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PhD in Statistical Sciences

Academic Year 2019-2020
Subject area Legal, Politological, Economic and Statistical Sciences
Cycle 35
Coordinator Prof.ssa Monica Chiogna
Language English, Italian
Duration 3 years
Positions 5 positions. More information in the PhD Programme Table.
Application deadline May 15, 2019 at 01:00 PM (Expired)
Enrolment period From Jul 29, 2019 to Aug 08, 2019
Doctoral programme start date Nov 01, 2019
Operating centre
Bologna
Main Department
Department of Statistical Sciences "Paolo Fortunati" - STAT
Research topics

- Statistical methods
- Economic statistics and econometrics
- Biostatistics
- Demography and social statistics.

Job opportunities and potential areas of employment
The Doctors of research are mainly occupied in research organizations both public (Universities and research centers) and private (pharmaceutical companies, CRO, societies of applied research) but also in public administrations, both national and international, and in industry.
Admission Board

Surname Name Institution Role e-mail
Bernini Cristina Università di Bologna member cristina.bernini@unibo.it
Cagnone Silvia Università di Bologna member silvia.cagnone@unibo.it
Galimberti Giuliano Università di Bologna member giuliano.galimberti@unibo.it
Luati Alessandra Università di Bologna substitute alessandra.luati@unibo.it
Pacei Silvia Università di Bologna substitute silvia.pacei@unibo.it
Scalone Francesco Università di Bologna substitute francesco.scalone@unibo.it
Learning outcomes
The PhD. program in Statistics pursues the objective of training highly skilled/experienced/qualified statisticians able to apply the most modern statistical techniques to scientific research. The program is intended to provide knowledge of statistics at a higher level and a specialization in one of the following areas: methodology; bio-statistics; demography and social sciences; statistics for economics and econometrics. The specific training goals consist of: deepening of the basic elements of Mathematics, Statistics and Probability; acquisition of specific technical skills related to the PhD; development of autonomous ability of theoretical research in the various fields of application. The PhD is designed for candidates wishing to work at University level or in any organization with Research Units.
Activities to be carried out by Doctoral candidates
During the first year the PhD students attend courses and seminars purposely organized for them. Specifically, the first three months are devoted to the study of mathematics and probability: the PhD students take courses of Algebra, Analysis, Probability and Stochastic processes. After that, they follow a long course of Statistics which is divided in modules taught by the members of the PhD board. From the second year, the PhD students start their research work for the thesis. The tools they use in this context are typical of any methodological or applied research in statistics: deep literature research, problem specification, data collection, analytical development of methods and models, data analysis, computer programming. In particular, according to the different research areas, they will collect data from experiments (including clinical trials), build statistical models, simulate their performances, specify and estimate economic and econometric models. The goal is to give the PhD students a sound mathematical background, a mastery of advanced methods in probability and statistics, the ability to organize research in an independent way coherently with the peculiarities of the different research domains. By the end of their PhD program the PhD students will be able to organize research projects and do research work in economic areas where the use of statistics plays a relevant role.
Research training activities compliant with the Doctoral programme's learning outcomes
The PhD Program in Statistics develops in 3 years and training activities require attending courses with a final assessment, the participation in Statistics Seminars and the preparation of a Dissertation with original contributions in Statistics. All PhD activities are consistent with the aims of the program.
During the first year, PhD students follow advance courses in probability theory, stochastic processes, statistical inference, bayesian methods, asymptotic theory, special functions, multivariate analysis, graphical models, time series analysis and econometrics. They also follow the statistics seminars, which include meeting with the speakers and meetings aimed at building european projects and increasing the international aspects of their research.
The Dissertation is the most difficult and challenging experience of the PhD program. It should show the candidate's ability to develop an original and valuable research topic. It may be written in Italian or English and the candidate can write it while visiting another Italian or Foreign research institution. The study program is individually tailored, although the courses of the first year are compulsory. The Teaching Board assigns a supervisor to each candidate. Other researchers from the Department of Statistical Sciences or other Departments and research institutions can be joint supervisors. During the third year students will complete their thesis and present reports of their progress in a series of meetings with the Teaching Board.
Internationalization features
The PhD Program in Statistics has signed:
- a framework agreement with the University of Groeningen aimed at delivering a double PhD
- a cotutelle agreement with Macquarie University in Sydney and CMCRC (Capital Markets Cooperative Research Centre) for the sponsorship of PhD positions (one has already been active since the 33° cycle of the coures).
The PhD Program has scientific relations with several Universities all over the world. The PhD students are encouraged to spend a research period abroad while working on their thesis. Every other week the Department of Statistical Sciences hosts seminars from foreign professors; they use to meet the PhD students and discuss their research advances. The members of the Department coordinate many Erasmus exchanges; professors from the partner Universities often visit the Department and teach short courses within the PhD program. Although it is not compulsory for our PhD students to spend a period abroad, almost all of the PhD students spend some months (generally six months) in European or Extra-Europe prestigious Universities.
The PhD courses are delivered in English, thus promoting the admission of foreign PhD students.
Expected research results and products
The main result of the PhD student's research is the thesis which is developed during the second and third year. The main results are published in journals or books, and are presented at national and international specialistic conferences. Often software development goes side by side with theoretical development. The produced software is made available to the research community.
Doctoral programme Academic Board
Surname Name University/Institution Qualification
BALDI ANTOGNINI ALESSANDRO Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
BERNARDINI PAPALIA ROSA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
BERNINI CRISTINA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
CAGNONE SILVIA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
CHIOGNA MONICA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
COCCHI DANIELA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
FERRANTE MARIA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
FREO MARZIA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
GALIMBERTI GIULIANO Università di Bologna Professore Associato
GIANNERINI SIMONE Università di Bologna Professore Associato
GUIZZARDI ANDREA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
HENNIG CHRISTIAN MARTIN Università di Bologna Professore Associato
LUATI ALESSANDRA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
LUPPARELLI MONIA Università degli Studi di Firenze Professore Associato
MAZZOCCHI MARIO Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
MIGLIO ROSSELLA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
MONTANARI ANGELA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
MULINACCI SABRINA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
PACEI SILVIA Università di Bologna Professore Associato
RITELLI DANIELE Università di Bologna Professore Associato
SCALONE FRANCESCO Università di Bologna Professore Associato
SOFFRITTI GABRIELE Università di Bologna Professore Associato
TRIVISANO CARLO Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario
VIROLI CINZIA Università di Bologna Professore Ordinario

Notices

Evaluation subcriteria

Final ranking list