Many of us were initially attracted to the concepts and methods collectively known as nonlinear dynamics, complexity science, or chaos theory because of their promise for tackling tough problems, including “big questions” that had not yet been adequately addressed. Conventional approaches, while undeniably effective in attacking many intellectual and practical challenges, were simply not giving us adequate purchase on the questions that most interested us. For the 2003 conference, our special focus is on such Atough problems@ in psychology and other life sciences.

What is the nature of consciousness? Why do civilizations collapse? How can we model interdependent systems? How might complex political conflicts be resolved? How do novel forms emerge? What is life? How can we design effective interventions for restoring, stabilizing, or healing ecosystems, the global economy, the psyche, or the brain?

We encourage submissions that address outstanding big questions or tough problems in your field of study or practice. How have nonlinear dynamics concepts or methods (including but not limited to attractors, bifurcations, catastrophe models, chaos, fractals, self-organization, genetic algorithms) enabled you to make progress in conceptualizing and studying some aspect of a tough problem or big question that has proved resistant to more standard approaches in your area?

Papers tackling issues less sweeping than the nature of consciousness or the course of war and peace are of course also welcome. At the same time we encourage you to emphasize the connection of your contribution to larger issues where possible.

Symposia that combine individual presentations with roundtable discussion, and panels that provide a range of perspectives on a single “tough problem” or a set of closely related “big questions” are especially welcome.

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

August 8 (Friday) Workshops, Registration, and Sunset Session

August 9 (Saturday) Conference Day 2, Banquet.

August 10 (Sunday) Conference Day 3, Business Meeting, Workshops

THURSDAY, May 1, 2003 SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

Please submit information as shown in the sample below, giving first author with affiliation, address, phone, and e-mail, then the title of the presentation, a SHORT abstract (150–250 words for papers, up to 500 for symposia or roundtable format), followed by additional names, affiliations, and email for second, third, etc. authors (or speakers for symposia or roundtables), then your AV needs.

All abstracts MUST be submitted to harrow@darkwing.uoregon.edu in publishable, electronic form. WORD or WORDPERFECT attachments are fine, but EVERYONE should also include the abstract in ASCII form in the text of the e-mail message. This will serve as a back-up in case of problems reading the attachment.

The subject line of your email should read:

2003 Chaos Conference, SYMPOSIUM [or PAPER or POSTER or ROUNDTABLE]

Please facilitate review of your abstract by observing the following:

1. USE the samples below as a guide, PLEASE!

2. DO NOT include diagrams, graphics, or special fonts, as these cannot be printed in the program.

3. If you are using WORD or WORDPERFECT, do NOT use hard carriage returns at the end of lines in the body of the abstract. Use returns only at paragraph breaks.

4. INCLUDE affiliation, address, phone, and email for first author (main contact), and affiliation and emails for additional authors. You will be notified about the status of your submission by e-mail.

5. PLEASE INDICATE your audio/visual needs. Standard overhead projectors will be available, along with computer that have Powerpoint and projectors. Unusual equipment is difficult and expensive to obtain, so review your needs carefully.

6. PLEASE avoid special formatting, extensive reference lists, etc. ALL abstracts need to be in the form and format shown in the sample to be published on the web site and in the Conference Program.

7. For Symposia or Roundtables, identify ALL scheduled speakers or panelists. The abstract for these events may be longer, up to 500 words. For symposia, abstracts should reflect the content of EACH speaker’s contribution. For roundtables, abstracts should provide an brief overview of the topic, and indicate the relevant background of the panelists and sample questions they will address. The format for a symposium is for all speakers to give presentations, followed by or interspersed with discussion. The format for a roundtable is an introduction to the topic and the speakers, after which the panelists address a series of questions or issues (rather than giving a series of presentations).

8. The amount of time allotted to single papers will depend on the number of papers scheduled, and will be announced after the schedule is finalized. Symposia and Roundtables will be scheduled for 60 or 90 minutes, depending on the number of speakers. Note: Our meetings have been growing in submissions. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.

9. Each person submitting is limited to a maximum of 2 presentations (okay to be a co-author on additional submissions by others). If you submit more than 2, we will accept a maximum of 2.

SAMPLE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION for SYMPOSIUM or ROUNDTABLE

SPEAKER1: Bea I. Furcate

AFFILIATION1: Department of Nonlinearity, University of Everything

ADDRESS: City, Country, Postal Code.

PHONE: 123-456-7890

EMAIL1: bifurcate@everything.edu

TITLE: Nonlinear solutions to political conflict

ABSTRACT: In this symposium, Furcate, Al-Khayat, and Stein provide contrasting perspectives on how insights from nonlinear dynamics can generate new approaches to the current stalemate in Israeli-Palestinian relations. Furcate uses an agent-based approach that models local, regional, and non-regional actors, while Al-Khayat presents a catastrophe model that views the situation as having two stable conflict states and one unstable peace negotiation state. Stein’s perspective is informed by the study of temporal patterning in negotiations that span multiple years and involve more than two parties. The major issues that all will address in the symposium are X Y and Z.

SPEAKER2

AFFILIATION2

EMAIL2

SPEAKER3

AFFILIATION3

EMAIL3 (etc. for other additional authors)

SESSION TYPE: Symposium

AUDIO VISUAL NEEDS: Whiteboard or flip chart, OHP

TIME REQUESTED: 60 minutes [90 minutes is the other option]

SAMPLE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION for PAPER or POSTER

AUTHOR1:Anna Tractor

AFFILIATION1: Department of Interesting Stuff, University of Everything

ADDRESS: City, Country, Postal Code.

PHONE: 123-456-7890

EMAIL1: atractor@everything.edu

TITLE: Applications of “chaos theory” in the study of really interesting stuff.

ABSTRACT: We report results of a two-year study of the fluctuations in several interesting variables. Of particular interest are the relation between several of the variables and several of the others. Our analysis suggests that the relation of variables may be understood as reflecting the operation of a nonlinear, complex system. Cyclic, periodic, and chaotic attractors were all identified in the data set, using a new software method for extracting attractors from time series.

AUTHOR2: Quas I. Periodic

AFFILIATION2: Department of Mathematics, University of Hard Problems

EMAIL2: qip@math.problems.edu

AUTHOR3: Cy Click

AFFILIATION3: Research Associate, World Health Organization

EMAIL3: cyclic@psych.who.org (etc. for other additional authors)

SESSION TYPE: Poster

AUDIO VISUAL NEEDS: Powerpoint

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

The deadline for submission of abstracts is:

Thursday, May 1, 2003.

SUBMIT ABSTRACTS, ELECTRONICALLY, TO:

harrow@darkwing.uoregon.edu

Please Remember to send your abstract as a WORD, or WORDPERFECT formats, without special formatting and without carriage returns within the abstract, and to include a plain text version in the body of your e-mail message. Subject line of the e-mail should read 2003 Chaos Conference, SYMPOSIUM [or PAPER or POSTER or ROUNDTABLE, identifying the proposed format]

PLEASE see Instructions, and SAMPLE ABSTRACT above.

· You will be notified when your abstract is received. Responses regarding abstract acceptance will be made via email on or before May 19, 2003. If you are not notified by May 19, or if you have any questions, please contact Dr. Holly Arrow (President-Elect and Conference Coordinator) at above email address.

A list of accepted Abstract Titles and Presenters should be available on the SCTPLS webpage by May 26.

A Schedule of Presentation days and times, with Abstracts, will be postetd on the SCTPLS webpage by June 16. A printed program will be distributed at the conference.

IMPORTANT: ALL authors of accepted abstracts are expected to complete their registration by July 10, 2003. Authors who fail to do so may be deleted from the program to reflect more accurately actual attendance and presentation.

REGISTRATION MATERIAL WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT (April) NEWSLETTER and will be available on the Society Webpage.

The SCTPLS webpage is located at: http://www.societyforchaostheory.org

LOCATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS

The 13^th annual international conference of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences will be held at Boston University in Massachusetts (USA). Special package rates on convenient lodging facilities have been arranged. Details to be announced in the April Newsletter.

REGISTRATION FEES

The early registration fees for this conference will be US $175 for regular members, $140 for student members, and $250 for non-members until July 20, 2002. After July 20, the on-site registration rates of $200/165/275 will apply. The banquet dinner on Saturday August 9 and refreshments during the conference are included with your registration.

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITY

All presenting conferees are further invited to prepare their papers for review and possible publication in the Society’s research journal Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences. NDPLS is peer-reviewed and abstracted in PsycInfo (Psychological Abstracts), Medline (Index Medicus), and JEL/Econlit. Regarding format, NDPLS uses American Psychological Association (APA) style. A concise style guide is available on the SCTPLS web site; click JOURNAL on the home page, then Instructions for Authors. All SCTPLS members receive NDPLS as a benefit of membership.

DATES TO REMEMBER for the 2003 CONFERENCE:

MAY 1 SUBMISSION DEADLINE for ABSTRACTS

May 19: Authors will be contacted about status of their submission. If you haven’t heard by then, e-mail harrow@darkwing.uoregon.edu to inquire.

May 26: List of accepted Abstract Titles and Presenters posted on the SCTPLS conference webpage.

June 16: Schedule of dates and times, with Abstracts, posted on the SCTPLS webpage

July 1: Drop dead date for authors of accepted abstracts to register. After this date your abstract may be deleted from the program if you have not registered.

July 20: Last day to receive regular registration rates. After this date, higher on-site registration rates apply. Cancelled registrations will get 50% refund; memberships not refundable.

August 8: Workshops, registration; Conference opens with Sunset Session. See you there!!!

Return to SCTPLS Home Page

Boston, MA, USA