Complexity and Emergent Phenomena

加州大学洛杉矶分校的弗雷泽·斯托达特（Fraser Stoddart）在2007年5月13日至15日在美国国家科学基金会（NSF）举行的一个研讨会上获得了化学部的奖励，该研讨会的主题是化学中的复杂性和涌现现象。研讨会将汇集来自化学各个分支学科的约35名参与者，讨论复杂系统的作用和与之相关的新兴现象，以及这些系统对化学领域的有趣和重要影响。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；自组装与超分子化学；运用复杂系统的思想设计和合成复杂的功能材料，可能导致新的设备；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。讲习班的与会者将由一个指导小组领导，该小组制定了议程，确定了与会者，并确定了将指导讲习班讨论的问题。这次讨论的结果将收录在一份提交给美国国家科学基金会的报告中，该报告将列出应对该领域令人兴奋的新进展的最佳方式的建议。讲习班将产生广泛的影响，因为它吸纳了各级不同群体的成员：作为参与者、指导委员会成员和共同主席一级的成员。此外，该报告预计将通过描述NSF支持这类研究的方式产生广泛的影响，这可能会对化学以外的许多领域产生影响。

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.