The Boston Python User Group

PyCon tutorial: Bayesian statistics made simple

January 26 · 1:00 PM
MIT room 2-135

In preparation for his PyCon tutorial, Allen will rehearse it for Boston Python members.

Allen Downey, Bayesian statistics made simple

Bayesian statistical methods are becoming more common and more important, but there are not many resources to help beginners get started. People who know Python can use their programming skills to get a head start.

I will present simple programs that demonstrate the concepts of Bayesian statistics, and apply them to a range of example problems. Participants will work hands-on with example code and practice on example problems.

Students should have at least basic Python and basic statistics. If you learned about Bayes’s Theorem and probability distributions at some time, that’s enough, even if you don’t remember it!

Students should bring a laptop with Python 2.x and matplotlib. You can work in any environment; you just need to be able to download a Python program and run it.

Outline:

Bayes’s theorem.
Representing probability distributions.
Bayesian estimation.
Biased coins and student test scores.
Censored data.
The locomotive / German tank problem.
Hierarchical models and the hidden species problem.

Important: to prepare, follow the instructions at https://sites.google.com/site/simplebayes/home/pycon-2013/preparation

PyCon tutorials are half-day in-depth courses presented in the days preceding the bulk of PyCon. Rehearsing with a real audience is a great way to prepare. Come ready to learn, and also to provide feedback!

Note: Space is very limited for these events, please do not sign up for more than one, to give others a chance.

No food is being provided at this event.

Location:

We are in an MIT classroom, 2-135, which is in Building 2, first floor. This map shows where building 2 is: http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=2

* The closest T stop is the Kendall T stop on the Red Line.
* The closest bus stop is the 84 Massachusetts Avenue stop on the #1.
* There is paid garage parking at 5 Cambridge Center and at 1 Kendall Square (by the Kendall Square Cinema).

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Raju

Allen is a fabulous lecturer!

0 · January 26
Ben

I have numpy, matplotlib, and scipy installed on my mac os x, for python version 2.7.1, but when I run the install_test.py file I get the following error: Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/Users/my_name/Downloads/bayes_pycon13/thinkbayes.py", line 26, in <module>
from scipy.special import erf, erfinv
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/scipy/special/__init__.py", line 9, in <module>
from _cephes import *
ImportError: dlopen(/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/scipy/special/_cephes.so, 2): no suitable image found. Did find:
/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/scipy/special/_cephes.so: no matching architecture in universal wrapper

I would greatly appreciate any guidance. Thanks in advance! See you all soon.

0 · January 26
- View all 3 replies
- Patrick Poon
  
  Did you use Macports to install matplotlib? It seemed to have an issue with 2.7.1, and I ended up having to run: "sudo port select --set python python27" to set my version to 2.7.3.
  
  0 · January 26
- Ben
  
  Thanks Patrick. I used sourceforge to install matplotlib, and just saved the dog on my computer
  
  0 · January 26
- Ben
  
  *dmg
  
  0 · January 26
Tom Morris

I believe all un-gated MIT lots are available for use by anyone on the weekends. I often park at the Hayward St. lot on nights & weekends without problem. http://whereis.mit.edu/?go=P5

0 · January 25
Sabiha

I was wondering if it could be scheduled again and why we could not get more space for such an important workshop.

0 · January 24
James Percent

Agreed, it would be awesome if attending =* 2 were executed. Here's a link to Think Bayes: http://www.greenteapress.com/th...

0 · January 22
Benjamin Golder

I would love to go to this! I wish I had seen it earlier! Such a great workshop.

0 · January 22
Alex Holachek

Allen Downey's book Think Stats is an amazing way to learn statistics--I am working through it now and can't recommend it highly enough. I am holding out hope that people on the waitlist will be able to cram in the back because I'd really like to come to this!

1 · January 21

30 attended

Announce this Meetup

When:

Saturday, January 26, 2013
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Where:

MIT room 2-135

MIT campus, Cambridge, MA

In preparation for his PyCon tutorial, Allen will rehearse it for Boston Python members.
Allen Downey, Bayesian statistics made simple
Bayesian statistical methods are becoming more common and more important,...