[SwarmFest2004] Me + SwarmFest = not this year

[Steve Railsback]

I have just decided that I will not be able to get to SwarmFest this 
year; not out of lack of enthusiasm or interest. But I was just notified 
by our publisher that they want our book on individual-based modeling 
and ecology produced by the end of April. I feel like the book is the 
biggest contribution I can make to the community. And I am planning to 
defend a PhD dissertation at the University of Bergen in late May.

I will keep trying to help with planning as I can.

And I hope to continue pursuing some serious funding for SDG. 
Unfortunately my most recent experience has been a little discouraging. 
A very prominent ecologist who sits on SFI's science board provided 
comments on our draft book; these comments indicate (a) a persistent 
reluctance to accept agent-based modeling as science, even as a way to 
study complex systems (!!); (b) a lack of understanding of what Swarm is 
and its history with SFI. For example, this person said something 
indicating that they think Swarm left SFI because the scientists didn't 
think it was relevant. I would love the opportunity to talk to the SFI 
science board about what Swarm really is and how it can be used.

So please accept my apologies for not being at SwarmFest. If I can 
participate in the board meeting via phone, I will.

Steve

--
Lang, Railsback & Associates
250 California Ave.
Arcata CA 95521
707-822-0453; fax 822-1868
address@hidden