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4th Complex Systems Modelling and Simulation Workshop (CoSMoS 2011)

Paris, France, 8th August 2011

http://www.cosmos-research.org/workshops/cosmos-workshop-2011
workshop2011@cosmos-research.org
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The 4th workshop on Complex Systems Modelling and Simulation (CoSMoS) will take place as a satellite event of the European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL11). The CoSMoS workshops series provides a forum for research examining all aspects of the modelling and simulation of complex systems. This year, we will place a special focus on *how complex systems simulations can begin to approach the scale of real-world complex systems*.

Constructing models and simulations of complex systems is a challenging and interdisciplinary task. Elements might include choice of modelling tools and techniques, simulation infrastructures, concurrency, the process of moving from models to simulations, arguing validity of simulations, and the identification of reusable engineering techniques such as patterns. The CoSMoS workshop series is part of a four-year initiative, based at the Universities of York and Kent, UK, to develop a framework and infrastructure for the construction of generic complex systems simulations.

Submitted papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process and accepted papers will appear in the workshop proceedings published by Luniver Press. Proceedings of the previous CoSMoS workshop are available: http://www.cosmos-research.org/publications/proceedings

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Plenary Speaker
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To complement this year's workshop theme, our plenary speaker will be Prof. Dirk Helbing (https://www1.ethz.ch/soms/people/dhelbing) from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, who is the scientific coordinator of the FuturICT flagship: http://www.futurict.ethz.ch/FuturICT

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AREAS OF INTEREST
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We are seeking submissions that explore aspects of complex systems modelling and simulation, with a special focus on techniques for scaling simulations to the scope of real-world systems. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

* Complex systems simulation case-studies
* Modelling tools and techniques
* Simulation infrastructures
* Arguing validity of simulations
* Concurrency and distribution techniques
* Identification of reusable engineering techniques
* Working across scientific disciplines

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SUBMISSIONS
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We are accepting both full papers (to be presented orally) and abstracts (to be presented via a poster). Both full papers and abstracts will appear in the workshop proceedings.

For submission via abstract, please submit an abstract not longer than 2 pages of LNCS format that summarises the content of the poster you wish to present. Full papers can be of any length up to a maximum of 25 pages of LNCS format. If you wish to exceed the page limit, or have any other queries, then please email workshop2011@cosmos-research.org in advance of submission.

LNCS formatting details can be found here: http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-7-72376-0

Papers should be submitted here: http://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=cosmos2011

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IMPORTANT DATES
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* Paper Submission: 6 Apr 2011
* Notification of acceptance: 6 May 2011
* Camera ready copies: 27 May 2011
* CoSMoS Workshop: 8 August 2011

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STUDENT TRAVEL BURSARIES
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Microsoft Research Cambridge has kindly agreed to supply a number of student travel bursaries. More details, including how to apply, will appear here: http://www.cosmos-research.org/workshops/cosmos-workshop-2011

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LOCATION
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CoSMoS 2011 will take place in Paris, France as a satellite event of ECAL11, the European Conference on Artificial Life (http://www.ecal11.org/):

"Artificial Life is an interdisciplinary undertaking that investigates the fundamental properties of living systems through the simulation and synthesis of biological entities and processes. It also attempts to design and build artificial systems that display properties of organisms, or societies of organisms, out of abiotic or virtual parts. ECAL is a biennial event that alternates with the US-based Alife conference series.

The first two ECAL conferences in Paris and Brussels were mainly centered on theoretical biology and the physics of complex systems. Today, we feel that Alife can look back on these origins and take more inspiration from new developments at the intersection between computer science and theoretical biology -- thus it is our wish to refocus the conference on complex biological systems. Closing a loop, this ECAL will mark the 20th anniversary of the 1st ECAL and will be framed as a tribute to the late Francisco Varela, co-organizer in 1991 with two of this year's committee members (Paul Bourgine, CREA, and Hugues Bersini, IRIDIA)."

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WORKSHOP CHAIRS
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* Paul Andrews, Department of Computer Science and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, UK
* Susan Stepney, Department of Computer Science and York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, UK
* Peter Welch, School of Computing, University of Kent, UK
* Carl Ritson, School of Computing, University of Kent, UK