Dirk P. Kroese

Dirk Kroese is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He is the co-author of several popular and authoritative books on data science, machine learning, and Monte Carlo methods, including: Data Science and Machine learning, the Handbook of Monte Carlo Methods, Simulation and the Monte Carlo Method, and Statistical Modeling and Computation. Dirk is a pioneer of the acclaimed Cross-Entropy method – a powerful adaptive Monte Carlo technique that is being used around the world to help solve difficult estimation and optimization problems in science, engineering, and finance. He has enjoyed teaching and research positions all over the world, but has discovered that there is no better place to live and work than in Brisbane, Australia. His passion is playing classical (pipe) organ; his hero being J.S. Bach.