Bayesian Statistical Inference for Implicitly defined Probability Models. Bayesian statistics has recently been used to provide solutions for a large number of hitherto intractable problems in science and technology. The success of Bayesian statistics has mainly been due to the application of so-called Markov chain Monte Carlo computational techniques. We aim to improve these algorithms, by providing fast, simple and efficient computational implementations. We will use the results to give ins ....Bayesian Statistical Inference for Implicitly defined Probability Models. Bayesian statistics has recently been used to provide solutions for a large number of hitherto intractable problems in science and technology. The success of Bayesian statistics has mainly been due to the application of so-called Markov chain Monte Carlo computational techniques. We aim to improve these algorithms, by providing fast, simple and efficient computational implementations. We will use the results to give insight by carefully quantifying and modelling uncertainty for such topics as the transmission rate of infectious diseases, the spatial distribution of plant and animal species, investigating biological theory for the genome of a virus, and changes in human fertility.Read moreRead less
Motor Unit Numbers Estimation (MUNE) using Bayesian statistical methodology for monitoring of progression of neuromuscular diseases. A means of objectively measuring the pathology of a neuromuscular disease involving motor unit loss, such as motor neuron disease, is much needed. This will be achieved by using newly developed electrophysiological techniques and developing new Bayesian statistical methodology to determine the number of motor units that supply a muscle. Our innovations will reliabl ....Motor Unit Numbers Estimation (MUNE) using Bayesian statistical methodology for monitoring of progression of neuromuscular diseases. A means of objectively measuring the pathology of a neuromuscular disease involving motor unit loss, such as motor neuron disease, is much needed. This will be achieved by using newly developed electrophysiological techniques and developing new Bayesian statistical methodology to determine the number of motor units that supply a muscle. Our innovations will reliably determine the number of motor units that supply a muscle in both normal subjects and in diseased patients with loss of motor nerves. This will enable the monitoring of disease progression. An outcome will be a software package that can be used with standard electrophysiology machines.Read moreRead less
Mixture models for high-dimensional clustering with applications to tumour classification, network intrusion, and text classification. This project will benefit the Australian Society as a whole by developing statistical methodology for the clustering of high-dimensional data. In particular, it will develop a novel and efficient model for extracting useful information from subpopulations. It thus has wide applicability to improving the quality and validity of applied research in most industries ....Mixture models for high-dimensional clustering with applications to tumour classification, network intrusion, and text classification. This project will benefit the Australian Society as a whole by developing statistical methodology for the clustering of high-dimensional data. In particular, it will develop a novel and efficient model for extracting useful information from subpopulations. It thus has wide applicability to improving the quality and validity of applied research in most industries in Australia. More specifically, it is to be applied here to classify brain tumours and detect network intruders. This cross-disciplinary project will contribute to Australia's economic of public health, protect Australia from crime, and strength Australian researchers' capacity and capability of participating in this emerging science.Read moreRead less
Market segmentation methodology: attacking the 'Too Hard' basket. Businesses embrace market segmentation to identify and target clients. However, poor segmentation analysis leads to poor segment choice. This project will develop tools to improve segmentation analysis and will test the resulting tools in tourism, foster care and climate change mitigating behaviours, and produce usable, transferable recommendations.
Applications of Bayesian methods in Genomics and Comparative Genomics. Bayesian statistics provides a unified and versatile approach to problems of data analysis, inference and hypothesis testing. This project will involve the application of Bayesian methods to four topics of commercial and scientific importance in the fields of Genomics and Comparative Genomics. The four topics are: data analysis for a novel DNA sequencing technology, investigating genomic structure using multiple change-point ....Applications of Bayesian methods in Genomics and Comparative Genomics. Bayesian statistics provides a unified and versatile approach to problems of data analysis, inference and hypothesis testing. This project will involve the application of Bayesian methods to four topics of commercial and scientific importance in the fields of Genomics and Comparative Genomics. The four topics are: data analysis for a novel DNA sequencing technology, investigating genomic structure using multiple change-point analysis, phlogenetic inference with multiple genes and detection of incongruent phylogenies. The overall goal of the project is to advance understanding of the structure, function and evolution of genomes.Read moreRead less
Nonlinear Econometric Modelling: A Complex Systems Perspective. It is becoming increasingly accepted that economic systems are both complex and adaptive. However, this introduces a range of problems in constructing, estimating and testing economic models using time series data. In this project, this problem will be addressed through the formulation and implementation of a new methodology and associated techniques. These techniques will allow a researcher to use information obtained from a set o ....Nonlinear Econometric Modelling: A Complex Systems Perspective. It is becoming increasingly accepted that economic systems are both complex and adaptive. However, this introduces a range of problems in constructing, estimating and testing economic models using time series data. In this project, this problem will be addressed through the formulation and implementation of a new methodology and associated techniques. These techniques will allow a researcher to use information obtained from a set of nonlinearity tests to determine which type of nonlinear model provides the best representation of a data generating mechanism. Selected high frequency financial and macroeconomic data (for the US and Australia) will be used in the study. This research is intended to change the direction and emphasis of econometric modelling and promises to have a fundamental impact on forecasting and policy evaluation methods.
Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101134
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Feasible algorithms for big inference. This project aims to develop algorithms for computationally-intensive statistical tools to analyse Big Data. Big Data is ubiquitous in science, engineering, industry and finance, but needs special machine learning to conduct correct inferential analysis. Computational bottlenecks make many tried-and-true tools of statistical inference inadequate. This project will develop tools including false discovery rate control, heteroscedastic and robust regression an ....Feasible algorithms for big inference. This project aims to develop algorithms for computationally-intensive statistical tools to analyse Big Data. Big Data is ubiquitous in science, engineering, industry and finance, but needs special machine learning to conduct correct inferential analysis. Computational bottlenecks make many tried-and-true tools of statistical inference inadequate. This project will develop tools including false discovery rate control, heteroscedastic and robust regression and mixture models, via Big Data-appropriate optimisation and composite-likelihood estimation. It will make open, well-documented, and accessible software available for the scalable and distributable analysis of Big Data. The expected outcome is a suite of scalable algorithms to analyse Big Data.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130100819
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$281,600.00
Summary
Measuring the improbable: optimal Monte Carlo methods for rare event simulation of maxima of dependent random variables. Some events occurring with low frequency can have dramatic consequences: natural catastrophes, economic crises, system malfunctions. Estimating their probabilities is a very difficult problem. This project will develop new simulation methods capable of delivering the most precise and efficient estimators for the probabilities of such events.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453501
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$406,097.00
Summary
A Computational Research Grid Serving Regional and Metropolitan Queensland. This project will advance scientific discovery through the development of an integrated, user-friendly computational grid. It significantly enhances Queensland's research capability and infrastructure by delivering state-of-the-art computational resources to researchers at the collaborating institutions and other Queensland and Australia researchers. New supercomputer systems will be integrated into a Queensland wide com ....A Computational Research Grid Serving Regional and Metropolitan Queensland. This project will advance scientific discovery through the development of an integrated, user-friendly computational grid. It significantly enhances Queensland's research capability and infrastructure by delivering state-of-the-art computational resources to researchers at the collaborating institutions and other Queensland and Australia researchers. New supercomputer systems will be integrated into a Queensland wide computational grid being developed by the Queensland Parallel Supercomputing Foundation - an initiative supported by the Queensland State Government. New grid technologies will be employed so that the highest level of support is provided to researchers. This ensures that the facility is used effectively, allowing high-quality research to be efficiently conducted.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100741
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$382,274.00
Summary
Tractable Bayesian algorithms for intractable Bayesian problems. This project seeks to develop computationally efficient and scalable Bayesian algorithms to estimate the parameters of complex models and ensure inferences drawn from the models can be trusted. Bayesian parameter estimation and model validation procedures are currently computationally intractable for many complex models of interest in science and technology. These include biological processes such as the efficacy of heart disease, ....Tractable Bayesian algorithms for intractable Bayesian problems. This project seeks to develop computationally efficient and scalable Bayesian algorithms to estimate the parameters of complex models and ensure inferences drawn from the models can be trusted. Bayesian parameter estimation and model validation procedures are currently computationally intractable for many complex models of interest in science and technology. These include biological processes such as the efficacy of heart disease, wound healing and skin cancer treatments. Potential outcomes of the project include new algorithms to significantly economise computations and improved understanding of the mechanisms of experimental data generation. Improved models of wound healing, skin cancer growth and heart physiology supported by these algorithms could improve population health.Read moreRead less