Staffordian Syntegration

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Pre-Syntegration
- Background & Context
- Syntegrity & Syntegration
- Team & Sponsors
- Opening Question
- Infoset Members
- Virtual SIs

Syntegration Event
- Dates, Times & Venue
- Event Schedule
- Consolidated Statements
- Topics & Outcome Resolves
- Event Photographs

Post Syntegration
- Sponsor's Report
- What Next?
- Email Contact List
- That's all Folks!

Background & Context

Allenna Leonard, Chris Cullen and Joe Truss set out to sponsor a Syntegration event in honour of Prof. Stafford Beer, which was originally planned for September 2002, however, due to a variety of factors (including Stafford's health at the time) this event was postponed. Now, about one year later, we have resumed the planning of this event, and our sponsor team has expanded to include Angela Espinosa from Columbia, currently teaching at the University of Hull.

Our initial intention to bring together the group of people most likely to carry forward Stafford's work remain a key objective. Many of Stafford's friends and associates have pointed out that the projects they plan to carry out in an effort to build on Stafford's work will require collaborative effort and energy. We hope that this event will represent a key step in helping each of us, and the infoset as a whole, determine that most valuable and useful opportunities for collaboration.

One of our greatest disappointments is that Stafford's autobiography "Think Before You Think: Learning and Outlook" will not be completed. So a secondary objective is to begin to compile information about Stafford's life that can for a foundation for future research and study. We look forward to sharing stories of Stafford with those who knew him well.

The University of Hull has generously offered to help co-sponsor this event by providing access to facilities and other support. We are grateful to Angela and her colleagues for making these arrangements.

There are many people unable to attend this event whose contributions we consider important to its overall success. Therefore we encourage contributions of Pre-Syntegration: Statements of Importance from all interested parties.

We plan to professionally videotape the proceedings in order to generate footage that will be useful to researchers and students, as well as to the Stafford Beer Documentary Project currently underway in Canada through the generous work of Nina and Wayne Conrad, with guidance and assistance from Allenna, Chris and Joe.