The four-day conference is the third of a series of symposia. The goal of the symposia is to examine the role that optimality can play, or should play, in modern statistics. Due to the advent of high throughput data collection technology and the parallel development of computing power to analyze such data, it often happens that statistical theory gives way to raw computing power. Although most of the new exciting statistical methodologies have provided tools to make headway in many important scientific problems, a need to generalize and systematize this knowledge is now quite evident. The Third Symposium will take place at Rice University during May 16th - 19th and will bring together a group of experts to discuss cutting-edge research optimality ideas in the context of modern statistical methodologies. It is believed that, although much progress has taken place in areas such as data visualization and data mining and knowledge discovery among others, the subjects are ripe for the development of an optimality paradigm that allows for objective comparisons of methodologies. This new paradigm, although still to be defined, is necessary to push the research frontiers in these important disciplines. The conference will showcase new developments by leading researchers in an environment conducive to the development of new human resources.
This proposal will fund airfare and per diem expenses support for twelve young investigators and eight Ph.D. students to attend the conference. Women and minority young investigators and Ph.D. students will be actively recruited and encouraged to apply. Pfizer, Rice University, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center have made contributions to fund other aspects of the conference. Refereed papers will be published and invited and plenary sessions will be digitally recorded and made available to the scientific community through Rice University's online archives. An evolving webpage for the Symposium may be found at www.stat.rice.edu/~jrojo/3rd-Lehmann.
