Gavin Stewart
Research Fellow
Email: gavin.stewart@york.ac.uk
Tel: 01904 321068
Fax: 01904 321041
Gavin joined CRD as a Research Fellow in 2009. His research interests are in meta-analysis, evidence synthesis, Bayesian methods and systematic review methodology. He began his career as a plant ecologist before pioneering the use of systematic review methods to support evidence-informed decision-making in conservation. His interest in research methodology grew from realisation that conclusions are often more dependent on methods than data, and increasing skepticism about the utility of p values.
Gavin's current work focuses on evaluating, adapting and extending methods for the analysis of individual patient data (IPD), assessing methods for pooling and exploring heterogeneity by examining different methods of weighting in random effects models, evaluating one stage common effect and mixed (random) models and assessing the utility of Bayesian hierarchical approaches to deal with complex data. Gavin is comparing the relative merits of multiple imputation, a conditional Gaussian approach and chained equations for handling data missing at the level of individual and trial. They are also using IPD to explore the impact of reporting biases.
Other research pursued in collaboration focuses on the development of meta-analytical software, evaluating network geometry and coherence in mixed treatment comparisons, use of Bayesian belief networks, exploring the utility of systematic reviews in ecology and comparing research synthesis methods in different disciplines.
Gavin is a member of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis, Society for Research Synthesis Methodology, and Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. He is also a member of the NERC peer review college, associate editor of Research Synthesis Methods, and statistical editor for the Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group.