ADVICE|2018, the 1st International Scientific Meeting on Biostatistical Advising will be organized in Oslo from September 9 to 11, 2018. The aim of this meeting is to promote and develop principles and strategies for statistical advising in academic biomedical research.
As part of the ADVICE|2018 meeting we will organise a pre-conference workshop on Practical Biostatistical Advising on September 9. This workshop is targeted at all early career researchers who are engaged in advising on statistical and other data analysis aspects of life-science projects. The workshop will provide lectures as well as practical exercises and group discussions on important aspects of advising, with a focus on the following communication and collaboration skills: teaching (e.g. statistical concepts), understanding (research questions, projects and data), iniuencing decisions (in particular as a junior consultant). Members of NORBIS may apply for a travel grant to attend the workshop and the conference, covering the full pre-conference registration costs plus a reduction in conference costs for the ADVICE|2018 conference of 1000 NOK per person.
Dates: Workshop; September 9 / Conference; September 10-11
Location: Hotel Lysebu, Oslo
Organisers: Manuela Zucknick / Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital
Lecturers: Heather Smith; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Eric Vance; University of Colorado
Registration: here
Important dates:
- March 15: Abstract submission opens.
- March 15: Early bird registration opens
- May 15: Abstract submission closes
- June 10: Notification on abstract acceptance
- June 30: Early bird registration closes
- August 31: Registration closes
Apply for travel grants: here by June 20.
About ADVICE|2018
Engagement with clinicians, biologists, and other life science researchers is an essential part of the profession for all NORBIS students (not only for statisticians). Learning to communicate statistical concepts and to advise life science researchers on data aspects of their research projects (from study design and sample size calculations to the choice of appropriate analysis methods and the interpretation and visualisation of results) is a very important part of the professional development of most NORBIS students.
Unfortunately, training is usually done in an ad hoc “on the job” manner and opportunities for formal training and for structured learning and mentoring from experienced advisors are often lacking. The rise of big data in every area of biomedical research has had the result that currently many new researchers are being recruited and trained to work as data scientists/ bioinformaticians/ biostatisticians, doing statistical advising and closely collaborating with their wet lab colleagues. This has highlighted the need to develop general guidelines and a support framework for statistical advisors. ADVICE|2018 will be a meeting place for researchers at all stages in their career, who are interested in sharing insights and discussing practical, ethical, and scientiOc aspects of biostatistical advising.
Workshop program
The pre-conference workshop will be a one-day event (ca 4-6 hours), read more about content and lecturers here. It will be organised as a mixture of lectures, practical exercises and group discussions. The main ADVICE|2018 meeting will last two days and will consist of keynote lectures, poster presentations, short presentations, and a round-table discussion. NORBIS students are encouraged to attend both, the pre-conference workshop and the main meeting. They will have the opportunity to present and discuss their own advising projects as posters or short contributed oral presentations at the main meeting.