The lack of diversity in the fields of statistical programming and software development are well known. So too, is the general case in finance. As quantitative finance lives at this intersection, R/Finance would like to be part of the solution. Thus, we want to take this opportunity to invite all persons to join us in learning and contributing to these exciting and innovative areas of study.
Other than keynotes, all talks are given by people who respond to the Call for Presentations. As diversity in presenters is key, the committee would like to make a point of strongly encouraging members of underrepresented minority groups to respond to our Call for Presentations. We welcome requests for travel and accommodation funding at the time of submitting your talk, especially if such expenses would otherwise prevent you from attending and presenting.
Speaking at a conference can be intimidating and we don’t want that to be a barrier for you. The committee is composed of a group of highly experienced public speakers and lecturers who can provide feedback on your slides, and/or help you practice your presentation. You can always request a 5-7 minute “lightning talk” if a full 20 minute talk would be uncomfortable. In addition, a full paper is not required, though we’d love to see one if you have it. We also love talks from practitioners who share their experience solving problems on-the-job. A virtue of open source software is you do not have to be well-known, or an expert, to provide a valuable contribution. We fully embrace that philosophy.
The R/Finance conferences is a place where knowledge sharing, open source collaborations, and new friendships are enjoyed by all persons. We ask the broader finance, economics, statistics, computer science, and R programming communities to assist us in continuing to diversify the conference, by inviting your underrepresented peers and colleagues to submit their proposals here.