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National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia

Our research

The National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia (NIASRA) at the University of Wollongong aims to identify Australia as a place where the discipline of applied statistics collaborates with academics and professionals in science, government, business and industry to tackle strategic problems.

Director: Professor Marijka Batterham

UOW Scholars

Methods for obtaining relevant and reliable data and methods that can be used to extract the information and evidence that the data can provide are fundamental in solving important and complex problems facing society. The huge increase in data available in all fields and relating to every issue challenging a modern society means that there are large gaps between the methods needed to fully exploit these data and the methods available to do so. New statistical methods are needed to handle uncertainty and risk in large and complex data structures and to generate knowledge that can be acted upon. NIASRA is undertaking a program of research developing new statistical methods for obtaining and analysing data relevant to agriculture, energy, engineering, environmental sciences, finance, health, medicine, mining, natural resources, and social sciences. The Institute aims to provide leading-edge research and consulting capacity in applied statistics for Australia and our region through the skills and activities of its staff and research students. 

  • statistical design - survey and experimental design;
  • analysis of complex data from complex populations - survey, biometric, environmental, longitudinal, spatial, aggregated data, and also combining data;
  • statistical modelling – methods for spatial, temporal and spatial-temporal data, semi-parametric and nonparametric methods, time series, quasi-likelihood, multi-level modelling, Bayesian analysis, and estimating equations;
  • data quality and survey methods  - particularly telephone, household, internet and environmental surveys;
  • statistical confidentiality.

NIASRA is committed to developing and applying innovative statistical methods to important problems:

  • fundamental methodological research;
  • industry-focused and contract research; 
  • major consulting projects;
  • professional education and training.  

The themes that underpin the research at NIASRA are:

  • statistical design - developing efficient methods of obtaining relevant and reliable data in surveys, experiments, and other data collections;
  • complexity of data arising from observations in large scale real populations – often involving hierarchical or auto-correlated data  - and computational methods to handle such data;
  • working with major organisations on significant problems.  

Research & consulting centres

Centre for Biometrics and Data Science for Sustainable Primary Industries – DIRECTOR SENIOR PROFESSOR BRIAN CULLIS

Centre for Sample Survey Methodology – DIRECTOR SENIOR PROFESSOR DAVID STEEL

Centre for Environmental Informatics – DIRECTOR DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR NOEL CRESSIE

Statistical Consulting Centre – DIRECTOR PROFESSOR MARIJKA BATTERHAM

Centre for Health and Social Analytics – DIRECTOR PROFESSOR Alberto Nettel-Aguirre

DATA AND DECISION SCIENCE INITIATIVE – COORDINATOR PROFESSOR MARIJKA BATTERHAM

Major research projects

  • Community Health And Rural/Regional Medicine Project (CHARM) (UOW)
  • CHild Active-transportation Safety and the Environment (CHASE)
  • CHILDNEPH- A national (Canadian) initiative to improve care and outcomes for patients with nephrotic syndrome.
  • SMIHS Research Advisory Group (UOW)
  • Trends In Oxygen Saturation In Healthy Term Infants In The First Few Days Of Life: The "TOST" Study

Opportunities for research students

NIASRA offers postgraduate and professional education courses and programs that build on our world-class staff, extensive experience and industry collaborations.

Find out more