Peter Tennant
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pwgtennant.bsky.social
Peter Tennant
@pwgtennant.bsky.social
Epidemiologist with an interest in causal inference methods at @universityofleeds.bsky.social.

Check out my Intro to Causal Inference Course: https://www.causal.training/

#Epidemiology, #EpiSky, #CausalInference, #CausalSky, #AcademicSky
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DEBATE: "Is AI the future of health and social science?"

For those in London on 15 Dec 2025, don't miss this fun in person debate between me and David Bann sponsored by @ncrm.ac.uk!

Will the arguments change anyone's mind? 🤔

Sign up to attend IN PERSON: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-ai-the-...
Reposted by Peter Tennant
I went through a bunch of social epi papers recently that did mediation and this is pretty common:

Intro: need to know about mechanism
Conclusion: the mediator is another place to intervene to reduce Y

So the question is rarely really about mechanisms to begin with.
November 26, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I can only conclude this government - like the one before it - wants to destroy UK Higher Education.
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Came here to say this too: translational methodologist is almost impossible to fund, so there’s no reason you cant still find ways to do it on the side. We’re pretty much all doing it that way anyhow.
November 26, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Thanks for sharing @cameronpat.bsky.social. There is so much value in being a passionate person in statistics that inspires good statistical work in others. Good communication should not be undervalued! Take care of yourself. ❤️
November 26, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
wait sorry for being offline for a while guys, was just settling into my new job at the OBR, what did I miss
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
My own object to the term 'provider' is that over the years I feel that I've gone from being an educator to a 'service provider'. I now expect that one day I will be replaced by a vending machine.
November 26, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Forgive yourself for whatever mistake you've made today.

Because, whatever it is, at least you didn't leak the Budget!

(Unless you're the person who leaked the budget. In which case, maybe take the rest of the day off)
BREAKING The entire Budget has leaked early

- £22BN of headroom
- £26bn tax rises
- Freeze on tax thresholds
- Pay per mileage confirmed
- Changes to capital gains
November 26, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Our economy is a mess. There's no money for anything. We must all suffer more economic pain. And still - almost 10 years after the Brexit vote - the reason is not really being discussed. How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't admit them.

We deserve so much better from our politicians.
November 26, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
I would be so embarrassed if I ever got a job and was described as a 'visionary leader' in the press release.

Can we not just say 'competent person with skills & experience'?
November 26, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
🚨The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 55,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 100,000. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
November 26, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Clacton in 2025 is very different to 1912.

For example, a few minutes walk from my flat I used to be able to find:

🐂 People riding bucking bullocks bareback
🤷🏻‍♀️ An irrepressible Australian jackass, the limit in perversity (!)
🦘 A boxing kangaroo called Bob

Now there is just Wetherspoons.
November 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Every time the BBC mentions the "black hole" in the UK public finances, they should say "due to Brexit".

And every time they ask someone about tax rises or spending cuts they should ask "was Brexit worth it for this?"
November 26, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Scientists: have you been the target of an online harassment campaign, doxxing, or weaponized FOIA requests? I'd like to talk to you about steps you had to take to protect your digital security for an upcoming Nature story. (You can be anonymous if necessary.)

RTs appreciated.
November 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
can’t fucking catch a breath

make it stop
November 25, 2025 at 7:31 PM
How are people establishing and dealing with different attitudes to LLMs with their collaborators and co-authors?

Two colleagues have told me they now have an explicit conversation at the beginning of every new project to establish a clear agreement on what is/not acceptable to all partners.
Look, LLM use in academia isn't just students. You need to be speaking clearly with your collaborators about your writing standards from the beginning. Make people say out loud that they don't write their own articles anymore.
November 25, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
My line was that I reserve the right to pull my name from the project or paper if I learn that it is LLM produced.
November 25, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
Look, LLM use in academia isn't just students. You need to be speaking clearly with your collaborators about your writing standards from the beginning. Make people say out loud that they don't write their own articles anymore.
November 25, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.

They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Dear Lord 🥺
November 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
One of the biggest challenges in public health & environment-related fields is the miscommunication of population-scale results to the individual-level

This is often caused by the desire to formulate “action” relevant to people’s lives but ends up blaming individuals for things not in their control
November 25, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
HYBRID EVENT: 'Introduction to Quantitative Bias' with Rachel Hughes on Monday 1st December at 10am-12pm UK time.

For those near Leeds, bring your laptop and enjoy this as an in-person session!

Sign-up before 9am on Thursday 27th via: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introducti...
November 24, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Higher education is one of the UK's most important exports. This policy would cripple many of the UK's leading universities. It's equivalent to slaughtering the goose that lays the golden eggs.
i: Reeves to unveil £600m raid on foreign student
university fees #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Peter Tennant
This petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy already has over 26,000 signatures. Let’s get it to 100,000 this week.

Please sign and share 🙏

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 24, 2025 at 7:36 PM