University of Michigan
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

About the workshop
Recent computational and modeling advances have produced methods for estimating species trees directly. Accurate estimates of phylogenetic relationships can often be extracted from genetic data with these new appraoches, sometimes with less data, by directly modeling the causes of discordance in topology and branch lengths among gene trees. Such inferences are commonly impossible under the traditional phylogenetic paradigm because of the potential for the idiosyncrasies of gene trees to obscure the actual history of species divergence.

We are offering this workshop to increase the visibility and use of these methods, to address a number of significant challenges to estimating species trees, and to assure that the advantages these methods offer will reach a broad community of users.

This workshop has been made possible by funds generously provided by the National Science Foundation, the Mathematical Biosciences Institute, the Department of Statistics and the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University.

Workshop format
January 13     8 a.m. - 5 p.m.      Series of 30-minute lectures

5pm    Dinner reception (sponsored by MBI)

January 14     9 a.m. - noon     Computer tutorials (45 minutes each)

2 p.m. -5 p.m.    Work on individual data sets

Registration information
Participants MUST register by sending e-mail to est_workshop@stat.osu.edu. There is a $25 cost to participate in the workshop. Participation is limited to 100 people.

To facilitate broad and diverse participation in this important workshop, funding is available to offset transportation and lodging costs for a limited number of students and post-docs ($500 for US participants only). To apply for funding, e-mail your C.V. and a letter of recommendation from your advisor to est_workshop@stat.osu.edu. Applications for funding must be received by December 5, 2011, and appicants will be notified of their funding status by December 15, 2011.
 

Speakers
Bryan Carstens
James Degnan  
Lisle Gibbs  
Frode Jacobsen  
Lacey Knowles  
Laura Kubatko  
Haley Lanier  
Liang Liu  
Dennis Pearl  
Stacey Smith  

Local arrangements
We have negotiated a special rate ($112 per night) with the Hyatt Place Columbus/OSU. The group code is G-TREE. Please reserve your room by December 22, 2011 in order to receive the special rate. The hotel offers shuttle service to OSU, but be sure to sign up for the shuttle in advance.

There are numerous other hotel options in the area. Please feel free to contact us with questions, and please make use of our Facebook page for networking/ finding roommates!

Organization
This workshop is co-organized by Laura Kubatko and L. Lacey Knowles. Please email Laura Kubatko with questions.

For more information and networking to share accommodations, check us out on Facebook.