Connectionists: Call for participation -- Current Challenges in Kernel Methods, 27-28 Nov 2006

[Tijl De Bie]

Apologies for cross- or double posting.
Please distribute freely.

First announcement and call for participation:

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International Workshop on
Current Challenges in Kernel Methods (CCKM06)

Belgium, Brussels, 27-28 November 2006

www.machine-learning.be/cckm06/

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* Format

The workshop will consist of two days of invited talks by internationally
renown researchers. Additionally, an interactive student poster session will
be organized.


* Invited speakers

Confirmed:
- Andreas Christmann (Free University of Brussels)
- Nello Cristianini  (University of Bristol)
- Kristiaan Pelckmans (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
- Alain Rakotomamonjy (INSA de Rouen)
- Sandor Szedmak  (University of Southampton)
- Jean-Philippe Vert (Ecole de Mines de Paris)

To be confirmed:
- Ingrid Daubechies (Princeton University)
- Thorsten Joachims (Cornell University)
- Bernhard Schoelkopf (Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics)
- John Shawe-Taylor  (University College London)
- Johan Suykens (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)


* Important dates

- Conference accommodation reserved until: Sunday 15 October.
- Poster abstract submission deadline: Friday 27 October.
- Early registration deadline: Friday 27 October.
- Late registration deadline: Friday 17 November.
- Workshop: Monday 27 - Tuesday 28 November 2006.


* Description

In the past decade, the kernel methods domain has expanded from a single
algorithm for classification to a full-grown toolbox of techniques that are
currently being applied in a variety of domains. This workshop aims at
highlighting the current trends and topics of interest, and at putting these
in a synthesized historical perspective, with attention for both theoretical
and application challenges. Specific topics range from learning theory, over
algorithmic/optimization issues in new kernel methods to practical successes
and bottlenecks.

Intended audience: researchers interested or working in kernel methods, or
application domains that are likely to benefit from the advances in kernel
methods. Participants may come from artificial intelligence, machine
learning, statistics, bioinformatics, data mining, web mining,... with a
special interest in the study and application of kernel methods.

Level and scope: the lectures in the workshop are intended to be accessible
to a broad audience, including anyone with a broad background in computer
science, statistics, mathematics, physics, electrical engineering, or
related domain. As a guideline, half of each lecture will be tutorial style,
while the other half will cover recent developments.

The workshop is sponsored by the WOG machine learning for data mining and
applications <http://www.machine-learning.be/>, such that attendance will be
free except for the catering expenses.


* Please check the workshop website for more details:
www.machine-learning.be/cckm06/


Kind regards,

The organizers,
Prof. Bernard Manderick
Dr. Tijl De Bie