[alife] Call for Participation: Epigenetic Robotics 2008

[Luc Berthouze]

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Apologies for cross-posting
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CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

EPIGENETIC ROBOTICS 2008

www.epigenetic-robotics.org

Eight International Conference on Epigenetic Robotics - Modeling  
Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems -

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DATES: July 30-31, 2008

LOCATION: University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

EARLY REGISTRATION: Register by July 15 and save!

INVITED SPEAKERS:

Eva Jablonka (Tel Aviv University, Israel)
Epigenetic inheritance in heredity and evolution: A developmental  
perspective

Susan Oyama (John Jay College, New York, USA)
Development without roof, without walls, without floor

Domenico Parisi (CNR, Rome, Italy)
How behaviour becomes what it is

Claudio Stern (University College London, UK)
The magic of gastrulation: from cells to embryo, from molecules to  
models and back again

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CONFERENCE THEME

(for all other information regarding EpiRob'08 please visit www.epigenetic-robotics.org 
)
In the past 7 years, the Epigenetic Robotics annual conference has  
established itself as a unique place where original interdisciplinary  
research from developmental sciences, neuroscience, biology, cognitive  
robotics, and artificial intelligence is being presented.

Psychological theory and empirical evidence is being used to inform  
epigenetic robotic models, and these models can be used as theoretical  
tools to make experimental predictions in developmental psychology.

As a special feature, this year we are also highlighting a specific  
organizational theme: evolution and development as related processes  
of change.

The particular focus of this theme is on the dynamic interplay between  
ontogeny and phylogeny. In other words, how do new abilities and  
skills that emerge during development influence the path of evolution,  
and how do subsequent evolutionary changes help to create new  
developmental trajectories? This is a question that fits well within  
the mission of epigenetic robotics, as it spans not only a wide range  
of research areas and academic disciplines (e.g., biology, psychology,  
AI and machine learning, linguistics, anthropology, etc.) but also a  
broad spectrum of spatial and temporal scales (e.g., neurons, brains,  
social communities, cultures, etc.).

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Looking forward to meeting you at EpiRob'08!

Dr Luc Berthouze, Senior Lecturer
Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics (CCNR)
Department of Informatics
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH, UK
Tel: +44 1273 877206 	Fax: +44 1273 877873