Call for Abstracts
2011 LAW & SCIENCE
YOUNG SCHOLARS INFORMAL SYMPOSIUM AND PRIZE
Pavia (I), 10 June 2011
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The EUROPEAN CENTER FOR LAW, SCIENCE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES (ECLT),
Università degli studi di Pavia and
The ISTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO DI STUDI SUPERIORI of Pavia (IUSS).
In cooperation with COLLEGIO GHISLIERI (Pavia) and FONDAZIONE MAUGERI, are organizing the
2011 Law & Science Young Scholars Informal Symposium

Aim
The Symposium aims to create a forum for post-graduate scholars, PHD students and early-career researchers working in the area of Law&Science (in special cases applications from final-year undergraduate students can be considered). It will provide participants with an opportunity to present and discuss their research with senior researchers of the Law Science community in a constructive and friendly atmosphere.

Prize
The two best papers will be awarded a
Fondazione Maugeri Prize
2011 Law&Science Young Scholar
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The 2011 Law&Science Young Scholars Informal Symposium continues the event which took place 12 July last at the University of Pavia on the initiative of the European Center for Law, Science and New Technologies (ECLT), University of Pavia.
Specifically, the symposium aims to: Provide a forum whereby young students receive constructive feedback from other researchers on their research and guidance on future directions. Provide students with a forum for building a network of other students as well as of more senior researchers. Build bridges for potential research collaboration. Contribute to the conference goals through interaction with other researchers at the main conference.

Topics
To apply for participation in the symposium, candidates should prepare an abstract on topics related to Law&Science. Discussion topics will include, but are not limited to:
a) Transnational law of science and converging technologies
Emerging applications in the field of science hold great promise for promoting the health and well-being of the global community. International law develops and regulates transnational behaviour in a manner that goes well beyond the system of environmental development treaties, driven in large part by the self-interest of states, but also considering the social interaction of states and non-state actors.
b) Genetics and Biotechnology
The genetics and genomics revolution given rise to a new testing ground for lawyers, provided by the possible uses of DNA in: genetic tests and genetic counselling, genetic studies on population and genealogical evolution. Moreover, DNA evidence is relevant both in legal proceedings (ascertainment of parental relationships) and in criminal trials (personal identification of culprit on the basis of his/her genetic profile, extracted from his/her biological sample found at the crime scene).
c) Biobanks, patents and Intellectual Property
The circulation and sharing of the contents of biobanks is addressed by studying their normative statutes, with careful attention being paid to copyright. The question of ownership of samples (tissues, cells, organs) and ownership of the biobank as the entity managing the database is crucial in determining any rights on research that can be patented.
d) Neuroscience and Law
The interactions between Neuroscience and Law involves such fundamental concepts as free will, individual boundaries, responsibility and the relationship between brain abnormalities, violence and crime, with special attention being paid to the use of new neuro-techniques before Courts in criminal and civil proceedings.
e) New technologies
Technological development in various fields (i.e. nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science) is accompanied by increasing interaction between them. The use of these new technologies needs informed consent and an adequate security environment for patients and staff. Protection of privacy must also be guaranteed. Furthermore, in relation to ICT devices, self-determination and respect for physical integrity must be respected, and Brain-computer interfaces could interfere with personal identity.
f) Artificial Intelligence
Knowledge of the human brain and cognitive development means that robots can be created with ever more sophisticated and responsive Artificial Intelligence. At the same time, studies into the development of cognitive robots may be useful in gaining a greater understanding of the functioning of the human brain. Furthermore, robots with decisional capabilities are currently being built. Questions regarding the legal status of such machines and the extent to which they are liable for their actions have thus arisen.
g) Ambient Intelligence
Ambient intelligence involves the convergence of several computing areas. The first is ubiquitous or pervasive computing; the second is intelligent systems research, which provides learning algorithms and pattern matchers, speech recognition and language translators; the third
is context awareness and the fourth is an appreciation of the social interactions of objects in environments.
h) Freedom of scientific research
The need to provide adequate safeguards and guarantees for scientific research is even stronger since science is at the crossroads between two fundamental personal rights: the right to self-determination in medical-health fields (and therefore informed consent) and the right to health, both in its individual dimension and in the collective-public dimension (interest of society).

Submissions
The submission package should be sent by filling out the “Paper Submit Form” on the internet page: http://www.unipv-lawtech.eu/lang1/paper_submit_form.html

The package shall consist of three parts as listed below.
Part 1: A short abstract written in English of no more than 1.000 characters (spaces included) giving a brief description of the research.
The abstract should also indicate:
- the candidate’s name;
- the title of the paper;
- the topic of the work.
Part 2: A brief CV written in English with the candidate’s professional data (name, date of birth, institute/place of work), contact information, field of research and main publications.
Part 3: An extended abstract written in English of no more than 5.000 characters (spaces included) giving a more in-depth description of the work.
The abstract should also indicate:
- the candidate’s name;
- the title of the paper;
- the topic of the work.
The long abstract should include the fundamental bibliography.

Evaluation
Submissions will be reviewed by a committee of internationally outstanding scholars and selected for inclusion in the symposium according to the following criteria:
• Quality of the research proposal • Relevance to conference topics • Quality of proposal presentation • Diversity of background, research topic and approach • Stage of research

Presentation, award and publication
Around 12 young scholars (post-graduate scholars, PHD students, early-career researchers and, in special cases, final-year undergraduate students) will be selected and invited to submit a full paper (between 15 and 20 manuscript pages, 37500 – 50000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              37500 – 50000      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              37500 – 50000      end_of_the_skype_highlighting characters including spaces).
Symposium participants are expected to present their paper during the symposium in a 25-minute presentation (including discussion).
The two best papers will be awarded a
Fondazione Maugeri Prize
2011 Law&Science Young Scholar
The first prize will be € 1.300,00 and the second € 700,00, plus a contribution to travel expenses up to € 500,00.
The third best paper will receive a special mention.
Prizes will be awarded at the end of the Symposium.
All the selected full papers will be reviewed and published on line.

Places
The Symposium will take place at the University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
The authors of the selected papers will be accommodated at Collegio Ghislieri, Pavia.

Important Dates
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 30 March 2011
Notification of acceptance: 20 April 2011
Deadline for submission of full paper: 30 May 2011
Symposium presentation: 10 June 2011
All practical information will soon be available on the website: http://www.unipv-lawtech.eu/

Scientific Secretariat:
Chiara Boscarato (chiara.boscarato@unipv.it )
Franco Caroleo ( francocaroleo@gmail.com)