2008 sees the 50th anniversary of the founding, by Heinz von Foerster, of the Biological Computer Laboratory at the University of Illinois, Urbana / Champaign.

The BCL a cauldron of cybernetics and the home of second order cybernetics, featured a star studded cast of membes and visitors. Heinz was also one of the founders of the ASC, which has provided a spiritual home for second order cybernetics since its origination.

Our conference will celebrate this remarkable laboratory in joint festival with the Department of Electrical Engineering at UIUC, which was the umbrella under which the BCL sheltered.

This activity is being organized to coincide with the 8th Understanding Complex Systems (UCS) Symposium (12 - 15 May) on the topic Informatics, Energy and Others.

You will notice that there are two conferences that are running simultaneously. Though these conferences maintain separate programs, they are set up such that anyone registering for one conference can attend the other - free of charge. Please note that the ASC conference starts first (11 May) and overlaps the BCL conference (12 - 15 May). Attendees are able to move back and forth between both conferences at their discretion.

Please note: ASC members will receive a substantial price break when registering through the ASC. Therefore please register for these conferences by clicking on the following link:

https://www.sporg.com/registration?form_id=103916.

The programme is being planned and co-ordinated by Lou Kauffman and Beth Simpson.

For more information, please go to the ASC 2008 Conference webpage:

To download the members letter (in PDF format) CLICK HERE..

• Special themes: Ernst von Glasersfeld (in person);
• Gordon Pask archive launch and special seminar.
• ASC President Lou Kauffman runs a special ASC double session on "Eigenforms" on November18th.
• Pille Bunnell and Klaus Krippendorff run a special post-conference workshop on "Language and Accountability" on November 19th.

Conference Website: http://www.univie.ac.at/hvf07/

This event includes symposia with the following themes:

• C The Cybernetics of Cybernetics: Cybernetics, Interaction and Conversation (including a special focus on Gordon Pask, to mark the opening of the Archive)
  R. Glanville, UK
• D Living Systems Theory
  G.A.Swanson, USA
• H Management, Organizational Change, and Innovation
  M. Mulej, Slovenia
• O Systems Movement and Systems Organisations-Challenges, Visions and Roadmaps
  G.Chroust, Austria, and M.Mulej, Slovenia

Conference Website: http://www.osgk.ac.at/emcsr/

The programme is being planned and co-ordinated by Lou Kauffman.

This activity is being organized to coincide with the 8th Understanding Complex Systems (UCS) Symposium (12 - 15 May) on the topic Informatics, Energy and others.

The symposium Understanding Complex Systems is designed to bring together researchers from many academic disciplines and industry and stimulate cross-disciplinary research activities to build and advance the Complex Systems Research community. A small group of distinguished invited speakers will introduce key complex systems concepts in the context of their discipline. These invited plenary talks are on a 'Scientific American' level. Three hands-on tutorials are in parallel with technical sessions, covering the most recent research findings. The organizers will provide information about funding opportunities for complex systems research and promote linkages for interdisciplinary proposals. One session will be on defense issues, ranging from agent based models of the rise and fall of social organizations, including conflict and confict resolution to landmine counter-measures. The session "Beyond the Edge of Science" will feature thought provoking ideas and concepts.

For more information on the UCS Symposium:

http://www.howhy.com/ucs2008/

To download the members letter (in PDF format) CLICK HERE..

Constructivism, Design, Cybernetics: Radical, Social, 2nd-Order
Independent Media Center, 202 S. Broadway, Urbana IL
March 29 - April 1, 2007

For more information on the upcoming 2007 conference, visit the ASC 2007 Conference webpage..