Conformal and Probabilistic Prediction with Applications Conference: Robert Choudhury
At the somewhat antisocial hour
of 4am on the 12th September 2023, a taxi arrived to take me to
Heathrow Airport – destination Limassol in sunny Cyprus for the annual COPA
(Conformal and Probabilistic Prediction with Applications) conference
organised by Frederick University Cyprus.
This conference is not a typical
security conference as it is focused on the advancement of machine learning and
conformal prediction. However, many of the theories presented and their
applications such as advancements to concept drift and conformal prediction
have been used in security papers in fields such as finance and malware.
I would say that the value of attending a conference is not
limited to listening to people’s presentations. The opportunity to network with
other researchers and companies and see how they are using similar technologies
was invaluable. I was able to speak to the creators of machine learning
libraries that I use and it was interesting to hear that they look for research
that is not being continued and create libraries that are free to use. I found this
unusual as from a non-academic perspective, I can see that having
libraries professionally maintained is a benefit to the academic community.
It wasn’t ‘all work and no play’ however. Contributors were
treated to an evening meal in an atmospheric Cypriot Taverna and also a day
trip which included a tour of the Roman ruins at Kourion, followed by
wine-tasting (we got to try a local blue wine!) and a traditional market in a
picturesque mountain village which was also home to an ornate monastery. All this
in extremely sunny weather which was an added bonus.
Overall, it was an extremely positive experience. I gained
several contacts and some insights into my research and am extremely grateful
to our research council for funding my attendance.
Comments
Post a Comment