SAASST Launches Inaugural Winter School In Astrostatistics For Postgraduate Students

The Sharjah Academy for Astronomy, Space Sciences and Technology (SAASST) at the University of Sharjah has launched its inaugural Winter School in Astrostatistics. This event, themed "Embrace Astrostatistics in Sharjah," began on Monday and will run throughout the week. It gathers esteemed academics and researchers from Greece, Spain, and France to enhance postgraduate students' skills in statistical modeling, artificial intelligence, and machine learning within astronomy.

Organised with the Summer School on Astrostatistics in Crete, Greece, this initiative aims to advance participants' analytical capabilities. It underscores SAASST’s dedication to expanding research capacity and fostering international partnerships. The programme is designed to nurture innovation in the dynamic field of space science through a blend of academic and practical learning experiences.

A diverse group of experts leads the Winter School's intensive programme. Dr. Konstantinos Kouflakas from Barcelona's Institute of Space Sciences focuses on binary star evolution. Dr. Grigoris Maravelias from Athens specialises in X-ray binaries of massive stars. Dr. Paolo Bonfini from the University of Crete explores artificial intelligence applications in space science, while Dr. Andreas Tersenov from FORTH Institute and Paris Saclay University is known for his work in cosmic inference.

The curriculum spans classical statistics, hypothesis testing, and optimisation methods before delving into modern techniques like Bayesian statistics, clustering, classification, and regression. Specialised sessions cover Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis, deep learning, and convolutional neural networks (CNNs). These sessions enable participants to apply high-performance computational methods to complex astronomical data analysis.

Noura Al Amiri, Head of the High Energy Astrophysics Laboratory and Programme Coordinator, emphasised that this initiative embodies the Academy’s mission to merge education, research, and innovation through global cooperation. She stated that over 70 applications were received from students and researchers across more than ten countries. After a competitive selection process, 30 participants were chosen to ensure academic diversity and uphold high scientific standards.

Diverse Participation from Leading Institutions

Participants hail from prestigious institutions such as the University of Sharjah, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates University, Khalifa University, Sultan Qaboos University, University of Béjaïa in Algeria, and University of Tunis. They include doctoral candidates, master’s students, senior undergraduates, and postdoctoral researchers involved in advanced space science projects.

The Winter School concludes with an astronomy field evening in the Maliha desert area. This activity offers participants a chance to observe celestial phenomena while enjoying Sharjah’s desert landscape's natural beauty. It promotes scientific reflection and intercultural exchange among attendees.

This initiative not only enhances individual skills but also strengthens international ties within the astronomical community by providing a platform for knowledge sharing among diverse participants.

With inputs from WAM