Continuing Education
Please note that The Society of Sensory Professionals provides information on upcoming conferences, symposia, and commericial courses for member
information purposes only, with no intention of recommending or endorsing anything listed.
Submissions to the CE area may be made by using either the conference
or course form.
Software
May 2012
A Powerful Framework for Sensory Product Testing
In this 2-day course, you will achieve a deeper understanding of traditional discrimination and rating methods by learning a common framework in which to interpret results across methodologies. In particular, you will learn how to select the most suitable and powerful discrimination methodology based on project objectives, how to develop standards to detect when sensory differences and ratings exceed a consumer-relevant acceptability threshold, how to assess and manage risks in product testing decisions, and effectively use the “no preference/difference” option. Invited speaker, Frank Rossi, Associate Director of Applied Quantitative Sciences at Kraft Foods, will talk about issues in risk management in product testing.
Location: The Radisson BLU EU, Brussels, Belgium
From: May 21, 2012 to May 22, 2012
Offered by: The Institute for Perception
Target audience: Intermediate
Cost: €750; 50% discount applied to each additional registrant from the same company, Academic discount available
Further information: http://ifpress.com/short-courses/
Drivers of Liking® and Product Portfolio Optimization
Learn to “see” the market from your consumers’ perspective as you develop an understanding of similarity, Drivers of Liking,® and Landscape Segmentation Analysis.® In this 2.5-day course, you will actively: Construct maps with products and consumer ideal points and identify products’ strengths and weaknesses using descriptive and analytical data; Understand the limitations of internal preference mapping based on 27 category appraisals conducted at a major consumer products company; Find consumer segments using individual ideals; Use mapping results to improve existing products and conduct computer-aided design of new products. Invited speaker, Dr. Kevin Blot of Unilever, will show applications of LSA in new introductions.
Location: The Radisson BLU EU, Brussels, Belgium
From: May 23, 2012 to May 25, 2012
Offered by: The Institute for Perception
Target audience: Intermediate
Cost: €950; 50% discount applied to each additional registrant from the same company, Academic discount available
Further information: http://ifpress.com/short-courses/
Hands on Path Analysis and Bayesian Networks Analysis
PATH analysis and Bayesian Networks analysis enable scientists to uncover and test the existence of complex networks of relationships in data. One example would be to model how appearance variables influence texture or flavour attributes and how these then determine liking. Another application would be to model how expectations derived from knowledge of the brand or packaging cues influence product choice, the consumption experience, and preference and satisfaction.
The two approaches are distinct but complementary. Attendees will learn about PATH analysis and how to analyse the data using the XLSTAT PATH PLS algorithm. The concept of Bayesian networks analysis and its application to uncovering inter relationships between consumer and sensory measures of product characteristics will be introduced and the attendees will gain hands on experience using the software package HUGIN Explorer.
Location: Microtek Labs, 230 W. Monroe, Suite 550, Chicago, Illinois, United States
From: May 29, 2012 to June 1, 2012
Offered by: Dr. Hal MacFie Consulting
Target audience: Advanced
Cost: $1900 USD; 25% discount for members of academia
Further information: http://www.halmacfie.com/pages/chicago29may2012.html
