You can’t build a house without a hammer. In a world overflowing with data, we need reliable tools to build our understanding of what it all means.

Dr. Melissa Humphries is a statistician – she creates, and applies, analytical tools that make sense of our world. Working in areas like forensic science, defence and psychology, the goal is always to increase efficiency, accuracy, and transparency. Building bridges between machines and experts, Melissa’s work aims to support experts in making decisions in an explainable way. That is useful. And easy to work with. And unbiased. Piece of cake, right?

Melissa is an ex-chef who completed her PhD in Statistics and Mathematical Psychology from the University of Tasmania in 2017 – with an 11-month-old son in tow. She is currently a lecturer in statistics at the University of Adelaide and splits her time between teaching, research and fighting for changes that will make academia more accessible to everyone.

Dr Melissa Humphries is a Superstar of STEM.