Workshops

We have run training workshops for more than 20 years, both in person and online. Our most regular workshops are on distance sampling, but we also do workshops on other topics. These have included spatial capture-recapture methods, spatial modelling methods, acoustic survey methods and general statistical modelling. We also host free online workshops. Click on links below to find out more.  

We can also give bespoke workshops. If you would like to discuss a bespoke workshop, please email [email protected]

Online live workshop: Introductory Distance Sampling

Start date: 10 July 2023
End date: 21 July 2023
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Location: Online
Workshops

The Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM) is delivering an online workshop ‘introduction to distance sampling’ via live web conference. This workshop, in 10 meetings over two weeks, address the fundamentals of distance sampling.  We introduce the concept of a detection function, understand how to estimate probability of detection when detectability is imperfect.  The fundamental principles of this method also known as conventional distance sampling, forms the foundation upon which more advanced methods are based.

Online workshop: distance sampling when animals are missed at zero distance

Start date: 14 August 2023
End date: 16 August 2023
Time: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Online
Workshops

Are you concerned about missing animals on the transect line or point? This is the workshop for you!

Conventional distance sampling methods assume that all animals at zero distance are detected with certainty. However, in some situations this assumption is violated, and some animals are missed, causing a negative bias in the density and abundance estimates.

This occurs on some shipboard surveys of marine mammals, for example, where animals may be missed on the trackline because they are underwater while the survey vessel passes, or because the sea conditions are rough so that even some animals right on the line are missed. Bias due to the former (being underwater and so not available for detection) is often called availability bias and the latter perception bias.

Online workshop: Practical design and simulation to optimise distance sampling surveys

Start date: 28 August 2023
End date: 31 August 2023
Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Online
Workshops

Good survey design is critical for obtaining reliable results in distance sampling surveys and meeting survey objectives. This workshop expands on the basic theory provided in our introductory workshops to demonstrate how our latest software can be used to generate optimal survey designs while respecting budgetary and logistical constraints. We will demonstrate survey design using our R package dssd, and investigate design optimisation and the implications of deviations from our design assumptions using our latest simulation package dsims. We will also demonstrate the use of QGIS to obtain requisite input information.

Previous workshops