Simon Tuke

Simon (Jono) Tuke serves as Senior Lecturer in Statistics at the University of Adelaide's School of Mathematical Sciences, where he has established himself as an expert in statistical bioinformatics and network analysis. His unique career path began as a veterinarian before transitioning to mathematics and statistics, ultimately earning his PhD. His research spans multiple disciplines, with significant contributions to population genetics, medical statistics, and natural language processing. His collaborative work has led to groundbreaking discoveries, including research that demonstrated Aboriginal Australians' 50,000-year connection to country through genetic data. As an applied statistician, he has contributed to diverse projects ranging from analyzing ancient DNA to developing methods for social media trend analysis. His expertise extends to biostatistics and bioinformatics, where he develops statistical methods to model random networks and assess model fit. Through his work at the Adelaide Data Science Centre and as part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, he continues to bridge the gap between theoretical statistics and practical applications, from predicting Maori arrival patterns in New Zealand to analyzing post-operative behavior in cattle.