SINCE moving to town just over a year ago, statistician Ben Harrap had been searching for a group of fellow researchers and data enthusiasts to share his passion with.<\/p>\n
Finding no existing networking groups for the field, Mr Harrap decided to form his own interest group.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019m trying to do here in Ballarat is to connect other people who are working with data, with statistics and data science and build a network of people to get together and talk to each other,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s lots of people who use data in their day-to-day work like economists, population modelling and health.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really want to meet other people especially people who share similar interests, data and research, and I\u2019m also involved with the Statistical Society of Australia\u2019s Victorian branch and every month they put on events and I hope to make them more accessible for people.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the secretary of the SSA\u2019s Victorian branch, Mr Harrap said he hopes to incorporate online viewing parties of the organisation\u2019s forums and events alongside the Ballarat activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Statistical Society put on events that will be of interest to their members, but are still accessible to a general audience and get statistics out there and get people interested,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey tend to be put on in the Melbourne CBD, and I just had the idea to set up a hub in Ballarat and go to all of these events online, talk about it and ask questions afterwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cProfessional researchers, post-grad, uni students and even high school students who want to talk about what they\u2019re doing, bounce some ideas off other people, that\u2019s what the group will hopefully be all about.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to networking, workshops and professional development opportunities, Mr Harrap said he hopes the group will foster friendships as a result of mutual research-related passions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just been getting in touch with Ballarat Health Services, Federation University and the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute just to meet other people doing data stuff,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor anyone interested in statistics and data, I suggest they get in touch and I will add them to my mailing list and every month, I\u2019ll be arranging a venue where we can go, listen to a talk and then afterwards catch up and chat with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n