Overview
Background
Peter is a Research Fellow in Applied Statistics at the Science of Learning Research Centre, Queensland Brain Institute. His research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that enable or limit children’s life chances. He plays a crucial role in designing well-structured studies, analysing data, and interpreting results to provide valid and reliable conclusions on how to improve children's opportunities and outcomes.
As an applied statistician, Peter collaborates with an inter-disciplinary team to integrate statistical analyses with qualitative research and contextual knowledge. He brings expertise in identifying and analysing key factors and variables that influence children's life chances. Further, he develops research methodologies, including sampling strategies, data collection methods, and statistical analyses of small- and large-scale data, to understand the complex interplay of factors that contribute to children's opportunities and outcomes. He distills the link between experiences and children’s life chances using an array of statistical methods, including longitudinal and multilevel modelling, measurement and psychometrics, causal inference, data science, structural equation modelling, and data visualization. Additionally, he has expertise in uncovering the mediating and moderating factors that influence the relationship between early life experiences and later life chances. By leveraging expertise in statistical analysis and research methodology, Peter’s work provides evidence-based insights into the mechanisms that shape children's life chances. This evidence informs research, policy, and interventions aimed at improving children's opportunities and outcomes.
Availability
- Dr Peter Rankin is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Queensland
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Enabling children’s life chances
Parents, caregivers, and educators are the closest influence on children in the crucial early years of development. What can parents, caregivers, and educators do to enable children to succeed?
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Gene environment interaction
Identical twins share striking similarities in personality, yet profound or traumatic experiences can change a person’s personality entirely. How do genes and the environment interact to determine outcomes? What implications does this have for enabling children’s life chances?
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Individual differences
Parents and educators observe that what works for one child does not work for another. How do individual differences shape children’s learning, development, and life chances?
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Statistical inference
Smoking in pregnancy was incorrectly inferred to reduce mortality rates for low-birth weight infants, because low-birth weight in infants of non-smoking mothers was from more severe causes. How can we use design and methodology to make better statistical inferences?
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Measurement
Grace Hopper observed, “one accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions”. How can we use statistical methods to improve and validate measurement of early experiences and child outcomes?
Research impacts
Interdisciplinary applied and basic research
The major theme of Peter's work is using a broad research background and high-level statistical skills to answer applied and basic research questions. Previously, he focused on environmental conservation and marine science. In the present, he has transitioned into developmental psychology, early education and care, and child development. The future focus for Peter's work is examining inter-individual differences in intra-individual process of development. That is, establishing patterns of change in child developmental outcomes and examining how characteristics of the individuals influence individual variation in response to unique and shared developmental experience. This will help establish, from a developmental lens, what works, and what works for whom.
Methodological rigour
The second theme of Peter's work is methodological rigour. His work has outlined the limits of knowledge, and critically reflected on limitations within research areas and scoped improvement. This includes work on better estimation strategies for analytical models, improving and understanding psychometric measurement, and critically evaluating bodies of evidence to understand gaps in knowledge and providing suggestions to improve research design and analytical practice. His focus on methodology remains a focal point moving forwards.
Statistical leadership
The third theme is statistical leadership. A major component of Peter's work is providing leadership to multiple research teams on appropriate statistical methodology. Peter’s statistical leadership has informed several key discoveries, including how activity and time of day influences assessments of childcare quality and the link between emotional quality of early education and cognitive development.
Works
Search Professor Peter Rankin’s works on UQ eSpace
2020
Other Outputs
Queensland State School students: prep and educational outcomes
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Beatton, Tony, Rankin, Peter and Staton, Sally (2020). Queensland State School students: prep and educational outcomes. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2020
Other Outputs
The most disadvantaged students: prep and NAPLAN results
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Beatton, Tony, Rankin, Peter and Staton, Sally (2020). The most disadvantaged students: prep and NAPLAN results. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2020
Other Outputs
Indigenous students: prep and educational outcomes
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Beatton, Tony, Rankin, Peter and Staton, Sally (2020). Indigenous students: prep and educational outcomes. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2020
Other Outputs
The most disadvantaged students: prep and educational outcomes
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Beatton, Tony, Rankin, Peter and Staton, Sally (2020). The most disadvantaged students: prep and educational outcomes. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2020
Other Outputs
Queensland State School students: Prep and NAPLAN results
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Beatton, Tony, Rankin, Peter and Staton, Sally (2020). Queensland State School students: Prep and NAPLAN results. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research.
2020
Conference Publication
Variation in observed instructional support predicts academic outcomes
Rankin, P., Staton, S. and Thorpe, K. (2020). Variation in observed instructional support predicts academic outcomes. AERA Annual Meeting San Francisco, San Francisco, CA USA, 17-21 April 2020.
Featured
2020
Journal Article
Many naps, one nap, none: a systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0-12 years
Staton, Sally, Rankin, Peter S., Harding, Mollie, Smith, Simon S., Westwood, Emily, LeBourgeois, Monique K. and Thorpe, Karen J. (2020). Many naps, one nap, none: a systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0-12 years. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 50 101247, 101247. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2019.101247
2019
Other Outputs
Bridging the theory to evidence gap: a systematic review and analysis of individual × environment models of child development
Rankin, Peter Sheldon (2019). Bridging the theory to evidence gap: a systematic review and analysis of individual × environment models of child development. PhD Thesis, Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2020.35
2019
Conference Publication
Improving sleep health in early childhood: pilot rct of an educator professional development program to improve sleep practices in childcare services
Staton, S., Rankin, P., Thorpe, K., Oakes, C., Houen, S., Cooke, E. and Smith, S. (2019). Improving sleep health in early childhood: pilot rct of an educator professional development program to improve sleep practices in childcare services. World Sleep 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 20-25 September 2019. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.11.1013
2019
Other Outputs
Measuring Goodstart children’s progress and outcomes
Thorpe, Karen, Azhar Hussain Potia, Rankin, Peter, Beatton, Tony and Staton, Sally (2019). Measuring Goodstart children’s progress and outcomes. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland.
2019
Other Outputs
Test cases for using Goodstart data
Thorpe, Karen, Potia, Azhar Hussain, Rankin, Peter, Beatton, Tony and Staton, Sally (2019). Test cases for using Goodstart data. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland.
2019
Conference Publication
Variation and average teaching quality as a predictor of academic outcomes: extending CLASS. Society for Research in Child Development
Rankin, P., Staton, S., Beatton, T. and Thorpe, K. (2019). Variation and average teaching quality as a predictor of academic outcomes: extending CLASS. Society for Research in Child Development. Society for Research in Child Development, Poster Symposium, Biennial Meeting, Baltimore, MD United States, 21 - 23 March 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Actigraphy based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable
Rankin, P., Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2019). Actigraphy based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable. 15th World Sleep Congress, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 20-25 September 2019. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2019.11.998
2018
Conference Publication
Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings
Staton, S., Smith, S., Rankin, P. and Thorpe, K. (2018). Regularity of infant and toddler sleep practices between home and childcare settings. 30th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of Australasian-Sleep-Association and the Australasian-Sleep-Technologists-Association (Sleep DownUnder), Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 17-20 October 2018. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing. doi: 10.1111/jsr.106_12766
2018
Conference Publication
Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable
Rankin, P., Staton, S., Thorpe, K. and Smith, S. (2018). Actigraphy-based estimates of sleep duration in young children with and without a sleep log are comparable. Australasian Chronobiology Society 15th Annual Scientific Meeting, Brisbane, Australia, 2018.
2017
Other Outputs
Professional development package and resources for guiding sleep practices in early childhood education and care services in Queensland - Phase 2 Follow-up Final Report
Staton, S., Thorpe, K., Smith, S.S., Irvine, S., Pattinson, C,, Rankin, P., Oakes, C., Teo, Y. and Cooke, E. (2017). Professional development package and resources for guiding sleep practices in early childhood education and care services in Queensland - Phase 2 Follow-up Final Report. Brisbane, QLD Australia: Department of Education, Queensland Government.
2016
Journal Article
Geography of conservation spending, biodiversity, and culture
McClanahan, T. R. and Rankin, P. S. (2016). Geography of conservation spending, biodiversity, and culture. Conservation Biology, 30 (5) 0053, 1089-1101. doi: 10.1111/cobi.12720
2015
Journal Article
An alternative surplus production model
Rankin, Peter Sheldon and Lemos, Ricardo T. (2015). An alternative surplus production model. Ecological Modelling, 313, 109-126. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.06.024
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Peter Rankin is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Child sleep development in the context of family work lives
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Sally Staton
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Doctor Philosophy
The Signifiance of Nap Cessation for Children's Social-emotional Functioning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Karen Thorpe, Associate Professor Sally Staton, Professor Simon Smith
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
The Significance of Nap Cessation for Children's Social-emotional Functioning
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Karen Thorpe, Associate Professor Sally Staton, Professor Simon Smith
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Livelihood Diversification and Gender Dynamics: The Case of Pakistan's Punjab
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Rob Cramb
Media
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