Professor Gianfranco Minati         (last updated on January, 2008)     Contents: 1. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 2. SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL     ACTIVITY 3. SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL     AFFILIATIONS 4. ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL     ACTIVITIES 5. FIELDS OF INTEREST 6. PUBLICATIONS 7. CURRENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

1. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Address:   via Pellegrino Rossi, 42   20161 Milano  Italy

                 phone/fax +39-02-66202417  or ph +39-02-36530183

                 email: [email protected]

Born in Milan, August 12^th, 1951,  Doctor in Mathematics, University of Milan (Italy).

2. SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

 

Current

 

• Doctoral lecturer at the Polytechnic of Milan/Department 'Building Environment Sciences and Technology' http://www.polimi.it
• Adjunct Associate Professor (2000-current) OHIO State University, http://www.osu.edu
• Founder and president of the Italian Systems Society (AIRS) (http://www.airs.it) Milan, Italy;
• Vice President of the Union Européenne de Systémique (UES, association of some European Systems Societies), (http://www.afscet.asso.fr/), Paris, France;
• Lecture Creative Living as Health, and Health as Creative Living, Bobbie Collen presentation "for Healthy and Creative Living" , Temple Isaiah, Lafayette, CA;
• Italian representative at the International Federation for System Research (IFSR) (http://www.ifsr.org); University of Linz, Austria;
• Member of the international editorial board of the journal “Systems Research and Behavioral Science” ( http://www.ifsr.org/activities/systems_research.html);
• Member of the international editorial board of other systems journals, member of the scientific committee of Conferences and Societies.

 

Past activities

 

 Lecturer on General Systems Theory upon invitation (2003-2004) at the

--<          Istituto Superiore Per Le Industrie Artistiche Disegno Industriale (Roma)

--<          Università degli Studi di Milano/Dipartimento di studi sociali e politici,

- -        University of Calabria/Department of Mathematics & Center of High

        Performance Computing

• Member (2005-2006) of the Saybrook Institutional Review Board (SIRB) , http://www.saybrook.edu/
• Consulting Faculty (1999-2003) at the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center (http://www.saybrook.edu/), San Francisco (CA), USA;

• Member of the Interuniversity Center for Research on Cognitive Processing in Natural and Artificial Systems (E.CO.N.A.) http://w3.uniroma1.it/econa/  at the University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy;
• Member of the Maurizio Milanesi Committee (1994-2000), organized by professor V. Coda (Università Bocconi, MI) and dr.Saà, (Arthur Andersen, MI) on the topic of accountability;
• Adjunct Faculty (1994-1999) at the Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center (http://www.saybrook.edu/), San Francisco (CA), USA;
• Member of the board (1990) and consultant of the president (1996-1997) of a leading Italian company for banking software, Trend SpA, Brescia.
• Lecturer (1985-1986) in Mathematics at the Catholic University, Brescia, Italy;
• Fellow and member of the International Systems Institute (ISI), San Francisco (USA), http://www.isiconversations.org/
• Executive of an Italian holding company, Ital Information Systems SpA - Italmobiliare SpA, Milano, (1979-1984). In this position he collaborated in staff with professor Dimitris N. Chorafas (consultant for the president, ing. Carlo Pesenti) http://www.allbookstores.com/browse/Author/Chorafas,%20Dimitris%20N. During this period he authored more than 100 technical non-referred articles (Information Technology, Communication, and Management). Professor Chorafas established the Chorafas Foundation.

3. SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

He is or was member of several scientific and professional associations in Europe and the United States such as:

• AAAS-American Association for the Advancement of Science;
• ACM-Association for Computing Machinery (USA);
• AFSCET-Association Française de Science des Systèmes Cybernétiques, Cognitifs et Techniques;
• ASC-American Society for Cybernetics;
• Cognitive Science Society;
• IEEE-The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (USA);
• New York Academy of Sciences (USA);
• UKSS-United Kingdom Systems Society.

 

4. ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

 

• President of the Fourth Conference of the Italian Systems Society, Castel Ivano, Trento, Italy, Oct. 18-20, 2007, opening lecture by Tito Fortunato Arecchi;

·         President of the Third Conference of the Italian Systems Society, Castel Ivano, Trento, Italy, Oct. 7-9, 2004, opening lecture by George Klir;

·         President of the Second Conference of the Italian Systems Society, Castel Ivano, Trento, Italy, Nov. 9-10, 2001 opening lecture and session by Herman Haken;

• President of the First Italian Conference on Systemics, Università degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze della Informazione, Milan, June 24-26, 1998;
• International Conference of the European Systems Union, organized in Rome, Oct. 1-4, 1996;
• Human Science Seminars, organized in Castel Ivano, Trento, Italy in 1992, 93, 94 and 95, sponsored by the Saybrook Institute and held with professor Arne Collen;

5. FIELDS OF INTEREST

 

·       Theoretical issues in Systems Science, such as: Openness, Collective Behavior, Emergence, Ergodicity, Multiple-Systems (Collective Beings) and Dynamic Usage of Models;

·         Systemics for Education and Management;

·         Systemic approaches towards disabilities;

·         Ethics for management and education;

·         Ethical codes and ethical balances; 

·         Virtual systems;

·         Music and systems;

·        Torah and Systems.

 

Current research projects relate to “Meta-structure in collective phenomena - Methodologies for modelling and managing processes of self-organisation”.

 

He has held several seminars in Italy and abroad.

6. PUBLICATIONS

Books:

 

1. Minati, G., Pessa, E., and Abram, M., (eds.), (in progress), Processes of emergence of systems and systemic properties. Towards a general theory of emergence. World Scientific, Singapore.
2. Gubernan S. and Minati G. (2007), Dialogue about systems”, Polimetrica, Milano, Italy, Open Access Publication http://www.polimetrica.com/?p=productsMore&iProduct=41&sName=Dialogue-about-Systems   
3. Minati, G., and Pessa, E., (2006), Collective Beings. Springer, New York. http://www.springer.com/west/home/philosophy/philosophy+of+sciences?SGWID=4-40399-22-173664727-0
4. Minati, G., Pessa, E., and Abram, M., (eds.), (2006), Systemics of Emergence: Research  and Applications. Springer, New York. http://www.springer.com/west/home/business/organization?SGWID=4-40522-22-72684205-0
5. Di Battista, V., Giallocosta, G., and Minati, G., (eds.), (2006), Architettura e Sistemica, Polimetrica, MI. http://www.polimetrica.com/?p=productsMore&iProduct=6&sName=Architettura-e-Approccio-Sistemico-(Valerio-Di-Battista,-Giorgio-Giallocosta,-Gianfranco-Minati)
6. Minati, G., (2004), Teoria Generale dei Sistemi, Sistemica, Emergenza: un’introduzione. - Progettare e Processi Emergenti: Frattura o Connubio per l’Architettura?, Polimetrica, Milano, Italy. http://www.polimetrica.com/?p=productsMore&iProduct=24&sName=Teoria-Generale-dei-Sistemi,-Sistemica,-Emergenza-unintroduzione.-Progettare-e-Processi-Emergenti-Frattura-o-Connubio-per-lArchitettura-(Gianfranco-Minati)
7. Von Bertalanffy, L., General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications. New York, George Braziller, 1968 - Preface by Minati G. to the republication of Italian edition, Oscar Saggi Mondadori, 2004. http://www.centolibri.it/search/risultato_cat.jsp#
8. Minati, G., and Pessa, E., (eds.) (2002), Emergence in Complex Cognitive, Social and Biological Systems. Kluwer: New York. http://www.springer.com/west/home/business/organization?SGWID=4-40522-22-33336272-0
9. Minati, G., Esseri Collettivi, Apogeo scientifica, 2001. http://www.webster.it/libri-esseri_collettivi_sistemica_fenomeni_collettivi-9788873039051.htm
10. Minati G., Introdution à la Systémique, French edition of the book "Introduzione alla sistemica (translated by Evelyne Andreewshy), http://www.afscet.asso.fr/res-systemica/.
11. Minati, G., (Editor), Proceedings of the first Italian Conference on Systemics, Apogeo scientifica, 1998. http://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/scienza-sistemi-progettare-uno-sviluppo/libro/9788873034322
12. Minati, G., Sistemica, Apogeo scientifica, 1998. http://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/sistemica-etica-virtualita-didattica-economia/libro/9788873034131
13. Minati, G., and Collen A., Introduction to Systemics, Eagleye Books, San Francisco, 1997 http://www.amazon.ca/Introduction-Systemics-Gianfranco-Minati/dp/0924025069/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199559278&sr=8-3 .
14. Minati, G., Introduzione alla sistemica, Kappa Edizioni, Roma, 1996.
15. Minati G., La Complessità Aziendale, Eurosystem-Gruppo San Paolo di Torino, Milan, 1989. http://opac.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/opac/controller.jsp;jsessionid=8D715F6B8902CDAFAAB7B76415C6DC68?action=notizia_view&notizia_idn=cfi0177334&query_action=search_bydeweysearch&query_filterterm=&query_position=7858&query_maxposition=8081&query_orderby=&query_filterterm=&query_querystring_1=658*&query_fieldname_1=coddewey  
16. Minati G., Knowledge, Management, Computer, Ipsoa-scuola d’impresa, N° 7 , Milan, 1986.
17. Minati G., Guida all’ automazione dell’ufficio, CESTEC-Centro Lombardo per lo sviluppo tecnologico e produttivo delle piccole e medie imprese, Milan, 1985.
18. Minati G., Le tecnologie dell’ informatica nell’ era del discontinuo, Soiel International, Milan, 1983.

 

A selection of papers:

 

1. Minati, G. and Collen, A., (in progress), Architecture as the Interdisciplinary Design of “Boundary Conditions” for Emergent Properties in Human Social Systems.
2. Minati, G., (2007), Verso una scienza costruttivista, Dedalus, Anno 2, No. 2-3, pp. 80-88
3. Minati, G., (2007), Émergence dans les Systèmes Complexes. In: La Gouvernance dans les Systèmes. Polimetrica Publisher, Italy, pp.73-74. http://www.polimetrica.com/?p=productsMore&iProduct=57&sName=La-Gouvernance-dans-les-Systèmes-(AFSCET)
4. Minati, G., (2008a), Acquired emergent properties, In: Proceedings of the Fourth National Conference of the Italian Systems Society (AIRS),  Processes of emergence of systems and systemic properties. Towards a general theory of emergence (Minati G., Pessa E. and Abram M, eds.), World Scientific.

5.      Minati, G., (2008b), General theory of emergence - Beyond Systemic Generalization., In: Proceedings of the Fourth National Conference of the Italian Systems Society (AIRS),  Processes of emergence of systems and systemic properties. Towards a general theory of emergence (Minati G., Pessa E. and Abram M, eds.), World Scientific.

6.      Minati, G. and Magliocca, L.A., (2008c), Inducing Systems Thinking in consumer societiesIn: Proceedings of the Fourth National Conference of the Italian Systems Society (AIRS),  Processes of emergence of systems and systemic properties. Towards a general theory of emergence (Minati G., Pessa E. and Abram M, eds.), World Scientific.

7. Minati, G., (2007), Some new theoretical issues in Systems Thinking relevant for modelling corporate learning, The Learning Organization (TLO), Emerald, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 480-488.
8. Minati, G., (2006), Multiple Systems, Collective Beings, and the Dynamic Usage of Models, Systemist, Vol. 28(2) pp. 200-211.

9.      Minati, G. (submitted), Cities as Collective Beings. In: Proceedings (in progress) of the workshop Systemic Approach and microscale urban complexity, Polytechnic University of Milan, February 23-24, 2006.

10.  Minati, G., (2006), Time, processes and cycles. In: The New Roles of Systems Sciences for a Knowledge-based Society, Proceedings of the first World Congress of the International Federation for Systems Research (IFSR), Nov. 14-17, 2005, Kobe, Japan, pp. 417-419.

11.  Minati, G., (2006), Emergence of Collective Beings, Systemics, Collective Behaviours, Dynamic Usage of Models, In: Seventh International Conference on Computing Anticipatory Systems (Casys’05), Liège, Belgium, August 8-13, 2005, pp. 326-341.

12.  Minati, G., (2006), Some Comments on Democracy and Manipulating Consent
in Western Post-Democratic Societies. In: Systemics of Emergence: Research  and Applications, (Minati G., Pessa E., and Abram M. eds.). Springer: New York, pp.569-584.

13. Minati, G., (2006), Towards a Second Systemics, In: Systemics of Emergence: Applications and Development (G. Minati, E. Pessa and M. Abram, eds.), Springer, New York, pp. 667-682

14.  Minati, G., and Vitiello, G., (2006), Mistake Making Machines, In: Systemics of Emergence: Applications and Development (G. Minati, E. Pessa and M. Abram, eds.), Springer, New York, pp. 667-682

15. Bruno, G., Minati, G., and Trotta, A., G., (2006), Uncertainty and the role of the observer, In: Systemics of Emergence: Applications and Development (G. Minati, E. Pessa and M. Abram, eds.), Springer, New York, pp. 653-666.
16. Minati, G., (2005), General systems theory  as  theory of emergence, In: Proceedings of the 6^th Systems Science European Congress, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (ENSAM), Sept. 19-22
17. Pessa, E., Penna, M.P. and Minati, G. (2005), Collective phenomena in Living Systems and in Social Organization, Chaos and Complexity Letters, 1 (2), pp. 179-189.
18. Minati, G., (2004), Towards a Systemics of Emergence, In: Proceedings or the 48^th Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, Allen JK., Wilby J. (eds.). Asilomar, CA, 04-11, pp. 1-14
19. Magliocca, L., and Minati, G., (2004), Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation, In: Proceedings of the 48^th Annual Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences; Asilomar Conference Center, Asilomar, Pacific Grove (Monterey), California, July 9-11, 2004
20. Minati, G., (2004), Buying consensus in “free markets”, World Futures, 60(1-2):29-37.
21. Minati, G. (2004), From evolutionary consciousness to conscious evolution. Are we in control?, World Futures, 60(8):567-575.
22. Della Torre, S., and Minati, G., (2004), Conservazione e recupero del costruito, Il Progetto Sostenibile, Edicom Edizioni, 2(2):12-17.
23. Minati G., and Bruno, G., (2004), Conoscere la sistemica attraverso la matematica, In: Conoscere attraverso la matematica: Linguaggio, Applicazioni e Connessioni Interdisciplinari, Congresso Nazionale MATHESIS, Anzio, Nettuno, 18-21 Novembre, 2004, MATHESIS, Sogin, pp. 241-251.
24. Minati, G. (2003), When a call for papers is a paper: processes of emergence from physical, biological, social, political, and religious systems, In: Proceedings of the Forty-Seventh Meeting of the International Society for the System Sciences, July 7^th - 11^th , 2003, Iraklion, Crete, Greece, also available at the address http://www.isss-conference.org/pdfs/project%20for%20ISSS20031.pdf
25. Minati, G., and Abram, M, (2003), Sistemi e  sistemica, Rivista dell’Associazione Elettrotecnica ed Elettronica Italiana (AEI), vol. 90. pp. 41-50
26. Minati, G., (2002), Ethics as emergent property of the behavior of living systems. In  Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), Vol. 1, Physical Sciences Engineering and Technology Resources, Systems Science and Cybernetics: The Long Road to World Sociosystemicity, (Parra-Luna F. ed.),  EOLSS Publishers, Oxford, UK.
27. Minati, G., (2002), Music and systems architecture, In: Proceedings of the 5th European Systems Science Congress http://www.afscet.asso.fr/resSystemica/Crete02/Minati.pdf , Creta Maris Hotel, Hersonissos, Iraklion, Crete, Greece, October 16-19;
28. Minati, G., and Brahms, S., 2002, The Dynamic Usage of Models (DYSAM). In: Emergence in Complex Cognitive, Social and Biological Systems (G. Minati and E. Pessa, eds.), Kluwer, New York, pp. 41-52.
29. Minati, G., (2002), Emerge and Ergodicity: a line of research, In: Emergence in Complex Cognitive, Social and Biological Systems, (G. Minati, E. Pessa, eds.),  Kluwer, New York, pp. 85-102.
30. Minati, G., and Ricciuti, A., (2002), Balancing and compensating equilibrium deficits in beings provided with cognitive processing capabilities. Applications for disables, In: Emergence in Complex Cognitive, Social and Biological Systems, (G. Minati, E. Pessa, eds.),  Kluwer, New York, pp. 323-333.
31. Magliocca, L. A., and Minati, G., (2002), Transforming leadership through coalitions: building the ethics of sustainable development in globalization, In: Emergence in Complex Cognitive, Social and Biological Systems, Proceedings of the Second Italian Conference on Systemics, Kluwer;
32. Minati, G., (2001), Conceptual systemic frameworks for the representation of growth, development and sustainable development. The role of ethics, presented at the Centre for Systems Studies, Business School, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK;
33. Minati, G., and Brahms, S., (2001), Experimenting with the dynamic usage of models (DYSAM) approach: the cases of corporate communication and education, In: Proceedings of the 45th Annual Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences;
34. Minati, G., (2001), The Concept of Emergence in Systemics. In: General Systems Bulletin, Vol. 30, International Society for the Systems Sciences, Cookeville, USA, pp. 15-19;
35. Minati, G., (1999), La Centralità dell'etica nell'impresa, Edizioni Scientifiche e Tecniche Europee (ESTE), No. 9;
36. Minati, G., Carrozzi (1999), L., Team, Virtual Team: The experience of a virtual corporation in Italy, In: Proceedings of the 4th Systems Science European Conference, Valencia - Ibiza, Spain, Sept. 20-24;
37. Minati, G., (1999), Knowledge for beings able to design, The 3rd. International Working Conference of The Andean Institute Of Systems - IAS SISTEMICA'99: "Paradigms, Education, Culture and Technology for the Management of the (Latin American) Organizations in the 21st. Century" (Lima, Peru), June 27 - July 2;
38. Collen, A., and Minati, G., (1999), Seven activities to engage systems thinking, In: Proceedings of the 1999 Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, Asilomar (USA);
39. Minati, G., (1998), Conceptual Frameworks for the Representation of Growth, Development and Sustainable Development, In: Proceedings of the first Italian Conference on Systemics (Editor: G. Minati), Universita degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Scienze della Informazione, Milan, June 24-26;
40. Minati G., (1998), Knowledge For Beings Able To Design. Knowledge To Design Future, Fuschl Conversation, Team topic: Designing Cognitive Systems In The Systems Sciences For Human Betterment, April 19-24;
41. Minati, G., Penna M. P., and Pessa E. (1998). Thermodynamic and Logical Openness in General Systems. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 15 (3), pp. 131-145;
42. Minati, G., (1997), Production of knowledge in social systems, Proceedings of World Multi conference on systemics, Venezuela, Caracas;
43. Minati, G., Penna, M. P., and Pessa, E., 1997, A conceptual framework for self-organization and merging processes in social systems. In: Systems For Sustainability: People, Organisations and Environment, (F. A. Stowell, R. Ison, R. Armson, J. Holloway, S. Jackson and S. McRobb,  eds.), Plenum, New York, pp.271-275.
44. Minati, G., (1997), The future for beings able to design. Knowledge to design future, Proceedings of the Conference: "Paradigmas, Educacion, Cultura y Tecnologias para la Gestion de las Organizaciones en el Siglo XXI", Peru;
45. Minati, G., Penna, M. P., and Pessa, E., 1996, Towards a general theory of logically open systems. In: 3rd Systems Science European Congress, (E. Pessa, M. P. Penna, A. Montesanto, eds.), Kappa, Rome, Italy, pp. 957-960.
46. Minati, G., and Resconi, G., (1996), Detecting Meaning, In: Proceedings of the 3rd European Conference of the European Systems Union, Oct. 3-6, Rome, 1996;
47. Minati, G., (1995), Detecting Ethics in social systems, in Critical issues in systems theories and practice, Kluwer;
48. Collen, A., Minati, G., and Ciapessoni, E., (1994), Logical openness in systems, Systems Research, vol. 11, N° 2; http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/114068796/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
49. Minati, G., (1994), Uno strumento per il Semantic Information Retrieval (SIR), Synthesis, Di Renzo Editore, Rome;
50. Minati, G., (1994), Semantic Correlation System (SCS): verso la realizzazione pratica, Copyright n° 340946, Milan;
51. Collen, A., and Minati, G., (1993), Openness in a general process model or systems design in education, in NATO ASI Series, Vol. 95;
52. Minati, G., (1993), The project INTERSCIENCE. A project for semantic processing based on general systems theory, In: Proceedings of the 2nd conference of the European Systems Union, Prague;
53. Minati, G., (1992), Designing Open Systems. Language, Semantics and Systems, In: Proceedings of the 2nd European School of Systems Science, Unesco, Strasbourg (France);
54. Minati, G., (1989), A bibliography for systems theory?, In: Proceedings of the first European Conference of the European Systems Union, Oct. 3-6, Lausanne;
55. Minati, G., Sedehi H., Serra R, (1985), Some remarks about the relationship between General Systems Theory and Synergetics, In: Proceedings of the Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, Los Angeles (USA);
56. Minati, G., (1984), New Principles and technologies of Management, seminar in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Rome

 

7. CURRENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

 

• Prof. Arne Collen Ph. D., Saybrook Institute, 450 Pacific, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA, [email protected];
• Prof. Eliano Pessa, University of Pavia, Dipartimento di Filosofia, Piazza Botta, 6 (Palazzo San Felice) 27100-Pavia Italy, Tel./Phone: +39-0382-506276, [email protected]
• Prof. Giordano Bruno, Univ. "La Sapienza", Dept. Memomat-School of Engineering, Via A. Scarpa 16, 00161 Rome, Italy; [email protected]
• Prof.Giuseppe Vitello, Dipartimento di Fisica "E.R.Caianiello", Universita' di Salerno        tel. +39 089 965311 fax  +39 089 965275   84100 Salerno, Italia [email protected]
• Prof. Ignazio Licata, Full Professor of Theoretical Physics, Institute for Basic Research, Palm Harbor, Florida, US  [email protected]
• Prof. Larry A. Magliocca, Ph.D., Associate Professor & Executive Director, The Ohio State University, U.S.A. [email protected] ;
• Prof. Salvatore (Toti)   Di Gregorio, University of Calabria, Department of Mathematics  & Center of High Performance Computing, Arcavacata, 87036 Rende (CS)   Italy [email protected]
• Prof. Valerio Di Battista, Polytechnic of Milan, Vice President Faculty of Architecture, [email protected]