Short Course: Bayesian Modeling for Socio-Environmental Data

[Melanie Colón]

SHORT COURSE: BAYESIAN MODELING FOR SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL DATA



The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) located in
Annapolis, Maryland, will host a nine-day short course August 1–10, 2016,
covering basic principles of using Bayesian models to gain insight from
data. The goals of the course are to:



+ Provide a principles-based understanding of Bayesian methods needed to
train students, evaluate papers and proposals, and solve research problems.

+ Communicate the statistical concepts and vocabulary needed to foster
collaboration between ecologists, social scientists, and statisticians.

+ Provide the conceptual foundations and quantitative confidence needed for
self-teaching modern analytical methods.



The course is aimed at postdoc, researcher, and faculty participants. Grad
students may also be considered.



BACKGROUND



Solutions to pressing environmental problems require understanding
connections between human and natural systems. Analysis of these systems
requires models that can deal with complexity, are able to exploit data
from multiple sources, and are honest about uncertainty that arises in
different ways. Synthesis of results from multiple studies is often
required. Bayesian hierarchical models provide a powerful approach to
analysis of socio-environmental problems that are complex and that require
synthesis of knowledge.



Past participants of this short course have worked on research questions
including, but not limited to, the use of network analyses to understand
measurement uncertainly in the context of extreme weather events, the study
of governance effectiveness and fisheries biomass, and the relationship
between advocacy group compositions and estuarine quality.

ADDITIONAL INFO & APPLY

Visit www.sesync.org/opportunities/bayesian-modeling-data-august-2016 for
complete details about this short course. Applications must be received no
later than January 20, 2016, at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST).

There is no fee to attend, but participants are responsible for most of
their own travel and accommodations. For those willing to share a room with
another participant, SESYNC will provide local hotel accommodations. If a
private hotel room is desired, SESYNC will cover 50% of hotel costs.
Coffee/tea and lunch will be provided daily.