Workshop on Causal Inference
4-5 September 2010

University of Queensland, Brisbane

Presented by by Liliana Orellana, Chair of the Institute of Calculus, at the University of Buenos Aires

Proudly organised by the
SSAI Biostatistics Section
and the SSAI Young Medical Statisticians (UQ)

About the workshop:
Most studies in the health and social sciences are motivated by questions that are not associational but causal in nature. Causal inference attempts to uncover the structure of the data and eliminate all non-causative explanations for an observed association. During the last decades a conceptual framework and a multiplicity of methods to make causal inference from observational or quasi-experimental data have been developed and are now well established.
This workshop will provide an overview of the counterfactual, the structural equation and the causal graphical models. The set of causal assumptions under which it is possible to estimate causal effects from observational data or imperfect experimental studies will be examined. Some of the new statistical methods for estimating causal effects of time-varying exposures in the presence of time dependent confounders will be briefly introduced.

The workshop is aimed at applied statisticians and non-statisticians alike. No prior knowledge of causal models is expected, though it would be helpful if delegates had a basic knowledge of statistical and epidemiological concepts (such as the use of regression models).

At the end of this workshop delegates will be able:
To recognize the fundamental distinction between association and causal analysis
To use the framework of counterfactuals and causal graphs to describe and conceptualize causal problems
To evaluate the challenges posted by observational studies and use causal graphs to critically evaluate any potential bias
To use causal graphs to recognize settings in which standard statistical methods fail
To select and apply statistical models available for improved causal inference

This workshop will be presented by Liliana Orellana, chair of the Institute of Calculus, at the University of Buenos Aires. The Institute is a research centre focusing on Statistics and Applied Mathematics.

Liliana is the leader of the Graduate Diploma in Statistics for Health Sciences (University of Buenos Aires), a two year graduate program intended for healthcare professionals with a strong emphasis on applied statistics. She is also an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences where she lectures statistics courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Her current research focuses on methods for drawing causal inferences from longitudinal studies. Liliana has contributed with original methodology for estimating the optimal treatment regime from longitudinal data collected in an observational study. The approach was aimed at elucidating the optimal time to start antiretroviral therapy in HIV infected persons.

Program
To download the flyer with the program, please click here.

Workshop Venue:
Holt Room, Student Union Complex, University of Queensland, St Lucia (http://www.uq.edu.au/maps/pdf/StLuciaMap.pdf (building 21C)).

Costs
There are separate regression costs depending upon whether the delegate is a full-time student, a member of the Statistical Society of Australia, and whether the registration is made before the 1st of August. Registration includes a complete set of course notes, but does not include lunch, morning or afternoon tea throughout the workshop.

Early Bird Fees (Payment before 1st August 2010)
SSAI Members:                   $720.00
Non members:                    $800.00
SSAI Student members:    $460.00
Student Non-Members:     $510.00

Fees after 1st August 2010
SSAI Members:                     $800.00
Non members:                     $890.00
SSAI student members:      $510.00
Student non-members:       $570.00

Online registration is available here. To download a registration form, please click here.
Non-member students wishing to take advantage of the student rate need to use the hard-copy registration form and fax it together with their student id to SSAI, Fax No. 02 6251 0204.

Members need to be logged in with their username and password to take advantage of the member rates!

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received prior to 29 August 2010 will be refunded in full. After this date, no part of the registration fee will be refunded. However, registrations are transferable within the same organisation. Please advise any changes to eo@statsoc.org.au.