Speaker
Lisa Kirkland recently earned her PhD in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Pretoria (UP), where her academic journey began 22 years ago. Initially uncertain about her career path, she started in Engineering but soon shifted to a BSc in Mathematics, drawn by her natural aptitude for mathematical subjects. During her undergraduate studies, she developed a passion for Statistics and computer programming, though her academic progress was interrupted by a severe spinal cord injury. After recovering, she completed her BSc via correspondence at UNISA, majoring in Mathematics and Statistics, and pursued her Honours with a focus on Statistics. She returned to UP for her postgraduate studies and found her academic home in the Department of Statistics. Professionally, Lisa has worked as a data analyst in the insurance industry, where she enjoyed fitting pricing models. Currently, she is a Director of an accounting company, where she applies her self-taught skills in database management and web development.