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Dr William Kay

@willpkay.bsky.social
89 followers 116 following 43 posts

Senior Lecturer in Statistics @CardiffUni | Lifeboat Coxswain @SevernRescue | Advanced Instructor @BSAC | Commercial Skipper @RYA | Vegan | Republican | YesCymru | Remain | Pacifist | Green 💚

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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Sow the wind...
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Ecologists have discussed the need for quantitative training reform for over a century. Why does progress remain limited? Our new perspective argues how progress has been constrained, and offers an integrated vision to overcome the inertia. besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
A century of inertia in quantitative ecology education
Ecology has undergone a profound methodological transformation through the rapid growth in new technologies, data volume, statistical innovation and analytical sophistication. These developments c...
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Kicking off day 2 of the @britishecologicalsociety.org Movement Ecology Annual Meeting with an invited seminar from Fabiola Iannarilli. @cardiffuni.bsky.social
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Delighted to welcome ~70 movement ecologists to @cardiffuni.bsky.social School of Biosciences, many travelling thousands of miles, to attend #BESMove2026. We start with an invited plenary from Thomas Mueller on "Animal Movements in the Anthropocene". 2 days, 28 presentations, 14 posters!
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
This book is now available to purchase in paperback for the very reasonable (and curiously precise) sum of £17.02 (+postage)! Purchase here: www.lulu.com/shop/brittan.... Or still read online for free here: teaching-programming.github.io/book/
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Hugely enjoyed the last two days at #Burwalls 2026, Aston University 🌞 Excellent discussions; from trends in misuse of #statistics to shaping curricula for a #data literate society 📊 I presented an example of how to teach statistics using biscuits! 🍪 Also loved exploring Birmingham's Shoreditch 🧑‍🎨
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
And that book is now published! Free here: teaching-programming.github.io/book/ Phenomenal work by the editors. Pleased to have co-authored two chapters w/ @chrissuthy.bsky.social @talom.bsky.social @chrisoldnall.bsky.social @brittneuropsych.bsky.social @colquhoun.bsky.social Rob Young & Ozan Evkaya
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
A pleasure to be at CREEM, @uniofstandrews.bsky.social today and yesterday for an invited seminar on quantitative education for ecologists. My first time visiting the Observatory. An energising couple of days! @fergusjchadwick.bsky.social @chrissuthy.bsky.social @talom.bsky.social
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Reform Vs Green. Hate Vs Hope. Hundreds and hundreds of people out on the streets today making sure hope wins. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Gorton and Denton by-election: Zack Polanski urges 'hope over hate'
Zack Polanski joined candidate Hannah Spencer, a councillor and plumber, on the campaign trail.
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richiebryan.bsky.social @richiebryan.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Immigration is good for this country! Let the truth ring out 🔔
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
Watching the total donations shooting up after the Xmas Day Message is so beautiful. Thank you all! 💚🎄 www.justgiving.com/campaign/tog...
justgiving.com
Together in Solidarity
At Calais Appeal, we come together with varied areas of expertise to provide essential support. We are committed to continuing this essential network of solidarity, but we need your support to do so.
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
The real man of the people. A far more important, memorable, and humanitarian Christmas message than the "King's" speech. Great work @zackpolanski.bsky.social. Merry Christmas indeed. #kind2026
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 25/12/2025
A Christmas Day tale in 3 parts. 1) Steve Reed - Housing Minister - launches a Xmas Day attack. 2) It's the Labour Governments usual shit. 3) join.greenparty.org.uk Merry Xmas! www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/exclus...
huffingtonpost.co.uk
Exclusive: Cabinet Minister Brands Zack Polanski A 'Con Artist' In Outspoken Attack
Steve Reed also suggested the Green Party leader is immoral.
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Andy Williams @llantwit.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
Some really (and qualifiedly) good news from Cardiff UCU @cardiffucu.bsky.social : No redundancies next year, no downgrading of professional services staff. And all without the need for disruptive industrial action, which nobody at all wants. nation.cymru/news/cardiff...
nation.cymru
Cardiff University agrees to no compulsory redundancies in 2026
Martin Shipton Union members at Cardiff University have welcomed “major concessions” from management including no compulsory redundancies in 2026 in an ongoing dispute about job cuts and working condi...
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Today's the day! This is looking to be a very well attended session! Exciting!
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Excited to host #BES2025 Thematic Session next week! The future of quantitative learning and literacy in ecology. 16 Dec 16:00-18:00 Edinburgh EICC @fiebergjohn.bsky.social @nhcooper123.bsky.social @fergusjchadwick.bsky.social @talom.bsky.social @chrissuthy.bsky.social @britishecologicalsociety.org
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Cameron Patrick @cameronpat.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
eight years as a statistical consultant and ecologists still manage to collect weird data that I'm not immediately sure what to do with (it's fun though!)
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
I'm excited to share that this Wednesday (10th Sept at 12:00 BST) I'll be presenting this year's first National Centre for Statistical Ecology (NCSE) invited seminar: "How should we train the next generation of statistical ecologists?" #ecology #rstats
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
~4hrs of work planned for the journey this morning with @transportforwales.bsky.social only to find, yet again, that the WiFi won't connect. Very disappointing. Appears to be a consistent issue on trains on the Holyhead line...
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Very wet and early start this morning to travel to Liverpool for CETL-MSOR 2025!
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
The RoSE conference is now live! A marathon 13 hr day of talks all about statistics education - what more could you want? It's not too late to join - register at this link: forms.gle/ebM2kPyYAhbv.... #RoSE2025Conf #StatsEd #EduSky #statistics
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RoSE Network @rosenetwork.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Do your students suffer from statistics anxiety? Don't miss our free #StatsEd conference on July 31st, and learn more about who struggles with statistics and potential solutions! Register to attend here: bit.ly/roseconferen... #EduSky #statistics #teaching #mathanxiety
RoSE Network 2025 e-Conference Statistics Anxiety Talks: 

- Do neurodivergent individuals have higher statistics and mathematics anxiety? Evaluating evidence from the STARs study

- How do Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs) impact statistics anxiety and attainment? Insights from a secondary analysis

- Exploring Undergraduate Students' Expectations for Psychology Statistics Courses

- The Psychological Benefits of Collaborative Mock Exams: Examining Effects on Statistics Anxiety and Academic Self-Efficacy

- Who Struggles with Stats? A Meta-Analysis of the Prevalence and Predictors of Statistics Anxiety

- How to tackle anxiety about statistics – the student perspective
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
On the move again, this time to the Year 2 Coastal Ecology field course in Dale, Pembrokeshire.
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
Thoroughly enjoyed my day return to Glasgow University for @ukcots.bsky.social #UKCOTS25. Another city with stunning architecture.
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James Bartlett @bartlettje.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
Nearly there #UKCOTS2025! Looking forward to meeting everyone at the pre-conference social on Monday. Just need to make sure I make the registration desk for 8am on Tuesday...
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
As both an academic staff member at Cardiff University and an active seafarer (volunteer lifeboat coxswain), this is devastating news.
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RoSE Network @rosenetwork.bsky.social · 21/06/2025
Good news, researchers and educators in #StatsEd! The RoSE 2025 e-conference registration has just opened up! Sign up for our free international conference happening July 31st here: bit.ly/roseconferen...
Sign up for the Researchers of Statistics Education Network 2025 E-Conference! Registration is open: https://bit.ly/roseconference2025

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Iddo Gal on "What research is needed in statistics education, and why?"
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Interested in external training courses on biological data analysis (and more!)? Follow @prstats.bsky.social! I've taught on their courses and sent students to them. I'd highly recommend! I attended my first spatial analysis course with them back in 2016. Website: www.prstats.org
prstats.org
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PR Stats @prstats.bsky.social · 20/05/2025
Online Course - Live and Online Full course details and registration: www.prstats.org/course/onlin... #SpeciesDistributionModelling #BayesianStatistics #EcologicalModelling #RStats #QuantitativeEcology #SpatialEcology #EnvironmentalDataScience #Biostatistics #EcologyTraining #StatisticalModelling
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PR Stats @prstats.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
Live & Online Sep 22nd–26th Instructor: Dr. Neftalí Sillero Key concepts, data preparation, model calibration and validation. Registration: www.prstats.org/course/speci... #SpeciesDistribution #Ecology #RStats #SpatialAnalysis #ENM #SDM #EcologicalModelling #EnvironmentalScience #RProgramming
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Dr William Kay @willpkay.bsky.social · 19/04/2025
Very pleased to share the news that I'm now a Lifeboat Coxswain at @SevernRescue. This comes after 3 years of training with SARA Newport, and ~5 years of prior service as Crew with @TheMumblesRNLI @RNLI.
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Leighton Andrews @leightonandrews.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
Six weeks ago today I and 1806 other academics @cardiffuni were told our jobs were at risk of redundancy. Six weeks on, and the University has failed to give us information promised in the consultation document which is crucial to the submission of critiques by Friday. nation.cymru/news/cardiff...
nation.cymru
Cardiff University releases breakdown of academics 'in scope' for redundancy
Martin Shipton Cardiff University has released to Nation.Cymru the breakdown by School of the 1,807 academics who have been told their jobs are “in scope” to be cut. The university announced in Januar...
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
For the urgent attention of university vice-chancellors.
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Darren Dahly @statsepi.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Its frustrating since there are a lot of statistical misunderstandings found in even the most prestigious medical journals, so they become enshrined as "correct" but contradict the expert statistician's understanding. statsepi.substack.com/p/how-bad-st...
statsepi.substack.com
How bad statistical practices drive away the good ones
I am interested in research integrity and reproducibility.
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Chris Satoor @nieaufgehenderrest.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
"Education Is Not A Product. The Students Are Not Customers. The Professors Are Not Tools. The University Is Not A Factory."
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Andy Williams @llantwit.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
I just a BBC Radio Wales interview for Cardiff UCU. Cardiff Uni needs to work in true social partnership with the Union, and draw on its millions in available ££ to fund a more gradual recovery which doesn’t destroy 400+ jobs & irreparably harm the University/Wales. ✊👇 youtu.be/tqjaFuFdESM?...
youtu.be
Dr Andy Williams from Cardiff UCU on the struggle to save 400+ jobs at Cardiff Uni. 10.03.25
YouTube video by Llantwit1977
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Masud Husain @masudhusain.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
Why academia is sleepwalking into self-destruction. My editorial @brain1878.bsky.social If you agree with the sentiments please repost. It's important for all our sakes to stop the madness academic.oup.com/brain/articl...
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Correct me if I'm wrong, but are we supposed to be celebrating the news that after Cardiff University gives up on training nurses, the Welsh Government scales up its recruitment of nurses from other countries that *can* be bothered to train nurses on our behalf? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Indian nurses to help fill 2,000 NHS vacancies
The arrival of 200 Indian nurses in Wales is welcomed - but a union warns of far greater shortages.
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Dr Seán DOOLAN 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇮🇪 @sdinpraxis.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Dystopian mismanagement. "There is no trust left. Even before the hammer fell, a survey found that only 31% of staff said they trusted the University Executive Board to be honest in their communications. People are also terrified."
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Môr Leidr @bartiddu.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Also shocking is Cardiff Uni’s VC plunging into partnership with Kazakhstan - a regime with an appalling human rights record This is what the neoliberalisation of the HE sector results in: amoral institutions, led by sociopaths, no longer capable of fulfilling their civil society role
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Môr Leidr @bartiddu.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
What’s equally shocking to me is Cardiff Uni’s Vice Chancellor eager to plunge into partnership with an authoritarian regime with an appalling human rights record. This is what the neoliberalisation of the HE sector results in: amoral institutions incapable of fulfilling their civil society role
hrw.org
World Report 2024: Rights Trends in Kazakhstan
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Rage Against the Miocene @organiccarbon.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Key to the UK higher education crisis is that any whiff of financial concern energizes a Board of Trustees to shift from friendly advisors to aggressively interventionist. Every intervention is to impose the managerialism from their own sectors. It always fails, because universities are different.
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Simon Cox @simonfrcox.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
the arrogance and haste reminds me of when Cardiff was created through a forced merger (I was a student activist there at the time). But UC Cardiff was broke then. Now it has capital enough to build a new campus in Kazakhstan - yet is slashing courses in Wales.
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Paul Langley @paullangley.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Weekend reading in UK universities
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Mark Breeze @markyb62.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
This is what happens when you turn our academic institutions into businesses. Their aims, metrics by which they measure themselves, become distorted, corrupted even. To think that not so long ago, Universities (& other HE) only focus was to build national knowledge and capability.
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Paolo Sandro @paolosandro.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
As I said before: one of the biggest root causes of the decline of UKHE has been the progressive professionalisation of a managerial class of academics, who do damages in one institution for five years or so and then simply move to another institution, with zero accountability to their colleagues./1
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Daniela Barillà @danielabarilla.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Chilling read… Solidarity to all the colleagues at Cardiff University. “Some colleagues were told that offering to teach in Kazakhstan might save their jobs. Apparently the university will decimate itself in Cardiff and rebuild itself in Astana”.
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Rob Thomas @robthomasbirds.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
Spending my Friday night analysing Cardiff University’s EDI data in relation to which categories of staff have been placed “at risk of redundancy”, because the HR department seems to have forgotten to do so. #LivingTheDream #BasicDueDilligence #RStats #11pm #UnpaidOvertime
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Ed Granter @edgranter.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
All too familiar journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
journals.sagepub.com
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
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Tina Hagger @haggytea.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
This sounds extraordinarily familiar, including the Friday afternoon emails of PDFs and the woeful online mental health services for staff.
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