Dr Peter Baker
Dr

Peter Baker

Email: 

Background

Dr Peter Baker is an Honorary Associate Professor at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation

From 2021-2023, Peter was an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Health, University of Queensland. For twelve years until the end of 2020, he was a Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics at the School of Public Health and a senior statistical collaborator, advisor and consultant to several research projects in the Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health.

With fourty years experience as a statistical consultant and researcher, Peter has a passion for biometrics in agricultural research and biostatistics applied to public health and medical research. He also champions reproducible research and reporting and to this end has developed R and Make software to aid the workflow of data analysts in any field. As a statistical consultant and collaborator, he has contributed to many agricultural, genetic, public health and medical research projects. His contribution has ranged from advice on standard statistical approaches to the application of novel methods to improve statistical analysis or the development of new statistical methodology to fill a gap in the knowledge.

Peter's current research interests:

  • efficient statistical computing using R, Make, Git and related software for the workflow of data analysis,
  • reproducible research and reporting using R, Markdown, Quarto and Sweave,
  • tailoring R functions and developing bespoke packages for specific statistical analyses, and
  • applied statistlcal research in novel methods for epidemiological and medial research, including
    • graphical models for multivariate data in epidemiology,
    • statistical methods for modelling trajectories of alcohol consumption in youths,
    • propensity score analysis to adjust for selection bias in observational studies, and
    • Bayesian methods for epidemiological and medical MCMC studies.

Dr Baker is an Accredited Statistician (ASTAT) with the Statistical Society of Australia (see SSAI_Accreditation)

Availability

Dr Peter Baker is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Biostatistics Crop and pasture production Health Sciences Mathematical Sciences Statistics

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), University of Adelaide
  • Masters (Coursework), University of New South Wales
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology

Research impacts

Peter is a highly experienced statistical consultant and researcher who worked at CSIRO Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics for 20 years before joining the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland. Prior to this he was employed as a statistical consultant in enviironmental monitoring at the Electricity Commision of NSW, sports science at Cumberland College of Health Sciences, and agricultural research at NSW Agriculture. During his time at CSIRO, he worked in a range of areas including agricultural research, bioinformatics and quantitative genetics. Highlights: developed novel Bayesian methods for assessing marker dosage in sugarcane and other polyploids and applied false discovery rate methods to QTL analysis and microarrays.

In addition to collaborating with a range of applied scientists to advance scientific knowledge by employing standard and cutting-edge statistical methods, several projects have had practical significance to industry including timely alerts to graziers when drops in temperature are dangerous for lambing, improved soil moisture estimation for cotton production and enhancing quantitative methods for sugarcane breeding. Recent collaborative work has informed public policy on drink safe precincts and alcohol related problems, effectiveness of mosquito nets and the effect of sunscreen to prevent skin ageing.

When it can improve research outcomes, Peter is keen to apply new statistical methods to agricultural research, epidemiology, health and medical studies in order to extract the maximum information from study data. He is also an expert in, and advocate for, reproducible research and efficient statistical computing using the R statistical and graphics system.

R Clinics and Short Courses

  • Please contact Peter if you would like a workshop or Introductory to Advanced R Course tailored to your needs.

Student Projects

  • Developing or contributing to R packages for various aspects of the workflow of data analysis projects like data wrangling, cleaning, validation and reproducible reporting,
  • Statistical and Graphical Models for crop modelling, agricultural research, and epidemiological and medical studies.

Search Professor Peter Baker’s works on UQ eSpace

75 works between 1986 and 2024
All (75) Journal Article (59) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (14) Book (1)

21 - 40 of 75 works

2017

Journal Article

Long-term impact of changing childhood malnutrition on rotavirus diarrhoea: Two decades of adjusted association with climate and socio-demographic factors from urban Bangladesh

Das, Sumon Kumar, Chisti, Mohammod Jobayer, Habibur, Mohammad, Sarker, Rahman, Das, Jui, Ahmed, Shawnawaz, Shahunja, K. M., Nahar, Shamsun, Gibbons, Nora, Ahmed, Tahmeed, Faruque, Abu Syed Golam, Rahman, Mustafizur, Fuchs, George J., III, Al Mamun, Abdullah and Baker, Peter John (2017). Long-term impact of changing childhood malnutrition on rotavirus diarrhoea: Two decades of adjusted association with climate and socio-demographic factors from urban Bangladesh. PLoS One, 12 (9) e0179418, e0179418. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179418

Long-term impact of changing childhood malnutrition on rotavirus diarrhoea: Two decades of adjusted association with climate and socio-demographic factors from urban Bangladesh

2017

Journal Article

Tobacco harm reduction with vaporised nicotine (THRiVe): the study protocol of an uncontrolled feasibility study of novel nicotine replacement products among people living with HIV who smoke

Bell, Stephanie, Dean, Judith, Gilks, Charles, Boyd, Mark A., Fitzgerald, Lisa, Mutch, Allyson, Baker, Peter, Neilsen, Graham and Gartner, Coral E. (2017). Tobacco harm reduction with vaporised nicotine (THRiVe): the study protocol of an uncontrolled feasibility study of novel nicotine replacement products among people living with HIV who smoke. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14 (7) 799, 799. doi: 10.3390/ijerph14070799

Tobacco harm reduction with vaporised nicotine (THRiVe): the study protocol of an uncontrolled feasibility study of novel nicotine replacement products among people living with HIV who smoke

2017

Journal Article

Twelve-Year television viewing time trajectories and physical function in older adults

Reid, Natasha, Healy, Genevieve N., Daly, Robin M., Baker, Peter, Eakin, Elizabeth G., Dunstan, David W., Owen, Neville and Gardiner, Paul A. (2017). Twelve-Year television viewing time trajectories and physical function in older adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 49 (7), 1359-1365. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001243

Twelve-Year television viewing time trajectories and physical function in older adults

2017

Journal Article

How participation in surgical mortality audit impacts surgical practice

Lui, Chi-Wai, Boyle, Frances M., Wysocki, Arkadiusz Peter, Baker, Peter, D'Souza, Alisha, Faint, Sonya, Rey-Conde, Therese and North, John B. (2017). How participation in surgical mortality audit impacts surgical practice. BMC Surgery, 17 (1) 42, 42. doi: 10.1186/s12893-017-0240-z

How participation in surgical mortality audit impacts surgical practice

2017

Conference Publication

Long-term health-related quality of life following esophagectomy: A nonrandomized comparison of thoracoscopically assisted and open surgery

Barbour, Andrew P., McCormack, Orla M. , Baker, Peter J., Hirst, Jodi, Krause, Lutz, Brosda, Sandra, Thomas, Janine M., Blazeby, Jane M., Thomson, Iain G., Gotley, David C. and Smithers, Bernard M. (2017). Long-term health-related quality of life following esophagectomy: A nonrandomized comparison of thoracoscopically assisted and open surgery. Philadelphia, PA United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000001899

Long-term health-related quality of life following esophagectomy: A nonrandomized comparison of thoracoscopically assisted and open surgery

2017

Conference Publication

Use of active and passive surveillance to determine the risk factors for malaria infection in Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low-endemic, multi-species setting (Plasmodium knowlesi, P. vivax, and P. falciparum infection) aiming for malaria elimination

Herdiana, Herdiana, Cotter, Chris, Coutrier, Farah, Tirta, Yusrifar K., Zarlinda, Iska, Zelman, Brittany W., Gosling, Roly D., Baker, Peter, Whittaker, Maxine and Hsiang, Michelle S. (2017). Use of active and passive surveillance to determine the risk factors for malaria infection in Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low-endemic, multi-species setting (Plasmodium knowlesi, P. vivax, and P. falciparum infection) aiming for malaria elimination. 65th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta, Georgia, 13-16 November 2016. Deerfield, IL, United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Use of active and passive surveillance to determine the risk factors for malaria infection in Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low-endemic, multi-species setting (Plasmodium knowlesi, P. vivax, and P. falciparum infection) aiming for malaria elimination

2016

Journal Article

Role of emerging private hospitals in a post-Soviet mixed health system: a mixed methods comparative study of private and public hospital inpatient care in Mongolia

Tsevelvaanchig, Uranchimeg, Gouda, Hebe, Baker, Peter and Hill, Peter S. (2016). Role of emerging private hospitals in a post-Soviet mixed health system: a mixed methods comparative study of private and public hospital inpatient care in Mongolia. Health Policy and Planning, 32 (4), 476-486. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czw157

Role of emerging private hospitals in a post-Soviet mixed health system: a mixed methods comparative study of private and public hospital inpatient care in Mongolia

2016

Journal Article

The natural history of internalizing behaviours from adolescence to emerging adulthood: findings from the Australian Temperament Project

Betts, K. S., Baker, P., Alati, R., McIntosh, J. E., Macdonald, J. A., Letcher, P. and Olsson, C. A. (2016). The natural history of internalizing behaviours from adolescence to emerging adulthood: findings from the Australian Temperament Project. Psychological Medicine, 46 (13), 2815-2827. doi: 10.1017/S0033291716001495

The natural history of internalizing behaviours from adolescence to emerging adulthood: findings from the Australian Temperament Project

2016

Journal Article

Malaria risk factor assessment using active and passive surveillance data from Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low endemic, malaria elimination setting with Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium falciparum

Herdiana, Herdiana, Cotter, Chris, Coutrier, Farah N., Zarlinda, Iska, Zelman, Brittany W., Tirta, Yusrifar Kharisma, Greenhouse, Bryan, Gosling, Roly D., Baker, Peter, Whittaker, Maxine and Hsiang, Michelle S. (2016). Malaria risk factor assessment using active and passive surveillance data from Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low endemic, malaria elimination setting with Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium falciparum. Malaria Journal, 15 (1) 468, 468. doi: 10.1186/s12936-016-1523-z

Malaria risk factor assessment using active and passive surveillance data from Aceh Besar, Indonesia, a low endemic, malaria elimination setting with Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium vivax, and Plasmodium falciparum

2016

Journal Article

Community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, Queensland, Australia

Furuya-Kanamori, Luis, Yakob, Laith, Riley, Thomas V., Paterson, David L., Baker, Peter, McKenzie, Samantha J., Robson, Jenny and Clements, Archie C. A. (2016). Community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, Queensland, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22 (9), 1659-1661. doi: 10.3201/eid2209.151115

Community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, Queensland, Australia

2016

Conference Publication

GNU make for reproducible data analysis using R and other statistical software

Baker, Peter (2016). GNU make for reproducible data analysis using R and other statistical software. R Users Conference, Stanford University, CA, United States, 27-30 June 2016.

GNU make for reproducible data analysis using R and other statistical software

2016

Conference Publication

Exploring the role of health beliefs in medication adherence in individuals with asthma

Foot, Holly, La Caze, Adam, Gujral, Gina, Baker, Peter and Cottrell, Neil (2016). Exploring the role of health beliefs in medication adherence in individuals with asthma. Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association (APSA) and the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) Joint Scientific Meeting, Hobart, Tasmania, 29 November - 2 December 2015. Philadelphia, PA, United States: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2016.05.110

Exploring the role of health beliefs in medication adherence in individuals with asthma

2016

Conference Publication

Association of TV viewing time trajectories over 12 years with timed up and go in Australian adults

Reid, Natasha, Healy, Genevieve, Baker, Peter, Eakin, Elizabeth, Dunstan, David, Owen, Neville and Gardiner, Paul (2016). Association of TV viewing time trajectories over 12 years with timed up and go in Australian adults. World Congress on Active Ageing, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 28 June-1 July 2016. Champaign, IL, United States: Human Kinetics.

Association of TV viewing time trajectories over 12 years with timed up and go in Australian adults

2016

Journal Article

Do participants with different patterns of loss to follow-up have different characteristics? A multi-wave longitudinal study

Saiepour, Nargess, Ware, Robert, Najman, Jake, Baker, Peter, Clavarino, Alexandra and Williams, Gail (2016). Do participants with different patterns of loss to follow-up have different characteristics? A multi-wave longitudinal study. Journal of Epidemiology, 26 (1), 45-49. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20150015

Do participants with different patterns of loss to follow-up have different characteristics? A multi-wave longitudinal study

2015

Journal Article

Meropenem versus piperacillin-tazobactam for definitive treatment of bloodstream infections due to ceftriaxone non-susceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp (the MERINO trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Harris, Patrick N. A., Peleg, Anton Y., Iredell, Jon, Ingram, Paul R., Miyakis, Spiros, Stewardson, Andrew J., Rogers, Benjamin A., McBryde, Emma S., Roberts, Jason A., Lipman, Jeff, Athan, Eugene, Paul, Sanjoy K., Baker, Peter, Harris-Brown, Tiffany and Paterson, David L. (2015). Meropenem versus piperacillin-tazobactam for definitive treatment of bloodstream infections due to ceftriaxone non-susceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp (the MERINO trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 16 (1) 24, 24.1-24.8. doi: 10.1186/s13063-014-0541-9

Meropenem versus piperacillin-tazobactam for definitive treatment of bloodstream infections due to ceftriaxone non-susceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp (the MERINO trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

2015

Conference Publication

The relationship between lower back pain, inflammatory markers and genetic variants robustly associated with risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis in a population-based cohort

Katikireddi, V, Baker, P. and Evans, D. (2015). The relationship between lower back pain, inflammatory markers and genetic variants robustly associated with risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis in a population-based cohort. Australian Rheumatology Associationin conjunction with Rheumatology Health Professionals Association, 56th Annual Scientific Meeting, Adelaide, Australia, 23–26 May, 2015. Richmond, Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/imj.12752

The relationship between lower back pain, inflammatory markers and genetic variants robustly associated with risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis in a population-based cohort

2014

Journal Article

The association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China

Li, Shanshan, Guo, Yuming, Williams, Gail, Baker, Peter, Ye, Xiaofang, Madaniyazi, Lina, Kim, Dae-Seon and Pan, Xiaochuan (2014). The association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China. International Journal of Biometeorology, 59 (7), 791-798. doi: 10.1007/s00484-014-0897-2

The association between ambient temperature and children’s lung function in Baotou, China

2014

Journal Article

Gastroenteritis due to typhoidal Salmonella: a decade of observation at an urban and a rural diarrheal disease hospital in Bangladesh

Das, Sumon Kumar, Chisti, Mohammod Jobayer, Afrad, Mokibul Hassan, Malek, Mohammad Abdul, Ahmed, Shahnawaz, Ferdous, Farzana, Farzana, Fahmida Dil, Das, Jui, Shahunja, K. M., Afroze, Farzana, Salam, Mohammed Abdus, Ahmed, Tahmeed, Faruque, Abu Syed Golam, Baker, Peter John and Al Mamun, Abdullah (2014). Gastroenteritis due to typhoidal Salmonella: a decade of observation at an urban and a rural diarrheal disease hospital in Bangladesh. BMC Infectious Diseases, 14 (1) 435. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-14-435

Gastroenteritis due to typhoidal Salmonella: a decade of observation at an urban and a rural diarrheal disease hospital in Bangladesh

2014

Journal Article

Are children's asthmatic symptoms related to ambient temperature? a panel study in Australia

Li, Shanshan, Baker, Peter J., Jalaludin, Bin B., Guo, Yuming, Marks, Guy B., Denison, Lyn S. and Williams, Gail M. (2014). Are children's asthmatic symptoms related to ambient temperature? a panel study in Australia. Environmental Research, 133, 239-245. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.05.032

Are children's asthmatic symptoms related to ambient temperature? a panel study in Australia

2014

Journal Article

Is there any evidence of changes in patterns of concurrent drug use among young Australians 18-29 years between 2007 and 2010?

Kelly, Adrian B., Chan, Gary C. K., White, Angela, Saunders, John B., Baker, Peter J. and Connor, Jason P. (2014). Is there any evidence of changes in patterns of concurrent drug use among young Australians 18-29 years between 2007 and 2010?. Addictive Behaviors, 39 (8), 1249-1252. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.04.009

Is there any evidence of changes in patterns of concurrent drug use among young Australians 18-29 years between 2007 and 2010?

Past funding

  • 2017 - 2022
    A Pragmatic Randomised Clinical Trial of Nicotine Vaporisers added to Smoking Cessation Treatment for Priority Populations Living with Comorbidities
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2018
    A harm reduction trial using novel nicotine replacement products among smokers who are living with HIV in Australia
    HIVFQ HIV Research Grants
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Very young adolescents and substance use: Community and family vulnerabilities and healthy developmental transitions.
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2009 - 2010
    Advanced graphical modelling for causal inference in epidemiology
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Dr Peter Baker is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

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