9th - 16th July, 2008 (Vainu Bappu Observatory, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Kavalur)
F I R S T A N N O U N C E M E N T website: www.iiap.res.in/astrostat (Downloadable A4-sized poster is on the website)
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics
and the Center for Astrostatistics, Pennsylvania State University (USA)
are jointly organising an 8-day school in fundamental statistical inference as applicable to astrophysical problems
for practising astrophysicists. This is the second school in the series, and is designed to provide a
strong conceptual foundation in modern statistics as well as a repertoire of state-of-the-art statistical tools
applicable to astrophysical problems. The school is designed for all levels of practising astrophysicists wishing
to enhance their grasp of the application of statistics to their research. In addition to lectures, there will be
a heavy emphasis on hands-on tutorials. The content of the school will broadly follow the pattern of the first
school.
Organisers The Indian Institute of Astrophysics,
located in Bangalore, is a premier institution devoted to research in
astrophysics and other allied areas in physics.
The Center for Astrostatistics, Pennsylvania State University (USA),
is an interdisciplinary research centre at the interface of astrophysics and statistics, where researchers
from both disciplines collaborate to share and develop methodologies in order to meet the modern challenges of
empirical astrophysics.
Venue
The school will be held on the picturesque campus of the Vainu Bappu Observatory (VBO), a field station of the
Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). This campus is located near the village of Kavalur in the Javadi Hills in
Tamil Nadu. The nearest train stations are Vaniambadi and Jolarpettai, from where road transport to the
Observatory will be arranged by IIA. The Observatory campus is about a three-and-a-half hour drive from the
IIA-Bangalore campus, from where also, road transport to VBO will be arranged by IIA.
Costs and Financial Support
Board, lodging and transport from Bangalore or the nearest train stations to the venue will be covered by IIA for
all the participants. Participants are required to find their own travel funds. However, some limited travel
funds are available for extremely deserving participants from institutions within India, especially from the
university sector.
How to Apply
Participation in the school is open to practising astrophysicists at all levels. The number of participants will
be limited to about 25. An on-line application form is available on the website,
and this is the preferred method. More details are on the website.
Particular attention must be paid to demonstrating the relevance of the school to the applicant's research. The
deadline for receiving the completed application forms as well as recommendation letters where relevant
is the 3rd April, 2008.
The Co-ordinators
The 2nd IIA-PennState Astrostatistics School
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Bangalore 560 034