Workshop on Simplicity and Likelihood

November 13-15, 2009

FRIDAY
12:30 Lunch and Registration
2:00 Nabil Al-Najjar (Northwestern University), “Coarse Decision Making”
2:45 Luciano De Castro (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), “A Subjective Foundation of Objective Probability”
3:30 Break
4:00 Malcolm Forster (University of Wisconsin), “Counterexamples to a Likelihood Theory of Evidence”
4:45 Peter Grunwald (CWI), “The Catch-Up Phenomenon in Model Selection and Prediction”
7:00 Dinner (By invitation)
SATURDAY
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 Joe Halpern (Cornell University), “Cause, Responsibility, and Blame: A Structural-Model Approach”
10:15 Break
10:45 Yishay Mansour (Tel Aviv University), “Simplicity in Machine Learning”
11:30 Peter McCullagh (University of Chicago), “Selection Effects and Sampling Bias”
12:15 Lunch
2:00 James Robins (Harvard University), “Finding Causal Effects without Background Knowledge or Statistical Independencies”
2:45 Larry Wasserman (Carnegie Mellon University), “Sparse Estimators for Nonsparse Distributions”
3:30 Break
4:00 David Schmeidler (Ohio State University & Tel Aviv University), “Likelihood and Simplicity: An Axiomatic Approach”
4:45 David Wolpert (NASA), “Physical Limits of Inference”
SUNDAY
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 Aris Spanos (Virginia Tech), “Akaike-type Criteria and the Reliability of Inference”
10:15 Break
10:45 David Pollard (Yale University), “Fat-Shattering Dimension and the Role of Majorizing Measures”
11:30 Larry Samuelson (Yale University), “Preferring Simplicity”
12:15 Lunch

Conference Frequently Asked Questions

How can I connect to the Yale Wi-Fi network while attending a conference?

Yale provides visitors two Wi-Fi network options:

  • YaleGuest
  • Eduroam

YaleGuest is a public, insecure wireless network available for anyone’s use, but has limited network access. Due to security reasons, certain programs and functionality may not be accessible via the YaleGuest network, e.g., Dropbox, Skype, and Box.  

If possible, we recommended you use the Eduroam wireless network.  Eduroam (education roaming) is a secure, world-wide roaming access service that allows students, researchers and staff from participating institutions to obtain Internet connectivity across campuses when visiting other participating institutions.

If your institution is a partner, access the Eduroam network by selecting Eduroam from the Wi-Fi list on your mobile device and sign-in using your home institution’s credentials*. View Eduroam’s complete listing of U.S. participating schools; International visitors can look for institutional listings on this country page.

For additional details, please contact your institution’s IT department or search your institution’s support page.

*Credential format is typically ID@UniversityName.edu, e.g., YaleNetID@yale.edu or SUNetID@win.stanford.edu
How do I get to the conference location from the Blake Hotel?

The conference will be held at the Yale School of Management (SOM), Evans Hall located at 165 Whitney Ave and is about a 20 minute walk from the Blake Hotel. The easiest route to SOM from the Blake Hotel is to go south-east on George Street and turn left on Temple St. Temaple will merge into Whitney Avenue. SOM will be on the right side of the street across from the Peabody Museum (see map below).
How do I get to the conference location from the Omni Hotel?

The conference will be held at the Yale School of Management (SOM), Evans Hall located at 165 Whitney Ave and is about a 15 minute walk from the Omni Hotel. The easiest route to SOM from the Omni Hotel is to go north on Temple St. which merges into Whitney Avenue. SOM will be on the right side of the street across from the Peabody Museum (see map below).
Is reimbursement offered for my travel expenses?

For travel expense reimbursement for the 2020 Cowles GE Conference, please send the following items by Friday, July 31, 2020.

For travel expense reimbursement for the 2020 Cowles Summer Conferences, please send the following items by Friday, September 11, 2020.

FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS

  • Complete the appropriate online conference travel reimbursement form (These online forms allow you to upload any/all relevant forms and receipts which will be bundled together as one document):
  • Please upload any/all receipts for airfare (economy only)/rail and ground transportation. Receipts must be itemized and show proof of payment (i.e., if paid by credit card the receipt should show the last 4 digits of the credit card).

Note, vouchers for previously canceled or unrelated travel cannot be reimbursed if used to pay for any Cowles related travel.

FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS ONLY

IF YOU HOLD A B1/B2/WB/WT VISA:

IF YOU HOLD A G4/H-1B/J1/01 VISA:

IF YOU HOLD A F1 VISA:

Email or send original receipts, completed travel reimbursement form, and applicable international forms to:

Darlene Smith
darlene.a.smith@yale.edu
Event & Visitor Assistant Administrator
Cowles Foundation at Yale University
30 Hillhouse Avenue
P.O. Box 208281
New Haven, CT 06520

Email questions to Darlene Smith

Contacts
Is there a building map of the conference venue?

The conference sessions are held on the second floor in Evans Hall at the Yale School of Management. Restrooms can be found on the perimeter of the building along the sides and back of the building.

Click to enlarge
What can I do in New Haven during my stay?

Yale and New Haven offer many attractions to bide your time while in the Elm City. Below is a list of a few:

Yale Attractions

New Haven Attractions

Performing Arts
Where can I find a campus map?

The Cowles Foundation is located in the heart of Yale’s campus at 30 Hillhouse Avenue.  Use the Yale online campus map to help find your way around.
Who do I contact for assistance with Omni Hotel room reservations?

If you need assistance with an Omni Hotel room reservation, please contact Alyson Perri, Convention Services Manager, Omni Hotels.
Who do I contact in case of an emergency?

In cases of emergency, contact the appropriate department listed below:

You can also report a crime or send an anonymous text tip through our Bulldog Mobile (LiveSafe) app. (To register for Bulldog Mobile please visit the Yale LiveSafe page)

For addtional emergency information, visit the Yale Emergency Management website.
Will transportation be provided in case of inclement weather?

Yes, a shuttle bus will be arranged to drive between the hotel and conference location. Typically, an announcement will be sent out from Darlene Smith the day before with additional information.