Ben Bolker
@bbolker.bsky.social
Ecology, evolution, epidemiology, statistics (mixed models). McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario https://math.mcmaster.ca/bolker
A colleague is looking for an open-source/online (pref. peer-reviewed) reference for properties of probability distributions. Any ideas? (NIST gives *very* basic properties e.g. www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handb... but I think they're looking for something more complete ...)
November 25, 2025 at 3:17 PM
A colleague is looking for an open-source/online (pref. peer-reviewed) reference for properties of probability distributions. Any ideas? (NIST gives *very* basic properties e.g. www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handb... but I think they're looking for something more complete ...)
CANSSI postdoc w/ Alex Stringer (Waterloo) www.alexstringer.ca and me (McMaster): implementing/exploring Gauss-Hermite quadrature methods in lme4/glmmTMB canssi.ca/wp-content/u... (Alex has shown that Laplace approx is sometimes awful, we'd like to provide alternatives!) canssi.ca/program/dist...
Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowships – CANSSI
canssi.ca
November 24, 2025 at 10:04 PM
CANSSI postdoc w/ Alex Stringer (Waterloo) www.alexstringer.ca and me (McMaster): implementing/exploring Gauss-Hermite quadrature methods in lme4/glmmTMB canssi.ca/wp-content/u... (Alex has shown that Laplace approx is sometimes awful, we'd like to provide alternatives!) canssi.ca/program/dist...
👀 Eco/evo tweeps teaching undergraduate courses ...
Can interactive web apps help biology students become better modellers? Stephan Peischl's group is running an ethics-approved study. Learn more at: peischllab.github.io/MEEW.html Contact [email protected] to receive the survey link.
Can interactive web apps help biology students become better modellers? Stephan Peischl's group is running an ethics-approved study. Learn more at: peischllab.github.io/MEEW.html Contact [email protected] to receive the survey link.
MEEW
peischllab.github.io
November 24, 2025 at 9:51 PM
👀 Eco/evo tweeps teaching undergraduate courses ...
Can interactive web apps help biology students become better modellers? Stephan Peischl's group is running an ethics-approved study. Learn more at: peischllab.github.io/MEEW.html Contact [email protected] to receive the survey link.
Can interactive web apps help biology students become better modellers? Stephan Peischl's group is running an ethics-approved study. Learn more at: peischllab.github.io/MEEW.html Contact [email protected] to receive the survey link.
Reposted by Ben Bolker
I’ve been in Toronto at the #astmh meeting these past few days and last night some very good news was presented here: A new malaria drug has proven efficacious in a large trial and could soon be approved.🧪
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
‘A sigh of relief’: New malaria drug succeeds in large clinical trial
As existing drugs falter because of resistance, the world gets a backup—but hard choices loom on how to use it
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I’ve been in Toronto at the #astmh meeting these past few days and last night some very good news was presented here: A new malaria drug has proven efficacious in a large trial and could soon be approved.🧪
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Ben Bolker
New blog post: open-source software packages have surprising problems with the way they calculate weighted medians and other quantiles.
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
Weighted Quantile Weirdness and Bugs – Practical Significance
Computing quantiles is surprisingly complicated. It gets much weirder when you use weights, and popular software behaves in surprising ways that might trouble you.
www.practicalsignificance.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM
New blog post: open-source software packages have surprising problems with the way they calculate weighted medians and other quantiles.
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
www.practicalsignificance.com/posts/weight...
#rstats #julialang
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Now I'm also looking for a research software engineer to implement a pile of research results to R packages loo, posterior, bayesplot, projpred, priorsense, brms or/and Python packages ArviZ, Bambi and Kulprit. Apply by email with no specific deadline (see contact info at users.aalto.fi/~ave/)
I'm now also looking for a postdoc with strong Bayesian background and interest in developing Bayesian cross-validation theory, methods and software. Apply by email with no specific deadline (see contact information at users.aalto.fi/~ave/).
Others, please share
Others, please share
I'm looking for a doctoral student with Bayesian background to work on Bayesian workflow and cross-validation (see my publication list users.aalto.fi/~ave/publica... for my recent work) at Aalto University.
Apply through the ELLIS PhD program (dl October 31) ellis.eu/news/ellis-p...
Apply through the ELLIS PhD program (dl October 31) ellis.eu/news/ellis-p...
November 3, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Now I'm also looking for a research software engineer to implement a pile of research results to R packages loo, posterior, bayesplot, projpred, priorsense, brms or/and Python packages ArviZ, Bambi and Kulprit. Apply by email with no specific deadline (see contact info at users.aalto.fi/~ave/)
I've a vague memory of seeing recently (in the last week? month?) that due to changes in ggplot2_+/or plotly, ggplotly might not be viable/supported long-term. ('twould be a terrible shame, although I guess I could learn `ggiraph::plot_labels` ?) Can anyone confirm/deny/point me to a source? #rstats
November 2, 2025 at 12:20 AM
I've a vague memory of seeing recently (in the last week? month?) that due to changes in ggplot2_+/or plotly, ggplotly might not be viable/supported long-term. ('twould be a terrible shame, although I guess I could learn `ggiraph::plot_labels` ?) Can anyone confirm/deny/point me to a source? #rstats
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Version 2.0.0 of emmeans is out! Notable changes: new look to the plots, qdrg() now an S3 method, and new maintainer (me, Russ still highly involved). cran.r-project.org/package=emme...
emmeans: Estimated Marginal Means, aka Least-Squares Means
Obtain estimated marginal means (EMMs) for many linear, generalized linear, and mixed models. Compute contrasts or linear functions of EMMs, trends, and comparisons of slopes. Plots and other displays...
cran.r-project.org
October 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Version 2.0.0 of emmeans is out! Notable changes: new look to the plots, qdrg() now an S3 method, and new maintainer (me, Russ still highly involved). cran.r-project.org/package=emme...
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Editor's Choice article in our latest issue:
"The genetic basis of natural variation in sociability " by Arteen Torabi-Marashi, Dania Daanish, Andrew M Scott, Reuven Dukas, & Ian Dworkin.
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@idworkin.bsky.social
"The genetic basis of natural variation in sociability " by Arteen Torabi-Marashi, Dania Daanish, Andrew M Scott, Reuven Dukas, & Ian Dworkin.
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@idworkin.bsky.social
The genetic basis of natural variation in sociability
Abstract. Sociability, defined as individuals’ tendencies to affiliate with conspecifics, is widespread among animals, including species not traditionally
academic.oup.com
October 20, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Editor's Choice article in our latest issue:
"The genetic basis of natural variation in sociability " by Arteen Torabi-Marashi, Dania Daanish, Andrew M Scott, Reuven Dukas, & Ian Dworkin.
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@idworkin.bsky.social
"The genetic basis of natural variation in sociability " by Arteen Torabi-Marashi, Dania Daanish, Andrew M Scott, Reuven Dukas, & Ian Dworkin.
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@idworkin.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Bolker
When the Hapsburgs find out corn does inbreeding better they’re really gonna take it on the chin.
October 18, 2025 at 6:56 AM
When the Hapsburgs find out corn does inbreeding better they’re really gonna take it on the chin.
Reposted by Ben Bolker
PhD position (Any of 5 cities in Canada)
ACCDMi's members at 5 universities are soliciting expressions of interest.
with @amyhurford.bsky.social
at Memorial U., U. of New Brunswick, Dalhousie U., U. of Prince Edward Island, or Mount...
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2374
ACCDMi's members at 5 universities are soliciting expressions of interest.
with @amyhurford.bsky.social
at Memorial U., U. of New Brunswick, Dalhousie U., U. of Prince Edward Island, or Mount...
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2374
October 17, 2025 at 4:14 PM
PhD position (Any of 5 cities in Canada)
ACCDMi's members at 5 universities are soliciting expressions of interest.
with @amyhurford.bsky.social
at Memorial U., U. of New Brunswick, Dalhousie U., U. of Prince Edward Island, or Mount...
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2374
ACCDMi's members at 5 universities are soliciting expressions of interest.
with @amyhurford.bsky.social
at Memorial U., U. of New Brunswick, Dalhousie U., U. of Prince Edward Island, or Mount...
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2374
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Very proud of this paper in BioScience :
« Too cute to be wild: what teddy bears reveal about our disconnection from nature »
🧸 are more than toys, they shape among our first emotional connections to nature. But their design may also distort how we see wildlife !
👉 doi.org/10.1093/bios...
🧪🦤
« Too cute to be wild: what teddy bears reveal about our disconnection from nature »
🧸 are more than toys, they shape among our first emotional connections to nature. But their design may also distort how we see wildlife !
👉 doi.org/10.1093/bios...
🧪🦤
September 24, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Very proud of this paper in BioScience :
« Too cute to be wild: what teddy bears reveal about our disconnection from nature »
🧸 are more than toys, they shape among our first emotional connections to nature. But their design may also distort how we see wildlife !
👉 doi.org/10.1093/bios...
🧪🦤
« Too cute to be wild: what teddy bears reveal about our disconnection from nature »
🧸 are more than toys, they shape among our first emotional connections to nature. But their design may also distort how we see wildlife !
👉 doi.org/10.1093/bios...
🧪🦤
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Like to develop spatio-temporal models? Interested in Arctic marine mammals 🦭🐳 and their susceptibility to oil spills? You may be the postdoctoral fellow Dr. Mariane Marcoux and I are looking for! See the details in the job ad: tinyurl.com/spatiostatamm
September 5, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Like to develop spatio-temporal models? Interested in Arctic marine mammals 🦭🐳 and their susceptibility to oil spills? You may be the postdoctoral fellow Dr. Mariane Marcoux and I are looking for! See the details in the job ad: tinyurl.com/spatiostatamm
Recently attended a workshop using allisonhorst.github.io/palmerpengui... for examples but it's hard to use for mixed models (3 species/3 islands isn't enough for MMs). With a little help from Claude → Tobias et al doi.org/10.1111/ele.... and extracted the penguins: github.com/bbolker/bbmi...
September 3, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Recently attended a workshop using allisonhorst.github.io/palmerpengui... for examples but it's hard to use for mixed models (3 species/3 islands isn't enough for MMs). With a little help from Claude → Tobias et al doi.org/10.1111/ele.... and extracted the penguins: github.com/bbolker/bbmi...
Reposted by Ben Bolker
My lab is going to be imminently looking for a computer scientist or a biologist with deep understanding of R to develop and give bioinformatic education to postdocs. This is perfect for someone who likes teaching. You'd need to be in the Pittsburgh area. Feel free to reach out with questions.
August 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM
My lab is going to be imminently looking for a computer scientist or a biologist with deep understanding of R to develop and give bioinformatic education to postdocs. This is perfect for someone who likes teaching. You'd need to be in the Pittsburgh area. Feel free to reach out with questions.
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Many bugfixes and updates later... This will probably happen a few times. I've also added a propto() structure, which can be combined with a correlation matrix for random effects, forming a kronecker covariance structure where the column matrix is fixed.
August 9, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Many bugfixes and updates later... This will probably happen a few times. I've also added a propto() structure, which can be combined with a correlation matrix for random effects, forming a kronecker covariance structure where the column matrix is fixed.
super-random #rstats/VSCode question. VSCode > hosted Linux virtual machine > Windows remote desktop > Firefox tab > Ubuntu (don't ask ...). Standard extensions AFAICT (R 2.8.6, R Syntax 0.1.3). It is magically converting "<" to ">" on entry ... very frustrating. Anyone seen this?
August 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
super-random #rstats/VSCode question. VSCode > hosted Linux virtual machine > Windows remote desktop > Firefox tab > Ubuntu (don't ask ...). Standard extensions AFAICT (R 2.8.6, R Syntax 0.1.3). It is magically converting "<" to ">" on entry ... very frustrating. Anyone seen this?
Reposted by Ben Bolker
August 1, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by Ben Bolker
A quick update re NIH and NSF terminated grant tracking:
Grant Watch has a new name!
We're now called **Grant Witness**
You can find us at grant-witness.us
Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏
(And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦♂️🤷♂️)
Grant Watch has a new name!
We're now called **Grant Witness**
You can find us at grant-witness.us
Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏
(And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦♂️🤷♂️)
July 29, 2025 at 6:05 PM
A quick update re NIH and NSF terminated grant tracking:
Grant Watch has a new name!
We're now called **Grant Witness**
You can find us at grant-witness.us
Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏
(And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦♂️🤷♂️)
Grant Watch has a new name!
We're now called **Grant Witness**
You can find us at grant-witness.us
Please update your bookmarks and spread the word! 🙏
(And no, this wasn't our preference, but trademarks are a thing. 🤦♂️🤷♂️)
Reposted by Ben Bolker
Choose your bedroom
(Art by @dimda_)
(Art by @dimda_)
July 28, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Choose your bedroom
(Art by @dimda_)
(Art by @dimda_)
random Friday night R goofing:
tabulate the ending strings of chemical elements. gist.github.com/bbolker/2046... "ium"=79;"other"=13;"on"=9;"e"=7;"en"=4;"um"=4;"er"=2
tabulate the ending strings of chemical elements. gist.github.com/bbolker/2046... "ium"=79;"other"=13;"on"=9;"e"=7;"en"=4;"um"=4;"er"=2
tabulate ending strings of chemical elements
tabulate ending strings of chemical elements. GitHub Gist: instantly share code, notes, and snippets.
gist.github.com
July 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
random Friday night R goofing:
tabulate the ending strings of chemical elements. gist.github.com/bbolker/2046... "ium"=79;"other"=13;"on"=9;"e"=7;"en"=4;"um"=4;"er"=2
tabulate the ending strings of chemical elements. gist.github.com/bbolker/2046... "ium"=79;"other"=13;"on"=9;"e"=7;"en"=4;"um"=4;"er"=2
Reposted by Ben Bolker
July Editor's Choice article: "Parental care drives the evolution of male reproductive accessory glands across ray-finned fishes"
Lucas Eckert, Jessica S Miller, John L Fitzpatrick, Sigal Balshine, Benjamin M Bolker
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@lucaseckert.bsky.social @bbolker.bsky.social
Lucas Eckert, Jessica S Miller, John L Fitzpatrick, Sigal Balshine, Benjamin M Bolker
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@lucaseckert.bsky.social @bbolker.bsky.social
July 25, 2025 at 6:36 AM
July Editor's Choice article: "Parental care drives the evolution of male reproductive accessory glands across ray-finned fishes"
Lucas Eckert, Jessica S Miller, John L Fitzpatrick, Sigal Balshine, Benjamin M Bolker
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@lucaseckert.bsky.social @bbolker.bsky.social
Lucas Eckert, Jessica S Miller, John L Fitzpatrick, Sigal Balshine, Benjamin M Bolker
academic.oup.com/evolut/artic...
@lucaseckert.bsky.social @bbolker.bsky.social
suddenly curious, for no good reason, if there is data available on the relative usage (e.g. annual sales totals) of screw drive types by country (I was thinking about a Canadian using an analogy like "[thing X] is the Robertson screw of [country Y]")
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
List of screw drives - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
July 23, 2025 at 3:31 PM
suddenly curious, for no good reason, if there is data available on the relative usage (e.g. annual sales totals) of screw drive types by country (I was thinking about a Canadian using an analogy like "[thing X] is the Robertson screw of [country Y]")
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...