The 2006 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC 2006) will be held Dec. 3-6 in Monterey, Calif., at the Monterey Conference Center & Portola Plaza Hotel. For 36 years, WSC has served as the pulse of

the simulation community. It is the world's longest-running, largest conference devoted to the concept of simulation as a discipline. While the primary focus is on discrete-event methods for model design, model execution and analysis, there is also significant coverage of hybrid and combined continuous/event-based techniques. The discipline of simulation cuts across numerous application areas, and so the conference attendee will find a rich conference with practitioners, vendors, researchers and educators.

The role of simulation is growing ever stronger within the sciences and engineering disciplines, and also plays an increasingly diverse role in the entertainment arts, historical reenactments and social organizations. Given its wide utility, there needs to be a venue that effectively collects and disseminates knowledge in simulation. WSC is that venue, and we welcome you to join us this year in Monterey.

WSC begins with a special pre-conference workshop entitled "WSC 2006 Simulation 101 Workshop" taught by Barry Lawson and Larry Leemis. The material covered includes modeling a single-server queue, Monte Carlo simulation, event scheduling, discrete and continuous random variables, output analysis and input modeling. The conference management and organizers have made it easy to add this workshop to your schedule, and it is sure to be a "can't miss" event for newcomers to the discipline, or for those wishing to refresh their technical knowledge.

There are several important events that are unique to this conference, starting with the conference keynote address by Edward Lee covering the need to strengthen the semantics for discrete event models. William Swartout delivers the military keynote address by emphasizing the need for a human-centric focus for training. James Henriksen will keynote the Titans of Simulation section, with the talk "Taming the Complexity Dragon." In addition to well-received tracks from prior years such as Modeling Methodology and Analysis Methodology, there is a new track on Modeling and Simulation in Computational Biology. This track covers the emerging fields of computational biology and systems biology, in an effort to understand how gene regulation, molecular interactions and cellular networks interoperate.

Whether you are new to simulation or a seasoned simulation practitioner, WSC 2006 has something to offer every attendee. The program is rich in simulation best practices and professional development tutorials. It is designed for professionals at several levels, including analysts who apply quantitative methods in their work, managers who select and lead technical staff, and executives who need to understand how and when simulation methods are useful.

Adjacent to Fisherman's Wharf, the Portola Plaza Hotel in Monterey is situated on one of the most scenic sections of the California coastline. The hotel is within a short walking distance of the famed Monterey Bay Aquarium. The hotel is also a short drive from Carmel, which is situated between the renowned Pebble Beach golf course and Big Sur.

WSC 2006 promises to be a world-class event for simulation and sightseeing. Refer to the Web site at www.wintersim.org for registration and hotel information, as well as all details about the conference.



Paul A. Fishwick is publicity chair for WSC 2006.

Register Today for WSC 2006 When: Dec. 3-6 Where: Monterey Conference Center & Portola Plaza Hotel, Monterey, Calif. Web site: www.wintersim.org With a packed schedule of technical tracks covering the full range of simulation areas, WSC'06 promises to live up to its reputation as the pulse of the simulation community. See the latest software solutions in the Exhibit Hall and in a special Vendor Track featuring presentations with case studies, software demonstrations and advanced training. Simulation 101: Pre-Conference Workshop When: Dec 2, 9 a.m-6 p.m. An intensive pre-conference workshop. Topics include single-server queue, Monte Carlo simulation, next-event simulation, output analysis and many more. For more details and to register, go to www.wintersim.org.