Lecturer, Statistics, University of Glasgow
After completing her PhD at the University of Glasgow Liberty was offered the role of Mitchell Lecturer at the University. As well as teaching, a large part of her role involves public outreach. Her interest lies in relating statistics to real-life situations.
Liberty Vittert graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2010 with a degree in mathematics and a concentration in political science with Russian language from Harvard.
Liberty Vittert wants to reach as many people as possible with her passion for stats. In order to achieve this, she has focused on using the media as an outlet by offering a statistical angle on news stories and speaking on TV and radio. She has recently appeared on STV Scottish news Programme and BBC Radio Scotland, Channel 4 programs, and Fox News Channel.
She was named an Ambassador of Royal Statistical Society and gives invited talks at conferences around the world. She has significant experience in explaining issues concerning mathematics, statistics, polling and voting techniques, and the topic of “big data” to the media, public, and government. Her work also includes issues of involving and energising young people in STEM subjects.
Between finishing her undergraduate degree and undertaking postgraduate research, Liberty took a year away from her studies and moved to Paris to follow her love of cooking by enrolling in Le Cordon Blue cookery school. She is now a regular guest chef on STV’s ‘Live at Five’ and has her own cookery show on local STV channels titled ‘Liberty’s Great American Cookbook.’
In 2017 Liberty was one of twenty women chosen from hundreds of applicants to become a BBC Woman Expert Contributor for BBC Television and Radio Programs.
The problem with official statistics – and three ways to make them better
Sep 25, 2018 18:54 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy
What value do statistics really have when it comes to describing events in a country? For most people, statistics are a means to an end, a way to validate their point of view. Ive heard many politicians, commentators,...
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