Connectionists: Research Jobs: Postdoc and PhD's in variational Bayesian inference for large dynamic models

[Dan Cornford]

POSTDOC: 3 years, 5 months

We are looking for an outstanding postdoctoral research fellow to work 
on the VISDEM project, a collaboration between Aston, Southampton, 
Surrey Universities and the Met Office. The VISDEM project will look at 
the creation of novel frameworks for data assimilation (combining 
partial differential euqation based model with observations, i.e. better 
Kalman filtering / smoothing for non-linear systems) and will extend 
recently developed methods from statistical physics and machine learning 
to large stochastic dynamic systems.

Working with Dr Dan Cornford, and a project student at Aston, you will 
take the theoretical developments from the Southampton team, led by 
Professor Manfred Opper and Professor John Shaw-Taylor, and apply these 
to a range of realistic stochastic dynamic models which have similar 
properties to real atmospheric models. In particular you will assist in 
creating a novel variational Bayesian approach to inference within 
realistic stochastic dynamic models. You will develop novel 
computational methods for space-time Gaussian processes, and also apply 
these to real systems, including the case with state dependent 
(multiplicative) model error. You will also work on the development of 
the hyper-parameter estimation for unknowns such as the variance of the 
forcing noise that arises from model error.

The project is ambitious and exciting; we have a strong team and are 
looking for an experienced and highly motivated researcher to take the 
project forward. Applicants should have excellent mathematical and 
computational skills and be able to communicate effectively. A 
background in theoretical physics, mathematics, machine learning or 
equivalent is required.

The post holder is expected to start on or before the 1 August 2006. The 
post is fixed term for 3 years 5 months.

A little more information can be found on the rather temporary: 
http://www.ncrg.aston.ac.uk/~cornfosd/VISDEM/ web page, but for detailed 
information on the project please email me at d.cornford at aston.ac.uk
Application forms etc can be found at: 
http://www.aston.ac.uk/staff/hr/recruitment/academicresearch/R0637-advert.jsp

PHD's: 3.5 years, one at enhanced stipend.

There are also a range of funded PhD studentships available within the 
NCRG at Aston, including a studentship on the VISDEM project which will 
be looking at the evaluation of the variational Bayesian methods in 
comparison with state of the art approaches to data assimilation in 
large stochastic dynamic models. A related MUCM (Managing Uncertainty in 
Complex Models) PhD studentship is also available on an enhanced 
stipend, which will look at issues of dimension reduction in large 
complex models, particularly focussing on the input dimension.

Details of the PhD studentships can be found at: 
http://www.ncrg.aston.ac.uk/studentships/

Any questions feel free to email me,

cheers

Dan
-- 

Dr Dan Cornford				tel: +44 (0)121 204 3451
Lecturer in Computer Science		email: d.cornford at aston.ac.uk
NCRG, Aston University
Birmigham B4 7ET, UK