Dame Jil Matheson joins the Observatory for Mathematical Education team

The Observatory of Mathematical Education is thrilled to welcome Dame Jil Matheson as Chair of the Observatory’s Strategic Advisory Board.

Jil served as the UK’s National Statistician, Head of the Government Statistical Service and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority from 2009 until her retirement in 2014.

After graduating from the University of Sussex, Jil began her career in statistics at the Office of Population Census and Surveys, now the Office for National Statistics (ONS). She worked as a researcher, analyst, and project manager for a number of social surveys, and in 2003 took leadership of the ONS Census Division progressing to Executive Director of Census, Demographic and Regional Statistics and in 2008 became Director General for Statistics Delivery.

Jil chaired the OECD’s Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy and the UN Statistical Commission. She has also led a group for The British Academy on the need for improved quantitative skills in the UK, resulting in the publication Count us In, and carried out a review of the BBC’s impartiality in its use and reporting of statistics concluding with the publication of Making Sense of Statistics.

Jil is a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and has been a member of The Royal Society’s Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, and the Executive Committee of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences.

In 2014, Jil was recognised for her services to official statistics and awarded a Damehood.

The Observatory is looking forward to benefitting from Jil’s expertise and experience as they continue their work to improve mathematical education for all.