MeshForum hosted collections of Network Data for researchers

MeshForum's mission is to foster research into Networks. One vital part of this mission is our annual MeshForum conferences and our monthly MeshWalk events. With this post I am announcing another way MeshForum will the community of researchers, companies and organizations who are working with and within Networks. MeshForum will be working with sponsoring companies to make large, real-world data sets available to researchers. These data sets will be drawn from a wide range of industries and types of networks, likewise the data is intended for researchers working in many fields and with a variety of tools and techniques for the analysis and study of Networks.

In the light of the ongoing complications around AOL's release of search data for researchers, a major aspect of MeshForum's service offering to sponsoring organizations and companies will be to work closely with the source of each data set to ensure that no personal data or propriatary information is released as part of the data collections, while also working to ensure that any necessary modifications to the data do not impact the network analysis of the data collection. In many cases this may mean that certain collections of data can not be released, or can only be released in forms suitable for some types of analysis (aggregate but not specific individuals for example).

MeshForum will seek to make these data collections as widely available as possible and will be working with all organizations and tools vendors to help define interoperable standards for the exchange of network data collections. We will work with other data repositories and research organizations. Our mission is to work in an open and interdisciplinary manner, so we will be seeking data collections from a very wide spectrum of types of networks - biological systems, transportation networks, supply chains, economic/business transactional records, data sets derived from social art projects, social network data collections and many more.

Data sets may also be of any size, though we will actively seek large, "real-world" scale data collections to make the largest and richest collections of network data available for research.

We will be exploring a variety of funding mechanisms for these data collections and related services. Our intent will be to balance the desire to make these data collections as widely available as possible, while covering the costs of collecting, storing, preserving, sharing and wherever possible updating these data collections. We will ask corporate providers of data to help cover many of the costs associated with their datasets. We will seek to make this data available both to academic institutions and corporate (or government) researchers equally.

If you are interested in working with MeshForum to make one or more collections of data available please contact us either via the contact us page on our website, via leaving a comment here, or by calling MeshForum at 1.800.454.4929.

If you are interested in researching networks and would be interested in any data sets we collect (or have specific types of data sets you would be interested in working with) please also contact us. We will add you to a mailing list for ongoing discussions, as well as to receive notifications as new data sets become available.

If you are a firm offering applications for studying or visualizing network data we are very interested in working closely with you to ensure that any data sets we collect that would be relevent to your users are made available in a format easily useable by your applications, either directly or through well documented (and ideally open source) translators.

Schedule for MeshForum 2006

MeshForum 2006 will be May 7-9 in San Francisco, at the Commonwealth Club on May 7th and 8th and at Canton Seafood on May 9th.

Our schedule is:

Saturday May 6th

3pm - 6pm Registration table will be available (location TBA) to pick up badges and conference materials.
6pm - 8pm Opening night informal reception - suggestions at MeshForum wiki

Sunday May 7th

9 am Registration opens at Commonwealth Club
9 am Light breakfast (fruits) and coffee available at Commonwealth Club
9:30 am Opening remarks by Shannon Clark, founder of MeshForum
10:00 am Opening Keynote - Manuel Lima, founder of VisualComplexity.com
11:00 am First Interstitial - Art of Networks - Rachel Beth Egenhoefer
11:15 am Naked Conversations, the corporation in a blogging world - Robert Scoble and Shel Israel
12:30 pm Lunch workshop on storytelling with Heather Gold
2 pmLarge Scale Social Networks, the members - presentations and discussion with Anil Dash of Six Apart and Aaron Burcell, PodShow
3 pm Second Interstitial - Art of Networks - Spot Draves, ElectricSheep
3:15 pm Afternoon break - Global Chocolate Tasting
3:45 pm Large Scale Social Networks, multiple networks - presentations and discussion with Mike Jones, Userplane and Marc Senasac, Broadband Mechanics
4:45 pm Third Interstitial - Art of Networks - Dicky Davies, The Dicky Box
5 pm Walk to group dinner
5:30 pm Group dinner at Canton Seafood, 655 Folsom St.

Monday May 8th

8:00 am Registration opens at Commonwealth Club
8:00 am Breakfast at Commonwealth Club
8:30 am The Economics of Transportation Networks, Dr. David Levinson, University of Minnisota
9:30 am Fourth Interstitial - Art of Networks
9:45 am Political Networks, managing large scale Social Networks, Jon Lebkowsky, worldchanging.com, Zack Rosen, CivicSpace Labs
10:45 am Fifth Interstitial - Art of Networks
11:00 am Value Networks, Verna Allee
12:00 pm Visual Thinking lunch workshop led by Dave Gray and Dana Smith of Xplane
2:00 pm Breaking old Networks, Jamais Cascio, Howard Greenstein, and Christopher Allen
3:00 pm Social Network Analysis, Dr. Karen Stephenson, Netform
4:00 pm Continuing the conversation, moderated by Heather Gold a short presentation of topics to discuss over small group dinners and on Tuesday.
4:30 pm Walk to group dinners, leave Commonwealth Club.
5:30 pm Group dinners at private rooms reserved at area restaurants. Speakers and other surprise guests will be available to continue the conversation and start new ones.
8:00 pm Conversations continue at location TBA

Tuesday May 9th
Canton Seafood, 655 Folsom St., San Francisco

On Tuesday the format is Open Space (or unconference format) with multiple small group discussions and workshops. As topics and session organizers come forward, we will post the topics here and on the wiki but sessions are open to all attendees and anyone may propose a session to open.

8:30 am Breakfast available
9:00 am Opening of the Space, Michael Herman
9:30 am First workshop sessions
10:45 am Morning Break
11:00 am Second workshop sessions
12:30 am Lunch, small group discussions continue
2:00 pm First Afternoon Sessions
3:30 pm Afternoon break
3:45 pm Second Afternoon Sessions
4:15 pm Closing of the space
4:30 pm End of MeshForum 2006

Later that night the Organizers and others will meet for drinks and dinner in San Francisco, all attendees who are staying in town are welcome to join us to give feedback and suggestions for the next MeshForum.

Moving experts listing

We've removed the "experts" category, as this caused some confusion. Most of the experts are associated with social networking, and we have kept the listing for posterity: MeshForum: experts listing.

MeshForum Chicago Dinner Oct 5th with Buzz Bruggeman

MeshForum invites you to join us for dinner with one of our speakers from MeshForum 2005 as well as many other experts on Networks on Oct 5th. If you are interested in attending please RSVP via a comment here.

When: Wednesday Oct 5th at 6:00pm

Where: Reza's River North at 432 W. Ontario.

Cost: $30/person with a cash bar. A selection of appetizers and entrees will served family style, please indicate any dietary restrictions or preferences as you RSVP. Additional donations to MeshForum are welcome and pre-registrations for MeshForum 2006 will be accepted.

Topic: Catching up with Buzz Bruggeman and an open opportunity for discussion on Networks.

Please share this dinner with anyone who might be interested, it is open to all.

See you there!

Updates at MeshForum - comments working again

We've upgraded to a new version of the blog engine, which should make maintenance easier for us behind the scenes. The external face to MeshForum shouldn't be any different. Unfortunately, as part of the upgrade I managed to break something with the comments feature. For about a week, no one could post comments.

I was able to track down the problem and correct it. You should be able to post comments as needed now. All comments will be moderated to protect against junk.

MeshForum Dinner Sept 1st 2005 San Francisco

On Thursday Sept 1st MeshForum will host a dinner at Canton Seafood and Dim Sum located at 655 Folsom St in San Francisco.

Dim Sum will be served at 6:30pm, entrees around 7pm.

All are invited. A number of speakers, sponsors and attendees from MeshForum 2005 will join MeshForum's founder, Shannon Clark for dinner and conversation about Networks.

Dinner with Tip and Taxes will be $30 / person. (cash bar)

Please RSVP by leaving a comment here.

Directions
From San Francisco:

Take highway 280 north
towards downtown San Francisco.
Merge onto King Street.
Continue on King Street.
Turn RIGHT onto 3RD ST.
Turn RIGHT onto FOLSOM ST.

From San Francisco International Airport:

Take highway 101 north
turn into highway 380 west
turn into highway 280 north
towards downtown San Francisco.
Merge onto King Street.
Continue on King Street.
Turn RIGHT onto 3RD ST.
Turn RIGHT onto FOLSOM ST.

See you there!

Prof. Nagurney selected as Radcliffe Institute fellow

Professor Nagurney's Radcliffe Institute Fellowship was recently announced. Prof. Nagurney was a keynote speaker at Meshforum 2005.

We extend our congratulations to Prof. Nagurney and wish her great success in 2005-2006 as she joins 50 other fellows in doing advanced research at Harvard.

A vision for MeshForum

MeshForum is dedicated to fostering research and education about networks. We believe that understanding networks is key to understanding the 21st century. Our conferences, website, WIKI and other activities all seek to bring together academics from many fields with business, military, and public sector leaders to share experiences, exchange knowledge, and build a greater understanding of the networks that connect us all.

Towards this end we held MeshForum 2005 on May 1-4 of 2005 and are beginning the planning for MeshForum 2006, likely May 7-9 of 2006. We hope to hold a series of seminars and dinners during 2005 and 2006 leading up to MeshForum 2006.

We are also exploring other ways we can help grow and foster greater knowledge about networks.

One approach I am proposing here and requesting help and suggestions for, is to build a multi-disciplinary introduction to Networks. Starting as freely available content on the web, it hopefully can also grow to include a publication (or publications) for use offline.

In this introduction we would seek to synthesize the great diversity of basic definitions and understanding of networks - highlighting how fields as diverse as mathematics, physics, sociology, transportation engineering, communication studies, and computer science each have slightly different definitions and focuses when studying networks. By bringing together these different approaches, illustrating them with practical experience and case studies from non-academics, and providing references for further research and reading we can add greatly to the available resources.

Our audience for this would be both academics and non-academics. The goal would be to pull together the many different yet related approaches and as we describe them also highlight some of the many innovative approaches specific researchers and fields of study are employing - with the thought that many of these approaches could help people in very different fields address new and different problems.

Anyone want to help us with this project?

Ode to the cc:

At MeshForum, Esther Dyson and Edward Vielmetti's conversation after lunch inspired her to write the followingode to the Cc: line on Flickr - Photo Sharing!.

Consider the next MeshForum

Dean Landsman has some interesting things to say about MeshForum, and he didn't even attend. Use this as an argument to consider attending our next event! DeanLand: Crystal Mesh (second entry):

My friend, fellow blogger, and zip code neighbor Howard Greenstein attended (and was a presenter) at Mesh Forum. Many interesting sessions, and great blogging commentary and reportage from Howard (et al, see the links) on his blog. ... A good many of the topic areas at [Freedom to Connect] were also covered at MeshForum. Howard's report on MeshForum makes it seem like one worth paying closer attention to (and yes, attending) next year.

Panel prep - Networks and Sales

The Red Couch: Interview: Buzz Bruggeman

Buzz Bruggeman will be at MeshForum and on our panel on Networks and Sales. In this interview Shel Israel covers Buzz's background, how he started his company Activewords, and the crucial role that word-of-mouth advertising and very importantly the blogsphere as played in the growth of Activewords.

At MeshForum we'll have a chance to continue this discussion and explore further and more specifically how Buzz has managed a large, active, and complex social network, and harnessed it (along with other networks) towards business goals.

On Connecting Networks

Thank you, Jack, Shannon, and the Meshforum team for sharing this guest blogger space with me. Meshforum in Chicago in May is about networks of networks so I'm fascinated. Not yet sure I can make it to Chicago but I know a bit about networks. I feel lucky (though sometimes a bit tired!) that my networks stretch from Aztlán to Greeneville and Asheville, Washington, DC, Rome/Roma, Port-au-Prince, Skopje, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Paris, London, Zagreb and points in-between. I'm also examining our human group boundaries; our intersections and divisions. The links & gaps between human technological and other 'capabilities' versus our 'willingness' or 'unwillingness' to network and communicate with each other. A related online project of mine is an information and research-sharing site called COMING OUT COLORED: Negotiating the Digital divide in social Computing. When I think back on big innovations in human communication technologies - like the radio and the telephone - but especially those in human mass comm (versus the more intimate interpersonal comm) - it's hard for me to find anything else quite like the Web. There's also our work as humans on refining & tweaking our still-developing Social Networking capabilities - the tools: software and technology - along with managing, "massaging", cultivating/growing our level(s) of willingness to network and to communicate. One of the "biggie" issues across the globe remains realities of needing to better bridge and link our diverse yet inter-related language/linguistic communities. Our work - and a bit of FUN (and travel) along the way - is cut out for us... Peace, & Ciao a tutte/tutti!

Marian Douglas, guest blogger

Welcome our first guest blogger, Marian Douglas.  She is a 30-year veteran in mass communication and communication as a social science with her original Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State in Communication Studies.  She has worked as a journalist in both public & commercial broadcasting, including KUOM Radio at the U of Minnesota and a TV reporter & anchor on the U.S.-Mexico border in Laredo, Texas.  She's a former press secretary for U.S. Rep. Major Owens of Brooklyn, New York.  She's also a polyglot with most of the Romance languages as well as several Slavic tongues.

MeshForum is seeking interns

MeshForum is seeking interns. Interns will work collaboratively with MeshForum's staff in the preparation and organization of MeshForum 2005 (May 1-4th). Interns may then continue with MeshForum on the organization of MeshForum 2006.

Interns will work on one or more of the following projects:

* Currating the "Interstitials" art presentations for MeshForum 2005

* Conference coordination and planning

* Marketing and media outreach/support

* MeshForum program book design, layout, and production

* MeshForum Wiki support and editing

As well as many other tasks and projects.

If you are interested in interning with MeshForum, or if your institution has a formal internship program MeshForum should register with, please contact Shannon Clark at shannon at meshforum.org.

MeshForum looking for guest bloggers

Are you interested in networks? Are you interested in how social networks and logistical networks are related? Or maybe how the electrical distribution network can learn from the way bees collect and store honey? Can you tell us?

MeshForum is looking for someone to share their ideas and discoveries about networking for two weeks. Please leave a comment or contact us if you would like to participate. If we get several offers, we will likely run serial guest bloggers.

Leave a comment, or contact us directly. We'll probably operate on first-likely-suspect-first-served basis.

MeshForum Dinner Feb 17th, NYC

If you would like to join us at the following event, please contact us for an evite to RSVP.

Please join us Feb 17th at 7pm at Cendrillon for a dinner of people interested in MeshForum and networks. MeshForum ( http://www.meshforum.org ) is a conference on Networks and their effect on society, which will be held May 1-3 in Chicago.

MeshForum's topics will range from social networks to biological systems to logistics to power grids. Bringing together a diverse mix of academics, business leaders, and public sector experts, MeshForum will be a conference of ideas mapped to action. In a mixed format of speakers, panels, and active discussions, attendees will share their expertise and learn from the experiences and research of others.

Topic areas include:
+ How can businesspeople use online networks to increase their sales?
+ How homeland security is using network analysis
+ Insights of social network analysis for improving business performance.
+ Logistics of complex transportation networks
+ Economics of a Network - or "how to make money from a power law".
+ The Mathematics of Networks

The MeshForum dinner on Feb. 17th will be a chance for New Yorkers interested in networks to meet each other and learn more about MeshForum.

If you are interested in MeshForum, join Shannon and David for a delicious meal at one of NYC's hidden gems, Cendrillon restaurant at 45 Mercer.

RSVP via Evite is requested. Please indicate any dietary requirements in your response. Dinner will be family style from a prix fixe menu set at $40/person + beverages, tax & gratuity. Cendrillon's full menu, directions and reviews can be
found at their website, http://www.cendrillon.com.

We look forward to sharing dinner with you on the 17th,

Shannon Clark
David Teten

Looking for additional skills

MeshForum is the efforts of many people. If you would like to volunteer to help organize MeshForum, please contact us. A few specific areas where MeshForum is seeking help are:

• Graphic Design - a Logo for MeshForum, graphics for the web, design of MeshForum materials and program book
  
• Media relations/PR - outreach to Media before MeshForum, as well as liaison to media during MeshForum
  
• Publisher coordination - many MeshForum attendees are book authors, MeshForum is looking for contacts with publishers to coordinate schedules and efforts, as well as to arrange publicity and promotions
  
• Foundation outreach - as a non-profit, MeshForum would like to reach out to other non-profits and foundations for support and partnership.
  
• Guest Bloggers - for a week or two at a time, MeshForum is seeking experts on Networks (or a particular area of Network study) to be guest bloggers here at MeshForum.

• Sponsorship outreach - reaching out to potential sponsors and coordinating literature and/or products for attendee bags
  
• Press/Media outreach - working with press and media to address their needs and requirements before, during and after MeshForum 2005
  
• Volunteers - about 20 people are needed before and during MeshForum to stuff bags, setup, staff registration and ensure a smoothly running conference. In exchange for at least 8 hours of labor, you can attend MeshForum and participate fully.

MeshForum Sponsorship Thoughts

MeshForum brings together many diverse groups from academics to business leaders to the public sector to explore what Networks are, how they form, how to navigate them, and why Networks are key to understanding the 21st century.

By Sponsoring MeshForum your organization plays a vital and critical role in supporting this dialogue. Your sponsorship dollars help bring together and directly further the conversations that are the heart of MeshForum.

MeshForum, May 1-3, 2005, will be held at HotHouse in downtown Chicago. Sponsors will participate in pre- and post- forum marketing and advertising, as well as be represented in all press releases and other publicity before, during and after MeshForum.

Many organizations from telecommunications firms to logistics firms to airlines to venture capitalists emphasize and tout "Networks" as being a core part of the value of the organization. MeshForum offers its sponsors an opportunity to share that expertise and to learn from other leaders in Network related fields.

Sponsorships are available starting at $5000 in cash or comparable value of in-kind contributions. All sponsors can send a participant to MeshForum. Additionally all sponsors will appear in onsite programs and banners, can place a reasonable amount of literature and/or products in bags for all participants, and with attendee permission may follow up with attendees.

Sponsors for the Sunday night opening reception and the Monday evening dinner and performance are specifically sought. As well, Media, Print, and Travel sponsorships are also available, for details please contact our founder, Shannon Clark, directly.

PopTech and MeshForum background

I am at PopTech this week, networking in person. I am observing how a conference which is similar in some ways to what we hope MeshForum will be actually works.

My full conference coverage will be on my personal blog, Searching For the Moon though I may summarize it here at MeshForum as well.

MeshForum, for anyone reading this for the first time, is a conference on Networks and the effect of Networks that I (Shannon Clark) and others (see the team section) are organizing. MeshForum will be in Chicago in early April 2005.

For 2005 we are focusing on bringing together a diverse group of experts on Networks. Some will be academics, many of whom study the theory of Networks (usually within a framework of one field). Others will be experts on a specific type of network - including broadcast networks both TV and Radio, social networks and social network analysis, TCP/IP networks, power grids, airlines. logistics, marketing, franchisees, politics, and various government agencies from the Fed to the military to various other groups. As well anyone who is interested in spending three days in deep conversations and discussions.

To attend you have to pay, or more in keeping with the spirit of networks, get someone else to pay for you. Sponsors (if interested contact me directly) are asked to provide both a number of participants as well as help bring other experts. All attendees will also be participants - while we will have a few keynotes framing and guiding our conversations, the focus of MeshForum is on active interaction and discourse.

Attendees should come with lots of questions. Attendees should come prepared to explain networks in their particular field or environment, with a focus on thinking broadly about that network.

Networks are connections between things - the things can be computers, people, companies, transformers. The network is the nodes and the links. By mapping it, studying it, measuring it, navigating it and observing it we can learn and influence the world around us - whether it is ensuring that a package gets to its destination or that the "right" people buy your new CD we are all nodes and actors within and on networks.

At MeshForum our format will be a few keynote speakers or panels providing a common framework for discourse. Then, attendees will interact in small or large groups to share and continue the discourse. Meals are a critical part of MeshForum. There will be many other surprises.

Attending MeshForum

MeshForum this year is Oct 10-13th Early April 2005 in Chicago. Columbus Day weekend, MeshForum starts on a Sunday afternoon and the formal forum ends midday on Wednesday. At MeshForum a diverse group of people (more on this in a bit) will meet to discuss and learn about the effects of networks - on business, on security, on our own individual careers (and loves).

How can you attend MeshForum?

Simple - anyone, or any organization, can pay $5000. For this, you (or someone from your organization) attends but more importantly, you can bring two other people. Friends, clients, even individuals you just think would be great to meet and learn from.

Whoever pays the $5000 (or more) will be aknowledged as a sponsor of MeshForum, whether you are a Fortune 50 firm or an individual. We do not mind at all if the other two people you invite split the costs with you - work it out amongst yourselves.

Most importantly, however, is that all attendees at MeshForum should expect to participate, to be put on the spot, and to spend 4 days in Chicago having a great time to be sure, but also being challenged to think in new ways, to consider new approaches, perhaps even to learn a bit of new math.

So, if you would like to attend MeshForum, contact us for the payment details, find two others to invite, and prepare for MeshForum in April.

See you there.

After MeshForum, what then?

At every session of MeshForum, from the opening remarks to the closing discussions, and especially at each small group panel, even at lunch and dinner, participants will be asked to do more than just talk with each other.

Specifically, many of the panels will be recorded, but at all panels and discussions participants will be asked to summarize the result of the conversations.

After MeshForum, these summaries, expanded with additional materials, papers, bibliographies and other resources, will be published in a journal which will be sent to all attendees.

Additionally, as part of the registration process for MeshForum, each attendee will be asked for something that they will make available to all attendees. These will range from copies of papers to demos of software and are limited only by the attendees' imaginations and generosity. Details of how to get these offers will, of course, differ, but will be provided to all attendees.

MeshForum, the conference this Oct 10-13th, is just the beginning. Attendees will keep learning and interacting long after the conference ends.

Effect of Networks - or why attend MeshForum

Al Quaeda. 9/11.

The northeast power grid failure.

The Internet.

Pet Rocks.

Titanic (the movie). Waterworld. Sopranos. Frasier.

Your next product launch. Acquisition. IPO.

Will you know how to look at your business from a network perspective? Look at your industry and see who is connected to whom? Understand how your firm differs from other similar firms? Look at decisions you make about when and where to launch a product or build a business and see what other, related activities might impact that decision?

If not, you will want to attend MeshForum to learn some of the answers to these and many other Network effects.

Networks are a core part of the 21st century, they connect our businesses and our personal lives. Understanding them, from the political challenges to the personal interactions to the technical wonders will give you new tools and new perspectives in a challenging century.

Join us Oct 10-13th in early April 2005 for days of discussions in small and large groups on the complexities of Networks and network effects. You will be joined by leading researchers and business and public sector leaders. Starting with dinner and some opening remarks on Sunday night and ending with a closing summary Wednesday morning, you will spend your time at MeshForum sharing your experience and learning from the experience of others.

We hope to see you there.

OLD Looking for additional skills

MeshForum is the efforts of many people. If you would like to volunteer to help organize MeshForum, please contact us. A few specific areas where MeshForum is seeking help are:

• Graphic Design - a Logo for MeshForum, graphics for the web, design of MeshForum materials and program book
  
• Media relations/PR - outreach to Media before MeshForum, as well as liaison to media during MeshForum
  
• Publisher coordination - many MeshForum attendees are book authors, MeshForum is looking for contacts with publishers to coordinate schedules and efforts, as well as to arrange publicity and promotions
  
• WIFI expert (in Chicago) - a current need is for WIFI experts to help test the venue for connectivity and interference prior to MeshForum in Oct, as well as help the venue set up WIFI successfully
  
• Foundation outreach - as a non-profit, MeshForum would like to reach out to other non-profits and foundations for support and partnership.


• Guest Bloggers - for a week or two at a time, MeshForum is seeking experts on Networks (or a particular area of Network study) to be guest bloggers here at MeshForum.

• Sponsorship outreach


• Press/Media outreach


• Venue Outreach


• MeshForum information expansion: Update Experts Page, Compile a bibliography on Networks, Compile Network relevant events, Compile Network specific organizations/corporations and notable individuals, etc.

MeshForum fees are different

MeshForum won't cost attendees a penny (directly).

Sebastian Fielder expresses some frustration with typical conference fees in Conference organizers are trying hard to keep young thinkers at bay

Why on earth do these conference organizers try to squeeze hundreds of Euros out off full time students that want to attend or contribute to the intellectual discourse in a certain field?

We plan to operate under an invitation model, where registration fees are specifically not paid by the individual who is attending. If you want to go, you need to find another friend or company who is willing to "invite" you to the conference.

We are planning to fire off this process with our initial sponsorship dollars and get individuals into the mix as we get closer to registration time for our October meeting.

Types of Networks

Networks, the focus of MeshForum is a term that holds many different meanings, generally context specific.

Much of the literature on Networks focuses on either a specific type of network, generally within a very specific context, or on properties and traits of all "networks". While important, this is not all that needs to be thought about when thinking about Networks, nor does it sum up all of what will be covered at MeshForum.

Very broadly "Network" can both be a noun and a verb. As a noun, "Network" is some system of "nodes" and "links". As a verb, "Network" generally means creating links between nodes.

However, a number of important distinctions are missed by these basic definitions. One key distinction, often glossed over, is how a "network" changes over time. Most networks are dynamic and change from moment to moment, however much of the research on networks deals with questions about a static snapshot of a particular network.

Another key distinction is between "infrastructure" style networks - where the nodes and the "links" are of a long duration (Examples of this would be a street map, power grid, many IP based computer networks) and "dynamic" networks where nodes and "links" are rapidly changing and highly variable (Examples of this would be many economic systems where customers, exchanges of value, and items being purchased change hands frequently and often; other examples might be technical "mesh" networks where nodes and links are established on the fly and as needed, or many social networks where friendships and communications with friends change frequently - consider a nightclub as an example).

When looking at analyzing networks it is also important to remember and realize that many times there are multiple networks (or at least many different ways of looking at and tracking the data) that overlap and interact. Consider the case of electrical distribution.

On the one hand, the physical infrastructure of the power grid is fairly static - most "nodes" are large, phyisical structures that stay in place for a very long duration (power plants, power lines, transformers, meters, etc). On the other hand, consumption and "customers" as well as the economic and legal structures "owning" each part of the power grid can and do change rapidly and frequently. Companies are bought and sold everyday, customers move, seasons change, usage differs, in short the "network" when extended away from the broad infrastructure of the power grid and into the network of customers and companies becomes highly dynamic and changing.

If, for example, you are analyzing such a network to look at how changing the legal environment (say regulating prices) might impact the system; or if you are looking at how the introduction of new technology such as powercells where consumers might generate power vs. consume power, you have to keep in mind that there are many related networks interacting. Thus, while looking at and anlyzing the longlasting infrastructure elements is important, you have to also consider how to capture, represent, and study rapidly changing aspects of the network.

In general, infrastucture type networks are longlasting and fairly stable, thus more prone to being easily analyzed and studied. For one, it is possible to map the network, identifying the nodes and the links between the nodes with some assurance that the result is a very close representation of something real. In dynamic networks, however, as the nodes and links between the nodes can change, disappear or be added very rapidly, any attempt to map the whole network is difficult and potentially nearly impossible.

The nature of "links" and what is meant by them is also different. An infrastucture style network can be thought of as really three elements, nodes, links, and information being passed along the links. In the case of a powergrid, information in the form of "power" could be thought of as starting from one node and moving across links to some other node. More generally, in an infrastructure style network, the "action" of nodes interacting can occur other than by forming/destroying links - links can in some manner of speaking be "used". In most infrastructure networks, links are usually multidirectional, thus "action" can occur from either node connected to the other node.

On the otherhand, in a dynamic network "links" might be thought of as being highly fragile, they could be "created" as the act of use and immediately destroyed. As well, even more so than with infrastructure style networks, "links" in a dynamic network can be unidirectional - connecting one node to a particular other node, but not therefore connecting back to the original node. Thus in a dynamic network the direction of "connection" is critical for resolving quesitons about paths between nodes.

Taking this rough model and applying it to "Networks" such as the ones thought about and discussed in the "Social Network" field begins to illustrate the challenges faced by any attempt to "map" such networks. As well, it may help separate out the multiple networks that are, in fact, being looked at when social network analysis is performed.

At MeshForum we will be exploring these questions and many more, focusing on specific case studies of certain types of "Networks" as well as on the general questions raised when studying networks.

Consider the "Networks" you and your organization are a part of? Are they infrastructure networks? Dynamic Networks? Or some of both? When you think about what a "link" and a "node" are in these networks, what do you mean by "connecting"? How are these Networks you are a part of used? What challenges have you overcome around these Networks? What would you like to understand and overcome in the future?

One person's thoughts about the ideal conference

David Wilcox presents an interesting set of his own guidelines for conferences. Most of his ideas are things we've discussed tangentially. He is very much focused on things that help to make for a better attendee experience, and that is exactly what we are seeking. Why my ideal conference may not be yours

Back from another conference and as usual some things worked well, and some not so well. Other participants are no doubt saying the same... but maybe not about the same things. As George Bernard Shaw said "do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same". I doubt he was talking about international e-learning conferences, but I'm sure the principle applies.

OLD MeshForum Sponsorship Thoughts

NOTE: This is a draft. Please continue checking the main MeshForum page for the latest.

"Connecting Networks"

MeshForum brings together many diverse groups from academics to business leaders to the public sector to explore what Networks are, how they form, how to navigate them, and how Networks are key to understanding the 21st century.

By Sponsoring MeshForum your organization plays a vital and critical role in supporting this dialogue. Your sponsorship dollars help bring together and directly further the conversations that are the heart of MeshForum.

MeshForum 2004 will be held Oct 10th-13th will be held early April 2005 in downtown Chicago. Sponsors will participate in pre- and post- forum marketing and advertising, as well as be represented in all press releases and other publicity before, during and after MeshForum.

Many organizations from telecommunications firms to logistics firms to airlines to venture capitalists emphasize and tout "Networks" as being a core part of the value of the organization. MeshForum offers its sponsors an opportunity to share that expertise and to learn from other leaders in Network related fields.

Sponsorships are available at a variety of levels, starting as low as $5000 to sponsor three attendees to MeshForum. Sponsors can specifically invite individuals to MeshForum, or can work closely with the MeshForum staff to coordinate invitations.

Sponsors who sponsor 10 or more attendees ($15,000 and up) will receive prominent placement on all marketing pieces, as well as other specific benefits at the discretion of the MeshForum Staff.

Media, Print, and Travel sponsorships are also available, for details please contact our founder, Shannon Clark, directly.

OLD Session topics at MeshForum

MeshForum 2004 will cover many aspects of Networks - from explorations of the study of Networks directly to specific types of Networks, to specific case studies and overviews of challenges around Networks, the topics will be many and diverse.

With over 30 different sessions planned, the list below is just a taste of what you can expect at MeshForum 2004 (Oct 10th-13th early April 2005 in downtown Chicago).

Suggestions for additional topics are welcome, please add them as comments to this post.

Networks - a survey of the current science of Networks with short presentations by leading experts and researchers from sociology to econophysics.

The Mathematics of Networks - from graph theory to applied Chaos how modern mathematics and computation allow for rich study of Network phenomenon.

Lessons from the Field - short case studies for experts working directly with complex networks - panelists could include experts from Intelligences organizations, airline schedulers, logistics experts, computer scientists, and master salespeople.

Case Studies - longer presentations by a panel of experts from a specific field

Using a Network Lens - how focusing on the Network properties of a given area offers an opportunity to gain new insights and create value. Whether by harnessing distributed social network phenomenon as shown by the politicians raising money on the web, or how understanding Networks is key to the organizational power of successful entities from Amway to Visa to the US military.

Economics of a Network - or "how to make money from a power law". Lessons from successful organizations that have leveraged Networks and an understanding of Networks to financial success.

Navigating Networks - having a "network" is not the end goal, rather it is just one step in an ongoing process, the network has to then do something, how this happens will be presented by people who not just work within a network but are experts in techniques for navigating and optimizing networks.

How to map a network? Or how to visualize something in 4 dimensions. One of the more technical presentations and one of the few at MeshForum which may involve a visual presentation, this panel will explore some of the variety of tools and techniques for picturing and representing complex, dynamic systems.

Securing a network. Networks from Power Grids to Social networks are frequently subject to "attacks" (a power plant may go offline, an employee may leave, a distribution point may close, a cell in a body may die). How can lessons learned from various fields be adapted to enhance, optimize and secure Networks in other fields?

How many "types" of networks are there? Many commonly encountered networks seem to be of the "hub and spoke" model - with a few "nodes" that are linked to many, and most nodes that are linked but at a much lower level than the top "hubs". But are there other types of networks?

OLD Why you should attend MeshForum

Do you like crowded tradeshows with sales pitches and canned spiels dominating the proceedings? Keynotes by speakers flown in and who fly out surrounded by advisors after the failed demo on a large stage far from where you sit in a large, crowded airplane hanger like room?

If so, MeshForum is not for you.

However, if you like a small, intimate, conversation driven conference where sales pitches and powerpoint are banned, where many conversations take place over meals prepared by real chefs, and most sessions are conducted in the round with panelists and audience alike talking and discussing complex ideas, then MeshForum may be the conference for you.

MeshForum 2004 will be held Oct 10th-13th in downtown Chicago. Starting on Sunday afternoon and ending Wednesday morning, MeshForum will in four days offer you new insights and understanding of the role Networks play in the 21st century. From the mathematics that underlie all networks to specific techniques used within industries for managing, growing, maintaining, and navigating networks, you will learn something new. As well, you will teach someone else.

Attendees at MeshForum will be a highly diverse, yet select, group. From graduate student to CEO's, from best selling authors to software developers, attendees will come from many fields and many backgrounds.

Every attendee at MeshForum is sponsored, some by corporate sponsors of MeshForum (see our sponsorship page for more details) and others by individual attendees.

If you would like to attend, consider both what aspects of Networks you can teach about, as well as what aspects you wish to learn about. Then, find someone or an organization who will pay for you to attend (the early attendees are only $1500, a savings of $1000 off the regular $2500 price). [Note: These are tentative prices. See the main page for specifics, when they become available.]

See you in the Fall! - The first MeshForum is now planned for early April, 2005.

MeshForum: Connecting Networks

For those browsing by aggregator, we've updated the description of MeshForum. The current plan is to hold the conference on Oct 10th-13th. [Note: Updated to Early April, 2005]

Networks form the basis of everything, from how your body works to who you know, from how power is distributed to how the store on the corner is kept stocked. In 2004 Networks have frequently been in the news, from the primary elections to anti-terrorism, to investigations of financial markets and the Blackout in the US, networks are in the news.

Whether you are an academic, a business leader, or a politician understanding Networks is a requirement for success in the 21st century. Recent research has shown similarities in the shape, structure, and growth of networks across many fields.

MeshForum 2004 will bring together expert and leaders from many fields for 4 exciting days of Connecting Networks. In small sessions, as well as group meals, panels of experts drawn from the diverse ranks of the attendees will cover topics from current academic research to techniques for navigating and activating networks - whether of people or otherwise.

Exchanging knowledge and different views and perspectives will be the order of the day.

To be held on Oct 10th - 13th in downtown Chicago, MeshForum 2004 will have a maximum size of 200 attendees.

You cannot pay to attend MeshForum.

Instead, all attendees will be at MeshForum at the invitation of another. For more details and to invite someone go to our Invite page (available soon).

The advantage of backchannel

Luckily for me, there is an official backchannel in this meeting. Whereas my hearing loss is minor, one of the participant's hearing loss is far more acute. So there is a person dedicated to taking official notes in realtime and this is done via IRC. Others have the opportunity to listen in and/or contribute... something that has been important for the times where the note taker can't hear important points.

MeshForum updates mailing list

We've created a YahooGroup mailing list to keep people up to date on MeshForum activities: meshforum-updates. Follow the link and join the group.

Our intention is to send out only a few updates per month to keep you informed of activities at MeshForum. Nearer the time of the conference, there may be more activity.

Update: Use this form from Yahoo Groups.

Thinking via the Lens of Networks

"Why is Shannon interested?"
Or how I think via the Lens of Networks

I am interested in Networks because looking at the world through the lens of networks "feels" not just accurate, but powerfully important and useful. Specifically I have for much of my life been interested in solving complex problems, but at the same time I bounce between lots of details and "big picture" - thinking in terms of networks is a bit of both plus the graphical and temporal element that very much appeals to how I think and problem solve.

For me "thinking via the lens of Networks" is:

- considering what are the "nodes", what is a "link" (and does it have a "direction" or is it multi-directional), are there values of some form to be associated with the nodes and/or the links, and how does all of this change over time (and practically how might you collect the data to build up this picture.

- once the diagram is created and built to change over time, then I am intrigued and interested in looking at the pattern/structure that is formed initially, as well as whether or not it is possible to predict the pattern/structure in the future. Is it possible to predict the role a specific node (or link) will play in the future? Or just the overall structure?

- Then, thinking more complexly still, I am intrigued by what happens when you start to look at what "using" a link means - and if you think of "using" a link as passing something from one node to a connected node (which may also involve creating a new link or modifying an existing one). To take a simple example "using" the links on LinkedIn is sending a request - the good that is moved is a set of texts (with a bunch of properties such as author, time, subject, text to target, text to contact). Within LinkedIn this collection changes as each node can take a chance to add a note to it. LinkedIn also tracks the time spent "at" each node until reaching the target (if that occurs)

My interest in networks is sparked from the belief that this is a very general pattern that holds true across a very, very wide range of problem domains. Social networks, organizational structures/networks within corporations, logistics, supply chains, power grids, the Internet itself, "single point of failure/risk analysis of systems - technical or otherwise", biological systems, ecological systems and many others.

I feel like by having read the books that I have and by reading articles and blog posts, as well as using and leveraging networks and "networking" I have a good basis to think about these subjects, but I also feel strongly that I have much more to learn and that I want to engage with many people across the country and indeed world on what the math can show and what experience tempers and teaches us about Networks.

Shannon

Possible Dates

MeshForum will run the conference Sunday evening through Wednesday afternoon. It will be held in the Chicago area, ideally at a facility with both conference and lodging in one location.

What dates make the most sense for people? Is Labor Day weekend a possibility for people? Please comment. September and October dates are as follows:
5-8 Sept
12-15 Sept
19-22 Sept
26-29 Sept
3-6 Oct
10-13 Oct
17-20 Oct
24-27 Oct

MeshForum Sponsorship

Note: This is an early draft. Please see the main MeshForum page for the latest on sponsorship.

MeshForum's mission is to catalyze the exchange of information about networks. As such, MeshForum is seeking sponsorships sufficient to cover the costs of the conference and provide for future events and ongoing support of the website. This includes paying for a small, dedicated internal staff, but the majority of sponsor dollars will be used directly to enhance the conference and extend the reach of MeshForum.

MeshForum's primary audience is people who are interested in the practical and theoretical application of Networks. By networks MeshForum includes all the common usages of the terms, as well as many less common ones. Thus, people involved in MeshForum may study broadcast networks, IP networks and systems, social networks, organizational structures, terrorist cells, telephony, biology, ecology, sociology, business, or economics. Networks are a pervasive and increasingly critical subject of study across disciplines. We want to bring together people who work in all aspects of networks.

Sponsors of MeshForum will sponsor both the conference itself and the website, ensuring that their message gets in front of the largest possible audience. Primary sponsors will receive prominent thanks on the website, conference mailings, program book and during the conference via signage. In addition to overall sponsorship opportunities, there are also target opportunities - sponsors may sponsor one or more meals or breaks during the conference, at least one evening event will be available for sponsorship, bags and badge holders, conference programs, streaming and Internet access during the conference, web access for conference attendees (both the WIFI network that MeshForum will provide and a cyber café/lounge for attendees may be available for sponsorship - dependant on the facilities provided by the venue). The venue itself is potentially another opportunity for sponsorship (MeshForum would gladly use a corporate training facility for the multi-day conference in exchange for sponsorship.

While the prices below are subject to change they are intended to be rough estimates.

Platinum Sponsor - $100,000 (cash and/or value) - 3 max

• Logo and name included in all media - web, print, pr, show


• Up to 20 attendees at MeshForum - employees, customers, or partners (at least $30,000 value)


• Materials included in participant's registration packets


• Mailing list use for a reasonable number of targeted mailings (to opt-in portion of attendees), ideally including at least one pre- or post- conference mailing to all attendees (a thank-you mailing from the sponsor and MeshForum)


• Inclusion in email marketing and mailing on a regular basis to attendees and interested parties


• Private space at MeshForum for firm's use during show


• Sponsorship of at least one "major" event at MeshForum (party, opening dinner, major keynote)


• Prominent position on Website, links, and joint marketing

Gold Sponsor - $75,000 (cash and/or value) - 5 max

• Logo and name included in all media - web, print, show, possibly pr


• Up to 10 attendees at MeshForum - employees, customers, or partners (at least $15,000 value)


• Materials included in participant's registration packets


• Mailing list use for 1 mailing to all attendees (opt-in list)


• Private space at MeshForum (if space permits, first priority for Platinum sponsors)


• Sponsorship of at least one "aspect" of MeshForum (bags, badge holders, snacks, or perhaps an event)


• Position on website, links, and joint marketing

Silver Sponsor - $50,000 (cash and/or value) - 10 max

• Logo and name included in most media (room permitting)


• Up to 5 attendees at MeshForum (at least $7500 value)


• Materials in participant's registration packets


• Mailing list use for 1 mailing (dependant on demand, may be included in a regular mailing to attendees with MeshForum information)


• Sponsorship of some aspect of MeshForum - if available


• Position on website, links, and joint marketing

Custom sponsorship opportunities, for example small private dinners or other networking opportunities with fellow sponsors and some attendees or keynote speakers may be a part of some sponsorship packages.

Other levels of support are available on a negotiated basis, we anticipate putting together sponsorship opportunities in the $5000, $10,000 and $25,000
amounts). These will include some (2-4 likely) number of attendees, and sponsorship of something specifically related to MeshForum. Some may be via trade (i.e. publisher donating books to all MeshForum attendees along with providing the author as a speaker).

Specific areas of additional sponsorship which MeshForum is looking for include:

• Space sponsor - offering facilities for MeshForum conference, near Chicago, likely late summer/early Fall 2004


• Transportation sponsor(s) providing transportation for key MeshForum speakers to the conference


• Hotel sponsor - providing hotel accommodations (if not part of space) for keynote speakers


• Printing sponsor - printing MeshForum conference books, badges, mailings, feedback forms


• Network Sponsor(s) - providing WIFI access to conference attendees, steaming audio (and/or video) of conference over the web, hosting of media rich MeshForum website before and during the conference


• Publishers - one or more who publish MeshForum conference attendees and participants - ideally to arrange for books for the conference attendees and/or books for sale during the conference at the conference facility


• Food sponsors - for the breakfasts, breaks, lunches, and dinners which MeshForum will include in the conference fee


• Media sponsors - helping with pre-conference publicity as well as during and post-conference coverage of the ideas and discussions arising out of MeshForum. Potentially including content prepared for MeshForum within existing publications and/or investigating a new publication sharing the MeshForum brand identity.


• Speakers. Many of the speakers attending MeshForum and/or whom MeshForum would benefit, charge speaking fees, most at a high rate. Sponsors are sought to pay some of these fees and/or to help negotiate the waiver of the fees

MeshForum would also like to seek out one or more charities which embody a network perspective, highlight them and provide ways for the conference to support their work.

Also, MeshForum would like to find sponsors to subsidize the costs of attending MeshForum for a select group of people - graduate students and others who would both benefit from the networking opportunities of the conference, and in turn benefit all who are attending the conference by way of fresh perspectives and insights from more voices. A few sponsorships for international attendees and/or attendees working in the non-profit sector would be much appreciated.