Most interesting phenomena in natural and social systems include transitions and oscillations among their various phases.  Companies, societies, markets, and humans rarely stay in a stable, predictable state for long.  Randomness, power laws, and human behavior ensure that the future is both unknown and challenging.  How do events unfold?  When do they take hold?  Why do some initial events cause an avalanche while others do not?  What are the characteristics of these threshold phenomena that differentiate a sea change from a non-event?
 
Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) have proven to be a powerful tool for exploring threshold phenomena.  We characterize a general CAS model as having a significant number of self-similar agents that:
 

• utilize one or more levels of feedback;
• exhibit emergent properties and self-organization;
• produce non-linear dynamic behavior. 

Advances in modeling and computing technology have led to a deeper understanding of complex systems in many areas, and have raised the possibility that similar fundamental principles may be at work across these systems, even though the underlying principles may manifest themselves differently.
 
We therefore invite submissions from the community of CAS researchers that address the threshold phenomena in any of the Natural, Physical, or Social Sciences.  It is our belief that by bringing together researchers from diverse fields who study these complex systems, we can leverage a deep understanding of one domain to gain insight into others.
 
Format
Our symposium will have invited talks from leaders in the field, as well as paper presentations on both completed and speculative work.  Due to the nature and the novelty of the theme, it is essential to allow ample time for both open-ended and targeted discussions; as such, we will hold panel discussions and smaller break-out groups to allow for a spirited interaction among participants.
 
Submissions for full papers should be no more than 10 pages, including references.  Any domain in the Natural, Physical, or Social Sciences that use CAS related technologies or frameworks are acceptable.  The submissions may address the threshold effect in a number of ways, including:

• Predicting a threshold in a particular domain
• Assessing how to accelerate desirable thresholds or slow undesirable ones
• Defining, identifying, or understanding a threshold effect.

Papers that compare and contrast two or more domains are particularly encouraged.
 
All submissions will be peer-reviewed by at least two to three reviewers.  These may be experts in general CAS, Complexity, ABM (Agent-based Models), or the relevant fields.  All work will be judged on the following criteria: 

• Clarity
• Novelty
• Importance
• Relevance

Submissions from students conducting research in these areas are particularly welcome.  Exceptional and intriguing ideas expressed in an explanatory short paper may also be submitted.  All submissions will be considered for post-symposia publication in partnership with AAAI Press/MIT Press.  There will also be a technical report of all accepted material available to participants.
 
Panel Proposals
Panel discussion proposals are welcome.  Those interested in leading or participating on a panel should submit up to a two-page panel proposal, along with the names and affiliations of all panelists, if any, who have agreed to participate.  Potential topics for panel discussions that have already been discussed (but are not limited to):

• Methods of Validation
• The Role of Diversity in CAS Models
• CAS Models: From Theory to Practice
• Thresholds: Contagion, Cumulative Causation, and the Linchpin
• Social Network Dynamics

Paper submissions that separately address these topics are also welcome.

Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be made through the EasyChair submission site.  If you do not already have an EasyChair account, you will be directed to create one.  Please use Times Roman 10-point font in the AAAI two column format for your paper submissions.  AAAI formatting guidelines can be found here.  A *.doc template is attached to this page below.

You may direct any email queries regarding these guidelines to: tedsaid@gmail.com