the 2026 APS Data Award in Data System and Innovation for their work on Splink. Outside of work, Daniel enjoys cooking and running (because he likes cooking) and earlier this year he and his wife watched every game of the FIFA World Cup.

Aymon Wuolanne

Aymon Wuolanne joined the ABS as a graduate in 2022 and is currently a methodologist in Data Linking Methodology. In 2025 he won the Ken Foreman Award for his work on building the Person Linkage Spine using Splink, and was a member of the team that won the 2026 APS Data Award in Data System and Innovation for their work on Splink. Outside of work, Aymon enjoys walking, reading, video games and running much slower than Daniel.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds: Cancellations made more than two weeks before the event are eligible for a refund, minus: Stripe processing fee: 1.75% + $0.30 per transaction and SSA administration fee: $20. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within two weeks of the event.

Transfer of Registration: Registrations can be transferred to another person within the same organisation at any time. Please notify changes via email: events@statsoc.org.au

For more information, please contact Ben Harrap : benjamin.harrap@anu.edu.au

ADSN Conference 2026 (26 Nov 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Join us in the nation’s capital for the annual Australian Data Science Network Conference. This year’s theme is From Data to Decisions, which focuses on impactful data science that informs decisions, changes minds, and shapes policy.

Conference registration covers both days of the conference and includes registration for the social event in the evening of the first day.

Registration will close 3 weeks prior to conference date.

Visit the conference website for more details: Australian Data Science Network Conference 2026 – ADSN2026

Cancellation Policy

Refunds: Cancellations made more than two weeks before the event are eligible for a refund, minus: Stripe processing fee: 1.75% + $0.30 per transaction and SSA administration fee: $20. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within two weeks of the event.

Transfer of Registration: Registrations can be transferred to another person within the same organisation at any time. Please notify changes via email: events@statsoc.org.au

ADSN Conference 2026 (27 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Conference registration covers both days of the conference and includes registration for the social event in the evening of the first day.

Registration will close 3 weeks prior to conference date.

Visit the conference website for more details: Australian Data Science Network Conference 2026 – ADSN2026

Cancellation Policy

Transfer of Registration: Registrations can be transferred to another person within the same organisation at any time. Please notify changes via email: events@statsoc.org.au

OceaniaR 2026 presented by the Statistical Computing and Visualisation section (29 Nov 2026)

Sat, 28 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The Statistical Computing and Visualisation section of the Statistical Society of Australia are excited to announce the next OceaniaR event.

Date: Sunday 29 November 2026
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm AEDT
Format: In person only
Venue: Monash College City Campus, 750 Collins St, Docklands, Melbourne VIC 3008
Cost: $50 per person

This is an interactive development day and a chance to collaborate and hack in-person on R-focused projects for social good, with some of the leading developers in the R community. There will also be time to hold informal talks to share ideas, concepts and new packages for feedback.

This event will have a focus on promoting projects and participation from R users in the Oceania region including Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

This is the day before the Workshop Organised by the Monash Business Analytics Team (WOMBAT) conference.

Get Involved!

All project ideas for this event are created by attendees!

All participants are encouraged to put forward and idea to work on. These will be listed as Issues on the project Github and the working groups will be decided on the day.

Submit your idea here

Further event details

Cancellation Policy:

Occasionally events have to be cancelled due to a lack of subscription. Early registration ensures that this will not happen.

Cancellations received prior to two weeks before the event will be refunded, minus the Stripe processing fee (1.75% + $0.30 per transaction) and an SSA administration fee of $20.

From then onward no part of the registration fee will be refunded. However, registrations are transferable within the same organisation. Please advise any changes to events@statsoc.org.au.