Katrina Sharples is a New Zealand statistician and researcher specializing in the application of statistical methods to genetics, epidemiology, and public health. She holds a professorial position in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Auckland, where she also leads interdisciplinary research projects that integrate statistical theory with biological and forensic data.
Education
- Sharples completed her higher education in mathematics and statistics in New Zealand, obtaining a Master of Science degree in statistics.
- She earned a doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in statistics, focusing on methodological developments for genetic data analysis.
Academic and Research Career
- After completing her doctorate, Sharples joined the University of Auckland, progressing through academic ranks to become a full professor.
- Her research portfolio includes work on:
- Statistical methods for DNA mixture interpretation and forensic genetics.
- Design and analysis of epidemiological studies, particularly those involving infectious disease and population health.
- Development of Bayesian and hierarchical modeling techniques for complex biological data.
- Sharples has collaborated with governmental agencies, health organizations, and legal institutions to ensure rigorous statistical standards in the use of genetic evidence.
Selected Contributions
- Co‑authored publications on the statistical evaluation of forensic DNA evidence, addressing issues such as contributor number estimation and profile probability calculations.
- Contributed to methodological guidelines for the use of genetic data in public health surveillance, including outbreak investigations.
- Involved in interdisciplinary training programs that equip researchers and practitioners with advanced statistical tools for biomedical applications.
Professional Service and Recognition
- Serves on editorial boards of peer‑reviewed journals in statistics and genetics.
- Has participated in advisory committees for national research ethics and data governance bodies.
- Recognized by the New Zealand statistical community for contributions to both methodological development and applied research.
Affiliations
- University of Auckland, School of Mathematics and Statistics.
- Centre for Population Health Research, University of Auckland (affiliated).
Publications
Sharples' scholarly output includes peer‑reviewed articles in journals such as Biometrics, Genetic Epidemiology, and the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Her work is frequently cited in studies relating to forensic DNA analysis and the statistical modelling of health data.
Impact
Through her interdisciplinary approach, Katrina Sharples has advanced the reliability of statistical inference in genetics and public health, influencing both academic research and policy implementation in New Zealand and internationally.
