Workshop

This 2-day workshop will bring together researchers from discrete mathematics, probability theory, theoretical computer science and statistical physics to explore topics at their interface. The focus will be on combinatorial structures, probabilistic algorithms and models that arise in the study of physical systems. This will include the study of phase transitions, probabilistic combinatorics, Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, and random structures and randomized algorithms. Since discrete lattice models stand at the interface of these fields, the workshop will start with background talks in each of the following three areas: Statistical and mathematical physics; Combinatorics of lattice models; Sampling and computational issues. These talks will describe the general framework and recent developments in the field and will be followed with shorter talks highlighting recent research in the area. The workshop will celebrate academic and gender diversity, bringing together women and men at junior and senior levels of their careers from mathematics, physics and computer science.     Accommodation: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Rose Garden Inn. Reservations may be made by calling 1-800-992-9005 OR directly on their website. Click on Corporate at the bottom of the screen and when prompted enter code MATH (this code is not case sensitive). By using this code a new calendar will appear and will show MSRI rate on all room types available. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hotel Durant. Please mention MSRI and the workshop name when making reservations via phone, fax or e-mail. If you are making your reservations on line, please go to Hotel Durant website, choose your dates of stay and enter the "123MSRI" promo code in the box. The cut-off date for reservations is Midnight on the day of Tuesday, December 13, 2011. The rate is $110 per night plus tax. MSRI has a preferred rate of $142 at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza, depending on room availability. Guests can either call the hotel's main line at 510-845-7300 and ask for the MSRI rate; or go to Hotel Shattuck Plaza and enter dates of stay at top of screen and click Book Now.  Once on the reservation page, click Preferred/Corporate Rate Accounts and input the code "MSRI11".