Modeled after P.A. Meyers Seminaire de Probabilite which propelled the French probability school to the forefront of research in the seventies, the Seminar on Stochastic Processes was created in the eighties by Chung, Cinlar, and Getoor to have the same boosting effect on this side of the Atlantic. This initiative had a tremendous impact on the probability community, reaching far beyond the limits of the North American continent. Researchers from all over the world strive for an invitation as peer recognition of their international standing. The list of past invited speakers is a Who's Who in the world of probability. The scientific committee strives to include successful young researchers, minorities and women in the list of speakers. Financial support to attend the conference will preferentially be given to graduate students, postdocs, women, and minorities, as well as to junior faculty who may not otherwise be able to attend the conference.
The Seminar on Stochastic Processes is a fixture in probability, and many of the most prominent probabilists make a habit of attending it every year. The morning invited presentations provide a platform for the latest developments in the field. Moreover, the informal format of the afternoon sessions gives graduate students and young researchers a unique opportunity to expose themselves to the most recent research trends by engaging in high level open discussions, and by offering the opportunity to present their own research to leaders in their field. The synergy made possible by this original formula is very rarely found in more traditional meetings.
