This is to inform you about some new special sessions being offered at the Midwest Sociological Society meeting to be held in Minneapolis, MN April 8-11, 1999.

We are creating an "Inventors' Fair." The purpose of the Fair is to demonstrate how innovative sociologists are putting sociology to work in a variety of settings; and further encourage the sociological imagination to invent practical solutions to real life problems. At a time when half of all Ph.D.'s will not find a job in teaching, exercising the sociological imagination in creative ways to apply sociology is paramount. Students need to learn how to use significant research findings and meaningful theoretical insights to invent new solutions.

The Inventors' Fair will feature three components:

1. "Inventors' Fair: Sociology in Action" - Poster displays and presentations of existing programs demonstrating Sociology in Action. 2. "Inventors' Fair: Student Proposals" - Student submissions of innovative ideas to solve Social and Organizational Problems. 3. "Inventors' Fair: Charette - Professional Problem Solving Demonstration" - Teams of Professionals competing to develop the best solution to a specific problem.

Inventors' Fair: Sociology in Action -- Professional Exhibition and Special Session The Inventors' Fair will be a chance for persons engaging in social practice to share their inventions and innovations. Contributors are asked to display examples of their work in an exhibition format. They will also prepare a short three-minute summary presentation to be given during a special session. The Fair would be made up of small displays (similar to those found in poster sessions) exhibiting these innovations and how they have been applied in practical settings.

Exhibits settings are intended to cover the range of sociological practice, including community development, policy analysis, the private sector, organizational design, evaluation, conflict resolution, social movements, solutions to social problems, prevention and alternatives. The session is meant to expose session participants to the variety of contributions being made by social activists and sociological practitioners. Your ideas about people to recruit as exhibitors are needed.

Inventors' Fair: Imagining Solutions to Social or Organizational Problems -- Student Paper Submissions and Special Session Student submissions of ideas for solutions to social or organizational problems should be no more than one page in length. If accepted, students should prepare a three minute summary for presentation in a special session.

Both graduate and undergraduate of designs for new social inventions are welcome. This is a perfect opportunity to get you students involved. In fact, this project could be designed into a variety of classes including social problems, applied sociology, prevention, organizational design, and advanced sociology classes. The best ideas could then be submitted for the Inventors' Fair. Ideas for solutions can be of a wide variety. For example, problems might include delinquency, drugs, cigarette smoking, absenteeism in the workplace, sexual harassment, improving community attitudes, decreasing minister turn-over, designing an after school program, domestic violence, day care, improving medical service, improving ministerial retention, increasing grades in a sorority, affirmative action, poverty, racial problems, and office romances.

Inventor's Fair: Charette -- Problem Solving Demonstration -- Teams of Professionals in Special Session At a prior session, teams with be each given the same social or organizational problem to solve. They will then prepare a design solution to present in a special session the next day. At architecture conventions, charettes are normally used so professionals can demonstrate their abilities. Teams are given an assignment and then present their designs to the group. These designs will be evaluated and rated by a panel of professionals who work in various applied/social policy areas. If you would like to be on a team, contact Scott Magnuson Martinson at Normandale Community College. (9700 France Avenue South Bloomington, MN 55341) (e-mail: s.magmar@nr.cc.mn.us)

Sessions are being co-sponsored by the Social Action Committee and the Association for Humanist Sociology. We hope that these new sessions will increase the presence of sociological practice and allow persons who are practicing or are interested in the applications of sociology and social activism to become aware of the work of others. Sessions will also provide an opportunity for persons interested in the application of sociological principles and social activism to meet one another. Submissions to each session can be sent to addresses below. Thank you for your time and we hope that you can inform others in your department about these sessions. Sincerely,

Bill Du Bois Ph.D Department of Sociology South Dakota State University Brookings, SD 57006 E-mail: dubois@itctel.com

Gary David Department of Sociology Wayne State University Detroit, MI 48202 E-mail: gdavid@uwcs.org