Applying for an academic job is serious work.  I ended up lucky (though, luck favors the prepared (Louis Pasteur)).  I received two job offers this season and took my first-choice job.  But I worked hard to get those offers.  I kept a detailed CV my entire student career (starting as a BA student, not waiting until job season to start), wrote an extensive teaching dossier for the 20 courses I’ve taught and ugrad tutoring experience, and developed a research statement as that vision became clearer to me.  Clearly, self-investment and personal excellence are the most important ingredients.  Next is to find people who want to hire you.

Two sites and one magazine basically covers the bases for statistics.

1.  If you’re a statistics student, you’re already a member of the ASA, right?  If so, the back of the AmStat News magazine has many jobs listed.

http://magazine.amstat.org/

2. Many jobs are posted at the American Statistical Association (ASA) jobs website.   Subscribe to their feed in your RSS reader:

http://jobs.amstat.org/search/results/index.cfm?SN=25&ss=1&display=rss

While I have had my CV posted on the site for years, I’ve never received any contact because of it.  I think the more direct approach of networking or replying to specific jobs is more effective.

3. The University of Florida statistics website lists many jobs, too.  My impression is that this site is even more comprehensive than jobs.amstat sometimes.

http://www.stat.ufl.edu/vlib/Index.html

I recommend being subscribed to the jobs.amstat.org in your RSS reader, because then most of the jobs will come to you.  You can follow-up at the UFlorida website to make sure you’re not missing anything.  Start looking in Sept/Oct and work on cover letters through Nov/Dec for the Dec/Jan/Feb deadlines.  Ask for letters of recommendation early (maybe even late summer while your professors are not busy with the semester).  Ask your advisor to look over your CV, cover letter, and other submission materials (scan a pdf of your unofficial transcript).  They’ve reviewed many applications hiring in their department before and will have good advice.  Send your application materials (all in pdf format — not doc!) as soon as you are ready to help yours be near the top of their review pile.  And while your application is in the hands of many hiring committees, try not to sweat — you’ve done all you can and it’s largely out of your control until they ask for an interview (or send you a form rejection letter, or never respond to you at all).  Feel free to send a follow-up email to request status if it’s a week or so after their self-predicted decision deadline, if it will help calm your nerves, but try not to hassle them.  It’s a very challenging market and positions regularly get 80-300 applications, so everything you can do to rise to the top of that deep stack can make the difference between getting a toe in the door and the alternative.

Interviewing is next step.  Here are some pages with questions to prepare for.  Write your questions down just as you’d say them and practice saying them aloud, maybe to a friend who will listen.  You want to clarify your answers to yourself and get them to flow smoothly out of your mouth.
10 tough interview questions
General advice

The job talk is the last step.
You’re a grown up, use Mac’s iWork Keynote — it’s the best presentation software available.
BBP was a great resource, provided you can ignore all the MSPP BS.  First five slides.  Template. Video.
Matt Might’s presentation tips and job hunt advice.
CS Berkeley

Negotiating for your salary, start-up, teaching reduction, and more — ask your advisor for advice.  If you have a second offer, all of this becomes much, much easier!

Research, Statistics

For the second issue of Brain Connectivity, a new journal, we were invited to provide a response to a “controversial article” about issues of analysis and interpretation in fMRI.  In a fun paper, Elena, Eswar, Vince, and I provide our perspective and some better practices to continue the dialogue.

On network derivation, classification, and visualization: a response to Habeck and Moeller
Erik B. Erhardt, Elena A. Allen, Eswar Damaraju, Vince D. Calhoun.
Brain Connectivity 1(2), 2011.

Abstract
In the decade and a half since Biswal’s fortuitous discovery of spontaneous correlations in functional imaging data, the field of functional connectivity (FC) has seen exponential growth resulting in the identification of widely-replicated intrinsic networks and the innovation of novel analytic methods with the promise of diagnostic application.  As such a young field undergoing rapid change, we have yet to converge upon a desired and needed set of standards.  In this issue, Habeck and Moeller begin a dialogue for developing best practices by providing four criticisms with respect to FC estimation methods, interpretation of FC networks, assessment of FC network features in classifying sub-populations, and network visualization.  Here, we respond to Habeck and Moeller and provide our own perspective on the concerns raised in the hope that the neuroimaging field will benefit from this discussion.

MIND, Research

Together with David Hanson, I developed R package tdllicor which reads TDL and Licor files, aligns them, and calculates quantities of interest with bootstrap intervals.  It is currently private as it is specialized and not of general interest.  It has already been important for a number of conference publications and is used for active research:

Conference Publications

DT Pater, EB Erhardt, and DT Hanson. Photorespiratory and respiratory carbon
isotope fractionation in leaves. In Proceedings of the Biophysical Society 55th
Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, Mar 2010. Biophysical Society.

DT Pater, EB Erhardt, and DT Hanson. Isotopic signature of photorespiration.
In Joint Annual Meetings of the American Society of Plant Biologists and the
Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, Montreal, CA, August 2010.

Research, Statistics

Working with Aaftab Jain, we developed a estimator for total number of bird and bat carcasses at a windfarm called “mortest” and implemented it as an R package.  We are interested in estimating c, the total number of carcasses (mortalities) in a period (year). The total number of carcasses is the sum of carcasses over size classes, c = sum_s=1^S c_s. If carcasses are retained (that is, not scavenged) and searcher efficiency is perfect (every carcass is found) and every tower is searched, then each c_s would be counted perfectly. Yet, carcass scavenging by predators and searchers overlooking carcasses are a reality, making observed counts an underestimate. Furthermore, tower sampling rather than censusing is a cost-saving convenience. Our estimator of total mortality, c, weighs the estimates from different search intervals and adjusts the observed counts for scavenging, search efficiency, searchable area of each tower, and proportion of towers searched, accounting for uncertainty in these estimates using a bootstrap.

The software was written by Erik Erhardt and is currently private.  Contact Aaftab Jain <aaftabj+gmail.com> for more information for using the software.

Research, Statistics

Update: both papers have been published, simulation toolbox and inter-subject variability.

Elena Allen and I recently submitted two papers that detail a simulation toolbox for fMRI data (SimTB) and capturing inter-subject variability with group independent component analysis (ICA) using simulations. It’s been an exciting and interesting project because we can at last generate interesting and complex datasets to use as a “ground truth” to compare estimation and processing techniques.  We’ve learned a lot about the limits of some methods, as well as their robustness.  The papers will be submitted next week.  For those with MATLAB, it’s available at http://mialab.mrn.org/software.

SimTB, a simulation toolbox for fMRI data under a model of spatiotemporal separability
EB Erhardt, EA Allen, Y Wei, T Eichele, VD Calhoun. (2011)

We introduce SimTB, a MATLAB toolbox designed to simulate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets under a model of spatiotemporal separability. The toolbox meets the increasing need of the fMRI community to more comprehensively understand the effects of complex processing strategies by providing a ground truth that estimation methods may be compared against. SimTB captures the fundamental structure of real data, but data generation is fully parameterized and fully controlled by the user, allowing for accurate and precise comparisons. The toolbox offers a wealth of options regarding the number and configuration of spatial sources, implementation of experimental paradigms, inclusion of tissue-specific properties, addition of noise and head movement, and much more. A straightforward data generation method and short computation time (3-10 seconds for each dataset) allow a practitioner to simulate and analyze many datasets to potentially understand a problem from many angles. Beginning MATLAB users can use the SimTB graphical user interface (GUI) to design and execute simulations while experienced users can write batch scripts to automate and customize this process. The toolbox is freely available at http://mialab.mrn.org/software together with sample scripts and tutorials.

Capturing inter-subject variability with group independent component analysis of fMRI data: a simulation study
EA Allen, EB Erhardt, Y Wei, T Eichele, VD Calhoun. (2011)

A key challenge in functional neuroimaging is the meaningful combination of results across subjects. Even in a sample of healthy participants, brain morphology and functional organization exhibit considerable variability, such that no two individuals have the same neural activation at the same location in response to the same stimulus. This inter-subject variability limits inferences at the group-level as average activation patterns may fail to represent the patterns seen in individuals. A promising approach to multi-subject analysis is group independent components analysis (GICA), which identities group components and reconstructs activations at the individual level. GICA has gained considerable popularity, particularly in studies where temporal response models cannot be specied. However, a comprehensive understanding of the performance of GICA under realistic conditions of inter-subject variability is lacking. In this study we use simulated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to determine the capabilities and limitations of GICA under conditions of spatial, temporal, and amplitude variability. Simulations, generated with the SimTB toolbox, address questions that commonly arise in GICA studies, such as: (1) How well can individual subject activations be estimated and when will spatial variability preclude estimation? (2) Why does component splitting occur and how is it aected by model order? (3) How should we analyze component features to maximize sensitivity to intersubject differences? Overall, our results indicate an excellent capability of GICA to capture between-subject differences and we make a number of recommendations regarding analytic choices for application to functional imaging data.

SimTB flowchart for simulation of fMRI data

MIND, Research

Over the last year I’ve provided statistical consulting for VeraLight, Inc., a medical device company based in Albuquerque, NM. The SCOUT DS is the first non-invasive diabetes screening system designed to provide an accurate and convenient method for screening type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes based on the presence of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) biomarkers found in skin. I have been primarily responsible for demographic subgroup analysis of pre-clinical trial data and review of the analysis plan for the FDA clinical trial.  Today they announced that they have received Health Canada license approval:

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 26, 2011 — VeraLight Inc., a privately held medical device company, based here, today announced its Scout DS® Device was granted a Health Canada Medical Device Licence for non-invasive diabetes screening. The easy to operate device needs no blood and does not require fasting. The patient simply places their forearm onto the portable table-top unit and a quantitative result is reported in about three minutes.

… Scout DS is slated for market introduction later this year in Canada and select countries outside of the United States.

I’m really excited for them.  I imagine this product making diabetes screening a 5-minute procedure at every pharmacy drug counter.  I’m really proud of the work John, Ries, Ed, Jeff, and the rest of the group is doing to make this a reality.

JULY 28, 2011 – UPDATE

• VeraLight announces CE mark approval of the SCOUT DS® for non-invasive diabetes screening.  So they’ve passed Canada and Europe!

AUGUST 25, 2011 – UPDATE

• VeraLight announces agreement with Pear Healthcare Solutions.
VeraLight and Pear Healthcare Solutions sign Canadian distribution agreement for SCOUT DS® Noninvasive Diabetes device.

Research

I’ll be giving a shortened version of my Bayesian stable isotope mixing model talk (title and abstract below) at the Albuquerque Chapter of the American Statistical Association (ACASA) annual meeting on Friday, April 29, 2011. I gave two distinct longer versions of this talk recently as part of job interview talks at St. Louis University and the University of New Mexico.  I’m looking forward to the meeting to visit with people who I’ve worked with over the last several years, organizing judging events at science fairs, and other events.

Read more…

Research, Statistics

I’m happy to write about two touching events consistent with my vision that I helped organize the last few months: teaching middle schoolers folk dance, and organizing a youth-led contra in Santa Fe.

Rob Campbell invited me into his 4th-5th-6th grade class at the Montessori of the Rio Grande Charter School to teach folk dance.  As a dance leader, I’m still pretty green, but I have a real passion for bringing dance to the next generation.  So without any preparation, other than thinking about how to help kids dance together, I went in with my headset mic, my battery-powered amplifier, a few index cards, and my enthusiasm and positive attitude.  Rob had already done some great preparation with the kids, letting them know about calls that are in 8 beats and so on.  He’s a long-time dancer and does the sound at many of the Albuquerque dances.  His wife, Deb, has been a pivotal figure, too, organizing “Boo camp” and many other things in our community.  When I arrived, the kids were ready to dance.  I talked a bit about music and the structure of a dance, but got them moving pretty quickly.  I wasn’t expecting some of the challenges, such as reluctance to hold hands between selected people and social structure (friends, not friends, etc.) that would be a powerful force for who was willing to dance with whom.  However, calling dances where the kids kept their partners (reels, circle mixers without the “mix”) usually worked just fine, and having the partner anchor I think was helpful for beginners.  Oh, and the word “partner” — I quickly starting saying “pair” because they didn’t want it to sound like they were dating or anything.  Rob reported back, “The children loved it, and I even got some feedback from parents because their children are talking about how fun it was at home.  A few children were even practicing some of the moves yesterday at school!”

We had several weeks together in school, but we both wanted the kids to dance to live music out in the world.  On March 5th we had a 6-7pm pre-contra dance in Albuquerque with his class, and some of the parents danced, too.  The McPapenhagen’s played for us (Gary Papenhagen, Scott Mathis, and Linda Mathis).  The kids loved, loved, loved the live music!  We danced several dances, concluding with a donut dance one of the kids wrote!

Donut formation dance
Anastasia and Erik Erhardt
Type: Reel
Formation: Donut (longways set, bent into a circle)
Level: Beginner

A1 ———–
(8) Partner allemande Right 1X
(8) Partner allemande Left 1X
A2 ———–
(8) Right-diagonal Do-si-do
(8) Left-diagonal Do-si-do
B1 ———–
(8) Partner two-hand turn 1X or 2X
(8) Right-diagonal right-elbow turn 1X
B2 ———–
(8) Left-diagonal right-elbow turn 1X
(8) Partner Do-si-do
C ———–
(32) Sashay the donut

Notes: C: Sashay the donut – choose a couple, they sashay between the lines, each subsequent couple following them, backing out when they return home.  It effectively turns the donut inside out.

Rob wrote, “Thanks so much for hosting a fabulous dance for my class last Saturday!  Everyone loved it, and parents are still talking to me about how fun it was.  They also can’t stop talking about what a great job you did, and that they think you should be working with children all the time.  Several families have expressed interest in coming to more dances!  Woohoo!”

The Mullanys (Riley 14 and Maddy 17) and Lauren Soherr (11) rock my New Mexico contra world!  I hosted a youth-led dance, Sat March 12th in Santa Fe, that featured the young Mullanys as the band with Lauren and I calling.  Riley (guitar) and Maddy (fiddle) worked all day on sets of tunes.  There included a few particularly challenging tunes, but all were played with character and feel, personality.  Riley’s including more walking bass in his guitar playing, and Maddy playing has a cheerful, spirited lilt.  They are an easy-going band to call to, and a delight to listen and dance to.

Lauren is a natural and able performer.  Lauren has called a few dances, and her dad David has been encouraging for her.  She showed up at the dance with a dance or two prepared, but had this sheet of dances from the CDSS website.  I asked her how many she wanted to call, she didn’t know, but I knew she could do more than two.  So we stepped to a quiet area and I had her call a couple more off the sheet.  She had them immediately.  So it was decided.  I’ll call one, she’ll call one, and we’ll do that until she has to go home.  I helped her get started and finish the first two, but I handed her the mic on the third and forth and let her go.  She can go as far as she can dream.

Maddy and I called a six-dance medley (four times though each one) with a set of six tunes that Marj (mom) and Riley worked up.  It was really exciting.  We followed the NEFFA format, where the last time through each dance is called by the next person so the new caller’s voice is familiar for the change to the next dance.  The music was awesome.  We called easy dances because the novelty is in the no-walk through, what’s-coming-next? form of the medley.  I would really like to do this again.  Oh, yeah, Maddy’s a solid caller, too.

Laurel Wilson, of Wilson family fame, led a song to end the night.  She had learned the song that day and brought her guitar, which she’s been playing for less than a year, to accompany herself.  She’s becoming a confident performer and I hope she’ll help close our dances regularly with a song.

I’m excited to see what we can do when we have all our talented youth together.  Lauren Lamont, Mia Bertelli, Karina Wilson, Leticia Gonzales, and many others bring my evenings to vibrant life when they’re there, too.  I really love my young contra family.

dance

“All join hands” by Richard Wilson

with Erik Erhardt and Lauren Lamont

This book tells the story of Richard Wilson’s start and many contributions as a dance leader in the country dance community. Included are dances, stories, pictures, and poems, all bringing to life the many ways Richard has touched our lives.

If you would like to make a contribution to the book, there are three ways.  (1) Tell us a specific way Richard has enriched the community, and enriched your life and made it more wonderful.  Stories may be written (1-4 pages) or be a short audio recording (4-10 minutes) which we will transcribe and give to you to edit.  (2) Do you have good pictures you’d be willing to share?  We can take physical pictures to scan. With each photo please provide photo credits, location, date, event, and an anecdote for the photo caption.  (3) Who else should I contact who might like to contribute a story?

Contact “Lauren Lamont” <cheshirecat360@aol.com> for more information, or to provide a contribution.

March: There is still time to contribute…

Richard Wilson demonstrates an example of his drumming/dancing healing rhythms.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fakeHGr0ptc

Jim Boros has these videos of Richard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwgFl0AHKVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmUyDgvHjaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWOZCNCX_vs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbwe05yaeFo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFPEoJa6yeE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca9ejuLWC8Q

dance

Left-hand Gypsy
Erik Erhardt
Type: Contra
Formation: Duple-Indecent
Level: Easy-Int

Read more…

dance, Fun