I’m blogging today to invite all my friends and connections to MeshForum in Chicago May 1-3, 2005.
MeshForum isn’t the typical conference. It’s the kind of conference I like to run, and the kind I love to be involved in.
MeshForum is a conference on Networks. The group founded MeshForum because we want to bring together experts from many fields to explore Networks – from the mathematical study of Networks and complexity to how networks can impact sales to the role of understanding networks in security to biological systems. MeshForum 2005 will explore these and many other types of Networks.
There will not be vendor booths or canned presentations at MeshForum; it is a conference about ideas. Our venue, HotHouse is a non-profit performing arts center, definitely not a run-of-the-mill hotel meeting space. The format of MeshForum has been designed to provide great opportunities to collaborate and interact, from our opening night reception Sunday May 1st, to our highly participatory single track of speakers and panels Monday and Tuesday to our full day of engaged conversations in Open Space format on Wednesday May 4th.
MeshForum will provide you with rich topics to discuss, and great people with whom to converse. To explore the range and complexity of Networks, a series of “Interstitials” – video and digital art projects – will be exhibited during MeshForum.
All attendees will receive, besides great speakers and panels, an opening night reception Sunday with musical performances, breakfast and lunch Monday thru Wednesday, dinner Monday night and musical entertainment Monday evening. Sponsors are arranging for a variety of gifts for all attendees. Books from many of the authors in attendance
will be available for sale.
Here’s my panel brief:
Much will be discussed at MeshForum on the power of networks, and on the interconnections that enable the power of networks to work. But what happens when networks break? We’ll explore breaks in networks, from the physical, societal and communications networks that broke on 9-11, during the Tsunami, and during the August 2003 blackout to the business networks that get broken everytime companies reorganize or move employees from place to place.
What can we do to anticipate broken social networks in business or broken technology or communications networks, plan for them, and mitigate the impact?
What do experts do to analyze networks for potential breaking points? What lessons can your organization learn from these experts in business continuity, emergency management, homeland security, and business social networking to make a difference in everyday work, as well as future ‘broken’ situations?
This panel will be moderated Me, Howard Greenstein and will feature a mix of public and private sector experts.
I hope to see you there.