About me

I am a PhD candidate in Applied Statistics in the Mathematical Institute at Leiden University where I am supervised by Prof.dr. Jacqueline J Meulman and dr. Marta Fiocco.

My PhD research focusses on finding optimal scaling transformations for variables in generalised linear models (GLMs), which are often fitted with the maximum likelihood approach. So far, I have implemented the optimal scaling method in the survival analysis setting (Cox model) and for the logistic regression model, but the algorithm can easily be implemented for other GLMs as well.

I am also interested in the communication of statistics. Therefore, I am currently doing a research project on the interpretation of probability phrases together with Prof.dr.ir. Ionica Smeets and Prof.dr. Casper J Albers. Furthermore, and I am co-founding a Statistics Communication Division within the Netherlands Statistical Society. This division’s aim is to organize regular meetings about this topic and to create a platform where people from different fields can exchange their findings and experiences.

Contact

Mathematical Institute – Leiden University
Snellius Building, office 2.30
Niels Bohrweg 1
2333 CA Leiden
Telephone: +31 71 527 7091
E-mail: s.j.w.willems@math.leidenuniv.nl