statistics: a data science for the 21st century

Peter

a postdoc with Christian Robert

[Here is another call for a postdoctoral position in Lyon, under the supervision of my homonym Christian Robert:]

Post-Doctoral Position in Data Science and Machine Learning

Chair Data Analytics and Models for Insurance – 2018–2020

DAMI is a research chair funded by BNP Paribas Cardif, and is interested in problems related to Data Science and Models for Insurance.

Description

A post-doctoral fellowship in the areas of data science and machine learning is available at the DAMI research chair at the Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University. The post-doctoral fellow, in collaboration with the industry partner, will conduct research of advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms for actuarial sciences and insurance, and in particular, for improving risk-based pricing, and for developing predictive analytics.

The position is for one year (possibly two years), starting in September/October 2018.

Required Professional Expertise

–        A recent PhD (received within the past 5 years) in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Applied Statistics and Mathematics, or related fields.

–        Excellent research capabilities and competitive development skills

–        Strong knowledge/expertise in machine learning and data analytics including data pre-processing, model building, and model evaluation

–        Experience with Python and/or R

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV, list of publications, and contact information of two references to Christian ROBERT at univ-lyon1.fr.

five postdoc positions in top UK universities & Bayesian health data science

The EPSRC programme New Approaches to Bayesian Data Science: Tackling Challenges from the Health Sciences, directed by Paul Fearnhead, is offering five 3 or 4 year PDRA positions at the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Lancaster, Oxford, and Warwick. Here is the complete call:

Salary:   £29,799 to £38,833
Closing Date:   Thursday 26 April 2018
Interview Date:   Friday 11 May 2018

We invite applications for Post-Doctoral Research Associates to join the New Approaches to Bayesian Data Science: Tackling Challenges from the Health Sciences programme. This is an exciting, cross-disciplinary research project that will develop new methods for Bayesian statistics that are fit-for-purpose to tackle contemporary Health Science challenges: such as real-time inference and prediction for large scale epidemics; or synthesizing information from distinct data sources for large scale studies such as the UK Biobank. Methodological challenges will be around making Bayesian methods scalable to big-data and robust to (unavoidable) model errors.

This £3M programme is funded by EPSRC, and brings together research groups from the Universities of Lancaster, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford and Warwick. There is either a 4 or a 3 year position available at each of these five partner institutions.

You should have, or be close to completing, a PhD in Statistics or a related discipline. You will be experienced in one or more of the following areas: Bayesian statistics, computational statistics, statistical machine learning, statistical genetics, inference for epidemics. You will have demonstrated the ability to develop new statistical methodology. We are particularly keen to encourage applicants with strong computational skills, and are looking to put together a team of researchers with skills that cover theoretical, methodological and applied statistics. A demonstrable ability to produce academic writing of the highest publishable quality is essential.

Applicants must apply through Lancaster University’s website for the Lancaster, Oxford, Bristol and Warwick posts.  Please ensure you state clearly which position or positions you wish to be considered for when applying. For applications to the MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge vacancy please go to their website.

Candidates who are considering making an application are strongly encouraged to contact Professor Paul Fearnhead (p.fearnhead@lancaster.ac.uk), Sylvia Richardson (sylvia.richardson@mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk), Christophe Andrieu (c.andrieu@bristol.ac.uk), Chris Holmes (c.holmes@stats.ox.ac.uk) or Gareth Roberts (Gareth.O.Roberts@warwick.ac.uk) to discuss the programme in greater detail.

We welcome applications from people in all diversity groups.

 

the curse of large dimension [teaser]

machine learning à l’Académie, au Collège, et dans Le Monde

A back-cover story in Le Monde “Sciences & Médecine” of Stéphane Mallat, professor at École Normale and recently elected at the (French) Academy of Sciences and at the Collège de France, on a newly created Chair of Data Sciences.  With works on wavelets, image compression, and neural networks, Stéphane Mallat will give his first lesson on Data Sciences at Collège de France, downtown Paris, on January 11. Entrance is free and open to everyone. (Collège de France is a unique institution, created by Guillaume Budé and supported by François Ier in 1530 to teach topics not taught (then) at the Sorbonne, as indicated by its motto Docet Omnia, including mathematics! Professors are nominated by the current faculty and the closest to statistics, prior to Stéphane Mallat, was Edmond Malinvaud.)

Statistics versus Data Science [or not]

Last week a colleague from Warwick forwarded us a short argumentation by Donald Macnaughton (a “Toronto-based statistician”) about switching the name of our field from Statistics to Data Science. This is not the first time I hear of this proposal and this is not the first time I express my strong disagreement with it! Here are the naughtonian arguments

1. Statistics is (at least in the English language) endowed with several meanings from the compilation of numbers out of a series of observations to the field, to the procedures proposed by the field. This is argued to be confusing for laypeople. And missing the connection with data at the core of our field. As well as the indication that statistics gathers information from the data. Data science seems to convey both ideas… But it is equally vague in that most scientific fields if not all rely on data and observations and the structure exploitation of such data. Actually a lot of so-called “data-scientists” have specialised in the analysis of data from their original field, without voluntarily embarking upon a career of data-scientist. And not necessarily acquiring the proper tools for incorporating uncertainty quantification (aka statistics!).
2. Statistics sounds old-fashioned and “old-guard” and “inward-looking” and unattractive to young talents, while they flock to Data Science programs. Which is true [that they flock] but does not mean we [as a field] must flock there as well. In five or ten years, who can tell this attraction of data science(s) will still be that strong. We already had to switch our Master names to Data Science or the like, this is surely more than enough.
3. Data science is encompassing other areas of science, like computer science and operation research, but this is not an issue both in terms of potential collaborations and gaining the upper ground as a “key part” in the field. Which is more wishful thinking than a certainty, given the existing difficulties in being recognised as a major actor in data analysis. (As for instance in a recent grant evaluation in “Big Data” where the evaluation committee involved no statistician. And where we got rejected.)

positions at QUT stats

Chris Drovandi sent me the information that the Statistics Group,  QUT, Brisbane, is advertising for three positions:

• Professor in Statistical Data Science (Remuneration package from $AUD206,729 per year)
• Lecturer in Statistical Data Science (Remuneration package of $AUD108,796 to $AUD129,209 per year)
• PhD Scholarship in Computational Bayesian Statistics ($AUD35,000 per year tax-free for 3 years, with an additional $AUD5,000 per year for project costs)

This is a great opportunity, a very active group, and a great location, which I visited several times, so if interested apply before October 1.