Workshop on SENSORIMOTOR COORDINATION

[Jim-Shih Liaw]

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Workshop on SENSORIMOTOR COORDINATION:
AMPHIBIANS, MODELS, AND COMPARATIVE STUDIES

Poco Diablo Resort, Sedona, Arizona, November 22-24, 1996

Co-Directors: Kiisa Nishikawa (Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff) and
Michael Arbib (University of Southern California, Los Angeles).

Local Arrangements Chair: Kiisa Nishikawa.

E-mail enquiries may be addressed to Kiisa.Nishikawa at nau.edu or
arbib at pollux.usc.edu. Further information may be found on our home page at
http://www.nau.edu:80/~biology/vismot.html.

Program Committee: Kiisa Nishikawa (Chair), Michael Arbib, Emilio Bizzi,
Chris Comer, Peter Ewert, Simon Giszter, Mel Goodale, Ananda Weerasuriya,
Walt Wilczynski, and Phil Zeigler.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
The aim of this workshop is to study the neural mechanisms of sensorimotor
coordination in amphibians and other model systems for their intrinsic
interest, as a target for developments in computational neuroscience, and
also as a basis for comparative and evolutionary studies. The list of
subsidiary themes given below is meant to be representative of this
comparative dimension, but is not intended to be exhaustive. The emphasis
(but not the exclusive emphasis) will be on papers that encourage the
dialog between  modeling and experimentation. A decision as to whether or
not to publish a proceedings is still pending.

Central Theme: Sensorimotor Coordination in Amphibians and Other Model Systems

Subsidiary Themes:
Visuomotor Coordination: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives
Reaching and Grasping in Frog, Pigeon, and Primate
Cognitive Maps
Motor Pattern Generators

This workshop is the sequel to four earlier workshops on the general theme
of "Visuomotor Coordination in Frog and Toad: Models and Experiments". The
first two were organized by Rolando Lara and Michael Arbib at the
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1981) and Mexico City (1982). The
next two were organized by Peter Ewert and Arbib in Kassel and Los Angeles,
respectively, with the Proceedings published as follows:

Ewert, J.-P. and M. A. Arbib (Eds.) 1989. Visuomotor Coordination:
Amphibians, Comparisons, Models and Robots. New York: Plenum Press.
Arbib, M.A. and J.-P. Ewert (Eds.) 1991. Visual Structures and Integrated
Functions, Research Notes in Neural Computing 3. Heidelberg, New York:
Springer Verlag.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Meeting Location and General Information
The Workshop will be held at the Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, Arizona (a
beautiful small town set in dramatic red hills) immediately following the
Society for Neuroscience meeting in 1996. The 1996 Neuroscience meeting
ends on Thursday, November 21, so workshop participants can fly from
Washington, DC to Phoenix, AZ that evening, meet Friday, Saturday, and
Sunday, with a Workshop Banquet on Sunday evening, and fly home on Monday,
November 25th. Paper sessions will be held all day on Friday, on Saturday
afternoon, and all day on Sunday. Poster sessions will be held on Saturday
afternoon and evening. A group field trip is planned for Saturday morning.

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Participation
In order to encourage the participation of graduate students and
postdoctorals, we have arranged for affordable housing, and in addition we
are able to offer a reduced registration fee (see below) thanks to the
generous contribution of the Office of the Associate Provost for Research
and Graduate Studies at Northern Arizona University.

Travel from Phoenix to Sedona
Sedona, AZ is located approximately 100 miles north of Phoenix, where the
nearest major airport  (Sky Harbor) is located. Workshop attendees may wish
to arrange their own transportation (e.g., car rental from Phoenix airport)
from Phoenix to Sedona, or they may use the Workshop Shuttle (estimated
round trip cost $20 US) to Sedona on 21 November, with a return to Phoenix
on 25 November. If you plan to use the Workshop Shuttle, we will need to
know your expected arrival time in Phoenix by 1 October 1996, to ensure
that space is available for you at a convenient time.

Lodging
The following costs are for each night. Since many participants may want to
extend their stay to further enjoy Arizona's scenic beauty, we have
negotiated special rates for additional nights after the end of the
workshop on November 24th. Attendees should make their own booking with the
Poco Diablo Resort, by phone (800) 352-5710 or FAX (520) 282-9712.

Thurs.-Fri. (and additional week nights before the workshop) per night:
students $85 US + tax, faculty $105 + tax

Sat.-Sun. (and additional week nights after the workshop) per night:
students $69 + tax, faculty $89 + tax.

The student room rates are for double occupancy. Thus, students willing to
share a room may stay for half the stated rate.

When you make your room reservations with the Poco Diablo Resort, please be
sure to indicate the number of guests in your party. Graduate students and
postdocs should be sure to indicate whether they want single or double
occupancy.

Registration Fees
Students and postdoctorals $100; faculty, guests and others $200. The
registration fee includes lunch Fri. - Sun., wine and cheese reception
during the Saturday evening poster session, and a Farewell Dinner on Sunday
evening. Registration fees should be paid by check in US funds, made
payable to "Sensorimotor Coordination Workshop", and should be sent to
Kiisa Nishikawa at the address listed below, together with the completed
registration form that follows at the end of this announcement. Completed
registration forms and fees must be received by 1 August, 1996. Late
registration fees will be $150 for students and postdoctorals and $250 for
faculty.

REGISTRATION FORM
NAME:

ADDRESS:

PHONE:

FAX:

EMAIL:

STATUS: [   ] Faculty ($200); [   ] Postdoctoral ($100); [   ] Student
($100);  [    ] Other ($200).

(Postdocs and students: Please attach certification of your status signed
by your supervisor.)

TYPE OF PRESENTATION (paper vs. poster)

ABSTRACT SUBMITTED (yes/no)

AREAS OF INTEREST RELEVANT TO WORKSHOP:

WILL YOU REQUIRE ANY SPECIAL AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR PRESENTATION?

HAVE YOU MADE A RESERVATION WITH THE HOTEL?

EXPECTED TIME OF ARRIVAL IN PHOENIX (ON NOVEMBER 21):

EXPECTED TIME OF DEPARTURE FROM PHOENIX (ON NOVEMBER 25):

DO YOU WISH TO USE THE WORKSHOP SHUTTLE TO TRAVEL FROM PHOENIX TO SEDONA?
(If so, please be sure that we know your expected arrival time by 1 October!)

DO YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN A GROUP HIKE IN THE SEDONA AREA ON SATURDAY
MORNING?

Please make sure that your check (in US funds and payable to the
Sensorimotor Coordination Workshop) is included with this form.

If you plan to bring a guest with you to the Workshop, please add their
name(s) to this form and enclose their registration fee along with your
own.

Mail to:  Kiisa Nishikawa, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern
Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640. E-mail:
Kiisa.Nishikawa at nau.edu. FAX: (520)523-7500. Phone:  (520)523-9497.