2014 Fall

Date: 2014-10-10 Time: 15:30-16:30 Location: BURN 1205 Abstract: Extracting relevant information in complex spatial-temporal data sets is of paramount importance in statistical climatology. This is especially true when identifying spatial dependencies between quantitative extremes like heavy rainfall. The paper of Bernard et al. (2013) develops a fast and simple clustering algorithm for finding spatial patterns appropriate for extremes. They develop their algorithm by adapting multivariate extreme-value theory to the context of spatial clustering.

Date: 2014-10-03 Time: 15:30-16:30 Location: BURN 1205 Abstract: Major challenges arising from today’s “data deluge” include how to handle the commonly occurring situation of different types of variables (say, continuous and categorical) being simultaneously measured, as well as how to assess the accompanying flood of questions. Based on information theory, a bias-corrected mutual information (BCMI) measure of association that is valid and estimable between all basic types of variables has been proposed.

Date: 2014-09-26 Time: 15:30-16:30 Location: BURN 1205 Abstract: In palliative care studies, the primary outcomes are often health related quality of life measures (HRLQ). Randomized trials and prospective cohorts typically recruit patients with advanced stage of disease and follow them until death or end of the study. An important feature of such studies is that, by design, some patients, but not all, are likely to die during the course of the study.

Date: 2014-09-19 Time: 15:30-16:30 Location: BURN 1205 Abstract: Incomplete data can arise in many different situations for many different reasons. Sometimes the data may be incomplete for reasons beyond the control of the experimenter. However, it is also possible that this missingness is part of the study design. By using a two-phase sampling approach where only a small sub-sample gives complete information, it is possible to greatly reduce the cost of a study and still obtain precise estimates.

Date: 2014-09-12 Time: 15:30-16:30 Location: BURN 1205 Abstract: River flows records are an essential data source for a variety of hydrological applications including the prevention of flood risks and as well as the planning and management of water resources. A hydrograph is a graphical representation of the temporal variation of flow over a period of time (continuously measured, usually over a year). A flood hydrograph is commonly characterized by a number of features, mainly its peak, volume and duration.