£1 million grant for new National Centre for Statistical Ecology

The new National Centre for Statistical Ecology (NCSE), a pioneering project which links research in the universities of Kent, Cambridge and St Andrews, has received a foundation grant of £1,101,447 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

The three partners in the new centre are the primary groups in the UK in the field of wildlife assessment, and all three are recognised internationally for their work on modelling population dynamics. By linking together these three groups, it is intended to create an inspirational environment for research in statistical ecology, with a major international reputation.

The first director of the NCSE is Professor Byron Morgan, from Kent’s top-rated research group in statistics, and the centre co-directors are Professor Steve Brooks from Cambridge and Professor Steve Buckland from St Andrews.

The combined expertise of the proposed centre is unparalleled anywhere. The centre will be genuinely interdisciplinary, with great strength in statistical ecology. The senior members have strong track records of innovative research, both in statistics and in ecology, and at the interface of the two will be a commitment to an international visitor programme, to encourage greater interaction with both statistical and applied ecologists.

The work of the centre will be publicised through the production of books and research papers, new computer software and through its website. Members of all three groups have extensive experience of providing international workshops to train ecologists, and the new centre will co-ordinate an expanded workshop programme.