Professor Rachel Hilliam, Head of the OU’s School of Mathematics and Statistics, has been awarded The Chambers Medal by the Royal Statistical Society (RSS), a prestigious commendation of her significant contribution to data science.
Each year, the RSS give medals, prizes and honorary fellowships to people who have made outstanding contributions in their field.
The Chambers Medal, which recognises outstanding service to the Society, has been awarded jointly to Rachel Hilliam and John MacInnes. Both Rachel and John are recent RSS vice presidents for professional affairs.
On the medal award, Rachel said:
“I’m truly honoured to receive this award together with Professor John MacInnes. It has been a privilege to work with so many talented staff and volunteers at the RSS to bring about the changes to the RSS professional accreditation awards.
“The collaborative way in which the RSS has worked with our fellow learned societies to create the Alliance for Data Science Professionals and launch the first set of standards for data science has been particular gratifying and I’m grateful to everyone involved for their time and commitment. This award belongs very much to everyone who has driven this work forwards.”
Their tenure saw substantial change within RSS professional affairs, including overseeing the review and launch of new standards for Graduate Statistician (GradStat), the introduction of a competency framework and a competency application route for GradStat, the introduction of new accreditation standards and the new RSS Quality Mark, changes to the Charter and Bylaws, the introduction of a new entry-level award, Data Analyst, and, not least, they both played a vital role in the creation of the Alliance for Data Science Professionals.
With Rachel serving as the first chair of the Alliance until the end of 2023, she and John helped oversee an industry first for the sector. Launching the UK’s first set of standards for data science in July 2022, these were recognised by four of the leading learned societies representing computing, mathematics, operational research and statistics. This, together with the launch of two new professional certifications, the Data Science Professional and the Advanced Data Science Professional, has ensured that the RSS and the statistics profession are rightfully helping shape the profession of data science.
RSS President, Dr Andrew Garrett, said:
“Rachel went above and beyond in her time as RSS vice-president for professional affairs, bringing in a number of new programmes and standards. Along with the preceding vice-president, John MacInnes, she played a key role in the creation of the Alliance for Data Science Professionals, chairing it for its important first few years. Rachel is to be congratulated for the role she has played in shaping the standards of data science and professional affairs.”
Awards will be presented at this year’s RSS Annual Conference in Brighton this September.
