Master-class November 2020: Machine Learning

An applied introduction to the use of the Stata software for Machine Learning (ML) techniques.

This course primarily focusses on the application of specific ML techniques rather than the complex mathematics behind the ML algorithms

 

This course is being held online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)*

*(Daylight savings)

 

 

Dates: 
Friday, November 27, 2020 - Saturday, November 28, 2020
Early bird cutoff date: 
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Course details:

This course is designed as an applied introduction to the use of the Stata software for Machine Learning (ML) techniques.

 

 

This course will be offered online via Zoom And will run to the following timetable:

9.30am -11.00am: Instructional Zoom session
11.00am-11.30am: Break
11.30am-12.30pm: Instructional Zoom session
12:30pm-1.30pm: Lunch
1.30pm-3.00pm: Instructional Zoom session
3.00pm-3.30pm: Break
3.30pm-4.30pm:  Exercises

 

Please note: Courses will run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (GMT +11)

(ie Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra daylight savings time)

 

 

 
Master Class - runs over 2 days
Instructor: 

Dr Joanna Dipnall is an applied statistician with interests in the advanced statistical methods, including machine learning and deep learning techniques. She completed her Honours in Econometrics with Monash University and her PhD with IMPACT SRC, School of Medicine, Deakin University. Joanna works extensively with registry and linked medical data and collaborates extensively with the Faculty of IT at Monash to supervise Masters and PhD students to integrate artificial intelligence within health research. Joanna teaches within the Monash Biostatistics Unit and is the Unit Co-coordinator for the Monash Masters of Health Data Analytics course. Joanna has taught advanced statistical methods for many years at universities and for ACSPRI.

Course dates: Friday 27 November 2020 - Saturday 28 November 2020
Course status: Course completed (no new applicants)
Venue: 
Online
Week: 
Week 1
About this course: 

Machie Learning techniques are becoming increasingly popular across areas of research from computer science to various disciplines of medicine. This branch of artificial intelligence relates to algorithms that learn from data based on specific tasks and performance measures. This course is an introductory applied course, using Stata software to run various ML algorithms. This course will use some Stata commands that are built into the base system and others that have been specially designed user-written commands that have evolved from the increasing use of ML. Classification, prediction and model selection issues will be discussed. Detailed notes with worked examples and references will be provided as a basis for both the lecture and hands-on computing aspect of the course.

Please note that this course will use Stata V16.

Course syllabus: 

This course primarily focusses on the application of specific ML techniques rather than the complex mathematics behind the ML algorithms and is broken up into Five Parts:
 

Part I: Fundamentals of Machine Learning

Part II: Machine Learning Techniques and Work Flow

Part III: Decision Trees & Random Forests

Part IV: Boosted regression

Part V: Support Vector Machines

Part VI: Lasso regression

 

At the end of each day, participants will be given time to do some ML exercises on their own to practise what they have learned.

Course format: 

This workshop will take place in a classroom. You will need to bring your own laptop with Stata. If you don't have a copy of Stata, please let us know in advance and we will organise a trial version for the course.

Recommended Background: 

This course assumes that participants have (1) Familiarity with the Stata command language (2) sufficient understanding of statistics to be able to comprehend the material covered in the course outline, such as a basic grounding in multiple regression (e.g. linear, logistic, Poisson) and clustering techniques (e.g. Principal components analysis, k-means clustering) (3) access to Stata V16 (4) some experience in using Microsoft Word and Excel or their equivalent (5) experience using a text editor such as Notepad.

Recommended Texts: 

Course notes will be supplied.

 

No specific references are suggested but a number will be supplied with the notes handed out for the course.

Course fees
Member: 
$1,480
Non Member: 
$2,280
Full time student Member: 
$1,280
Supported by: 

Stata is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Survey Design and Analysis Services.

Terms and Conditions: 

1. BOOKING - ACSPRI does not accept ‘expressions of interest’ for course places, i.e. all bookings, are considered firm, and a cancellation fee is charged if you cancel your booking after the early-bird date.

 

2. DISCOUNT RATE – The discounted rate for ACSPRI members is available to all staff and students of member organisations. To be eligible for this rate:

The course fee must be paid by either the member organisation or by you. Where fees are paid by a non-member organisation the non-member rate applies:and
You must either have a valid email address issued by the member organisation; or you must hold, or have a right to hold, a current staff or student identity card from the member organisation.

In addition, to be eligible for a full time student discount the participant must:

Hold, or have a right to hold, a current student identity card from the member organisation;
Be enrolled as a full-time student;
Make payment in full with your application, arrange electronic funds transfer (EFT), or contact ACSPRI to advise credit card details for payment, by the early-bird closing date;
Provide ACSPRI with contact details of your supervisor, so we can request them to confirm your eligibility for the full time student rate.

The early bird rate applies to all bookings paid in full by the early bird close date, otherwise you will be charged at the standard rate.

 

 

3. REFUNDS & CANCELLATIONS - Course fees are not refundable unless:

we cancel the course in which you have enrolled; or
you cancel your enrolment before the early-bird closing date.

A cancellation fee of $250 will be charged if you cancel within the period from the early-bird closing date of and one week prior to the commencement of the program. The full course fee will be charged if you cancel within 1 week of the beginning of your course.

 

4. PRE-REQUISITES - Course descriptions specify course pre-requisites. You must undertake to meet the pre-requisites of the course(s) in which you enrol. If in any doubt, you should contact ACSPRI prior to enrolling.

Venues: 

Delivery of this course is online - via Zoom.

 

Please ensure you have the following:

  • Reliable Internet connection with at least 5Gb per day of data available (i.e. a 5 day course will use about 25Gb of data just on the Zoom application)
  • A computer/laptop with the Zoom application installed (free)
  • A webcam (built in to most laptops)
  • A headset with a microphone (not required but ideal)
  • A second monitor/screen if possible

 

Please also check the course page for specific software requirements (if any).

 

Venue and Timetable: 

You will be attending from home, and each course may specify a slightly different timing schedule. Please expect around 4 "contact" hours per day, with the remainder of the usual working day for exercises, group work and self-directed activities.

All times specified are in Australian Eastern Time (Melbourne/Sydney/Canberra time)