Lecturer
RESEARCH AND PRACTICE INTERESTS
Spatial/Temporal Models
Truncated Probability Likehood Functions
Random Effects Models
Astrostatistics and Astroinformatics
Education
PhD, Applied Statistics and Research, University of Northern Colorado
MS, Applied Mathmatics and Statistics, Wichita State University
MS, Physics, Wichita State University
AB, Physics, Hope College
Publications
- Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity of Martian Tropical Water Ice Through Analysis of Radial and Layered Ejecta Craters
- Statistical Methods for Interpreting Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity of Martian Tropical Water Ice Informed by Properties of Crater Ejecta Types
- What Is a Polygonal Impact Crater? A Proposed Framework Toward Quantifying Crater Shapes
- Phytohormone Profile of Medicago in Response to Mycorrhizal Fungi, Aphids, and Gibberellic Acid
- Insight Into Formation Processes of Layered Ejecta Craters on Mars From Thermophysical Observations
TEACHING
Statistics
Data Analysis
Modeling
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Riggs specializes in the statistical methods used in astronomy, physics, and engineering. She has collaborated or studied with researchers from the Adler Planetarium, the American Association of Variable Star Observers, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Southwest Research Institute. The projects include determining the likelihood of formation of intermediate- or high-mass stars, developing new models for monthly sunspot numbers, Mars water and ice table modeling, the formation processes of radio-AGN galaxies, and a variety of planetary geologic phenomena including New Horizon data from Pluto, Charon, and Arrokoth. Dr. Riggs' statistics research is random effects modeling in generalized linear models, and the development of likelihood functions for truncated probability distributions.
Dr. Riggs' professional affiliations include American Statistical Association, the International Astrostatistics Association, International Astonomical Union (Commission B1: Astrophysical Computation), and the Planetary Crater Consortium. She is an Associate Editor for the journal, Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences.