1st PhyStat School of Statistics: Statistics in the era of ML

17 Nov 2025, 09:00 → 21 Nov 2025, 18:00 Europe/Zurich

Gerhard Raven (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)), Ivo Van Vulpen (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)), Louis Lyons (Imperial College (GB)), Lydia Brenner (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)), Olaf Behnke (DESY), Roel Aaij (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL)), Wouter Verkerke (Nikhef National institute for subatomic physics (NL))

The 1st PhyStat School of Statistics titled "Statistics in the era of Machine Learning" will take place on November 17-21 in The Netherlands.

The goal of the school is to give participants a thorough understanding of the statistical concepts needed for data analysis in High Energy and Gravitational Wave physics, with a particular focus on the use of Machine Learning. Topics include:
    Basics of Statistics in High Energy Physics
    Basics of Machine Learning
    Simulation-Based Inference
    Anomaly Detection
    Treatment of Uncertainties

The program is split between lectures and comprehensive hands-on sessions, to allow participants to work with the topics  addressed during the lectures in the context of concrete problems. Real-world applications of each topic will be presented by invited lectures. The invited Lecturers are: Bob Cousins, Tilman Plehn, Jay Sandesara, Gaia Grosso and Mikael Kuusela

This school is organized by PhyStat in collaboration with Nikhef and will take place at the Hof van Saksen in the village of Nooitgedacht in The Netherlands. The picture on the poster/banner is of their aquapark facilities. The school fee is 650 euro and includes accommodation, all meals and coffee/tea during breaks. 

The school is aimed at advanced PhD students and early postdocs. We welcome applications from all countries and nationalities.

 

Please note that registration closes on the 30th of June. 

Monday 17 November

11:00 → 13:00 Basics of Statistics

Convener: Robert Cousins Jr (University of California Los Angeles (US))

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 16:00 Basics of Statistics

16:00 → 18:00 Basics of Statistics: Hands-on session

18:00 → 19:30 Welcome drinks

19:30 → 21:00 Dinner

Tuesday 18 November

09:00 → 11:00 Basics of Machine Learning

Convener: Tilman Plehn

11:00 → 13:00 Basics of Machine Learning: Hands-on session

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 16:00 Simulation Based Inference

Convener: Jay Ajitbhai Sandesara (University of Wisconsin Madison (US))

16:00 → 18:00 Basics of Machine Learning: Hands-on session

18:00 → 19:00 Guest Lecture

19:00 → 20:30 Dinner

Wednesday 19 November

09:00 → 10:00 Simulation Based Inference

10:00 → 11:00 Guest Lecture

11:00 → 13:00 Simulation Based Inference: Hands-on session

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 16:00 Anomaly Detection

Convener: Gaia Grosso (IAIFI, MIT)

16:00 → 18:00 Simulation Based Inference: Hands-on session

18:00 → 19:00 Guest Lecture

19:00 → 20:30 Dinner

Thursday 20 November

09:00 → 10:00 Anomaly Detection

10:00 → 11:00 Guest Lecture

11:00 → 13:00 Anomaly Detection: Hands-on session

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 16:00 Treatment of Uncertainties

Convener: Mikael Kuusela (Carnegie Mellon University (US))

16:00 → 19:00 Treatment of Uncertainties: Hands-on session

19:00 → 20:30 Dinner

Friday 21 November

09:00 → 10:00 Treatment of Uncertainties

10:00 → 11:30 Guest Lecture

11:30 → 13:00 Guest Lecture

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 16:00 Hands-on session /Discussion