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Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics

Bayesian Statistics, a definition

Statistics is primarily concerned with the analysis of data, either to assist in the appreciation of some underlying mechanism, or to reach effective decisions. In both cases, some uncertainty resides in the situation and the statistician's tasks are both to reduce this uncertainty and to explain it clearly. Problems of this type occur throughout all the physical, social and other sciences. One way of looking at statistics stems from the appreciation that all uncertainty must be described by probability: that probability is the only sensible language for a logic that deals with all degrees of uncertainty, and not just with the extremes of truth and falsity. This is called Bayesian Statistics. Decision-making is embraced by introducing a utility function, itself probability-based, and then maximizing expected utility. Bayesian statistics is designed to handle all situations where uncertainty is found. Since some uncertainty is present in most aspects of life, it is held that Bayesian statistics should be appreciated and used by everyone. It is the logic of contemporary society. It is 'common sense reduced to calculation.'

For an elementary, college level, introduction to Bayesian Statistics, see Bernardo (2003) Bayesian Statistics, an article written for the UNESCO Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS).

European Master in Bayesian Statistics and Decision Analysis

Six European universities from five different EU countries are jointly proposing an International Master in Bayesian Statistics and Decision Analysis as a contribution to the development of the European Higher Education Area launched at the 1999 Bologna declaration. This is scheduled to start in October 2008. For further information, see The Euro Bayes Project

The Valencia Meetings

Every four years since 1979, the University of Valencia, Spain, has sponsored meetings devoted to Bayesian Statistics, the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics. The published proceedings are listed below. The tremendous number of citations generated by them underscores their scientific relevance. The numbers attending have dramatically increased and include not only specialist statisticians but also others whose work has uncertainty as an important ingredient.

1. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1980).
   Bayesian Statistics. Valencia: University Press. Full text available at
   (better quality, not searchable) Valencia1.pdf or (lesser quality, searchable) Valencia1.pdf
2. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1985). Bayesian Statistics 2. Amsterdam: North-Holland.
3. J. M. Bernardo, M. H. DeGroot, D. V. Lindley and A. F. M. Smith (eds).(1988).
   Bayesian Statistics 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
4. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1992).
   Bayesian Statistics 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
5. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1996).
   Bayesian Statistics 5. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
6. J. M. Bernardo, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid and A. F. M. Smith (eds). (1999).
   Bayesian Statistics 6. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
   Contents available at Valencia6Contents.pdf
7. J. M. Bernardo, M. J. Bayarri, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid, D. Heckerman, A. F. M. Smith and M. West (eds). (2003).
   Bayesian Statistics 7. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
   Preface and contents available at Valencia7Contents.pdf
8. J. M. Bernardo, M. J. Bayarri, J. O. Berger, A. P. Dawid, D. Heckerman, A. F. M. Smith and M. West (eds). (2007).
   Bayesian Statistics 8. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
   Preface and contents available at Valencia8Contents.pdf

For details on the origin and development of the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics, click The Valencia Meetings.pdf
The Valencia Meetings are Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Conferences.

Benidorm (Alicante, Spain), June 1st to June 6th, 2006 Universitat de València, Spain International Society for Bayesian Analysis www.uv.es/valenciameeting Co-sponsored by the Universitat de València (UV) and by the International Society for Bayesian Analysis (ISBA), the 8th Valencia International Meeting on Bayesian Statistics and the 2006 World Meeting of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis were jointly held in Benidorm (Alicante, Spain) from Friday June 2nd to Tuesday June 6th, 2006. Local Organizer José M. Bernardo (Universitat de València, Spain) jose.m.bernardo@uv.es

Programme Committee

• Susie Bayarri (Universitat de València, Spain) [susie.bayarri at uv.es]
• James O. Berger (Duke University, USA) [berger at stat.duke.edu]
• José M. Bernardo (Universitat de València, Spain) [jose.m.bernardo at uv.es]
• A. Philip Dawid (University College London, UK) [dawid at stats.ucl.ac.uk]
• David Heckerman (Microsoft Research, USA) [heckerma at microsoft.com]
• Adrian F. M. Smith (Queen Mary, University of London, UK) [afms at qmw.ac.uk]
• Mike West (Duke University, USA) [mw at stat.duke.edu]

Proceedings

Edited by the Conference Programme Committee, Bayesian Statistics 8, the Valencia 8 conference proceedings, have beeen published in September 2007 by Oxford University Press.

Bayesian Statistics 8 includes refereed versions of the 20 invited papers, and their discussion, and 19 six page synopsis of selected contributed papers whose complete version has been accepted for publication at Bayesian Analysis, the electronic journal of ISBA.

Lindley Prize

Those contributed papers accepted by Bayesian Analysis, presented at the Valencia meeting, and for which a synopsis is submitted to the Valencia Proceedings will be considered for the Lindley Prize Lindley Prize. Note that it will be the original paper, not the synopsis, that will be considered for the Lindley Prize.

Co-sponsored by the Universitat de València (UV) and by the International Society for Bayesian Analysis (ISBA), the 9th Valencia International Meeting on Bayesian Statistics and the 2010 World Meeting of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis will jointly be held somewhere in the Spanish Mediterranean coast in June 2010. The language of the conference will be English

Local Organizer
José M. Bernardo (Universitat de València, Spain) jose.m.bernardo@uv.es

Programme Committee

• Susie Bayarri (Universitat de València, Spain) [susie.bayarri at uv.es]
• James O. Berger (Duke University, USA) [berger at stat.duke.edu]
• José M. Bernardo (Universitat de València, Spain) [jose.m.bernardo at uv.es]
• A. Philip Dawid (University College London, UK) [dawid at stats.ucl.ac.uk]
• David Heckerman (Microsoft Research, USA) [heckerma at microsoft.com]
• Adrian F. M. Smith (Queen Mary, University of London, UK) [afms at qmw.ac.uk]
• Mike West (Duke University, USA) [mw at stat.duke.edu]

Valencia Mailing List

If you may be interested in attending Valencia 8, or if you just want to be included in the conference mailing list, please click the button below:
[Valencia Mailing List]

This web page, http://www.uv.es/valenciameeting
and its US mirror, http://www.isds.duke.edu/research/conferences/valencia/
will be periodically updated as the organization of the Meeting progresses.

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