Conference and Summer School: Algebraic Statistics in the Alleghenies

The event "Conference and Summer School: Algebraic Statistics in the Alleghenies" will be held at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, from June 9 to 15, 2012 (URL: http://www.math.psu.edu/morton/aspsu2012/). Algebraic statistics exploits algebraic geometry and related fields to solve problems in statistics and its applications. Methods from algebraic statistics have been successfully applied to address many problems including construction of Markov bases, theoretical study of phylogenetic mixture models, ecological inference, identifiability problems for graphical models, Bayesian integrals and singular learning theory, social networks, and coalescent theory. In addition to algebraic statistics' successes in solving statistical problems, its research objectives have driven theoretical developments in algebra. Traditionally, applied mathematics has focused on branches of mathematics including differential equations and analysis. Instead, algebraic statistics advocates algebraic geometry, a well-developed and ancient field of mathematics, as a tool for solving problems in statistics and its applications. Many statistical models have the structure of algebraic varieties. This observation catalyzed rapid growth in this area over the past fifteen years. Over this time it has become clear that algebraic structures are ubiquitous in statistics. Hence advanced tools from algebra profitably address statistical questions. The purpose of this grant is to support a seven day conference and summer school Algebraic Statistics in the Alleghenies at the Pennsylvania State University, June 9-15, 2012. More than 100 participants are anticipated, which would make this the largest meeting yet on Algebraic Statistics that had been held in the US or abroad.