Anya Skatova is an Associate Professor at the University of Bristol. A behavioural scientist, Anya studies how novel digital footprint data can be used to understand human behaviour and real-life outcomes, such as health. Currently, she is focusing on transaction data, specifically loyalty and banking cards, and working on realising the value of using these data to improve population health. In addition, she investigates a range of issues related to public attitudes to data sharing, prosocial behaviour and fundamental questions about individual differences in decision-making and choice.

Anya is a Turing Fellow at Alan Turing Institute and a UKRI Future Leader Fellow at Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol. She obtained her BA, MSc and PhD in Psychology from Moscow State, Oxford and Nottingham universities. Prior to moving to the University of Bristol in 2017, she worked at the interdisciplinary research centre Horizon Digital Economy Research at the University of Nottingham, Warwick Business School and Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick. Currently, she leads Digital Footprints Lab, which studies use of digital footprints to understand human behaviour and health. 

Anya Skatova works with an extensive network of stakeholders from industry, government and third sector. She has previously led responses to government consultations, advised UK government (e.g., the Centre of Data Ethics and Innovation/Department for Sport, Media and Culture) and non-government authorities (e.g., Finance Conduct Authority), and worked with a wide range of business and non-profit organisations such Office for National Statistics, Consumer Protection Charity Which?, Walgreens Boots Alliance and others.

Watch Anya Skatova and her colleague Dr Alice James talking about their research at Digital Footprints 2025.

Meet our other Smart Data Research UK accelerator teams.