Sean Plummer, assistant professor of mathematics at the U of A, was part of an international team that organized a March workshop at Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery. The workshop, "Efficient Approximate Bayesian Inference," drew participants from across the world.

The main goals of the workshop were to enhance variational methods for analyzing complex data sets, to advance theoretical understanding for variational inference and to foster collaboration between physics, computer science and statistics.    

"Organizing the Efficient Approximate Bayesian Inference workshop gave us an opportunity to reflect on how the field has evolved over the last 10 years, identify many of the key open challenges that remain and explore the interdisciplinary connections to both statistical and quantum physics," Plummer said.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery is a joint initiative between Canada, the United States and Mexico. It fosters creativity and collaboration by offering a dynamic space for exchanging ideas, knowledge and techniques within the mathematical sciences, as well as related fields and industries. Situated at The Banff Centre in Alberta, the research station receives support from Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the U.S. National Science Foundation and Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology Department.