William Kay, Chris Sutherland and Tiago Marques have won The Wildlife Professional’s best contributed article of 2024 for their story on the crucial role of statistics training for wildlife students.
The authors published the article, “Training Statistics-Savvy Ecologists: A Call to Action for Improved Statistical Education in Ecology,” in the November/December 2024 issue.
The award highlights the value contributing authors bring to the magazine and TWS members each year.
William Kay is a lecturer in statistics at the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University in the U.K. Coauthors Chris Sutherland and Tiago Marques are researchers at the University of St. Andrews in the U.K. Marques is also an invited professor at the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
Kay said that the inspiration for the article grew out of many informal conversations among coauthors and colleagues reflecting on their own experiences both as learners and as educators. “Our goal was to reenergize the international conversation around statistical training in ecology,” Kay said, “and ultimately translate that dialogue into tangible improvements in how statistical skills are taught and supported.”
The Wildlife Professional’s editorial advisory board selected the article for its clear, concise look at the complexities of teaching statistical methods and the anxieties students experience while using them. “By employing an accessible and engaging writing style, the authors were able to both describe the challenges many in our field face while offering solutions and opportunities for collaboration within the profession,” said Samara Trusso, the chair of magazine’s editorial advisory board.
Kay and his collaborators are “absolutely thrilled” to win the award. “It reinforces that this is a conversation worth continuing and that the community values efforts to strengthen statistical training in ecology,” Kay said. “The award inspires us to keep championing this cause and to work toward ensuring that all wildlife and ecology practitioners feel confident and capable in using statistics effectively.”
Article by The Wildlife Society
