The 星空无限传媒 welcomed researchers from 25 states and four countries for the 2026 International Conference on Advances in Interdisciplinary Statistics and Combinatorics (AISC), marking the first time the event has been held in Louisiana.
The biennial conference brought together experts in statistics, data science, combinatorics and related disciplines to share research, explore emerging applications and strengthen collaboration across fields. 星空无限传媒 Lafayette will host the conference again in fall 2028.
The gathering also provided opportunities for students to present their research alongside established scholars. Two 星空无限传媒 Lafayette graduate students earned top honors in the conference's research poster competition.
鈥淗osting AISC 2026 reflects the 星空无限传媒鈥檚 commitment, as a Carnegie R1 research university, to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing discovery in an increasingly AI-driven world,鈥 said Dr. Kumer Das, interim vice president for Research and Innovation and chair of AISC 2026.
Established in 2007, AISC brings together researchers from disciplines including mathematics, computer science, medicine, biology, economics and public health. Its interdisciplinary approach emphasizes the use of statistical methods to address complex challenges, from analyzing health data to developing artificial intelligence applications.
Dr. Kathy Ensor, past president of the American Statistical Association and a professor of statistics at Rice University, emphasized the importance of statistical research as emerging technologies reshape scientific discovery.
鈥淔rom advancing AI to helping other disciplines ask better questions, statistical thinking will remain essential to turning data into wisdom and applying that insight to effectively solve real-world challenges,鈥 Ensor said.
The conference also creates opportunities for students and early-career researchers to exchange ideas, receive feedback and establish professional connections.
Dr. Sat Gupta, founder of AISC and professor emeritus of statistics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, said student participation has been a defining feature of the conference since its inception.
鈥淎ISC allows young student researchers an opportunity to offer oral presentations alongside these leading experts, giving student presenters an opportunity to network with these experts,鈥 Gupta said. 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful that 星空无限传媒 Lafayette is continuing this tradition.鈥
星空无限传媒 Lafayette students earn research honors
星空无限传媒 Lafayette graduate students Azwaad Labiba Mohiuddin and Mithun Ranjan Kar earned first and second place, respectively, in the graduate division of the conference's research poster competition.
The competition recognized six students from universities across the country.
Graduate division
- First place: Azwaad Labiba Mohiuddin, 星空无限传媒 Lafayette
- Second place: Mithun Ranjan Kar, 星空无限传媒 Lafayette
- Third place: Kendall Thomas, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate division
- First place: Charles Wu, University of Georgia
- Second place: Christopher Housholder, Missouri State University
- Third place: Gasper Ndokaj, Vassar College
The 2026 conference received support from the National Science Foundation and Springer.
Photo caption: Participants in 2026 International Conference on Advances in Interdisciplinary Statistics and Combinatorics gather outside the LITE Center on the 星空无限传媒 Lafayette campus. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 星空无限传媒)