CSSS 2006 Beijing-Content

CSSS 2006 Beijing Home Faculty Participants Participant´s Photos Schedule Public Lectures Content Final Details Readings Survey Feedback Week 1 Feedback Week 2 Feedback Week 3 Feedback Week 4 Forum Projects Program Info Themes Poster Final Papers

STUDENT PROJECTS: Student projects are an important part of the school. Most students do projects in small teams of four to six people. Projects in the past have consisted of computer simulations, mathematical models, literature reviews, or combinations of the above. The range of topics in the past has been large. Here are a few sample titles from the past Santa Fe summer schools:

"Genetic algorithms and repeated one-shot prisoners’ dilemma with partial histories"

"Recognition of dynamic patterns with a network of spiking neurons"

"A critique of complex systems, in the framework of Kant's critical philosophy"

"The role of information in networks"

"Exploring the dynamics of high-technology product diversity"

"Emergent network structure, dynamics, and evolution of an artificial genome"

During the first and second weeks of the school students will self-organize into to small interdisciplinary working groups based on topic interest. From those working groups students will form project teams. These teams will first determine their topic, and write short (one-page) project proposals. During the remainder of the school, the teams will carry out the projects. The final two days of the school are set aside for project presentations. One or more members of each team will give a 15-minute presentation on the results of the project. Each team will also prepare a poster to be presented in a poster session at the final banquet. Students will also hand in a final write-up on the project at the end or after the school. After the school is over, all summer school participants will receive the proceedings of the school--a book consisting of all the project write-ups.

You do not need to come prepared with a project or project proposal. Topics are typically formulated during the early portion of the program. However, if there is a specific project you already know you want to do it may be possible for you to pursue this topic within the framework of the school.

REVIEW: Prior to the beginning of the school, you are strongly encouraged to review the following areas in mathematics, if you feel it is necessary. You will find discussions of these areas in any standard college-level calculus, linear algebra, or probability and statistics textbook.

CALCULUS: basic techniques for differentiation and integration, basic techniques for solving ordinary differential equations, partial differentiation, basic techniques for solving partial differential equations, basic techniques for solving series.

LINEAR ALGEBRA: solving linear systems of equations, vector spaces, matrix theory, eigenvectors and eigenvalues.

PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS: sample spaces, elements of probability calculations, binomial coefficients and elements of combinatorics,random variables (distributions, variance, and standard deviation).