PROBABILITY AND COMBINATORICS: Eighteenth Annual Workshop
A workshop held from March 22-29, 2024 at McGill University's Bellairs Institute in Holetown, Barbados.


Synopsis

A small group of researchers discusses new directions and open problems in the area of probabilistic methods in combinatorics and graph theory. Topics this year include random trees, random networks, random graphs, random walks, probability on trees, and combinatorial and probabilistic geometry.


Program

Friday, March 22. Arrival. Pick up your keys from the lock box on the wall next to the drinking fountain, just after the entrance gate. Register in the Bellairs main office.
Saturday, March 23.
9 AM-12:30 PM, welcome and open problem session.
12:30 PM-2PM lunch,
2 PM-5:30 PM free,
5:30 PM-7 PM dinner,
7 PM-10 PM further open problem session if needed, and working session.
Sunday, March 24.
9 AM-10 AM, research talk.
10 AM-10:30 AM coffee break,
10:30 AM-11 AM progress report,
11 AM-12:30 PM working session,
12:30 PM-2PM lunch,
2 PM-5:30 PM free,
5:30 PM-7 PM dinner,
7 PM-10 PM working session.
Monday, March 25.
9 AM-10 AM, research talk.
10 AM-10:30 AM coffee break,
10:30 AM-11 AM progress report,
11 AM-12:30 PM working session,
12:30 PM-2PM lunch,
2 PM-5:30 PM free,
5:30 PM-7 PM dinner,
7 PM-10 PM working session.
Tuesday, March 26.
9 AM-10 AM, research talk.
10 AM-10:30 AM coffee break,
10:30 AM-11 AM progress report,
11 AM-12:30 PM working session,
12:30 PM-2PM lunch,
2 PM-5:30 PM free,
5:30 PM-7: PM dinner,
7 PM-10 PM working session.
Wednesday, March 27.
9 AM-10 AM, research talk.
10 AM-10:30 AM coffee break,
10:30 AM-11 AM progress report,
11 AM-12 PM working session,
12 PM-5:30 PM free afternoon,
5:30 PM-7 PM dinner.
Note: Dinner is not provided by Bellairs on Wednesday, participants must organize their own dinners.
Thursday, March 28.
9 AM-10 AM, research talk.
10 AM-10:30 AM coffee break,
10:30 AM-11 AM progress report,
11 AM-12:30 PM working session,
12:30 PM-2PM lunch,
2 PM-5:30 PM free,
5:30 PM-7 PM dinner,
7 PM-10 PM working session.

Organizers

The meeting is organized by Louigi Addario-Berry (McGill University), Nicolas Broutin (Sorbonne Université, Paris), and Gabor Lugosi (Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona).

For inquiries, replies and questions regarding the workshop, email Louigi Addario-Berry who is the program chair for the 2024 meeting.


Code of conduct

We refuse to compromise the ideals of academic freedom and open exchange. We affirm that scientific events must be open to everybody, regardless of race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, pregnancy, immigration status, or any other aspect of identity. We are dedicated to providing a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment for all participants and ensuring that all participants will be treated with dignity and respect. We expect all participants to contribute to fostering and creating such an environment.


Confirmed participants

  • Louigi Addario-Berry
  • Omer Angel
  • Alessandro Arlotto
  • Peter Bartlett
  • Prosenjit Bose
  • Anna Brandenberger
  • Simon Briend
  • Nicolas Broutin
  • Sofiya Burova
  • Hannah Cairns
  • Francisco Calvillo
  • Luc Devroye
  • Serte Donderwinkel
  • Vida Dujmovic
  • Laura Eslava
  • Remco van der Hofstad
  • Tom Hutchcroft
  • Robin Khanfir
  • Nina Kamcev
  • Peter Keevash
  • Igor Kortchemski
  • Gabor Lugosi
  • James Martin
  • Peleg Michaeli
  • Rivka Mitchell
  • Ralph Neininger
  • Eulalia Nualart
  • Pawel Pralat
  • Dana Randall
  • Tselil Schramm
  • Minmin Wang
  • Rui Zhang

Food

Dinners are provided by Bellairs, at a reasonable cost (at least compared to the nearby alternatives), except on Wednesday night after the free afternoon.

Vegetarian and pescetarian options are available---please let us know if you need one. Historically, the vegetarian options at Bellairs are sometimes unspectacular, so those of us going for vegetarian alternatives may decide to supplement our dinners with more interesting fare from the local supermarket. The meat and fish dinners are usually very good.

In past years we have bought lunches from a lunch van that comes around, or from one of a couple of local lunch shacks. There is also a kitchen and a nearby (15 minute walk) supermarket so in principle one can make one's own lunches.

Breakfast will be organized by ourselves---we will share the supermarket bill, and schedule the mules.


Location

The workshop takes place at McGill University's Bellairs Institute in Holetown, Barbados, on the west side of the island. Google Maps.

The Bellairs Institute can be reached from Grantley Adams airport in about 40 minutes by taxi (80 Barbados dollars, or 40 US dollars) and in about 60 to 100 minutes by city bus (2 Barbados dollars). Barbados bus schedules. At the airport, go across the parking lot to the main road, and take a bus traveling to the east (left, with back to airport). Buses marked Speightstown pass by Bellairs. Buses marked Bridgetown are also fine, but then a change of bus is necessary in Bridgetown itself, at the bus terminal.


Barbadopedia

Barbados is safe.

US currency can be used at the rate of two Barbados dollars for one US dollar. There are plenty of ATM machines all over the island (including in the departure area of the airport) that have access to the major banks in North America. All major US and Canadian bank cards work fine.

Bring mosquito repellant. There are (infrequent) outbreaks of dengue fever and zika, so check ahead of time. In the recent past, dengue has not been a problem.

Bellairs is covered by a WiFi network, though it can be spotty in some of the bedrooms.


Registration fee

Registration, to be paid upon arrival in Bellairs, is 125 US dollars.


Accommodation

The accommodation is basic but charming. The rates vary per room. They were increased slightly in 2018 and substantially in 2019. People in unshared rooms will pay the "single occupancy" rates. The organizers will assign the rooms according to some secret optimization algorithm.

Food is not included in these rates.


Previous workshops

2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2022 | 2023