Robin Ryder

Robin Ryder is a Senior Lecturer in Statistics at the Department of Mathematics, Imperial College London, within the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He previously held positions as Associate Professor (maître de conférences HDR) at Université Paris-Dauphine and an associate member at École Normale Supérieure, Paris. His research focuses on Bayesian computational statistics (MCMC and ABC methods) and stochastic modeling in the Humanities, particularly Linguistics and Social Sciences.

Education:

• DPhil in Statistics, University of Oxford
• Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches, Paris Dauphine University

Research Interests: Dr. Ryder specializes in advancing computational methods for statistical inference, including Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC). His applied work bridges statistics with the Humanities, addressing questions in linguistic phylogenetics, cultural evolution, and social sciences. Notable areas include modeling language evolution, analyzing sign language histories, and investigating functional load dynamics in linguistic systems.

Recent Contributions: His work spans theoretical advancements (e.g., saddlepoint Monte Carlo for ecological inference) and applied studies (e.g., phylogenetic models for Kra-Dai languages and weaving technologies). He frequently collaborates on interdisciplinary projects, such as computational analyses of sign language histories and formal assessments of primate communication systems.

Awards & Recognition: While no explicit awards are listed, his contributions have been featured in prominent outlets like Science and French popular science magazine Pour la Science.

Grants & Advising: Details on grants or advisees are not explicitly mentioned, though his involvement in editorial boards (e.g., Bayesian Analysis) underscores his leadership in statistical methodology. He actively participates in conferences and workshops, emphasizing sustainability by advocating for reduced academic travel.