ICAM Organizational Notes

Don M. Parkin
Los Alamos National Laboratory
CMS, MS K765
Los Alamos, NM 87545
(505) 667-9243, (505) 665-2992 FAX
dmp@lanl.gov

David Pines
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Physics Department
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-0115, (217) 244-7559 FAX
pines@cnls.lanl.gov

*Language

One of the key objectives for ICAM, which can begin to be realized at this workshop, is the establishment of a common language for scientists working on a broad range of problems in complex adaptive matter--from high temperature superconductors to gels to biomolecules. Doing so means, as a speaker, keeping in mind that your audience will be unfamiliar with what are for you such everyday terms that you rarely bother to define these as they are employed--in other words AVOID JARGON, and be patient. Second, because intrinsic nonlinearity is at the scientific heart of complex and adaptive behavior and is arguably the leading candidate integrative theme for CAM, in discussing specific systems, do not hesitate to reflect on the physical origin of the nonlinear behavior you encounter.

*Probes

A related objective of ICAM is the identification of the probes best suited to measure dynamical behavior associated with these intrinsic nonlinearities (and in the case of biological systems. the associated functional behavior). It would be good to have extended discussion at this workshop, and in future ICAM endeavors, of both useful existing probes of dynamic behavior in the systems we study, and of what might be the most useful "next generation" probes.

* Research and Educational Agenda for the initial years of ICAM operation

• Exploratory workshops leading to research networks

• Summer schools

• Biannual International Conference?

• ICAM Publications --written versions of summer school lectures, commissioned lecture note volumes, workshop proceedings

• ICAM Fellowships at postdoctoral, and possibly, graduate student level

*Formation of ICAM and its initial organization

• Should be bottom-up, self-assembled by the scientists involved, beginning with the participants at this workshop and the members of the Science Advisory Committee who were not able to attend, and reaching out to interested members of the broader scientific community

• Minimalist, science-based, administrative structure

• Alternative forms of organization and support to be explored include a distributed Institute, with a central location at Los Alamos, single vs. multiple sources of financial support, ICAM as UC unit, LANL unit, or free-standing unit, etc.

*Some suggested guidelines for scientific activities

• Start modestly, but always think long-term. MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS.

• EVOLVE: progress from exploratory workshop to research network to theme year to ????

• Criteria for scientific activities: EXCELLENCE AND TRANSDISCIPLINARITY (if the activity can be carried out within a single discipline, ICAM shouldn't be doing it). Put another way, we seek to ask new questions and uncover new physical principles which might be applicable to a broad range of cam systems.