• #121 Exploring Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling, with Nathaniel Forde
    Dec 11 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

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    Takeaways:

    • CFA is commonly used in psychometrics to validate theoretical constructs.
    • Theoretical structure is crucial in confirmatory factor analysis.
    • Bayesian approaches offer flexibility in modeling complex relationships.
    • Model validation involves both global and local fit measures.
    • Sensitivity analysis is vital in Bayesian modeling to avoid skewed results.
    • Complex models should be justified by their ability to answer specific questions.
    • The choice of model complexity should balance fit and theoretical relevance. Fitting models to real data builds confidence in their validity.
    • Divergences in model fitting indicate potential issues with model specification.
    • Factor analysis can help clarify causal relationships between variables.
    • Survey data is a valuable resource for understanding complex phenomena.
    • Philosophical training enhances logical reasoning in data science.
    • Causal inference is increasingly recognized in industry applications.
    • Effective communication is essential for data scientists.
    • Understanding confounding is crucial for accurate modeling.

    Chapters:

    10:11 Understanding Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)

    20:11 Application of SEM and CFA in HR Analytics

    30:10 Challenges and Advantages of Bayesian Approaches in SEM and CFA

    33:58 Evaluating Bayesian Models

    39:50 Challenges in Model Building

    44:15 Causal Relationships in SEM and CFA

    49:01 Practical Applications of SEM and CFA

    51:47 Influence of Philosophy on Data Science

    54:51 Designing Models with Confounding in Mind

    57:39 Future Trends in Causal Inference

    01:00:03 Advice for Aspiring Data Scientists

    01:02:48 Future Research Directions

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy,

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #120 Innovations in Infectious Disease Modeling, with Liza Semenova & Chris Wymant
    Nov 27 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

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    Takeaways:

    • Epidemiology focuses on health at various scales, while biology often looks at micro-level details.
    • Bayesian statistics helps connect models to data and quantify uncertainty.
    • Recent advancements in data collection have improved the quality of epidemiological research.
    • Collaboration between domain experts and statisticians is essential for effective research.
    • The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased data availability and international cooperation.
    • Modeling infectious diseases requires understanding complex dynamics and statistical methods.
    • Challenges in coding and communication between disciplines can hinder progress.
    • Innovations in machine learning and neural networks are shaping the future of epidemiology.
    • The importance of understanding the context and limitations of data in research.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to Bayesian Statistics and Epidemiology

    03:35 Guest Backgrounds and Their Journey

    10:04 Understanding Computational Biology vs. Epidemiology

    16:11 The Role of Bayesian Statistics in Epidemiology

    21:40 Recent Projects and Applications in Epidemiology

    31:30...

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • #119 Causal Inference, Fiction Writing and Career Changes, with Robert Kubinec
    Nov 13 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • Bob's research focuses on corruption and political economy.
    • Measuring corruption is challenging due to the unobservable nature of the behavior.
    • The challenge of studying corruption lies in obtaining honest data.
    • Innovative survey techniques, like randomized response, can help gather sensitive data.
    • Non-traditional backgrounds can enhance statistical research perspectives.
    • Bayesian methods are particularly useful for estimating latent variables.
    • Bayesian methods shine in situations with prior information.
    • Expert surveys can help estimate uncertain outcomes effectively.
    • Bob's novel, 'The Bayesian Hitman,' explores academia through a fictional lens.
    • Writing fiction can enhance academic writing skills and creativity.
    • The importance of community in statistics is emphasized, especially in the Stan community.
    • Real-time online surveys could revolutionize data collection in social science.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to Bayesian Statistics and Bob Kubinec

    06:01 Bob's Academic Journey and Research Focus

    12:40 Measuring Corruption: Challenges and Methods

    18:54 Transition from Government to Academia

    26:41 The Influence of Non-Traditional Backgrounds in Statistics

    34:51 Bayesian Methods in Political Science Research

    42:08 Bayesian Methods in COVID Measurement

    51:12 The Journey of Writing a Novel

    01:00:24 The Intersection of Fiction and Academia

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy, Robin Taylor,, Chad Scherrer, Zwelithini Tunyiswa, Bertrand Wilden, James Thompson, Stephen Oates, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Jack Wells, Matthew Maldonado, Ian Costley, Ally Salim, Larry Gill, Ian Moran, Paul Oreto, Colin Caprani, Colin Carroll, Nathaniel Burbank, Michael Osthege, Rémi Louf, Clive Edelsten, Henri Wallen, Hugo Botha, Vinh Nguyen, Marcin Elantkowski, Adam C. Smith, Will Kurt, Andrew Moskowitz, Hector Munoz, Marco Gorelli, Simon Kessell,...

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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • #118 Exploring the Future of Stan, with Charles Margossian & Brian Ward
    Oct 30 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • User experience is crucial for the adoption of Stan.
    • Recent innovations include adding tuples to the Stan language, new features and improved error messages.
    • Tuples allow for more efficient data handling in Stan.
    • Beginners often struggle with the compiled nature of Stan.
    • Improving error messages is crucial for user experience.
    • BridgeStan allows for integration with other programming languages and makes it very easy for people to use Stan models.
    • Community engagement is vital for the development of Stan.
    • New samplers are being developed to enhance performance.
    • The future of Stan includes more user-friendly features.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to the Live Episode

    02:55 Meet the Stan Core Developers

    05:47 Brian Ward's Journey into Bayesian Statistics

    09:10 Charles Margossian's Contributions to Stan

    11:49 Recent Projects and Innovations in Stan

    15:07 User-Friendly Features and Enhancements

    18:11 Understanding Tuples and Their Importance

    21:06 Challenges for Beginners in Stan

    24:08 Pedagogical Approaches to Bayesian Statistics

    30:54 Optimizing Monte Carlo Estimators

    32:24 Reimagining Stan's Structure

    34:21 The Promise of Automatic Reparameterization

    35:49 Exploring BridgeStan

    40:29 The Future of Samplers in Stan

    43:45 Evaluating New Algorithms

    47:01 Specific Algorithms for Unique Problems

    50:00 Understanding Model Performance

    54:21 The Impact of Stan on Bayesian Research

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy, Robin Taylor,, Chad Scherrer, Zwelithini Tunyiswa, Bertrand Wilden, James Thompson, Stephen Oates, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Jack Wells, Matthew Maldonado, Ian Costley, Ally Salim, Larry Gill, Ian Moran, Paul Oreto, Colin Caprani, Colin...

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    59 mins
  • #117 Unveiling the Power of Bayesian Experimental Design, with Desi Ivanova
    Oct 15 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
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    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • Designing experiments is about optimal data gathering.
    • The optimal design maximizes the amount of information.
    • The best experiment reduces uncertainty the most.
    • Computational challenges limit the feasibility of BED in practice.
    • Amortized Bayesian inference can speed up computations.
    • A good underlying model is crucial for effective BED.
    • Adaptive experiments are more complex than static ones.
    • The future of BED is promising with advancements in AI.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to Bayesian Experimental Design

    07:51 Understanding Bayesian Experimental Design

    19:58 Computational Challenges in Bayesian Experimental Design

    28:47 Innovations in Bayesian Experimental Design

    40:43 Practical Applications of Bayesian Experimental Design

    52:12 Future of Bayesian Experimental Design

    01:01:17 Real-World Applications and Impact

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy, Robin Taylor,, Chad Scherrer, Zwelithini Tunyiswa, Bertrand Wilden, James Thompson, Stephen Oates, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Jack Wells, Matthew Maldonado, Ian Costley, Ally Salim, Larry Gill, Ian Moran, Paul Oreto, Colin Caprani, Colin Carroll, Nathaniel Burbank, Michael Osthege, Rémi Louf, Clive Edelsten, Henri Wallen, Hugo Botha, Vinh Nguyen, Marcin Elantkowski, Adam C. Smith, Will Kurt, Andrew Moskowitz, Hector Munoz, Marco Gorelli, Simon Kessell, Bradley Rode, Patrick Kelley, Rick Anderson, Casper de Bruin, Philippe Labonde, Michael Hankin, Cameron Smith, Tomáš Frýda, Ryan Wesslen, Andreas Netti, Riley King, Yoshiyuki Hamajima, Sven De Maeyer, Michael DeCrescenzo, Fergal M, Mason Yahr, Naoya Kanai, Steven Rowland, Aubrey Clayton, Jeannine Sue, Omri Har Shemesh, Scott Anthony Robson, Robert Yolken, Or Duek, Pavel Dusek, Paul Cox, Andreas Kröpelin, Raphaël R, Nicolas Rode, Gabriel Stechschulte, Arkady, Kurt TeKolste, Gergely Juhasz, Marcus Nölke, Maggi Mackintosh, Grant Pezzolesi, Avram Aelony, Joshua Meehl, Javier Sabio, Kristian Higgins, Alex Jones, Gregorio Aguilar, Matt Rosinski, Bart Trudeau, Luis Fonseca, Dante Gates, Matt Niccolls, Maksim Kuznecov,...

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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • #116 Mastering Soccer Analytics, with Ravi Ramineni
    Oct 2 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • Building an athlete management system and a scouting and recruitment platform are key goals in football analytics.
    • The focus is on informing training decisions, preventing injuries, and making smart player signings.
    • Avoiding false positives in player evaluations is crucial, and data analysis plays a significant role in making informed decisions.
    • There are similarities between different football teams, and the sport has social and emotional aspects. Transitioning from on-premises SQL servers to cloud-based systems is a significant endeavor in football analytics.
    • Analytics is a tool that aids the decision-making process and helps mitigate biases. The impact of analytics in soccer can be seen in the decline of long-range shots.
    • Collaboration and trust between analysts and decision-makers are crucial for successful implementation of analytics.
    • The limitations of available data in football analytics hinder the ability to directly measure decision-making on the field.
    • Analyzing the impact of coaches in sports analytics is challenging due to the difficulty of separating their effect from other factors. Current data limitations make it hard to evaluate coaching performance accurately.
    • Predictive metrics and modeling play a crucial role in soccer analytics, especially in predicting the career progression of young players.
    • Improving tracking data and expanding its availability will be a significant focus in the future of soccer analytics.

    Chapters:

    00:00 Introduction to Ravi and His Role at Seattle Sounders

    06:30 Building an Analytics Department

    15:00 The Impact of Analytics on Player Recruitment and Performance

    28:00 Challenges and Innovations in Soccer Analytics

    42:00 Player Health, Injury Prevention, and Training

    55:00 The Evolution of Data-Driven Strategies

    01:10:00 Future of Analytics in Sports

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy, Robin Taylor,, Chad Scherrer, Zwelithini Tunyiswa, Bertrand Wilden, James Thompson,

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    1 hr and 33 mins
  • #115 Using Time Series to Estimate Uncertainty, with Nate Haines
    Sep 17 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • State space models and traditional time series models are well-suited to forecast loss ratios in the insurance industry, although actuaries have been slow to adopt modern statistical methods.
    • Working with limited data is a challenge, but informed priors and hierarchical models can help improve the modeling process.
    • Bayesian model stacking allows for blending together different model predictions and taking the best of both (or all if more than 2 models) worlds.
    • Model comparison is done using out-of-sample performance metrics, such as the expected log point-wise predictive density (ELPD). Brute leave-future-out cross-validation is often used due to the time-series nature of the data.
    • Stacking or averaging models are trained on out-of-sample performance metrics to determine the weights for blending the predictions. Model stacking can be a powerful approach for combining predictions from candidate models. Hierarchical stacking in particular is useful when weights are assumed to vary according to covariates.
    • BayesBlend is a Python package developed by Ledger Investing that simplifies the implementation of stacking models, including pseudo Bayesian model averaging, stacking, and hierarchical stacking.
    • Evaluating the performance of patient time series models requires considering multiple metrics, including log likelihood-based metrics like ELPD, as well as more absolute metrics like RMSE and mean absolute error.
    • Using robust variants of metrics like ELPD can help address issues with extreme outliers. For example, t-distribution estimators of ELPD as opposed to sample sum/mean estimators.
    • It is important to evaluate model performance from different perspectives and consider the trade-offs between different metrics. Evaluating models based solely on traditional metrics can limit understanding and trust in the model. Consider additional factors such as interpretability, maintainability, and productionization.
    • Simulation-based calibration (SBC) is a valuable tool for assessing parameter estimation and model correctness. It allows for the interpretation of model parameters and the identification of coding errors.
    • In industries like insurance, where regulations may restrict model choices, classical statistical approaches still play a significant role. However, there is potential for Bayesian methods and generative AI in certain areas.

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    1 hr and 40 mins
  • #114 From the Field to the Lab – A Journey in Baseball Science, with Jacob Buffa
    Sep 5 2024

    Proudly sponsored by PyMC Labs, the Bayesian Consultancy. Book a call, or get in touch!

    • My Intuitive Bayes Online Courses
    • 1:1 Mentorship with me

    Our theme music is « Good Bayesian », by Baba Brinkman (feat MC Lars and Mega Ran). Check out his awesome work!

    Visit our Patreon page to unlock exclusive Bayesian swag ;)

    Takeaways:

    • Education and visual communication are key in helping athletes understand the impact of nutrition on performance.
    • Bayesian statistics are used to analyze player performance and injury risk.
    • Integrating diverse data sources is a challenge but can provide valuable insights.
    • Understanding the specific needs and characteristics of athletes is crucial in conditioning and injury prevention. The application of Bayesian statistics in baseball science requires experts in Bayesian methods.
    • Traditional statistical methods taught in sports science programs are limited.
    • Communicating complex statistical concepts, such as Bayesian analysis, to coaches and players is crucial.
    • Conveying uncertainties and limitations of the models is essential for effective utilization.
    • Emerging trends in baseball science include the use of biomechanical information and computer vision algorithms.
    • Improving player performance and injury prevention are key goals for the future of baseball science.

    Chapters:

    00:00 The Role of Nutrition and Conditioning

    05:46 Analyzing Player Performance and Managing Injury Risks

    12:13 Educating Athletes on Dietary Choices

    18:02 Emerging Trends in Baseball Science

    29:49 Hierarchical Models and Player Analysis

    36:03 Challenges of Working with Limited Data

    39:49 Effective Communication of Statistical Concepts

    47:59 Future Trends: Biomechanical Data Analysis and Computer Vision Algorithms

    Thank you to my Patrons for making this episode possible!

    Yusuke Saito, Avi Bryant, Ero Carrera, Giuliano Cruz, Tim Gasser, James Wade, Tradd Salvo, William Benton, James Ahloy, Robin Taylor,, Chad Scherrer, Zwelithini Tunyiswa, Bertrand Wilden, James Thompson, Stephen Oates, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Jack Wells, Matthew Maldonado, Ian Costley, Ally Salim, Larry Gill, Ian Moran, Paul Oreto, Colin Caprani, Colin Carroll, Nathaniel Burbank, Michael Osthege, Rémi Louf, Clive Edelsten, Henri Wallen, Hugo Botha, Vinh Nguyen, Marcin Elantkowski, Adam C. Smith, Will Kurt, Andrew Moskowitz, Hector Munoz, Marco Gorelli, Simon Kessell, Bradley Rode, Patrick Kelley, Rick Anderson, Casper de Bruin, Philippe Labonde,...

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    1 hr and 2 mins