Funded by The Australian Research Council (Discovery Project)

Funding Amount: $390,000

Project start date: 2022

Researchers

  • Prof Andrew Wood (CI), ANU
  • A/Prof Janice Scealy (CI), ANU

Project Description

Novel statistical methods for data with non-Euclidean geometric structure. This project aims to develop new flexible regression models and classification algorithms, along with robust and efficient inference methods, applicable to a wide range of non-Euclidean data types which arise in many fields of science, business and technology. There are serious flaws with currently available methods of analysis for non-Euclidean data. This project expects to transform such analyses by providing new quantitative tools within a unifying framework. The anticipated project outcomes will be of mathematical interest and valuable in applications such as finance (predicting Australian stock returns); modelling electroencephalography data; Australian geochemical data, relating to sediments; and Australian X-ray tumour image data.

National Interest Statement

The research outcomes of the project will support two Australian Government Science and Research priorities: (i) Resources, through the analysis of geochemical data from the National Geochemical Survey of Australia; and (ii) Health, through the analysis of X-ray data from a Brisbane hospital and an analysis of electroencephalography data. For (i), it is anticipated that this project will lead to a completely new way of analysing sediment or rock samples collected from geographically dispersed sites in Australia and it will help to identify many relevant underlying geological processes, thus aiding mineral exploration and recovery of resources. For (ii), the impact of the project is expected to be enormous, through a large improvement in the diagnosis of epilepsy and saving lives by providing new algorithms to help detect cancers more quickly from X-ray image data. A further expected major benefit is substantially improved portfolio allocation based on analysis of the Securities Industry Research Centre of Asia-Pacific database which contains stock return data of particular relevance to Australia and NZ.