Collaborative research: CIBR: Geomorph - statistical software for shape analysis: Enhancing usability, performance, and methods

解剖形状的分析是许多生物学研究的核心，形状分析的方法在进化论、法医学、医学、系统学、生物力学、人类学和许多其他领域都得到了广泛的应用。该项目为开发卓越的形状分析软件包Geomorph的增强战略提供资金。Geomorph促进了对形状分析的必要阶段的欣赏，以及对评估高维数据中的假设所需的数学和统计机制的理解。这笔赠款支持继续开发新的分析方法和图形工具，以便在地貌中实施，这将扩大科学家可以解决的研究问题的范围。新的方法将超越特定生物学学科的重点，并将广泛地促进任何形状分析重要领域的研究。此外，这里开发的一种新的多变量模型比较方法有可能改变我们在大数据时代进行科学研究的方式。自2013年发布以来，Geomorph被生物学家广泛使用，有1500多名作者，被引用1000次。因此，这笔拨款将影响数以千计的生物学家，他们需要快速、准确和灵活的软件来完成他们研究的形状分析。除了研究软件和方法的开发外，这笔赠款还将通过研讨会和其他活动帮助培训下一代科学家。将在几个大洲举办讲习班，通过这些培训和教育活动对科学界产生最大影响。这些课程为科学家提供了在自己的研究中学习和应用地貌的机会，同时直接从软件开发人员那里寻求指导。该项目还通过向科学界提供通过其Github存储库访问所有软件更新的方式来支持开放源码科学。该项目将培训本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员。PIS将通过爱荷华州的LSAMP和McNair计划(Pi Adams)以及查塔姆大学的多样性和包容性理事会(Pi Collyer)继续支持对代表不足的少数族裔的本科生研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The analysis of anatomical shapes lies at the heart of much of biological research, and methods for shape analysis have found widespread use in fields as diverse as evolution, forensics, medicine, systematics, biomechanics, anthropology, and many others. This project funds enhancement strategies for developing the pre-eminent software package for shape analysis: geomorph. Geomorph promotes an appreciation of the necessary stages of shape analysis, and an understanding of the mathematical and statistical machinery required to evaluate hypotheses in high-dimensional data. The grant supports continued development of new analytical methods and graphical tools to be implemented in geomorph, which will expand the scope of research questions that scientists can address. New methods will transcend the focus of specific biological disciplines, and will broadly stimulate research in any field where shape analysis is important. Additionally, a new method of multivariate model comparison developed here has the potential to transform how we make scientific inquiry in the age of big data. Geomorph is widely used by biologists with over 1,500 authors of 1,000 citations since its 2013 release. This grant will thus impact thousands of biologists who require fast, accurate, and flexible software to accomplish shape analyses for their research. In addition to research software and methods development, the grant will also help train the next generation of scientists through workshops and other activities. Workshops will be taught on several continents to provide maximal impact on the scientific community through these training and educational activities. These courses provide opportunities for scientists to learn and apply geomorph in their own research while seeking guidance directly from the software's developers. The project also supports open-source science by providing the scientific community with access to all software updates via its Github repository. The project will train undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in research. The PIs will continue to support undergraduate research for underrepresented minorities, through Iowa State's LSAMP and McNair programs (PI Adams), and through the Diversity and Inclusion Council of Chatham University (PI Collyer).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.