Gavin Simpson is an applied statistician, ecologist, and educator with extensive experience in Bayesian statistics, ecological modelling, and reproducible data analysis using R. His work focuses on helping researchers and analysts apply modern statistical methods to complex real-world data, combining deep methodological expertise with a practical, applied approach to teaching and consultancy.
His core expertise includes Generalised Additive Models (GAMs), Bayesian statistical modelling, multivariate analysis, and ecological statistics. Gavin is widely recognised for his work with the R packages mgcv, gratia, vegan, and related statistical workflows, and has contributed extensively to statistical training for academic, environmental, and research organisations internationally.
Gavin has worked across a range of disciplines including ecology, environmental science, palaeoecology, and applied data science, supporting researchers in developing robust and interpretable statistical models. He is particularly known for making advanced statistical techniques accessible to applied researchers through clear explanation, reproducible workflows, and hands-on training.
Education & Career
· PhD in Quantitative Palaeoecology (UCL, Geography)
· Senior statistician and quantitative ecologist
· Extensive experience teaching statistical modelling and R programming internationally
· Specialist in Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) and multivariate methods
· Contributor to open-source statistical software and reproducible research practices
Research & Professional Focus
Gavin’s research integrates statistical modelling to investigate complex datasets—including microbiome, metabolomics, and ecological data—and to develop innovative analytical approaches for animal production systems. I am particularly interested in temporal dynamics, with an emphasis on quantifying and forecasting system-level changes over time.
Current projects
· Development of R packages for working with GAMs, fitting and visualising multivariate ordinations, and creating restricted permutations
· Applications of GAMs and distributional models in animal and veterinary sciences
· Estimating temporal changes in variance of ecological time series
· Dimension reduction and analysis of high dimensional palaeoecolgoical time series
Professional Consultancy
Gavin works with universities, research institutes, environmental organisations, and businesses to develop statistical methodologies, improve analytical workflows, and support applied quantitative research. His consultancy includes ecological modelling, Bayesian analysis, and advanced regression techniques for complex datasets.
Teaching & Skills
· Specialist in Generalised Additive Models (GAMs), mixed models, data science and applied statistics
· Experienced trainer in R, and reproducible statistical workflows
· Strong focus on model interpretation, diagnostics, and practical application
· Advocate for open-source statistical software and transparent, reproducible research practices