Computational Statistics and Molecular Simulation: A Practical Cross-Fertilization (18w5023)

The Casa Matemática Oaxaca (CMO) will host the "Computational Statistics and Molecular Simulation: A Practical Cross-Fertilization" workshop from November 11th to November 16th, 2018.

The increasing computational power at our disposal allows us to simulate many aspects of life -- ranging from the intimate properties of matter to handling data bases such as those of daily web search patterns or online customer browsing habits. It is nowadays possible to quantitatively predict the behavior of systems without performing experiments, or to efficiently complement experiments. For example, new drugs are now pre-selected based on molecular models, while the advertising focus behind large-scale social networks relies on simulated experimental designs. However, to further develop efficient computing softwares, more mathematical insight needs to be gained in order to alleviate the in-built limitations of computer simulations to allow for scalability to massive systems and data.

The aim of the workshop is to bring together a mixed audience of statisticians who are using and developing computational methods, researchers involved in computational statistical mechanics and its applications (e.g., materials science, biophysics), and applied mathematicians studying numerical methods used in the field of application from a mathematical viewpoint. The workshop will build a pragmatic cross-fertilization between fields through the exchange of ideas and methods such as research lectures, discussions, and practical sessions based on benchmark systems.

The Casa Matemática Oaxaca (CMO) in Mexico, and the Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) in Banff, are collaborative Canada-US-Mexico ventures that provide an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station in Banff is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT). The research station in Oaxaca is funded by CONACYT.