NIPS*98 Call for Workshop Proposals

[Michael J. Kearns]

                          CALL FOR PROPOSALS

                   NIPS*98 Post Conference Workshops
                         December 4 and 5, 1998
                         Breckenridge, Colorado


Following the regular program of the Neural Information Processing Systems
1998 conference, workshops on current topics in neural information
processing will be held on December 4 and 5, 1998, in Breckenridge,
Colorado.  Proposals by qualified individuals interested in chairing one
of these workshops are solicited.  Past topics have included:

   Active Learning, Architectural Issues, Attention, Audition,
   Bayesian Analysis, Bayesian Networks, Benchmarking, Brain Imaging,
   Computational Complexity, Computational Molecular Biology, Control,
   Genetic Algorithms, Graphical Models, Hippocampus and Memory,
   Hybrid HMM/ANN Systems, Implementations, Music, Neural Plasticity,
   Language Processing, Lexical Acquisition, Network Dynamics, On-Line
   Learning, Optimization, Recurrent Nets, Robot Learning, Rule
   Extraction, Self-Organization, Sensory Biophysics, Signal
   Processing, Support Vectors, Speech, Time Series, Topological Maps,
   and Vision Models and Applications.

The goal of the workshops is to provide an informal forum for researchers
to discuss important issues of current interest.  There will be two
workshop sessions a day, for a total of six hours, with free time in
between for ongoing individual exchange or outdoor activities.

Concrete open and/or controversial issues are encouraged and preferred as
workshop topics.  Representation of alternative viewpoints and panel-style
discussions are particularly encouraged.

Workshop organizers will have responsibilities including:

1) coordinating workshop participation and content, which involves
   arranging short informal presentations by experts working in an area,
   arranging for expert commentators to sit on a discussion panel and
   formulating a set of discussion topics, etc.

2) moderating or leading the discussion and reporting its high points,
   findings, and conclusions to the group during evening plenary sessions

3) writing a brief summary and/or coordinating submitted material for
   post-conference electronic dissemination.


Submission Instructions
-----------------------

Interested parties should submit via e-mail a short proposal for a
workshop of interest by May 29, 1998.

Proposals should include a title, a description of what the workshop is to
address and accomplish, the proposed length of the workshop (one day or
two days), the planned format (mini-conference, panel discussion, or group
discussion, combinations of the above, etc), and the proposed number of
speakers.  Where possible, please also indicate potential invitees
(particularly for panel discussions).  Please note that this year we are
looking for fewer "mini-conference" workshops and greater variety of
workshop formats.  The time allotted to workshops is six hours each day,
in two sessions of three hours each.  We strongly encourage that the
organizers reserve a significant portion of time for open discussion.

The proposal should motivate why the topic is of interest or
controversial, why it should be discussed and who the targeted group of
participants is.  In addition, please send a brief resume of the
prospective workshop chair, a list of publications, and evidence of
scholarship in the field of interest.  Submissions should include contact
name, address, e-mail address, phone number and fax number if available.

Proposals should be mailed electronically to zemel at u.arizona.edu.  All
proposals must be RECEIVED by May 29, 1998.  If e-mail is unavailable,
mail so as to arrive by the deadline to:

  NIPS*98 Workshops 
  c/o Richard Zemel
  Department of Psychology
  University of Arizona
  Tucson, AZ  85721

Questions may be addressed to either of the Workshop Co-Chairs:

Richard Zemel				Sue Becker
University of Arizona 			McMaster University
zemel at u.arizona.edu			becker at mcmaster.ca


	    PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 29, 1998

			   -Please Post-