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From: "Sara Walker" <
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Date: Jul 16, 2015 3:48 PM
Subject: [alife] Conference Announcement - "Re-conceptualizing the Origin of Life", Abstract deadline is Aug. 1st
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*Upcoming Conference on*
*“Re-conceptualizing the Origin of Life”*
*Nov. 9-13th, 2015 at Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington D.C.*
Physics and chemistry have arrived at a deep understanding of the
non-living world. Can we expect to reach similar insights, integrating
concepts and quantitative explanation, in biology? Life at its origin
should be particularly amenable to discovery of scientific laws governing
biology, since it marks the point of departure from a predictable
physical/chemical world to the novel and history-dependent living world.
This conference aims to explore ways to build a deeper understanding of the
nature of biology, by focusing on modeling the origins of life on a
sufficiently abstract level. The conference will cover a diverse range of
topics bearing on the problem of solving life’s origins, starting from
prebiotic conditions on Earth and possibly on other planets and moving up
through the hierarchy of structure in biology all the way to social
complexity. The focus is therefore on studying the origin of life as part
of a larger concern with the origins of organization, including major
transitions in the living state and structure formation in complex systems
science.
Each day of the conference is organized around a different integrative
theme, kicked off by an invited keynote presentation. Themes include:
information in the living world, the origin of organization, the self in
the world, re-conceptualizing the nature of the living state, and an
integrated view of the origin and organization of the biosphere. Keynotes
include: Chris Adami (Michigan State U.), Lee Cronin (U. Glasgow), Sara
Imari Walker (Arizona State U.), Eric Smith (ELSI/Sante Fe Institute) and
Douglas Erwin (Smithsonian Institution).
The goal of the conference is to concentrate on integrative conceptual and
foundational themes, and not to review the field. We hope to facilitate new
collaborations and identify specific experimental and theoretical projects
that significantly advance our understanding of the origin of life. To
maintain a productive workshop-style atmosphere, the conference is limited
to 100 participants. Participants must therefore apply to ensure a space at
the meeting. There is no registration fee.
*Applications for participation are now open and may be submitted at:*
https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=mol20150
We encourage submission of abstracts for the poster session, which will be
held throughout the entire week and will central to fostering lively
discussion. *Abstract submissions for poster presentations are being
accepted through Aug. 1st 2015 and should be submitted at the link above.*
`
*For more information on the meeting, including a full list of confirmed
speakers, please visit our conference website:*
*
https://carnegiescience.edu/events/lectures/re-conceptualizing-origin-life*
<
https://carnegiescience.edu/events/lectures/re-conceptualizing-origin-life>
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