Dr. Lance Waller of Emory University will give the inaugural Wake Forest Distinguished Lecture in Statistics and Biostatistics Thursday, April 13th at 4:00 PM at Wake Forest Biotech Auditorium. This event is co-hosted by the Department of Statistical Sciences and Department of Biostatistics and Data Science. 

Title: Maps - A Statistical View

Abstract: Spatial statistical analysis builds upon the premise that where something happens can influence what happens, i.e., the location of observations can provide information on the observations themselves. Location can be defined on geographic maps and in geometric space, but geography often involves information beyond simple location, distance, and direction. In this presentation, we will explore how geography influences inference in spatial statistical analyses and offer geographic insights on familiar statistical constructs such as data visualization, asymptotics, classical and Bayesian inference, weighted estimation, model diagnostics, and compromises between design and modeling. We will discuss compromises between geographic and statistical precision, statistical precision and local and global probabilistic strategies for ensuring data confidentiality. Using historical and contemporary examples, we will illustrate how maps provide a critical context for data visualization and interpretation, ranging from the known (“You are here") to the unknown (“Here be dragons”).