Origiipo E, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY 9 January 2011 Dear Robert, College of Liberal Arts and PO Box 871902 Sciences Tempe, AZ 85287.1902 Fax: origins.asu.edu The ASU Origins Project is pleased to extend you an invitation to an exciting 2-day workshop entitled, "The Origins of Life: The RNA World Revisited." The workshop will be held near Arizona State University at the beautiful Tempe Mission Palms (www.missionpalms.com) February 11-13. The ASU Origins Project is happy to pay for all expenses associated with your travel and lodging. At the workshop, key experts will engage four foundational questions related to the origins of life: 1. Chemical alternatives to standard metabolism; 2. Why the RNA world?: Metabolism versus reproduction; 3. The ancient environment; and, 4. What to look for, here and elsewhere. 5. Artificial Life Unlike a traditional conference, this intimate workshop will gather a transdisciplinary collection of experts to discuss the important outstanding research problems associated with the origins of life. Such a format is in keeping with the mission of the ASU Origins Project. A transdisciplinary initiative intent on facilitating research, transforming curriculum, and engaging the public with key science issues, the ASU Origins Project has enjoyed wonderful success, which we hope to continue with this workshop. Besides yourself, and the organizers, other invitees include Chris McKay, Steve Benner, Richard Dawkins, Craig Venter, among others. We hope that both the workshop, and the associated public event, described below, should be both illuminating and enjoyable. The public event we are developing in association with the workshop should draw great attention. Building on the success of our recent "Great Debate: Can Science Tell Us Right From Wrong?" (http://thesciencenetwork.org/programs/the-great-dekat0), we are hoping to sponsor a similar event, tentatively tided, "Great Debate: What is Life?" These events allow us