Rowena is a mathematician and health data scientist with over 20 years’ experience applying advanced quantitative and computational methods to administrative and health data to address questions that matter for individual wellbeing and public services. She leads the Health and Care research theme for ADR Wales, overseeing a portfolio of research while continuing to work hands-on with statistical tools.
Her research explores how health and healthcare use vary according to people’s circumstances—from rural access to healthcare and housing, to environmental exposures and the experiences of vulnerable populations. She is particularly interested in turning complex administrative data into evidence that policymakers, clinicians and the public can understand and use, including through contemporary data visualisations and interactive dashboards.
Her work brings together healthcare practitioners and planners, government and public-sector colleagues to turn policy questions into useful research. She also teaches coding and data science methods to students and professionals and volunteers in school outreach programmes, building skills and confidence across the wider research community and the next generation of health data scientists.