Current and Future Challenges in Robust Statistics (15w5003)
Organizers
Raymond Carroll (Texas A&M University)
Luisa Fernholz (Temple University)
Steven Marron (University of North Carolina)
Matias Salibian-Barrera (The University of British Columbia)
Joseph S. Verducci (The Ohio State University)
Ruben Zamar (University of British Columbia)
Description
The Banff International Research Station will host the "Current and Future Challenges in Robust Statistics" workshop from November 15th to November 20th, 2015.
Current statistical applications are characterized by the abundance of
data and
the complexity of the models used to analyze them. These data sets
arise
naturally in many fields, for example: genomics and proteomics,
finance,
network data, functional and object-oriented analysis, cosmology, etc.
Such
data sets have a high chance of containing a large proportion of
errors
because any assumed model is usually a simplification of the true (and
generally complex) data-generating process. Often these large and
complex data
sets contain several patterns that are followed by different subsets
of the
data. These patterns are of major interest and can be
detected by robust statistical methods, once the appropriate tools are
available.
This workshop will bring together leading scientists to identify
current and immediate
statistical challenges where robust statistics has an important role
to play.
For example: the analysis of genomics and proteomics data, financial
applications, network analysis, functional and object-oriented
analysis,
cosmology, molecular and evolutionary biology (where the objects of
study may
be phylogenetic trees), etc. The fast pace of advances in
computational biology and other quantitative
life-sciences brings additional challenges and a sense of urgency in
finding
and implementing well-founded and stable statistical methods
applicable to
their scientific needs.
The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT).