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                          +-----------------------------+
                          !                             !
                          !   Tools for Environmental   !
                          !        Informatics          !
                          !                             !
                          !    April 26 - May 3 1997    !
                          !    Delta Whistler Resort    !
                          !                             !
                          !         Whistler            !
                          !     British Columbia        !
                          !                             !
                          !                             !
                          !          Canada             !
                          !                             !
                          +-----------------------------+
                        	
                                   In conjunction 
                                  with  ISESS 1997


The concept of environmental informatics has not yet satisfactorily penetrated North America.  
There is an assumption that environmental science is orchestrated by planners and conciliators
on one hand, and civil and environmental engineers/scientists on the other.  The experiences 
of several groups in Canada, the U.S., Australia and Europe (most notably Germany and Austria) 
would suggest otherwise.

Simultaneously the stakeholders in the academic structure and the existing environmental 
regulation and policy management structure are only recently wakening to the need for 
sophisticated information systems.  The data are incomplete, the concepts of data management 
are slow to adapt and the money at all levels (including education and training) is shrinking.
Our consortium, consisting of the University of Guelph, HTW Saarbruecken, and Austrian 
Research Center Seibersdorf, together with sponsoring bodies (International Federation for 
Information Processing and the German Computer Society), is organizing the 

            Second International Symposium on Environmental Software Systems 
                         at the Delta Whistler resort in 
                               Whistler, B.C., 
                      from April 28, 1997 until May 2, 1997.  

Before, during and after the conference, we propose to schedule sufficient time for students 
and faculty to attend sessions and to participate in course lectures.


Course
======
Selected, invited faculty will present 3-4 hour units of material for a course titled:
                          ====================================  
                          Tools for Environmental Informatics.  
                          ==================================== 
This course will provide advanced credit simultaneously at several institutions and 
departments.  We would encourage students to explore the possibility of obtaining credit 
for this at a home institution by attending the lectures and locating a faculty advisor 
willing to supervise a project for credit in the course. Non-students with the prerequisites 
will receive a letter/certificate of participation and assistance in converting the course 
to whatever they wished.

Theme
=====
The theme of the course is: Environmental data management and environmental information 
systems have to bridge gaps in time and space in data, information and knowledge.  
Elements of modelling, statistical computing, scientific database, visualization, 
environmental statistics (including risk assessment), uncertainty estimation and management, 
integration of heterogeneous and legacy systems and knowledge engineering all contribute to 
a better understanding of environmental problems.

Students will be encouraged to select one of Topic 17 or 18, but not both and a number from 
the remaining list.  Each individual�s topic list would have to be approved in advance.

Topics
======
The following form the basis for a set of topics:

1. Introduction and Overview of Course
2. Overview on Environmental Informatics
3. Environmental Monitoring
4. Issues in Modelling	
5. Data Visualization
6. Statistical Computing
7. Spatial Data Organization, GIS Applications
8. Expert Systems, Belief Networks
9. Artificial Neural Networks, Soft Computing
10. Metadata Management
11. Planning Aspects
12. Environmental Impact Assessment, Risk Assessment
13. Data  Integration Problems
14. Design of Environmental Networks
15. Life Cycle Assessment and Recycling
16. Environmental Software Engineering
17.  Biomonitoring
18. Case Studies for Integration	
19. Environmental Science for Computer Scientists, Planners

Note: undersubscribed course modules may be cancelled, or offered only as so-called 
reading course modules.

Prerequisites
=============
An advanced degree in progress in one of:  Systems Engineering, Computer Science, 
Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering.  A degree in progress in Environmental Science, 
Geology, Geography, Planning or Biology with a demonstrated undergraduate education in the 
computational sciences or equivaent industrial or governmental experience.

Cost of Course
==============
The cost of the course must be borne by the student or the student�s university.  It is 
expected the course fee will be $650.00(CDN) for the course only or $800.00(CDN) for the 
course and ISESS97 registration.  A 7% tax, refundable to visitors to Canada, will be added
to the fee. The second fee will apply only to certified graduate students in a degree 
program recognized by the ISESS organizing committee.

Participating Universities
==========================
University of Waterloo  (Biology), 
University of Guelph (Computing and Information Science, Environmental Science), 
Hochschule fuer Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes (Computer Science), 
Fachhochschule Nuertingen (Planning)

Faculty (preliminary)
=====================
Don Cowan,           Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Waterloo, Canada
Ralf Denzer,         Professor, Computer Science Department, 
                     Hochschule fuer Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes, Germany
Peter Fischer,       Professor, Department of Geography, Saarland University
Reiner Guettler,     Professor, Computer Science Department, 
                     Hochschule fuer Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes, Germany
Lorenz Hilty,        Professor, Computer Science Department, University of Hamburg, Germany
J.J. Hubert,         Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, 
                     University of Guelph, Canada
D.C.L. Lam,          National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada 
Roman Lenz,          Professor, Fachhochschule Nuertingen, Germany
Colin Mayfield,      Professor, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Canada
Bernd Page,          Professor, Computer Science Department, University of Hamburg, Germany 
Claus Rautenstrauch, Professor,  University of Constance, Germany
Gerald Schimak,      Austrian Research Center Seibersdorf, Austria
Deborah Stacey,      Associate Professor, Department of Computing & Information Science, 
                     University of Guelph, Canada
David Swayne,        Professor, Department of Computing & Information Science, 
                     University of Guelph, Canada


--------------------------cut here--------------------cut here------------------------cut---

                     ======================
                     = REGISTRATION  FORM =
                     ======================

             TOOLS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATICS
             
             _
            !_!  I wish to register for the course


 Check one of the mandatory modules (8 hours):
      _                     _
  18 !_!		19 !_!


 Indicate which modules you wish to take (4 hours each):
      _      _      _      _      _      _      _      _
   2 !_!  3 !_!  4 !_!  5 !_!  6 !_!  7 !_!  8 !_!  9 !_!

      _      _      _      _      _      _      _      _
  10 !_! 11 !_! 12 !_! 13 !_! 14 !_! 15 !_! 16 !_! 17 !_!


 Total number of hours: ________ 	
     


Title 	___________________________________________________

First name	___________________________________________

Last name 	___________________________________________

Organization 	___________________________________________

Address 	___________________________________________

FON 	___________________________________________________

FAX 	___________________________________________________
 
Email 	___________________________________________________

Institution from which credit is sought 	

	___________________________________________________	

Signature 	
	___________________________________________________


We encourage registering by emailing this information to: 
Dr. Swayne, dswayne@uoguelph.ca
================================


For More Information Contact:

Dr. David Swayne, 
Department of Computing & Information Science, 
University of Guelph, 
Guelph, Ontario, Canada     N1G 2W1
Email:  dswayne@snowhite.cis.uoguelph.ca
Fax:  +1-519-837-0323