• Second edition of conference to be hosted at Charles Sturt Convention Centre in Wagga Wagga
  
• 60 speakers and participants from Australia and overseas are expected to attend
• This year’s theme is ‘Effective policy through the use of big data, accurate estimates and modern computing tools and statistical modelling’

Following the success of the inaugural conference in 2014, Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) is preparing to host the Applied Statistics and Policy Analysis Conference 2019 (ASPAC2019) this week.

The conference is organised by the Charles Sturt Data Science Research Unit within the School of Computing and Mathematics in the Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences.

ASPAC2019 organiser and senior lecturer with the School of Computing and Mathematics Doctor Azizur Rahman said the conference aims to promote research collaborations and the exchange of ideas.

“We will look at how we can use the different modelling tools and statistics techniques to inform policy decision making processes,” Dr Rahman said.

“We can use statistics to make decisions in a better way.”

Dr Rahman said the information gathered at this conference, which is expected to be attended by 60 participants, could inform governments on local, national and Commonwealth levels about social policies.

“Data collected could advise on how to attract more doctors to the bush or on infrastructure for the city of Wagga Wagga, such as how to manage traffic on either side of the Gobbagombalin Bridge”, Dr Rahman said.

Topics to be discussed at the conference include data science, health statistics, small area estimation, data mining, public policy and agricultural modelling and policy.

Experts from University of Warwick, Harvard University, Australian National University, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis and from agencies such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Bureau of Infrastructure, Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities, Department of Primary Industries, plus more, will be in attendance.

Dr Rahman said by sharing models and techniques, it opens pathways for national and international collaboration with the University.

There are three main objectives from the conference – to bring experts to the University, to let people know the advanced level techniques that can be created, and to build industry relationships.

ASPAC2019 will be opened by Charles Sturt Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor John Germov.

The conference will be held on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September at the Convention Centre at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga.