The work of a Lancaster University professor has been recognised through a prestigious award from the Royal Statistical Society (RSS).

Professor Jennifer Wadsworth is to receive the Guy Medal in Bronze at an award ceremony held in Edinburgh later this year.

The Society is awarding the Medal to Professor Wadsworth because she has made important and original contributions to the statistical analysis of multivariate and spatial extremes, improving the understanding of rare events, and, in turn, issues such as climate change.

Extreme value theory is the probabilistic and statistical study of rare events. Improvements to statistical methodology for extreme values help us to make better use of the naturally scarce data on extreme events, and advance our understanding of risk concerning rare but high-impact events such as flooding, heatwaves or severe storms.

The Society’s citation continues to say “Professor Wadsworth makes a significant contribution to environmental data science and she is a world expert in her field.”

RSS President Professor Sir John Aston said:“Jenny’s use of modelling and methodology has been incredibly innovative leading to better understanding of some of society’s most pressing issues. She is a leading voice in environmental data science and her numerous journal publications have profoundly impacted the discipline.”

Guy Medals are named after William Augustus Guy, a British medical statistician. There are Gold, Silver and Bronze Guy Medals. Bronze and Silver are awarded annually.

Professor Wadsworth said: “The award is an honour but also a good opportunity to remember that progress in research relies on the scientific ecosystem around us. I have been very privileged to work with and alongside many great colleagues and students, both at Lancaster and in the wider statistical community.”

Professor Gordon Blower, Head of Lancaster University’s School of Mathematical Sciences, said: “Jenny Wadsworth has excelled at all stages of her career and her recent research outputs have been exceptional. This Guy Medal is a well deserved recognition for all her achievements.”

More information about the RSS Guy Medals are available here