Bulletin Board
Subject: Bayesian Statistics in Ecology (Online)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Bayesian methods for analyzing data are now widely used in ecology and wildlife management. The Bayesian approach involves specifying the “prior” distribution, which represents the uncertainty about the model parameters before we collect the data, and the likelihood, which represents the plausibility of different parameters values based solely on the data. These are combined via Bayes’ Rule to obtain the “posterior” distribution for the parameters, which represents the uncertainty about the parameters after we have analyzed the data. Using the Bayesian approach gives you more flexibility in the type of models that you can fit, compared to the classical frequentist approach, as the model is typically specified in the same way that you would write it down mathematically. Once you have become familiar with fitting a Bayesian model in R, you will appreciate the extra flexibility and the more intuitive way in which the results can be presented.
PREREQUISITES: Experience with the basics of probability, statistical methods (estimation and model selection), and using R to fit statistical models.
FORMAT: Students will take the course at their own pace over a four-week period. The course is composed of pre-recorded lecture material and exercises using R. Student interaction and instructor feedback will be provided in the form of email, online discussion forums, and live Q & A. Each student will also have the opportunity in weeks 2 and 4 to meet with the instructor via one-on-one video consultation to discuss their individual project from school or work.
PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR: Dr. David Fletcher
DATES: September 6-30, 2022
CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT: This course is approved by The Wildlife Society and the Ecological Society of America for CEU’s (included for FREE).
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ESA CERTIFICATION: This course is approved by the Ecological Society of America for 1 semester hour of qualified coursework that can be used to meet the minimum education requirements in Physical and Mathematical Science.
PRICE: Early bird course fee: $600 professional / $500 student
SCHOLARSHIPS: Full scholarships are available to participants from countries designated as “lower income” and “lower middle income” in the World Bank List of Economies. Please see our CWS World Scholars Program page for details.
For more information/to register, please visit: https://www.centerforwildlifestudies.org/courses/bayesian-stats-2022
Center for Wildlife Studies <info@centerforwildlifestudies.org>
Wednesday, May 04, 2022