7th SIPTA Summer School

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Are you interested in modelling severe uncertainty in your applications? Are you worried about the impact of the choice of prior in your Bayesian analysis? Are you interested in prior-data conflict and/or missing data? Do you want to learn how imprecise probability can help you making robust decisions under uncertainty? Then the SIPTA summer school is for you!

Important dates

About the school

Often, uncertainty is modelled by a probability distribution, and treated using techniques from probability theory. However, when information is scarce, vague, or conflicting, a unique probability distribution may be hard to identify. In that case, imprecise probability aims to represent the really available knowledge, and provides tools to model and work with weaker states of information. It includes both qualitative models (comparative probability, partial preference orderings, etc.) and quantitative models (interval-valued probabilities, convex sets of probability measures, upper and lower previsions, belief functions, possibility measures, etc.).

The Society for Imprecise Probability: Theories and Applications, or SIPTA, aims at promoting research on imprecise probability. This is done through a series of activities including ISIPTA conferences every odd year since 1999, and SIPTA schools every even year since 2004.

The aim of SIPTA schools is to introduce interested students and researchers to the basics of imprecise probability topics, both theoretical and applied. Leading specialists in different aspects of imprecise probabilities lecture on the main concepts and techniques associated to their area of expertise, in a friendly environment favouring interaction between participants. An important part of the time is devoted to hands-on exercises involving applied problems in e.g. engineering and environmental risk assessment.

The SIPTA school 2016 will take place in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, United Kingdom, from Monday 29 August until Friday 2 September.

On the first day of the school, the students will have the opportunity to briefly present their own work.

The last day of the school overlaps with the WPMSIIP workshop, and will give all participants the possibility to interact with the wider imprecise community.

A basic understanding of probability and calculus are required (first year university level). A knowledge of Bayesian statistics is an advantage but is not required.

Lecturers

Organizing Committee

We also thank Frank Coolen (Durham University, UK) for his contributions to the organisation of the school.

For practical questions about the school, please contact Matthias Troffaes.