Categorical Bayesian Inference

The language and constructions of category theory have proven useful in unifying disparate fields of study and bridging formal gaps between approaches, so it is natural that a categorial eye should be turned to the theory of probability and its relation to formal logic. Continuing from the foundational work of Lawvere and Giry in developing a functorial theory of probability, Stuartz and Culbertson detail the central importance of and connection between deterministic processes and stochastic processes. Fong expanded this theory to give a categorical account of Bayesian causality. Here we collect and summarize the rich body of research in categorical probability theory, and further develop mathematical machinery for applications in algorithmic Bayesian statistics

TSUNAMI AWARENESS AND PREPAREDNESS IN THE GREATER WELLINGTON REGION

Tsunami caused by earthquakes pose a risk to New Zealand coastal communities due to its location on major fault lines. It is unknown whether coastal inhabitants are adequately prepared or even aware of the tsunami threat. Our goal was to assess and augment the awareness and preparedness of residents and visitors of the Greater Wellington Region (GWR). To meet our goal, we developed and conducted a pilot study in collaboration with the Crown Research Institute GNS Science. Based on the results of over 400 face-to-face interviews with the GWR population, we developed a set of awareness and education proposals to support the efforts of the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office

A Quest for novel Signaling Molecules in Pleurobrachia Bachei

The evolution of the nervous system is poorly understood, with broad implications in basic neuroscience and regenerative medicine. The unintuitive nervous system of the basal Ctenophores provides an insight into neuronal evolution. We developed a Zero-Click computational pipeline for secretory peptide prediction from raw genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic sources (Girardo, 2012), in search of novel signaling pathways. This pipeline was applied to gene models produced from our Pleurobrachia bachei genome, initiated in July 2009 (Moroz, 2012), to obtain a list of 38 putative secretory peptides (Citarella, 2012). 10 of these peptides with no direct homology were selected for cloning and in situ hybridization. Many predicted products localize to neuronal structures, indicating a more complex neuropeptide signaling network than previously described in Ctenophore