Campus Update

(July 6, 2007)

UAlbany Faculty Organize International Physics Conference

University at Albany faculty Kevin Knuth and Ariel Caticha of the Department of Physics, and Carlos Rodriguez of Mathematics and Statistics, are among the organizers of an international science and math conference that runs July 8-13 in Saratoga Springs.

The 27th International Workshop on Bayesian and Maximum Entropy Methods in Science and Engineering (MaxEnt 2007) will be held at the Saratoga Hotel.

Organizers are expecting 100 participants from 25 countries spanning six continents. "People are coming from as far away as Brazil, Taiwan, New Zealand, the Congo, and Russia to attend," said Knuth.

The conference will explore the use of Bayesian and maximum entropy methods in science and engineering. Bayesian probability theory is an extension of logic where probability describes the degree to which one's state of knowledge implies a proposition. Maximum entropy methods are used to express one's state of knowledge as probabilities when certain constraints are known. The two methodologies work in concert to enable one to make logical inferences given both prior knowledge and data. These methods are of interest to those across a wide cross section of sciences, including astronomy, genetics, medical imaging, nanoscience, particle physics, engineering and robotics.

For more information visit MaxEnt 2007.

The University's College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Physics have provided funding for the workshop.