[Air-L] CFP: Summer Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems

[Andrea Tapia]

Call for Participation

2011 Summer Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems
5-9 June, 2011
South Seas Island Resort, Captiva Island, FL, USA
www.sociotech.net


Application:     Screening begins 28 February, 2011
Eligibility:     Advanced doctoral students, post-doctoral scholars and
pre-tenure faculty at US-based institutions
Notification:     Late March, 2011
Cost:         Reasonable expenses will be covered for all accepted
participants

Background
A science of socio-technical systems is emerging from research in the fields
of CSCW, social computing, social informatics, the sociology of computing,
HCI, information systems and other related intellectual communities. The
Consortium for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems (CSST, see
www.sociotech.net) is an organization devoted to advancing research on
socio-technical systems. Building on the success of the three previous
Summer Research Institutes, the CSST will, with generous support by the
National Science Foundation, again be hosting a summer research institute
for advanced doctoral students, post-doctoral scholars, and pre-tenure
faculty. 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 the social and technical that spans levels 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, online social networks);
distributed work (e.g., collaboratories, virtual teams);
emerging technologies (e.g., recommender systems, prediction markets);
novel forms of production (e.g., open source software, Wikipedia);
new forms of expression and entertainment (e.g., blogs, wikis, massively
multiplayer online role-playing games);
information and communication technologies for developing regions (e.g.,
cell phone-based applications to assist economic development, infrastructure
development for local economic action).

Institute mentors
The institute has assembled a faculty of distinguished scholars in the
domain of socio-technical systems to serve as mentors. This includes the
following leading scholars, in addition to others from both industry and
government:

Wayne Lutters, UMBC, Director
Andrea Tapia, Pennsylvania State University, Assistant Director
Mark Ackerman, University of Michigan
J.P. Allen, University of San Francisco
Cecilia Aragon, University of Washington
Andrea Forte, Drexel University
Caroline Haythornthwaite, University of British Columbia
Chris Hoadley, New York University
Bonnie Kaplan, Yale University
Tony Salvador, Intel
Steve Sawyer, Syracuse University
Phoebe Sengers, Cornell University
Charles Steinfield, Michigan State University

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 prior Summer
Research Institutes.
Guide the work of the new researchers by interacting with experts in
socio-technical systems science.
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 the South Seas
Island Resort on Captiva Island, Florida (www.southseas.com) with a
combination of small group sessions devoted to providing feedback on
participant¹s research and larger group sessions consisting of panels and
presentations led by the Institute¹s mentors.  These sessions will cover
research topics such as core principles and viable research methods and also
career development, how to obtain funding, and publication strategies. Time
each afternoon will be reserved for informal recreational activities. All
reasonable, pre-paid costs of participation, including travel, lodging, and
meals are covered by support from NSF.

How to apply
The application process requires three parts:
1. A 350 word response to the question: How will your research contribute to
advancing our scientific understanding of socio-technical systems? A few
core citations may be helpful in framing your answer, especially if they are
not to your own work. (The accompanying reference list does not apply toward
your word count.)
2. Your current curriculum vitae.
3. Your demographic data including: your name, your current U.S.-based
institution and affiliation, your preferred email address, and your status
(PhD candidate, post-doctoral scholar, pre-tenure faculty, or an explanation
of some other status).

Please email your application materials as attachments using PDF or a common
word processing format to CSST_2011 at umbc.edu with ³CSST 2011² in the subject
line. 

Please also note that participation in this institute will be restricted to
doctoral candidates who have advanced to candidacy by 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
All applications will be reviewed by the institute director, associate
director, and all mentors. Selection will reflect the following 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;
A career point where participation in the institution would be of greatest
practical value;
Contribution to a balanced and diverse group of participants.

Additional information
For further information please visit www.sociotech.net, e-mail
CSST_2011 at umbc.edu, or speak with prior Institute participants at CSST
workshops or on our Facebook group -- ³Researchers of the Socio-Technical.²