Complexity and Emergent Phenomena

加州大学洛杉矶分校的弗雷泽·斯托达特得到了化学系的支持，将于2007年5月13日至15日在美国国家科学基金会举办一次研讨会，主题是化学中的复杂性和新兴现象。研讨会将汇集来自化学领域不同分支学科的大约35名与会者，讨论复杂系统的作用和与之相关的新现象，以及这些系统对化学领域的有趣和重要的影响。将讨论的主题包括：复杂性在生物分子系统的性质和功能中的作用；自组装和超分子化学；复杂系统思想在设计和合成复杂功能材料中的使用，可能导致新的装置；以及与确定支持和鼓励这一领域工作的最佳方式有关的主题。研讨会参与者将由一个指导小组领导，该小组制定了议程，确定了参与者，并确定了指导研讨会讨论的问题。这一讨论的结果将反映在提交给国家科学基金会的一份报告中，该报告将列出应对该领域令人振奋的新进展的最佳方式的建议。研讨会将通过吸收各级不同群体的成员产生广泛影响：作为参与者、指导委员会成员和联合主席一级。此外，这份报告预计将产生广泛的影响，说明国家科学基金可以支持这类研究的方式，这可能会对化学以外的一些领域产生影响。

Fraser Stoddart of the University of California Los Angeles is supported by an award from the Division of Chemistry for a workshop to be held at NSF May 13 - 15, 2007 on the topic of Complexity and Emergent Phenomena in Chemistry. The workshop will bring together approximately 35 participants from a variety of sub-disciplines within Chemistry to discuss the role of complex systems and the emergent phenomena associated with them and the interesting and important implications these systems have for the field of Chemistry. Among the topics to be discussed are: the role of complexity in the nature and function of biomolecular systems; self-assembly and supramolecular chemistry; the use of complex systems ideas in designing and synthesizing complex functional materials, possibly leading to new devices; and topics related to determining the best ways to support and encourage work in this field. The workshop participants will be led by a steering group who have created the agenda, identified the participants and determined the questions which will guide discussion at the workshop. The results of this discussion will be captured in a report to NSF which will list recommendations for the best way to respond to exciting new advances in this field.The workshop will have a broad impact through its inclusion of members of diverse groups at all levels: as participants, as steering committee members and at the level of co-chair. In addition, the report is expected to have a broad impact by delineating ways in which NSF can support this type of research, which is likely to have an impact on a number of fields beyond Chemistry.