Conference Info
The International Society for Business and Industrial Statistics (ISBIS) invites you to take part in its 2023 Conference taking place on July 13-14, 2023 at Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada (20 km West of Niagara Falls). ISBIS is part of a family of international associations that operate under the umbrella of the International Statistical Institute (ISI) and this conference is a satellite event of the 64th ISI World Statistics Congress which will be held July 16th-20th, 2023 in Ottawa, Canada.
ISBIS is an international society dedicated to the promotion of applications, research, and best practices in business and industrial statistics worldwide; it facilitates technology transfer and fosters communications among members and practitioners around the world. The 2023 ISBIS Satellite Conference aims to bring together researchers and practitioners from around the world who use statistics in business or industrial contexts. The conference promotes communication among researchers and practitioners to enable and ensure the development and widespread use of novel insights and methodology. The conference focus is on recent advancements in methodology as well as on best practices and innovative applications. A non-exhaustive list of topics of interest is:
• Design of Experiments
• Statistical Process Control
• Big data in Business and Industry
• Quality Improvement and Six Sigma
• Statistics in Practice
• Reliability and Safety
• Machine Learning
• Data Mining and Warehousing
• Measurement Uncertainty
• Process Modeling and Control
• Statistics in the Pharmaceutical Industry
• Statistical Computing
• Statistical Modelling
• Data Mining and Warehousing
• Predictive Analytics
• Business and Finance
• Statistical Engineering
• Statistical Consultancy
• Time Series Modeling and Forecasting
• Teaching Business and Industrial Statistics
The conference program will include invited and contributed sessions covering topics such as these. The conference program also includes a keynote presentation by Bonnie Ray, VP of Data at Chartbeat. Information about the keynote is included below.
A data scientist reads the news: What we can learn about the state of the world through analysis of the news and reader habits
Understanding reader engagement with digital content is critical not only for driving editorial decisions and revenue strategies for news publishers, but also for gaining a broader perspective on the topics that are resonating with readers across a region and the world. In this talk, I’ll discuss some of the statistical and computational challenges faced at Chartbeat, a content analytics company that works with publishers in over 70 countries measuring over 60B pageviews per month. In particular, I’ll discuss the development of our pipeline for scraping, extracting, and linking key topics from articles published by our customers in many different languages. I’ll then show examples of how we use this data, together with measures of reader engagement, to gain insight into which stories are driving the most reader attention, what behaviors lead to registrations and subscriptions, and an approach to article recommendations that tries to balance topic similarity with popularity, timeliness, and diversity of thought. I’ll end with some thoughts around how state-of-the-art AI capabilities stand to impact the news and media industry.
Bonnie is an accomplished data science leader, with experience growing and leading data science teams at several NYC tech start-ups, as well as directing machine learning and decision sciences research and development at IBM’s T.J. Watson Research Center. Currently she leads data science activities at Chartbeat, which provides real time content analytics for the media industry. A graduate of Columbia University (PhD Statistics) and Baylor University (BS Mathematics), her expertise and passion is in extracting insights from data to address challenging business problems. She has co-authored more than 60 refereed publications, holds 16 patents, and is an elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association.
Brock University is situated in the Niagara region in the City of St. Catharines. Within an hour’s drive to the City Centre of Toronto and 20-minute drive to Niagara Falls. Known as the “Garden City,” St. Catharines is surrounded by lush orchards and vineyards to the east and west and bordered by the Niagara Escarpment to the south and Lake Ontario to the north. Brock University sits on top of the beautiful Niagara escarpment and is the only Canadian university with the distinction of being part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Registration Fees: note all prices in CAD, individual exchange rates may vary based on current exchange rates.
The conference registration fee includes The conference registration fee includes 2 breakfasts, 3 Coffee Breaks, 2 Lunches, and a Conference Banquet dinner.
Rate for accompanying guest.
$30 CAD for accompanying person (for the banquet dinner)
Cancellations:
Cancellations received on or before (30 days out from first day of conference) will receive a refund, minus a $50 CAD cancellation fee.
Cancellations received after (14 days out from the first day of the conference) are not eligible for a refund.
| Registration Category | Early Bird (February 1 - April 17, 2023) | Regular (April 18 - June 30, 2023) | Late (July 1 onward) |
| ISBIS members | $150.00 | $175.00 | $200.00 |
| ISBIS members from developing countries¹ | $100.00 | $125.00 | $150.00 |
| ISBIS non-members* | $200.00 | $225.00 | $250.00 |
| ISBIS non-members from developing countries* | $125.00 | $150.00 | $175.00 |
| Students and young statisticians² | $50.00 | $75.00 | $100.00 |
| Accompanying person (for the banquet dinner) | $30.00 | $30.00 | $30.00 |
¹ https://www.isi-web.org/resources/developing-countries
² Young statistician means within five years of last academic degree
* includes 1-year free membership to ISBIS
| Time | Thursday July 13 | Time | Friday July 14 | |
| 8:00 - 8:30 | Breakfast | 8:00 - 8:30 | Breakfast | |
| 8:30 - 9:00 | Registration | 8:30 - 10:00 | Invited Session 7 | |
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Welcome | 10:00 - 10:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 9:15 - 10:25 | Keynote Speaker | 10:30 - 12:00 | Invited Session 8 / Invited Session 9 | |
| 10:25 - 10:50 | Coffee Break | 12:00 - 13:00 | Closing Remarks & Boxed Lunch to Go | |
| 10:50 - 12:20 | Invited Session 1 / Contributed Session 1 | |||
| 12:20 - 13:30 | Lunch | |||
| 13:30 - 15:00 | Invited Session 2 / Contributed Session 2 | |||
| 15:00 - 15:20 | Coffee Break | |||
| 15:20 - 16:50 | Invited Session 3 / Contributed Session 3 | |||
| 16:50 - 17:00 | Break | |||
| 17:00 - 18:00 | Invited Session 4 / Invited Session 5 | |||
| 18:00 - 18:30 | Break | |||
| 18:30 - 20:30 | Banquet |
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION IS NOW CLOSED: Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract for consideration.
Use the fields below to submit an abstract for consideration in the contributed program. The Scientific Program Committee will decide whether your work is accepted into the program as a contributed talk, a contributed poster, or not at all. We welcome submissions concerning any of the topics listed below. Note that abstract submission closes March 20, 2023. (please note deadline has been extended from the previous March 15 to the current March 20 deadline).
• Design of Experiments
• Statistical Process Control
• Big data in Business and Industry
• Quality Improvement and Six Sigma
• Statistics in Practice
• Reliability and Safety
• Machine Learning
• Data Mining and Warehousing
• Measurement Uncertainty
• Process Modeling and Control
• Statistics in the Pharmaceutical Industry
• Statistical Computing
• Statistical Modelling
• Data Mining and Warehousing
• Predictive Analytics
• Business and Finance
• Statistical Engineering
• Statistical Consultancy
• Time Series Modeling and Forecasting
Campus Map:
Arrive at Brock Campus:
Please park in Zone 1 – labelled as FREE PARKING on the map above. Then visit POND INLET for registration and check-in.
Upon arrival to campus choose the Glenridge entrance (it has a roundabout just after you turn in) for standard check-ins. Conferences may have special check-in instructions, please consult with your group organizer. Follow the signs that say “Accommodation Check-In”. While you check-in, you may park outside the front of the Conference Centre. After checking in place the parking pass provided on your dash and park in your assigned lot.
Directions from Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto
From Highway 401 West, take 403 South to the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) in the direction of Niagara Falls. Follow the Queen Elizabeth Way around the lake, then Southeast to St. Catharines. Take exit 49, which will lead you onto Highway 406. Continue until you reach St. David’s Road. Take the St. David’s Road West Exit and follow until you reach Sir Isaac Brock Way.
Directions from Hamilton Airport
Turn left on Airport Road. Turn left on Hwy. 6 (Upper James Street) and continue to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway (the ‘LINC’). Turn east on the Lincoln Alexander Parkway which will turn into the Red Hill Parkway. Take the Red Hill Parkway to the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) east to Niagara Falls. At Exit 49, turn onto Highway 406 (towards Welland/Port Colborne) and continue until you reach St. David Road. Take the St. David’s Road West Exit and follow until you reach Sir Isaac Brock Way.
Directions from Buffalo (Peace Bridge)
Cross the Peace bridge and then take the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) towards Toronto. At Exit 32B, turn onto Thorold Stone Road West and continue through the Thorold Tunnel where the road becomes Highway 58. Take the St. David’s Road West exit and follow until you reach Sir Isaac Brock Way.
If you require travel from the Buffalo Airport or Pearson International Airport in Toronto.
Niagara Airbus is able to service your request.
Important Notice regarding accommodation bookings.
Brock University and Sheraton Four Point Hotels do not solicit reservations by phone or email. If you are contacted before booking your accommodations by either organization, we urge you to report them to the Organizing Committee at eventservices@brocku.ca. If you receive a call or email from any company offering to make hotel reservations for you during the conference period, we urge you to not book with them. These companies are not affiliated ISBIS or Brock University and Sheraton Four Point Hotels in any way and therefore are not authorized to make reservations on our behalf. If you book with an unauthorized company, our organizations cannot protect you if there is a problem with your reservation when you arrive in St. Catharines Ontario.
ONSITE ACCOMMODATIONS:
Brock University Campus Accommodations
Residence 8 offers single air-conditioned guestrooms. Each is furnished with 1 single bed, desk, dresser and wardrobe. One 3-piece washroom is accessible from each of two adjoining single bedrooms. An elevator is located in the residence lobby for convenient access to all floors. 2023 Rates: Shared Washroom $54.75 per person per night plus HST Private Washroom $110.50 per person per night plus HST
Residence guests will be provided with a parking pass valid for the duration of their stay at registration. Guests will be required to park in the permitted lot only and display the pass on their dashboard. Brock University is pleased to offer card operated laundry facilities on campus for use by guests while staying on campus. Laundry cards can be purchased at the conference front desk, along with laundry detergent.
To book your stay, guests may contact the Conference Coordinator to reserve a room under the conference room block.
- Shared Washroom: $54.75 CAD per person per night plus HST
- Private Washroom: $110.50 CAD per person per night plus HST
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
The Four Points by Sheraton St. Catharines Niagara Suites is located within walking distance from Brock University and offers standard suites that include two double beds or 1 queen with separate living room and kitchenette including microwave, counter, sink and mini fridge. Wi-Fi and onsite parking are complimentary.
Four Points by Sheraton St. Catharines (across from Brock University)
HOTEL REGISTRATION LINK – https://www.reservations.com/hotel/four-points-by-sheraton-st-catharines-niagara-suites
Please note hotel rates are subject to change and are valid at the time of booking. Contact Four Points by Sheraton for more info – 1-855-516-1090
ISBIS would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous contributions:
Committees
Scientific Program Committee
- Nathaniel Stevens, University of Waterloo, Canada (Chair)
- Daniel Jeske, University of California Riverside, USA
- Matilde Bini, Università Europea di Roma, Italy
- Paulos Canas Rodrigues, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil
- Syed Ejaz Ahmed, Brock University, Canada
- Farouk Nathoo, University of Victoria, Canada
- Jean-François Plante, HEC Montréal, Canada
Local Organizing Committee
- Syed Ejaz Ahmed, Brock University, Canada
- Justin Steepe, Strategic, Outreach and Events Manager, Brock University, Canada
- Heather McFarlane, Registration and Logistics Officer, Brock University, Canada