CALL FOR PROPOSALS

                   NIPS*97 Post Conference Workshops
                         December 5 and 6, 1997
                         Breckenridge, Colorado


Following the regular program of the Neural Information Processing Systems
1997 conference, workshops on current topics in neural information processing
will be held on December 5 and 6, 1997, in Breckenridge, Colorado.  Proposals 
by qualified individuals interested in chairing one of these workshops are
solicited.  Past topics have included:

   Active Learning, Architectural Issues, Attention, Audition, Bayesian 
   Analysis, Bayesian Networks, Benchmarking, Computational Complexity, 
   Computational Molecular Biology, Control, Neuroscience, Genetic Algorithms, 
   Grammars, Hybrid HMM/ANN Systems, Implementations, Music, Neural Hardware,
   Network Dynamics, Neurophysiology, On-Line Learning, Optimization,
   Recurrent Nets, Robot Learning, Rule Extraction, Self-Organization,
   Sensory Biophysics, Signal Processing, Symbolic Dynamics, Speech,
   Time Series, Topological Maps, and Vision.

The goal of the workshops is to provide an informal forum for researchers to
discuss important issues of current interest.  There will be two workshop
sessions a day, for a total of six hours, with free time in between for
ongoing individual exchange or outdoor activities.

Concrete open and/or controversial issues are encouraged and preferred as
workshop topics.  Representation of alternative viewpoints and panel-style
discussions are particularly encouraged.

Workshop organizers will have responsibilities including:

1) coordinating workshop participation and content, which involves 
   arranging short informal presentations by experts working in an area, 
   arranging for expert commentators to sit on a discussion panel and 
   formulating a set of discussion topics, etc.

2) moderating or leading the discussion and reporting its high points,
   findings, and conclusions to the group during evening plenary sessions

3) writing a brief summary and/or coordinating submitted material for
   post-conference electronic dissemination.


Submission Instructions
-----------------------

Interested parties should submit via e-mail a short proposal for a workshop 
of interest by May 20, 1997.  

Proposals should include a title, a description of what the workshop is to 
address and accomplish, the proposed length of the workshop (one day or two 
days), the planned format (mini-conference, panel discussion, or group 
discussion, combinations of the above, etc), and the proposed number of 
speakers.  Where possible, please also indicate potential invitees 
(particularly for panel discussions).  Please note that this year we 
are looking for fewer "mini-conference" workshops and greater variety of 
workshop formats.  The time allotted to workshops is six hours each 
day, in two sessions of three hours each.  We strongly encourage that the 
organizers reserve a significant portion of time for open discussion.

The proposal should motivate why the topic is of interest or controversial, 
why it should be discussed and who the targeted group of participants is.  
In addition, please send a brief resume of the prospective workshop chair, 
a list of publications, and evidence of scholarship in the field of interest.
Submissions should include contact name, address, e-mail address, phone 
number and fax number if available.

Proposals should be mailed electronically to steven@lexicus.mot.com.  All 
proposals must be RECEIVED by May 20, 1997.  If e-mail is unavailable, mail
so as to arrive by the deadline to:

  NIPS*97 Workshops 
  c/o Steven J. Nowlan
  Motorola, Lexicus Division
  3145 Porter Drive
  Palo Alto, CA 94304

Questions may be addressed to either of the Workshop Co-Chairs:

Steven J. Nowlan                        Richard Zemel
Motorola, Lexicus Division              University of Arizona
steven@lexicus.mot.com                  zemel@aruba.ccit.arizona.edu



            PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 20, 1997