Statistical Methodology and Applications for Cold Regions Research

University Of Wyoming, Laramie WY

Investigators

Abstract

The Principal Investigator, an Associate Professor of Statistics, will spend the 11 months of her IGMS award at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) in Boulder, Colorado. During this time, she will concentrate on learning and developing a working knowledge of the geophysics used in glaciology and other cold regions research. Cold regions researchers have only recently acquired the technology to gather large amounts of data. However, historically, there has been little interaction between statisticians and cold regions researchers, so that there is little statistical modeling of these large data sets. Most of the data have a spatial-temporal structure, with problems such as missing data and measurement errors. While the statistical techniques to address these issues exist, these are not familiar to the cold regions researchers. Similarly, the time and effort required for a statistician to understand the science behind the data generating mechanisms is substantial. This award will allow the PI to spend almost a year at an institute which specializes in cold regions research. The PI will attend courses and seminars and as her understanding of the science underlying these projects deepens, she will be better able to analyze the data resulting from these projects. She will also teach a seminar course for graduate students at INSTAAR, and develop collaborative research projects with researchers at INSTAAR. Upon returning to the University of Wyoming. the PI plans on using her experience and knowledge gained through this IGMS award to further develop interdisciplinary research opportunities and to develop and provide interdisciplinary training for students in Statistics, Geology and Geophysics and other disciplines This IGMS project is jointly supported by the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) and the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS).