in june of 2002, over 500 professors, students and researchers met in boston, massachusetts for the fourth international conference on complex systems. the attendees represented a remarkably diverse collection of fields: biology, ecology, physics, engineering, computer science, economics, psychology and sociology, the goal of the conference was to encourage cross-fertilization between the many disciplines represented and to deepen understanding of the properties common to all complex systems. this volume contains 43 papers selected from the more than 200 presented at the conference. topics include: cellular automata, neurology, evolution, computer science, network dynamics, and urban planning. about necsi: for over 10 years, the new england complex systems institute (necsi) has been instrumental in the development of complex systems science and its applications. necsi conducts research, education, knowledge dissemination, and community development around the world for the promotion of the study of complex systems and its application for the betterment of society. necsi hosts the international conference on complex systems and publishes the necsi book series in conjunction with springer publishers. ali minai is an affiliate of the new england complex systems institute and an associate professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering and computer science at the university of cincinnati. yaneer bar-yam is president and founder of the new england complex systems institute. he is the author of dynamics of complex systems and making things work: solving complex problems in a complex world.
