MCMSki IV, Jan. 6-8, 2014, Chamonix (news #5)

More exciting news about MCMSki IV!

First thing first, the 16 contributed sessions are now all-set, having gotten the stamp of approval from the scientific committee! Thanks to everyone who submitted a session proposal. (There were so many proposals that we alas had to reject some, as well as every single talk proposal… Sorry people: we hope to hear about your research advances via your posters!) See the MCMSki IV website for the whole list. Apart from the plenary lectures, and the round table on software held on the second evening, there will be three parallel sessions on the remaining three slots for each day of the conference, which means 25 sessions total!

Second, the “call for posters” is open, simply meaning that anyone wishing to present a poster at MCMSki IV on Monday evening (or Tuesday night if we cannot accommodate all posters within a single evening!) is welcome to do so! This will take place in the conference centre as well (with an open bar to keep up with traditions) To this effect, if you intend to present a poster, (a) tick the box in the registration form and (b) …wait for further instructions on the MCMSki IV website about sending your abstract as we are trying to find an easy way to store and publish posters there. Simple as AB(C)!

Last, the registration page is now open! So fell free to register at your earliest convenience. The deadline for early bird registration is October 15, 2013 however hotel rooms are likely to vanish much earlier than that, leaving you on your own to find accommodation in Chamonix (not such a terrible task, actually!)

MCMSki IV, Jan. 6-8, 2014, Chamonix (news #4)

More news about MCMSki IV! Remember, the call is still open for contributed sessions for a few more weeks, till March. 20 to be precise (make sure to contact me at bayesianstatistics@gmail.com if you are considering putting one session together). To all those who already submitted a session, thanks a lot, please stay tuned, and we will contact you very soon after March 20!

One exciting item is that there will be a satellite workshop on January 9, on Bayesian non-parametrics and semi-parametrics, organised by Judith Rousseau. BNPski, anyone?!  Details are not yet available, but anyone registered for MCMSki IV and interested should be free to attend this workshop, free of charges. (It will take place at the conference centre as well.)

Another item is that we managed to get a cheaper offer for the ski race, reaching an entry prize of 10 euros. Or less if we manage to find this sponsor… Not that bad when considering the high probability competitors have to win a pair of skis!!!

Last item for today: the list and rate of hotels available thru the conference centre is as follows

• ALPINA*** : Single Room 136€ & Twin or Double Room 106€ /pers
• PRIEURE*** : Single Room 136€ & Twin or Double Room 106€ /pers
• LOUVRE** : Single Room 85 € & Twin or Double Room 64€ /pers
• POINTE ISABELLE** : Single Room 81,90€ & Twin or Double Room 59,90€ /perss

However, many other options are available in the vicinity, from hotels to B&B, to rental apartments and chalets, with a wide range of prices if you pre-book early (like now!) See the links on our webpage.

MCMSki IV, Jan. 6-8 (9?), 2014, Chamonix (news #3)

In case you have not been constantly tracking the changes on the MCMSki IV webpage, here are some news: the number of invited and accepted contributed sessions in the program had considerably increased, to the point of almost filling two parallel sessions for the whole duration of the meeting. This includes an exciting round-table on MCMC software animated by Luke Bornn. We are actually discussing how to handle the incoming proposals, from adding one more track/room to the program to adding an extra morning (the morning after!) to the meeting—with the argument that participants will anyway leave on the 9th of January at the earliest—to sadly rejecting some of the proposed contributed sessions…. Nonetheless, the call is still open for contributed sessions for a few more weeks, till March. 20 to be precise (make sure to contact me at bayesianstatistics@gmail.com if you are considering putting one session together).

The registration page is not yet complete (we are still discussing the rates for the Richard Tweedie ski race, and managed to get them down to 10€ per person so far so we may not have to cancel this race, especially given the exciting (almost certain!) promise of a pair of brand new skis for the winners!, and more we can find benevolent sponsors…). Once again the conference fees will range from 100€ for PhD students to 210€ for participants not members of ISBA or of IMS. The additional fees for the banquet have also been lowered to 30 euros.

MCMSki IV, Jan. 6-8, 2014, Chamonix (news #2)

More news about the MCMSki IV conference: the three plenary speakers have been selected by the Scientific Committee:

• Andrew Gelman,
• Chris Holmes and
• Michele Parrinello

there are now eight invited or accepted contributed sessions in the program, with five more almost completed—including an exciting roundtable on MCMC software!—, the call is still open for contributed sessions or talks (make sure to contact me at bayesianstatistics@gmail.com if you are considering putting one session together, remember: there will be parallel sessions, so we are selecting sessions based solely on quality and diversity!).

The registration page is almost complete (we are still discussing the rates for the ski race!), there will be buses booked (if not free) from and to Geneva airport, and some hotels have been pre-booked. The conference fees will range from 100€ for PhD students to 210€ for participants not members of ISBA or of IMS. I take the opportunity of this tribune to launch a call for sponsors! Whether publishing, software or skiing company, having sponsors for the coffee breaks, a wine party during the poster session(s), or the ski race, would be great!!! And would lower the overall fees (whose main bulk is due to renting the conference centre…)

Looking forward the completion of the program, best Season’s greetings to all future MCMSkiers!

rencontres R à Lyon, 27-28 juin 2013

Simon Barthelmé just sent me the announcement that the next French R conference (Rencontres R) will be in Lyon, on June 27-28, 2013, and that the call for propositions is now open. (No possible confusion with MCMSki IV: the later is not in Lyon but Chamonix, not in June but January, and not only about R—even though there will be a session!—but about all computational aspects of statistics, well mostly MCMC!)