CSMB International Conference on Mathematical Biology

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

This travel grant supports US-based junior researchers for participation in the International Conference on Mathematical Biology, to be held June 22-25 2018 in Beijing, China. The conference site will be at the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture and Jiuhua International Conference Center of Beijing. This International Conference on Mathematical Biology will bring together leading experts and young researchers to communicate recent advances in mathematical modeling and their applications in biology, ecology, epidemiology, and public health. A main objective of conference activities is to facilitate collaborations between mathematical modelers and biologists, who may wish to use models to evaluate ideas about the preservation of endangered species or conservation of habitat or to develop tools for identifying optimal interventions to mitigate disease outbreaks or perhaps even to eliminate the pathogens causing them. Researchers from abroad will not only bring their expertise, but foster partnerships between Chinese mathematicians, ecologists, epidemiologists and public policymakers. The conference will consist of plenary and special session talks and posters. Plenary presentations will be delivered by internationally recognized experts in mathematical biology. This grant will provide travel support for young researchers including postdocs and graduate students from US-based institutions. A unique feature of this conference is a short-course that will feature introductory lectures, case studies and hands-on exercises. Activities will emphasize the utility of transmission models in guiding research programs, designing, evaluating and occasionally improving public health policy, and communicating counter-intuitive results. Such activities will prepare mathematical modelers to: 1) develop and analyze suitable models for infectious diseases that can advance our knowledge of pathogen spread and control; and 2) generate tools to facilitate public health practitioners' appreciation of modeling and its utility in disease control and prevention. More information can be found at http://icmb2018.bucea.edu.cn/index.htm This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.