[liberationtech] CFP: Second summer research institue on socio-technical systems

Fri Feb 13 11:00:23 PST 2009

Please contact "Thomas Finholt" <finholt at umich.edu>, and feel free to
mention my name, for more information.

Call for Participation:

2009 Summer Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical

Systems: 11-15 June, 2009

At Syracuse University's Minnowbrook Conference Center, Blue Mountain Lake,
NY

Application screening begins 2 March, 2009

Eligibility: Doctoral students, Post-doctoral scholars and pre-tenure
faculty at US-based institutions.

Notification: Late March, 2009

Cost: Most will be covered for accepted participants

Background

---------------

A science of socio-technical systems is emerging from research in the fields
of HCI, social computing, social informatics, CSCW, sociology of computing,
and other domains. The Consortium for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems
(CSST) is a new organization devoted to advancing research on
socio-technical systems. Building on the success of the 2008 Summer Research
Institute, the CSST will, again, be hosting a summer research institute for
advanced doctoral students and pre-tenure faculty in summer, 2009. A primary
goal of the institute is to build a new cohort of faculty and graduate
students who are interested in research on the design and interplay of
technology and humans at the level of individuals, groups, organizations,
and larger communities. Examples of this kind of work include research on:

* new forms of organizing (e.g., virtual organizations, massive online

activities)

* social computing (e.g., online communities, social network sites);

* distributed work (e.g., collaboratories, virtual teams and organizations);

* new technologies (e.g., recommender systems, prediction markets,
ubiquitous computing);

* novel forms of production (e.g., open source software, Wikipedia);

* new forms of expression and entertainment (e.g., blogs, wikis, massive
multiplayer online role-playing games); and

* information and communication technologies for developing regions (e.g.,
cell phone-based applications to assist economic development, infrastructure
development for local economic action).

Institute faculty

-------------------

With funding from the NSF, the institute will bring together a faculty of
distinguished scholars in the domain of socio-technical systems with up to
30 campers, drawn from among advanced doctoral students, post-doctoral
fellows, and pre-tenure faculty conducting research on socio-technical
systems.

Steve Sawyer, Syracuse University, Director
Tom Finholt, University of Michigan, Co-Director
Mark Ackerman, University of Michigan
Bill Dutton, Oxford University
Jonathan Grudin, Microsoft Corporation
C. Suzanne Iacono, National Science Foundation
Wendy Kellogg, IBM
Wayne Lutters, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Tony Salvador, Intel Corporation
Suzanne Weisband, University of Arizona

Institute goals

-----------------

The goals of the institute are to:

* Expand on and strengthen connections among the cohort of researchers in
this area, and build on the network of relations formed through the

2008 Summer Research Institute.

* Guide the work of the new researchers by having experts in socio-technical
systems research give advice.

* Provide encouragement and support for the selection of socio-technical
systems research topics.

* Illustrate the interrelationship and diversity of the field of
socio-technical systems research.

How the institute will be conducted

-------------------------------------------

The institute will be conducted as a residential program at Syracuse
University's Minnowbrook Conference Center (www.minnowbrook.org

<http://www.minnowbrook.org>) with morning small group sessions devoted to
feedback on students' research, and evening group sessions consisting of
presentations by the institute faculty (e.g., work in progress, instruction
in new methods, instruction in new analytic techniques) and moderated
discussions (e.g., on career development, how to obtain funding, publication
strategies). Afternoons will be reserved for informal activities, such as
group outings and picnics. Costs of participation, including travel, food
and accommodations, will be covered.

How to apply

----------------

The application process requires two parts:

1. A 300 word response to this question:

*How does your research advance our scientific understanding of
socio-technical systems?*

A few references, particularly if they are not to your own work, may be
helpful but are not required.

2. Your current curriculum vitae (as PDF or in a Word or WordPerfect
format).

Please send this response as an attachment in a common word processor format
or as PDF of an email with the email subject being CSST'09 application to
csst2009 at syr.edu.

Please ensure that you include your name, your current U.S.-based
institution and affiliation, an email address, and your status (PhD
candidate, post-doctoral scholar, pre-tenure faculty, or an explanation of
some other status) along with the response.

Please note that participation in this institute will be restricted to those
doctoral candidates who have proposed their dissertation at the time of
submission up through pre-tenure faculty who are at US institutions. This
includes post-doctoral scholars who are not in tenure-track positions if
they are less than five years from having completed their doctorate.

** Selection and notification **

Participants will be chosen by a committee of the institute director,
associate director, and selected institute faculty. Selection will reflect
these criteria:

* Clear articulation of the research contribution to socio-technical systems
(theory, practice or design)

* Clear development of socio-technical concepts and principles relative to
your research interests and contribution.

Additional information:

-----------------------

For further information please visit si.umich.edu/csstinstitute.
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