The ISBA World Meeting stands as the premier international conference dedicated exclusively to Bayesian statistics. Held every two years, it attracts hundreds of researchers, practitioners, and students from all corners of the Bayesian community, making it the defining event on the Bayesian calendar.
History and Evolution
The ISBA World Meeting traces its origins to the Valencia International Meetings on Bayesian Statistics, organized by José M. Bernardo and colleagues beginning in 1979. These meetings, held in Valencia, Spain, became legendary gatherings of the Bayesian community and established the template for the modern ISBA World Meeting. When ISBA was formally established, the Valencia tradition was incorporated into the society's conference structure, and the meeting began rotating to locations around the world.
The first Valencia International Meeting on Bayesian Statistics is held, establishing the tradition of bringing together the international Bayesian community.
ISBA is founded, and the world meeting becomes the society's flagship event.
The meeting rotates to locations outside Valencia, including Benidorm, Sardinia, and other international venues.
ISBA World Meeting is held in Sardinia, Italy, attracting a record number of participants.
The meeting continues to grow, with an increasingly diverse and international participation base.
The original Valencia Meetings on Bayesian Statistics are legendary in the field. Organized by José M. Bernardo and his colleagues, these intimate and intellectually intense gatherings fostered deep connections and collaborations among Bayesian researchers. The informal atmosphere, extended discussions, and emphasis on intellectual exchange set a tone that the ISBA World Meeting strives to maintain even as it has grown in scale.
Conference Format
The ISBA World Meeting features a rich program of plenary lectures by leading Bayesian researchers, invited sessions on cutting-edge topics, contributed sessions and poster presentations that showcase the breadth of Bayesian research, and workshops and short courses on specialized methods and software. The conference also includes the presentation of ISBA's major awards, including the Mitchell Prize, Lindley Prize, and Savage Award.
Intellectual Scope
The meeting covers the full range of Bayesian statistics, from foundational theory and computational methodology to applications in every domain imaginable. Recent meetings have featured sessions on topics including Bayesian deep learning, scalable inference, Bayesian nonparametrics, causal inference, climate modeling, genomics, and the philosophy of Bayesian reasoning. The breadth of the program reflects the remarkable diversity of modern Bayesian statistics.
"The ISBA World Meeting is where the Bayesian community comes together. It is where ideas are born, collaborations are forged, and the direction of the field is shaped for the years to come."— José M. Bernardo
Community and Networking
Beyond the formal program, the ISBA World Meeting is renowned for its social events and networking opportunities. The conference fosters connections between senior researchers and junior scholars, between methodologists and applied scientists, and between Bayesian researchers from different countries and cultures. For many attendees, the relationships built at ISBA World Meetings have been among the most valuable and enduring aspects of their professional lives.