2012 Dr. David Blackwell Memorial Conference

Howard University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

To honor Dr. David Blackwell's numerous contributions to mathematics and statistics, the American Statistical Society, the University of California at Berkeley, and Howard University convene the David Blackwell Memorial Conference at Howard University on April 19-20, 2012 in the Blackburn Center. Dr. David Blackwell was an outstanding African-American mathematician and statistician who made profound contributions to several areas of mathematics, game theory, probability theory, information theory, dynamic programming, logic and statistics. This significant event organized by three collaborating institutions simultaneously recognizes Dr. Blackwell's legacy as well as advances in mathematics and statistics. The two-day conference brings together leading theoretical and applied mathematicians, statisticians, and other scientists to: (1) Recognize and acknowledge Dr. Blackwell's myriad contributions to scholarship in multiple areas and disciplines. (2) Discuss how Dr. Blackwell's work shapes and influences the field-at-large and their respective scholarship. (3) Explore and develop new ideas and approaches to questions arising from mathematics and statistics. (4) Provide a forum for a diverse group of undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty to interact and collaborate with experts in the field of mathematics and statistics. Evidence of Dr. Blackwell's intellectual contributions is visible in many arenas and scholars continue to build on that knowledge base. In so doing, conference participants continuously underscore and reinforce the intellectual merit of Dr. Blackwell's and their own work. The conference is an opportunity for intellectual exchange and discourse among scholars from diverse backgrounds. As new generations of scholars from increasingly diverse backgrounds enter the fields of mathematics and statistics and more broadly, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), through the Dr. David Blackwell Memorial conference they become members of the community of scholars who innovate and make breakthroughs within their respective fields. The conference website is http://sites.google.com/site/conferenceblackwell/