Bayesian Environmental Statistics

Dr. Paul Black and Dr. Mark Fitzgerald

Aim of Course:

The course provides decision analysis approach to environmental statistics and EPA's DQO's

Traditional frequentist methods in statistics are often ill-suited to environmental problems, where the analysis of data typically must result in decisions with costs and benefits attached. These costs and benefits are rarely included in traditional statistical analyses. In this course, participants will learn to incorporate knowledge or estimates of the "state of the world," as well as the costs and benefits of alternative actions _(or inaction), via the application of Bayesian statistical methods to environmental data and decision-making.

Who Should Take This Course:

Environmental consultants, regulators, policy-makers, researchers and managers. Any analyst who has difficulty translating traditional statistical analysis into decisions.

For those enrolled in a Program of Advanced Statistical Studies, this is a required or elective course in the following Programs:

• Statistics for Environmental Science - required

Course Program:

The course is structured as follows

The Instructor:

Dr. Paul Black is a consultant with Neptune and Co. in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He has clients in both the private sector and in government, including regulatory agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency. His expertise includes the application of Bayesian statistical methods to environmental data and decision-making problems.

Dr. Mark Fitzgerald is a consultant with Neptune and Company in Denver, CO. Prior to joining Neptune, he spent a few years each as a technical staff member at Los Alamos National Laboratory and as an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, Denver. His research interests are in Bayesian statistics, decision analysis, statistical physics, and simulation.

Organization of the Course:

The course takes place over the internet, at statistics.com. During each course week, you participate at times of your own choosing - there are no set times when you must be online. Course participants will be given access to a private discussion board. In class discussions led by the instructor, you can post questions, seek clarification, and interact with your fellow students and the instructor. The course is scheduled to take place over 4 weeks, and typically requires 15 hours per week. At the beginning of each week, you receive the relevant material, in addition to answers to exercises from the previous session. During the week, you are expected to go over the course materials and work through exercises. Discussion among participants is encouraged. The instructor will provide answers and comments.

Certificates and Grades:

You may be interested only in learning the material presented, and not be concerned with grades or certificates. Or you may be enrolled in a statistics.com Program in Advanced Statistical Studies that requires demonstration of proficiency in the subject, in which case your work will be assessed for purposes of issuing a grade. Or you may require only a "Certificate of Course Completion," along with professional development credit in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEU's). As you begin the class, you will be asked to specify your category.

Credit:

This course offers continuing education units (CEU's). For those successfully completing the course (generally this means marks of 50% or better on the homework), 5.0 CEU's and a certificate will be issued by statistics.com, upon request.

Dates:

Mar. 26 - Apr. 23, 2010
Click here to be notified of future course offerings.

Participants gain access to the online materials on the first day of the course, and typically spend about 15 hours per week (at their convenience). You retain full access to course materials, including discussion board, for two weeks after the course closing date.

Level:

intermediate/advanced

Prerequisite:

The equivalent of Introduction to Statistics 1: Inference for a Single Variable, and Introduction to Statistics 2: Working with Bivariate Data (and, if necessary before these courses, Introduction to Statistics for Beginners or Survey of Statistics for Beginners). Participants should also be familiar with the materials covered in "Introduction to Bayesian Statistics."

Course Text:

Course materials will be provided.

Software:

R is used in several homework exercises for weeks 3 and 4, but a lack of facility with R will not prevent you from gaining most of the benefit of this course. Functionality in Excel can, to a large degree, substitute for the use of R. For more information about obtaining free or nominal cost versions of standard software packages, click here.

Registration:

Register Online - $469
Register Online (academic) - $369 (you must be affiliated with a college, university or high school)

Add $50 service fee if you require a prior invoice, or if you need to submit a purchase order or voucher, pay by wire transfer or EFT, or refund and reprocess a prior payment. Please use this printed registration form, for these and other special orders.

Note: Courses may fill up at any time and registrations are processed in the order in which they are received. Your registration will be confirmed for the first available course date, unless you specify otherwise.

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