 (Free and low cost) Categories: Social Networks Conferences Social Networks A. Free Online Foresight Social Networks to Consider Joining 1. Global Foresight - Facebook Group For general foresight discussions and networking. 2. Global Foresight - LinkedIn Group For business and professional foresight discussions and networking. 3. Shaping Tomorrow's Foresight Network (STFN) - Ning Group For business and professional foresight discussions and networking. 4. Foresight Education and Research Network (FERN) - LinkedIn Group For foresight students, grads, faculty, employers, and advocates. See also our FERN wiki. B. Other Free or Low-Priced Foresight Networks in Primary Foresight Specialties to Consider Joining Association of Professional Futurists (APF) $195 professionals/$50 students per year . 400+ members. Active. Great discussion list, great professional network. For those who: 1. Know the tools and perspectives of futures studies, and use them to enable others to identify options, decisions, and actions in the present. 2. Employ long-term thinking and planning and encourage others to do so. 3. Encourage use of the tools and perspectives of futures studies in public, private and professional endeavors. Australasian Futures and Foresight Association (AFFA) $330/165 per year. 40+ members. Started Feb 2008. Same joining criteria as APF. European Foresight Monitoring Network (59 global correspondents, thousands of foresight documents) For those doing government or industry foresight work in Europe or elsewhere to share research publicly (Mike Keenan). European Foresight Platform Network-building foresight program, mapping leading foresight work in Europe and around the world. Supported by EC money. Project of the Australian Inst of Tech (AIT)), with collaboration of JRC-ITPS, and U. Manchester MIOIR/PREST and TNO Netherlands. Free network of Canadians with a serious interest in futures research and strategic foresight. Foresight Education Project (50+ members). For foresight/futures educators to share and improve foresight education curricula. See FEP Wiki. They also publish the annual State of the Future report and the Futures Research Methodology compendium. They meet annually at WFS conferences. (Founders, Jerry Glenn and Ted Gordon) Humanity Plus (formerly: World Transhumanist Association) $50/$20 per year. 4,840 members. Active. Many free discussion lists. World Future Society (WFS) - General and Professional $49/$20 per year. 25,000+ members, but no known online discussion groups. The oldest and largest futures organization. Nonpartisan, broad-based. World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) $70/$45 per year. 200+ members, active lister discussion among the world's scholarly-minded practitioners. For persons and orgs "committed to futures studies, strategic foresight and future-oriented societal change." C. Higher-Priced or Secondary Foresight Specialties Networks to Consider Joining American Academy of Actuaries (Unknown size) American Statistical Association (Unknown) Association for Managers of Innovation Association for Strategic Planning (Unknown). Strategic and long range planning are closely related to foresight. Global Business Network (Unknown) Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning (Unknown). Forecasting is closely related to foresight. International Actuarial Association (Unknown) International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) (Unknown). Innovation mgmt is closely linked to foresight. IM tools can effectively "crowdsource" next-generation ideas and strategies from employees, users, and the world. Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (Unknown). Competitive intelligence is closely linked to foresight. World Future Council (Unknown) D. Free Foresight Social and Discussion Groups to Consider Joining Applied Foresight Network (254 members, semiactive. Canada, global.) Broad discussions of "big picture" futures topics (sustainability, ethics, vision). Free. ASF Future Salon Network (~1,500 members, 15 Yahoo!/Google/MeetUp/Facebook Groups) European Foresight Monitoring Network (EFMN) (59 correspondents. Global.)Free local social salons that regularly discuss futures issues in 15 cities around the world so far (start your own!): Excellent EU-funded foresight materials aggregation community! Includes results of over 1,200 (so far) European and other national foresight studies. Great contacts for meeting foresight researchers.Extropy-chat (unknown number of members, active. USA, global). Oldest transhumanist discussion list. Some futures studies, deep thinkers. Mild libertarian bias. Since 1991.Humanity Plus (formerly, World Transhumanist Association) (4,840 members. Active.) WTA Discussion lists. Topical and regional. WTA Talk is is the main list. Moderate volume.Long Now MeetUps (318 members, 5 groups, global). Prompting "Slower/Better" foresight thinking globally. Based in SF, USA. See Long Now Foundation for blog, videos, and more.Polish Society for Futures Studies (Polskie Towarzystwo Studiów nad Przyszłością - PTSP) (Warsaw, Poland)
Strategic Foresight Meetup (Melbourne, Australia, international members welcome). This group was started by graduates of the Swinburne MMSFS/MSFS/MEI programs. Regular monthly community of practice/foresight discussions, plus discussions on the meetup site/uploaded files etc. Find us also on Twitter: @agseforesight. The Millennium Project (Jerry Glenn and Ted Gordon) E. Fee-Based General Futures/Foresight Social and Discussion Groups to Consider JoiningThey have thirty five "country nodes," from Argentina to Venezuela. These folks contribute to Millennium Project (State of the Future) foresight work. Great contacts for setting up local foresight groups in these countries! WFS Chapter Lists (Africa/Middle East, Asia/Pacific, Europe, No. America, So./Central America) A number of futurists are listed as "chapter heads" with contact emails. Small annual chapter fees. Foresight Education and Research Network (FERN) FERN exists to network and support foresight students, grads, educators, researchers, employers, and advocates. Please join our FERN LinkedIn Group, and if you like, our FERN Ning Group inside Shaping Tomorrow's Foresight Network. Find out about our projects by visiting the FERN wiki. We look forward to working with you to advance our field! World Future Society has established a Futures Learning Section "committed to all forms of futures learning." On the academic side, Peter Bishop (Director, U Houston MS in Futures Studies) has started a Futures Learning listserve. WFS also publishes Future Times and Learning Tomorrow, newsletters for those interested in Futures Education and the Future of Education. World Futures Studies Federation is a professional society of futures researchers, academics, and consultants, originally started and still continuing with a strongly sustainability-oriented and somewhat anti-Western ideological bent. Founded in 1967 they have a mission to promote futures education and research. Given their long existence, WFSF has been less active in advancing academic foresight than one might expect. As a result, FERN founders feel the need to develop our own organization and approach to promoting foresight education, careers, and research. Foresight is a big topic and challenge for humanity, and there's plenty of room for a number of complementary organizations and approaches. Conferences Top Foresight Conferences - United States Accelerating Change Multidisciplinary issues and challenges of accelerating technological change. (Sept, occasional) AGI-08 The first conference on artificial general intelligence ACM SenSys Systems issues in the emerging area of embedded, networked sensors. AlwaysOn: Innovation Summit Delivering communication, content, and commerce to consumers 24/7. (July) Abscicon (Astrobiology Science Conference) The leading conference for multidisciplinary insights in astrobiology. American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Conference A leading multidisciplinary AI community. (July) American Sociological Association Annual Conference Advancing sociology as a scientific discipline and profession. (Aug) Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) Conference Leading U.S. computational linguistics conference. CUI here we come! Austin Game Conference Leading multiplayer game developers conference. BIL An open, self-organizing, emergent, and anarchic science and technology conference. (Feb) Body Computing Conference (U. of Southern Cal.) (Oct) Implantable devices that wirelessly update the individual (and others) on health history and status. Brainstorm/Fortune Fortune magazine's annual gathering on business, technology, and world affairs. Breakthrough Technologies for the World's Biggest Problems Arlington Institute conference (Apr) Business 4Site One of the leading technology summits for business solutions (Ziff-Davis). (June) CEBIT The leading global IT conference. 500,000 attendees! A truly planetary phenomenon. Hannover, Germany. Comdex Leading U.S. consumer electronics technology marketplace conference. (Nov) Consumer Electronics Show (CES) A major consumer electronics trends conference. Includes Enabling Technology Forums (Jan) Convergence08 Conference on the future of bio nano info cogno Demo Annual technology demonstration prototypes show. Cutting edge. (Feb) Digital Hollywood Popular entertainment and technology convergence conference. Getting memes to the masses. DoD Cyber Crime Leading US conference for digital forensics, forensic R&D, IT security, and legal issues of cyber crime. Doors of Perception Doors prioritises social needs over technology-push on the agenda of design and innovation. Annual international conferences. Emerging Technologies Conference at MIT Near term future of science and technology. (Sept) European Futurists Conference Networking futurists, analysts, scientists, and long-term decisionmakers in Europe. (Nov) Federal Forecasters Conference Interdisciplinary consortium of governmental leaders seeking to improve forecasting for public policy decisions. FOO Camp Friends Of O'Reilly. IT developers and world improvers. Wireless in Tents. (Oct) Foresight (Regents University) Conference on foresight and futures thinking for spiritual leaders. Ecumenical, but Christian-focused. Foresight Conference on Advanced Nanotechnology Near and long-range risks and benefits of nano and technological futures. (Oct) Foresight Vision Weekend Interdisciplinary conference on molecular nanotechnology and related fields Future In Review (FiRe) A leading technology and business futures conference for tech leaders. Strategic News Service (Mark Anderson) (May) Future Forward New England emerging technologies and business summit. Invite only. Future Trends/IIR IIR's annual market trends and business futures conference (Nov). Game Developers Conference/Serious Games Summit The largest game developers conference, growing but still very minor representation of serious games (Mar) Genetic and Evolutionary Computing Conference (GECCO) Near term future of today's first generation self-evolving computers. (June) Gilder/Forbes Telecosm Conference Future of computers, networks, and new technologies. Go! Outsell's annual IT futures conference. (Sept) Going A conference on sustainable transportation and the future of transportation. Gnomedex Using IT technology for business, career, and personal life. Geek culture! Health Care Forecast Conference Annual political and economic forecasts for U.S. health care industry (Feb). Idea Festival (Oct) Exploring innovation from an interdisciplinary perspective (Louisville, KY) IEET SEMINAR: Preventing Extinction Day long seminar on existential risks, threats to the future of humanity INFORMS Annual Conference Leading U.S. conference on operations research and management science. International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva Largest annual international invention conference. 1000 often silly inventions, 55,000 attendees. Started 1972. International Symposium on Forecasting Annual gathering of the world's leading forecasting researchers and practitioners. Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM) The largest annual gathering of statisticians in North America. Management of Change Using information technology to improve citizen services and e-Government. Online and digital media trends and intelligence conference. (Dun Laoghaire, Ireland) (Jack Murray, Director) Medicine Meets Virtual Reality (MMVR) Premier forum for computer scientists and physicians who develop and refine advanced, data-centered tools for clinical care and medical education. Metanexus (Science and Religion in Context) Interdisciplinary dialog on the convergence of science and spirituality. MODSIM World For the international modeling and simulation community (business, industry, academic, governmental). NBIC Convergence Conference Future of Nano, Bio, Infotech, and Cognitive Science (NBIC). (Feb) New Yorker Conference Theorists, designers, economists, philosophers, ethicists, animators, inventors, musicians, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, scientists, artists, politicians, engineers, financiers musing on the near-term (5-10 year future). NextMed Broad ranging, multidisciplinary exploration of the future of medicine. (Shaun B. Jones MD) O'Reilly Emerging Technologies Conference Near term future opportunities for information technology. (Mar) Outsourcing World Summit Leveraging the global economy to advance business and technology (Feb) Performance Measurement for IT in Government How to maximize the performance of IT investment in large, bureacratic organizations. (Jan) Personal Democracy Forum The leading conference on the use of technology to improve transparency, democracy, and political performance. Planetwork IT networks, interdependence, social activism, and environmental agendas. Pop!Tech: The Camden Technology Conference The impact of technology on people and culture. (Oct) Portland Internat'l Conference on Mgmt of Engineering and Technology (PICMET) Topics in E&T management. TF&SC-affiliated, Portland State U.-affiliated. Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs International conferences on science, social responsibility, and disarmament. Push Conference Culture, commerce, technology, art, science - and their intersection. Future-oriented. (Cecily Sommers) ROBOlympics Annual robotic competitions of all types. San Francisco, CA. RoboNexus Largest business, development, education, and consumer event. (Oct) Shmoocon Leading East Coast hacker and 'technology exploitation' convention. Siggraph (ACM) Premiere computer graphics and interactive techniques conference. (July) Singularity Summit Annual conference on artificial intelligence and the technological singularity. (Oct) Society for the Social Studies of Science (4S) Conference Oldest and largest scholarly association devoted to understanding science and technology. (Oct) Solutions for a Shrinking Planet Conference of Engineers for a Sustainable World. Innovative development in emerging nations. (Sept) SpeechTEK Leading U.S. forum for computer speech technology products, apps, and services. Moving us toward the conversational interface. (Feb) Supernova Exploring the decentralized communications, IT, software, and media future. (June) National Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Includes the Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence Conference (July) National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment Research and policy on topical issues in environmental policy. Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS) Leading machine learning conference. Great applications. (Dec) SciVestor Conference on disruptive technologies for the investment community. (May) State of Play Leading conference on emerging legal issues in virtual worlds. New York Law School (Oct) SXSW (South X SouthWest's Southwest Music and Media Conference) Leading music, film, and interactive media event. Austin, TX. Systemics, Cybernetics, and Informatics Systems theories for understanding planetary and technological futures. Technosapiens (CBC) CBC Christians engaging transhumanists in technological futures discussion. TED Expensive ($6K) but top-tier invite-only conference on global trends in technology, entertainment, and design. Ideas for change. TechnoSecurity and TechnoForensics Latest practices, trends, and threat analysis in digital security and digital forensics. Telluride Tech Festival Celebration of the past, present, and future of technology. The Next Twenty Years (TNTY) Long range futures in technology, energy, biotech, and medicine. (Orgs only). TransVision World Transhumanist Assn. occasional conference. Exploring the use of science and technology to overcome human limitations. Web 2.0 Conference (O'Reilly) Emerging business and technology developments on the web. Winter Simulation Conference Academic and industry discussion of simulation for automation, scheduling, risk analysis, security, education, and other apps. Wired's NextFest Wired's look at how technology and creativity interact to make the future. (June) Wonderfest Annual science popularizing debate series. San Francisco Bay area. (Nov) World Conference on the Future of Science Top thinkers, great themes, tremendously insightful. Venice, Italy (Sept) World Future Society The oldest and best known international futures conference. (July). World Innovation Forum (HSM) Expensive ($2K) bicoastal executive conference on innovation trends (April & June) World Nano-Economic Congress Premiere intersection of thought leaders in nanotechnology and business. World Summit on the Information Society Seeking to maximize the effectiveness of information and communications technologies in global socioeconomic development (UN ITU produced). World Technology Summit Multidisciplinary association of scientists and technologists creating new technologies and business processes. Invitation only. (Oct) World Telecommunications Development Conference (ITU) International policy for closing the global digital divide. (Organizations only.) Other Lists: See also this list of Acceleration-Relevant Conferences (ASF, 2005) Top Foresight Conferences - International (non- USA) AusForesight Conference (Australia)Professional futurist community in Australia. First meeting 2006. European Futurists Conference (Switzerland) Annual gathering of futurists and long-term decisionmakers in Europe (Pero Micic, Georges T. Roos). Learning Technologies (London) Europe's leading organisational learning and learning technology in the workplace conference. Serious games and simulations too. Lift Conference (Europe, Asia) A community of doers and thinkers that explore the social consequences of new technologies (Laurent Haug). Global Catastrophic Risks Conference (United Kingdom) On the risk of technologically induced damage to human well-being on a global scale. (July) Prospecta Peru (Peru) Annual conference (since 2003) of National Congress of Foresight and Future Studies of the National Science, Tech, and Innovation Council of Peru (September) Summit on the Future of Risk (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Annual foresight conference of the Club of Amsterdam. Very multidisciplinary and multicultural (Felix Bopp) Trend Day (Hamburg, Germany) Trendburo's annual one day trends conference (Matthias Horx, Ooona Strathern). World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland) International conference improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas (Jan) Know other foresight communities, that should be on this page? Add them here. Email the wiki moderators, susanchesleyfant{at}gmail{dot}com or johnsmart{at}accelerating{dot}org, with a brief paragraph on your background, and ask for editing access. 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