Nick Allum is Professor of Sociology at the University of Essex, with expertise in survey design and analysis, public understanding of science, social and political trust and risk perception. He has published widely in these areas and is a regular advisor to government and 3rd sector partners on large-scale research projects in the area of public understanding of science and survey research more generally. He teaches statistical methods, directs the MSc in Survey Methods for Social Research at Essex and specialises in latent variable and structural equation modelling. Nick has been academic advisor for several major UK surveys, including the Wellcome Trust Monitor and the Dept of Business Industry and Skills (BIS) Public Attitudes to Science Survey as well as advising the US National Science Board on several science surveys. Nick is currently General Secretary of the European Survey Research Association.