2025 Syllabus
Saturday, May 17: “R Bootcamp”
- Optional office hours and R Bootcamp at Madagascar Biodiversity Center in Tsimbazaza
- 8:00am-2:00pm: R Bootcamp (Taratra)
- Stop by today to download R and the necessary data/programs
Sunday, May 18: “Travel Day”
- 7:00am: Meet at Madagascar Biodiversity Center in Tsimbazaza
- 7:30-8:30am: Welcome, Check-In, and Instructor Introductions
- 9:00-1:00pm: Drive to Cyperus Hotel, Andasibe (Stop for hotely lunch)
- 2:00-5:30pm: Office Hours & Downloading Packages
- 5:30-8:00pm: (optional) Night Walk at V.O.I.M.M.A.
- 8:00-9:00pm: Dinner
Monday, May 19: “Getting Started with the Basics”
Homework: Write your own research question due Tuesday, May 20 at 1:00pm
Tuesday, May 20: “Exploring Types of Models”
- 6:30-8:00am: Breakfast
- 8:15-8:30am: Road Map and Daily Agenda
- 8:30-10:15am: Linear Regression Lecture & Tutorial (Christian)
- 10:20-10:45am: Coffee Break
- 10:45-12:15pm: Mechanistic Modeling Lecture & Tutorial (Sophie)
- 12:15-1:45pm: Lunch
- 1:45-3:00pm: Formulating Research Questions Pt 2 (Sophie)
- 3:00-3:30pm: Break
- 3:30-5:30pm: Epidemic Cards Activity (Charlie, Santino & Angelo)
- 5:15-6:30pm: One-on-One Instructor Meetings
- 6:30-7:30pm: Dinner
Homework: Edit your own research questions due Wednesday, May 21 at 8:15am
Homework: Read Chevalier et al. 2011 due Wednesday, May 21 at 10:45am
Wednesday, May 21: “Fitting Models to Data”
- 6:30-8:00am: Breakfast
- 8:00-8:15am: Road Map and Daily Agenda
- 8:15-10:15am: Discussion: Refining Research Questions for Modeling in Groups (All Instructors)
- 10:15-10:45am: Coffee Break
- 10:45-12:00pm: Reading a Model-Focused Research Paper (discussion summary here) (Sophie & Abby)
- 12:00-1:15pm: Lunch
- 1:15-2:14pm: Model Fitting in Practice Lecture & Tutorial (Cara)
- 2:15-3:45: Tutorial: Model Fitting with Epidemic Cards (Sophie & Santino)
- 3:45-4:15pm: Break
- 4:15-5:15pm: Mid-Session Feedback
- 5:15-6:30pm: Work Time / Break (Instructors get reviews from mentors)
- 6:30-7:30pm: Dinner
Homework: Creating a model world + building a statistical framework due Friday, May 23 at 8:15am
Thursday, May 22: “Modeling Different Types of Data”
- 6:30-7:00am: Breakfast
- 7:00am-12:00pm: Hike in Andasibe National Park / Mitsinjo - meet out front of Cyperus
- 12:00-1:00pm: Lunch
- 1:30-1:45pm: Response to Feedback
- 1:45-3:15pm: Spatial Analysis and Visualization Lecture & Tutorial (Abby)
- 3:15-3:45: Coffee Break
- 3:45-5:00pm: Model Comparison Lecture (Christian)
- 5:00-6:15pm: Work Time + One-on-One Instructor Meetings
- 6:30-7:30pm: Dinner
Homework: Creating a model world + building a statistical framework due Friday, May 23 at 8:15am
Friday, May 23: “Using Models in Practice”
- 6:30-8:00am: Breakfast
- 8:00-8:15am: Road Map and Daily Agenda
- 8:15-9:15am: Model Comparison Tutorial (Christian)
- 9:15-10:15am: Phylogenetic Analysis Lecture (Cara)
- 10:15-10:45am: Break
- 10:45-12:00: Phylogenetic Analysis Tutorial (Sophie)
- 12:00-1:00pm: Lunch
- 1:15-1:45pm: Assignment: Final Research Plans + Examples
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- 1:45-2:45: Research Seminar (Cara)
- 2:45-3:45pm: Model Telephone Activity (Santino & Angelo)
- 3:45-4:15pm: Coffee Break
- 4:15-4:30pm: Group Photo
- 4:30-6:30pm: One-on-One Instructor Meetings
- 6:30: Final Farewell Dinner
Homework: Final Research Plans due by midnight on Sunday, May 25
Saturday, May 24: “Putting it all in Perspective”
- 7:30-8:45am: Breakfast
- 8:45-9:00am: Road Map and Daily Agenda
- 9:00-9:45am: Looking Back: How far we have come? So many models! How to choose? (Sophie)
- 9:45-10:15am: Coffee Break
- 10:15-12:00pm: One-on-One Instructor Meetings
- 12:00pm: Lunch
- 1:00-6:00pm: Drive to Madagascar Biodiversity Center in Antananarivo
- Please make any desired edits here to the spelling or order of your name for printing on your completion certificate by 9am tomorrow, Sunday, May 25.
Homework: Final Research Plans due by midnight on Sunday, May 25.
Sunday, May 25: Free Day
- 9:00-1:00pm: Office hours at MBC in Antananarivo
- Stop by if you would like help with the course content and/or your final research plan.
Homework: Final Research Plans due by midnight on Sunday, May 25.
Monday, May 26: Final Symposium at Madagascar Biodiversity Center
- 10:00-12:00pm: Research Talks
- 12:00-1:00pm: Beverages / Hors d’oeuvres