Simulations, Statistics, and Science: From Computer Models to Scientific Discovery

Join the Department of Statistics in the Eberly College of Science at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 24 in 201 Thomas Building for the department’s biannual public lecture series.

This fall’s talk will feature Murali Haran, professor of statistics.

Title: Simulations, Statistics, and Science: From Computer Models to Scientific Discovery

About the talk: What do climate change, deep space mapping, automobile crash testing, and disease modeling all have in common? Each of these disciplines has used computer model simulations to make critical breakthroughs. In this public lecture, Haran will introduce the history of computer models and explain how they are used extensively in the study of major scientific and engineering problems. He will show how statistical thinking acts as the bridge translating computer simulations into scientific conclusions. Finally, Haran will share a glimpse into his research on computer models at Penn State, demonstrating how new statistical methods solve real-world problems in environmental science and infectious disease.

Who is this talk aimed at? This lecture is for faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students who are interested in learning about what computer simulations are, their diverse applications, and why statistical ideas are vital to modern simulation-based science. While the talk touches on technical elements, its primary focus is on history of computer simulations and on the statistical reasoning needed to use computer model simulations to solve modern scientific challenges, making the main ideas accessible to audiences who do not have exposure to simulation models or statistics.

About the series: The Penn State Department of Statistics public lecture series is a free opportunity held once a semester to gain insights on probability and statistics, and to learn about the diverse research our faculty and students are working on.