> (Apologies for cross posting)
> 
> Second announcement of TED Workshop
> 
> GRAPHICAL MODELLING OF DEPENDENT UNCERTAINTIES FOR DECISION SUPPORT IN
> PUBLIC POLICY
> 23-26 August 2004
> Gartmore House, Gartmore , Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park,
> Scotland
> 
> For more information see
> 
> http:www.managementscience.org/TED.html
> 
> 
> Participants include:
> 
> Simon Wilson (Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland)
> Joe Whittaker (Lancaster University, UK)
> TimMilan Studeny (Institute of Information Theory and Automation, Prague,
> Czech Republic)
> Jim Smith (Warwick University, UK)
> Prakash P. Shenoy (Aalborg University, Denmark)
> Fabrizzio Ruggeri (CNR IMATI, Milan, Italy)
> Daniel Lewandowski (Delft University, The Netherlands)
> Pedro Larrañaga (University of the Basque Country, San Sebastian, Spain)
> Dorota Kurowicka (Delft University, The Netherlands)
> Michael Goldstein (Durham University, UK)
> Roger Cooke (Delft University, The Netherlands)
> Ulrich Callies (GKSS-Institute for Coastal Research, Germany)
> Concha Bielza (Madrid Technical University, Spain)
> Valentin Bertsch (University of Karlsruhe, Germany)
> Tim Bedford (Strathclyde University, UK)
> 
> Workshop aims
> This workshop is proposed as a technical workshop designed to further
> progress in supporting e-democracy through the Bayesian paradigm.   
> 
> Graphical models of dependent uncertainties have become a popular
> methodology in the areas of uncertainty and decision analysis. Bayesian
> networks are perhaps the best known, but other graphical methods such as
> Markov trees, vines, dependence graphs and Bayes-linear nets have also
> been developed.
> 
> The topic to be explored during this workshop is the extent to which such
> graphical models can be used to support uncertainty modelling for public
> policy decisions. Such decision problems are highly complex with
> difficulties concerning problem structuring and uncertainties. Typical
> difficulties are (1) the detection of the probabilistic conditional
> (in)dependencies, (2) the construction of the structure taking into
> account the varying requirements of stakeholders, and (3) the management
> of continuous and mixed (random or decision) variables
> 
> The workshop will bring together researchers coming from the various
> fields devoted to structural learning, decision modelling, and uncertainty
> modelling. Work addressing graphical modelling with emphasis on the
> following are encouraged:
> 
> * New graphical models
> * Conditional independence
> * Minimum information models
> * Continuous and mixed distribution modelling
> * Monte Carlo and MCMC simulation
> * Structural learning (model search strategies) and parametric learning
> * Models with constraints (asymmetries, impossible scenarios...)
> * Elicitation protocols; heuristics and biases
> * Distributed decision making
> 
> The workshop is supported by the "Towards an Electronic Democracy" project
> of the ESF.
> 
> Organising Committee
> The organising committee is Tim Bedford (Strathclyde), Concha Bielza
> (Technical Univ of Madrid). Roger Cooke (TU Delft), and Jim Q. Smith
> (Warwick). 
> 
> Dates
> 23-26 August 2004
> 
> Format of the workshop
> The workshop is intended to provide the opportunity for participants to
> work together. Hence there will be a very limited number of presentations
> from the invited speakers, leading researchers in the area of graphical
> modelling. It is a single-track workshop, with no parallel sessions.
> Researchers will be encouraged to begin with collaboration during the
> meeting, and the facilities at the location will be used to encourage
> this. 
> 
> Participation and cost
> The workshop will be restricted to a maximum of about 30 participants. The
> cost of the workshop - including accommodation and all meals during the
> meeting - is £300. 
> 
> Location
> The workshop will be held at Gartmore House, a Victorian stately home in
> the Loch Lomond National Park to the north of Glasgow. It has magnificent
> views across 22 miles of beautiful Scottish countryside. This is now a
> centre providing space for small conferences, run by a non-profit
> charitable trust. Gartmore House is a short walk away from the
> conservation village of Gartmore, where the village pub and
> shop/postoffice can be found. A minibus service will be provided to bring
> participants to and from Gartmore House. More information about Gartmore
> House can be found at its website, http://www.gartmorehouse.com.
> Information about the village of Gartmore and its history can be found at
> www.gartmore-village.co.uk/. http://www.aberfoyle.co.uk/
> 
> 
> Getting there
> There are three airports which can be used to get to Gartmore House:
> Glasgow Prestwick (http://www.gpia.co.uk/), Glasgow International
> (www.baa.com/main/airports/glasgow) and Edinburgh International
> (www.baa.com/main/airports/edinburgh). As well as many direct flights by
> conventional carriers, these airports are served by several low-cost
> airlines such as Ryanair and Easyjet. It is possible to rent a car at any
> of these airports, with EasyCar at Glasgow Airport giving low prices (book
> through easycar.com). 
> 
> From Glasgow Prestwick there is a train connection to Glagsow Central
> Railway Station. A short bus route connects Glasgow International with
> Glagsow Central Railway Station. A minibus will be available to take
> participants to Gartmore House from Glagsow Central Railway Station. Times
> will be made known nearer to the conference. From Edinburgh it is possible
> to take either a bus or train to Glasgow, or to Stirling, and from there a
> bus to Gartmore.  There is a bus service from Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station
> to Gartmore. Public transport information can be found at
> www.travelinescotland.com.
> 
> Important Dates: 
> Participation in this event is strictly limited in order to promote a
> tight-knit, friendly working environment. You are therefore encouraged to
> register as soon as possible.
> 
> The last date for workshop and accommodation registration is 15 June 2004.
> 
> 
> A registration form will be made available via this website soon, and
> payment can be made by cheque or credit card.
> 
> 
> Workshop proceedings
> There will be no formal proceedings as such. The workshop organisers will
> endeavour to publish a collection of papers presented at the meeting, or
> developed at the meeting, in a special issue of a relevant journal.
> 
> Contact information local organiser
> Prof Tim Bedford
> Prof of Decision and Risk Analysis
> Dept of Management Science
> 40 George St
> Glasgow G1 1QE
> Tel 00-44-141-548-2394
> Fax 00-44-141-552-6686
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> 
> Information about TED:
> The European Science Foundation (ESF) has established the programme
> "Towards Electronic Democracy: Internet-based Complex Decision
> Support (TED)" to run from 2003-2006 with the objective of discussing and
> evaluating how advances in interactive decision analytic tools might help
> develop inclusive e-democratic systems which evolve their electorates more
> fully in decision making.
> Further info on the TED program is at
> http://bayes.escet.urjc.es/ted/index.html or via the ESF website
> http://www.esf.org/ted
>