CALL FOR PAPERS First International Virtual Conference on Mad Science (IVCMS'96) London, England 29 March 1996 Theme Mad science is a much maligned domain of human knowledge and its practitioners have for too long been relegated to B-movies and remote ancestral estates. IVCMS provides an international forum for the presentation, discussion and extension of research into these darkly powerful pseudosciences and dangerous technologies which fall beyond the scope of conventional science and good taste. The purpose of the conference is to promote a general understanding of mad topics within the broader scientific community, to encourage new researchers to dabble with things best left alone, to attract commercial sponsors to the potential benefits of mad science in the business world, and to replace the old drooling maniac stereotype of the mad scientist with a new drooling maniac image which is more appropriate to the modern era. The conference will be hosted in a suitably baroque homepage to avoid the overheads of unpredictable atmospheric conditions and revolting peasants. Focus Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Creating life to satisfy egocentric motives. Unleashing entities beyond human control and comprehension. Tampering with the life-sustaining forces of the Universe. Exceeding the limitations of the human body via grotesque metamorphoses. New applications for old technologies (alchemy, necromancy, etc.). Ill-advised collaboration with alien and/or supernatural intelligences. Life-long devotion to researching the pointless and inane. Callous disregard for human experimental subjects. Exacting bizarre revenge on contemptuous and derisive peers. Submission Details Authors are invited to submit papers to the Programme Chair at the following address: Paul Schleifer, IVCMS Programme Chair School of Computing, Information Systems and Mathematics South Bank University 103 Borough Road London SE1 0AA, England Email: schleip@sbu.ac.uk All submissions should reach the Programme Chair by 29 December 1995. Papers should not exceed 5000 words and should be submitted in electronic formats. HTML or ASCII are preferred, but PostScript and word-processor formats are also acceptable. Figures may be sent as URLs or in standard image file formats, such as GIF and JPEG. Submission by email is strongly encouraged. Papers will be refereed by a panel of at least three deranged experts. Posthumous papers will be welcomed. Important Dates Paper submission: 29 December 1995 Notification of acceptance: 26 February 1996 Conference: 29 March 1996 Programme Committee Postmortal General Chair Howard P. Lovecraft, From Beyond Programme Co-Chairs Victor Frankenstein, Modern Prometheus Ltd Paul Schleifer, South Bank University Programme Committee Marc C. Allain, First Church of Mad Scientist Peter Armstrong, Swiss Bank Corporation Pope Max Flax Beeblewax, 5-College Discordian Society of Saint Rufus Sue Black, South Bank University Cosmic Cat, CCHQ Dr. Ahmed Fishmonger, Institute for Parallel Studies Dr. Henry Gee, Nature Dan Hanley, South Bank University Donna Kossy, Kooks Museum Ross McNaughton, South Bank University Burti Montague-Leon, BP Sema Dr. Omega, Evil Geniuses For A Better Tomorrow International Dr. Judith Ramsay, South Bank University Dave Scott, (unaffiliated freelance mad scientist) Dr. Scratching, Human Secretions Institute Allan Songhurst, Bavarian Illuminati Inc Neil Walton, Dastardly Machinations Xero, Planet X Local Arrangements and Reception Chair Igor, The Cellar Home Page URL http://www.scism.sbu.ac.uk/cios/paul/MadScience/