PhD assistantship opportunity in applied Bayesian statistics at the Univ. of Florida
Dr. Denis Valle, Assistant Professor in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida (UF), is seeking a PhD graduate research assistant, who has strong interest in statistical/quantitative aspects of environmental sciences or public health. Research in my group focuses on tackling important problems in environmental sciences and public health by creating and using innovative Bayesian statistical models. Dr. Valle is affiliated with the Tropical Conservation and Development program (http://www.tcd.ufl.edu/) and the Emerging Pathogens Institute (http://www.epi.ufl.edu/) at UF and my graduate students have done field work in West Africa and South America. Additional information on my research can be found here<http://denisvalle.weebly.com>. The position will focus on the development and application of novel Bayesian models in environmental sciences or epidemiology. As part of this work, the student will also develop interactive tools to aid decision-making (example1<https://denisvalle.shinyapps.io/burkina_faso_tool> and example2<https://denisvalle.shinyapps.io/burkina_faso_map>). The position will be located at the UF campus in Gainesville, FL. Duties include writing and presenting results of research at scientific conferences, searching and applying for additional sources of funding, and assisting other students within the team on statistical analyses, among others. We expect applicants to be highly motivated, independent, enthusiastic, proficient in computer programming (e.g., R, Python, MatLab, or C++) and able to successfully communicate research results (i.e., through publications and oral presentations). Requirements for prospective PhD students include: * background in environmental sciences or public health/epidemiology with experience in (or desire to learn) advanced statistical Bayesian models; or * background in statistics with experience in (or desire to learn) environmental sciences/epidemiology; * GRE minimum scores of 153 Verbal; 155 Quantitative; Analytical/writing 4 (500/700 old scoring scale) * BS or MS degree with GPA exceeding 3.5 * The candidate must meet the formal admission requirements for the University of Florida and the School of Forest Resources and Conservation (http://sfrc.ufl.edu/academics/how-to-apply/) If interested, please email the items listed below to drva...@ufl.edu<mailto:drva...@ufl.edu>: * One page cover letter with a brief review of your research experience, interests and goals, and how they align with those from my lab * CV with contact information * Contact information for three academic references * GRE scores * Transcripts (unofficial) from all previous colleges and universities Start Date: August 2018 ***The application deadline is Jan. 15th, 2018*** Information about the University of Florida: The University of Florida (http://www.ufl.edu) is among the top 10 U.S. public universities, according to the 2018 U.S. News & World Report rankings. UF is a Land-Grant, Sea- Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 50,000 students. The University of Florida is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Information about the City of Gainesville: Situated in the rolling countryside of north central Florida, Gainesville is much more than a stereotypical college town. Home of the University of Florida, seat of Alachua County's government and the region's commercial hub, it is progressive, environmentally conscious and culturally diverse. The presence of many students and faculty from abroad among its 99,000-plus population adds a strong cross-cultural flavor to its historic small-town Southern roots. Its natural environment, temperate climate and civic amenities make Gainesville a beautiful, pleasant and interesting place in which to learn and to live. Gainesville has been ranked as one of the best cities to live in the United States. Florida boasts a diversity of fauna and flora common to both southern temperate and subtropical climates and is replete with springs, rivers, backwater streams, lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangrove fringes, cypress swamps, hardwood hammocks, sandhills, scrub, pine flatwoods, and rangeland. Nested between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, Florida has more than 2,000 kilometers of coastal beaches and estuaries. Special features include the Florida Keys, which constitute an archipelago of picturesque subtropical islands, and the unique Everglades, or "river of grass," which sprawls across the vast southern peninsula.
