[Asis-l] Call for Participation: Inaugural Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems

[Finholt, Thomas]

Call for Participation

Inaugural Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems

Ann Arbor, MI - July 20 to 25, 2008

Application deadline: February 28, 2008

 

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. As its inaugural
activity, the CSST will be hosting a summer research institute for
advanced doctoral students and pre-tenure faculty on the campus of the
University of Michigan from July 20 to 25, 2008.  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: 

* 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).  

 

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 students, drawn from among advanced doctoral students and
pre-tenure faculty conducting research on socio-technical systems. The
distinguished faculty invited to participate include:

Tom Finholt, University of Michigan (director)

Steve Sawyer, Penn State University (associate director)

Mark Ackerman, University of Michigan

Steve Barley, Stanford University

Kevin Crowston, Syracuse University

Paul Dourish, University of California, Irvine

Jonathan Grudin, Microsoft Research

Pam Hinds, Stanford University

Wendy Kellogg, IBM Research

Sara Kiesler, Carnegie Mellon University

Gloria Mark, University of California, Irvine

Beth Mynatt, Georgia Tech

Bonnie Nardi, University of California, Irvine

Leigh Star, Santa Clara University

 

Institute goals

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

The goals of the institute are to:

* Build a cohort group of new researchers who will then have a network
of colleagues spread out across the world.

* 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 with morning
small group sessions devoted to feedback on students' research, and
afternoon full 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).
Evenings will be reserved for informal activities, such as group outings
and picnics. All costs of participation, including travel, food and
accommodations, will be covered by the institute.

 

How to apply

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

Participants in this institute will be restricted to advanced doctoral
candidates through pre-tenure faculty at US institutions. Interested
applicants should submit the following to csst.institute2008 at umich.edu
by February 28, 2008:

1) 150 word abstract summarizing your research;

2) two-page research statement;

3) current vita; and

4) letter of recommendation from your thesis advisor (doctoral student
applicants only).

 

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:

* Research focused on the design, effects and interplay of technology
and humans at the level of individuals, groups, organizations, and
larger communities. 

* Research ideas and approaches that are novel and innovative.

* Research that has broad social impact.

Accepted students will be notified by April 30, 2008.

 

Additional information

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

For further information please consult si.umich.edu/csstinstitute or
send email to csst.institute2008 at umich.edu

 

 

 

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Thomas A. Finholt

Associate Dean for Research and Innovation

School of Information, University of Michigan 48109-2112

v: (734) 764 6131

f: (734 647 8045

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