Call for Participation

Data Analysis Challenges Arising from the DNA Barcode Initiative

The Challenge: The Data Analysis Working Group (DAWG) of the
Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) has developed
interdisciplinary research challenge problems in statistics and
computer science arising from DNA barcoding, a method proposed as a
tool for differentiating species. Students, postdocs, and researchers
from all over the world are challenged to develop new approaches to
these problems.  Compelling solutions to these challenges will require
collaboration among taxonomists, population geneticists, and
evolutionary and systematic biologists, so DAWG encourages the
formation of multidisciplinary teams.

Presenting Preliminary Ideas at a Workshop in Paris: Preliminary ideas
for approaches to these problems will be discussed at a workshop at
the National Museum of Natural History in Paris on 6-8 July 2006 (see
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/DNABarcode/).  Participation in
this workshop will be limited to approximately 40 presenters of
preliminary results and attendees who can offer useful feedback to the
presenters.  Space will therefore be limited and all those wishing to
participate in the workshop should register at
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/DNABarcode/registnew.html no later
than 29 June 2006. However, you are urged to register early as we will
close registration when all spaces are filled.

Travel awards for a limited number of Europeans who would like to give
presentations at this workshop will be available through funding from
the Conservation Genetics Programme of the European Science
Foundation.  Travel awards for US presenters will also be available,
pending funding agency approval.  Travel support will focus primarily
on increasing the participation of students, postdocs and junior
faculty.

Presenting More Advanced Results at a Conference in Southeast Asia:
The preliminary workshop will be followed by an international
conference in southeast Asia in February 2007, during which the most
promising approaches to these challenge problems will be
presented. Travel awards will also be available (pending funding
agency approval).

For the full Call for Participation, including the statement of the
research challenges, see:
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/BarcodeResearchChallenges/.

For instructions on how to submit an abstract for the Paris workshop,
see
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/DNABarcode/abstractsubmissionform.html.

To apply for travel funds to give a presentation at the Paris
workshop, see
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/DNABarcode/travelsupport.html

For information about the DNA Barcode Initiative, see:
http://dimacs.rutgers.edu/Workshops/DNAInitiative/.

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Important dates:

Deadline for submission of abstracts: 2 June 2006

Deadline for submission of requests for travel support: 2 June 2006

Deadline for registration: 29 June 2006

Announcement of final agenda of presenters, awards of travel support:
as early as possible after 2 June 2006