CITIDEP - Research Center on Information Technologies and Participatory
Democracy
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CITIDEP NEWS - 22 January 1999
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Happy New Year to all. May 1999 be an excelent year for all CITIDEP fellows and friends.
Please answer the survey included at the end of this mail. Thank you.
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First International Conference on Public Participation and New
Information Technologies
Thanks to the initiative of our colleague Joao Joanaz de Melo, member of CITIDEP Science Council and also faculty at the FCT-UNL University, CITIDEP is preparing to make real on one of the main goals set in our Research Plan (http://www.citidep.pt/info/rgoals.html); To organize a biennial conference on "Information Technologies and Participatory Democracy".
1. A great opportunity for CITIDEP and DCEA-FCT.
The Environmental Sciences Dept (DCEA) of FCT-UNL (Lisbon, Portugal) is the organizer of the 1999 edition of the National Conference on the Quality of Environment (CNQA), the 20-21-22 October (Lisbon), an event that gathers many environmental researchers and professionals ( ~ 300 - 500 participants). This year, the DCEA is willing to co - organize with CITIDEP an international "module" on Public Participation and New IT, happening at the same time, and offering the possibility of joint inscription for participants (CNQA / PP-NIT). We are grateful to the DCEA, and in particular to the CNQA organizing committee, for supporting this proposal.
This way CITIDEP will co-host, with DCEA, the First International Conference on this field, with the logistic support of the University. This is a unique opportunity for us to have a good start marking our presence in a multidisciplinary field that Academia perceives as of growing importance and yet no one is really filling the "niche".
The Conference will also have the good effect of creating a focal point for CITIDEP activity.
2. The topics.
The tentative suggested topics for our sessions are:
a) The role of public participation and new information technologies
(PP-NIT) on global issues, such as:
- The policies on global warming - public debate on limiting gas
emissions, and effects on climate, use of computer models to explain
and engage public involvement, etc.) [Rui Ponte, J.M. Prista,
Peter Cebon, Luisa Nogueira];
- The politics of PP-NIT [Luis Rionda, Clelia Guinazu] - The economics
of PP-NIT [Alejandro Natal];.
b) PP and NIT on Local and Regional Planning (eg. Master City Plans, Waterfront Development) [ Tim Sieber, EXPO 98 project, http://www.citidep.pt/act/expo.html ];
c) PP-NIT in Environmental Review and Impact Assessments [Pedro Ferraz de Abreu, Joao Joanaz de Melo, Jose Manuel Palma, Sofia Santos, IMS project, http://www.citidep.pt/ims/eindex.html ];
d) Public Access to Internet and to Public Administration Information [Pedro Ferraz de Abreu, Isabel Noronha, Madalena Presumido , DRA-LVT Public Access project, http://www.citidep.pt/act/edraap.html ]
e) Internet, Education and Citizenship [Jose' Portela, Graca Castanho, Ambriseth Lima, Annie Pecastaings];
f) Technology for Public Access (e.g. speech recognition, Mark Hasegawa-Jonhson].
We are, however, completly open to suggestions for more topics, including from members interested in presenting their own topics; this includes both "hard" or social sciences and humanities. We do not need to restrict our topics to environment-related (while it will be welcome), and we should offer more topics in our call for papers. Please answer the survey at the end.
3. The date.
We are aware that summer (July) is in general more convenient for people with academic responsibilities, but we are dependent of the CNQA date, and they decided to move it from July to October. The good news is that it gives more time for the organization, and makes more credible an open "call for papers".
So we need to poll all CITIDEP fellows and friends: please answer the survey included in the end of this message.
4. The cost.
Another problem, is that this conference will be held at a main Conference Center in Lisbon. While pleasant and prestiged, it will be relatively expensive. The University is planning to charge 40 000$ (230 USD) for the CNQA part, 20 000$ (115 USD) for the PP-NIT part, and 50 000$ ( 290 USD) for both, with 7 500$ (40USD) for spouses, etc. (tentative pricing, not including hotel nor travel).
We are trying very hard to negociate discounts for students and even for CITIDEP members, but we don't know yet the outcome of such negotiations. We are proposing for our part (PP-NIT) 15 000$ (85 USD), 12 000$ (70 USD) for CITIDEP members, 8 000$ (45 USD) for students, but it is far from sure we will succeed. Of course, pricing may be lower if we can secure a good number of participants. You can help here :)
We are also planning to get sponsorships to pay or help the payment of travel and staying expenses, for at least a few international guest participants (including one or two "big" names outside CITIDEP), or as CITIDEP internal grants. We are sure we will get some, in part as a result of the JNICT application process. And of course, several CITIDEP fellows will be able to rely on the hospitality of portuguese chapter members for informal stay at their homes.
We can also provide members with formal and institutional letters of invitation as guest speakers, or session chairs, etc, from either CITIDEP or the University, if that helps you to obtain funding from your own Institution.
Again, we need your help to determine if these prices are reasonable, or if they will exclude your participation -- and in that case, what would be your suggested pricing. Remember though that we will have to cover the Conference costs.
5. Organization.
We need all the help we can get to organize this conference. While the main organizing committee will have to be members in Lisbon, we do need and appreciate offers to help with the following:
a) Coordinate sessions;
b) Review papers;
c) Fund raising;
d) Advertising call for papers and registration;
etc, etc.
The list 'meeting@citidep.org' will be used for the organizing committee, which is open to any interested fellow.
We thank specially our colleague Mark Hasegawa-Jonhson, member of CITIDEP Science Council and Web Master, for keeping all citidep mailing infrastructure working, even under the fire of disruptive hacker attacks.
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6. Survey on CITIDEP potential participants.
a) - Are you considering to participate at this conference ?
b) - If not, what changes could make it possible your participation: conference cost / travel cost / staying cost / date / topic; (specify alternatives for each one indicated);
c) - Can you fund your own participation ?
d) - If not, can you self-fund one or more parts: conference cost / travel cost / staying cost;
e) - Can you personnaly fund raise for the conference ? How ?
f) - Would your Institution/Department be willing to co-sponsor formally this International Conference ? Which one and in what terms ?
g) - Do you want to suggest another topic for the conference ? Which one(s) ?
h) - Would you be willing to present a paper ? If yes, on which topic ?
i) - Would you be willing to Chair a session ? Which one ?
j) - Would you be willing to review papers ? For which topics ?
k) - Can you advertise the call for papers and particpation ? Where ? (on-line and off-line).
l) - Would you be willing to help organizing the conference in any other way ? How ? (portuguese chapter members help -- but not restricted to -- specially appreciated here!)
m) - Would you like to be informed regularly about the organizing process of this conference ? Or just about the final details and call for papers ? ( if you would rather not receive any more mailings at all about this conference, please indicate so. Our apologies if we made a mistake by including your email in the distribution list for this particular mailing).
Thank you very much for your collaboration!
==== End of CITIDEP NEWS - 22 January 1999 ====
The CITIDEP Newsletter Team
CITIDEP Web Sites (http://www.citidep.pt/) , (http://www.citidep.org/ )