Fractal geometry has become a common tool to describe objects or phenomena in which  a scale invariance of some sort exists.  The variety of scientific  applications is enormous, as such structures exist from physics to astrophysics, from biology to chemistry but also in market fluctuations  analysis.  However, up to a recent period, fractal concepts were more used to understand than to build.

The period is now appropriate to stress the importance of the practical applications of fractal objects and fractal concepts in many fields of direct importance to industry, communications, environment, and to physiology.  The meeting will thus be devoted to the main topics where fractal concepts have direct practical applications.
 
After an introduction by Benoit Mandelbrot on "The saga of fractals, from practical questions, to geometry, and back to applications" the following themes will be discussed:

1- Fractals in industry and man-made fractals:
Fractal antennae
Fractal sound barriers
Use of fractal polymeric surfaces
Fractal reactor design 
Fractal studies of heterogeneous catalysis
Petroleum research

2- Natural fractal objects: 
Fractal bronchial trees in mammals
Growth of fractal trees in nature
Optimal fractal distribution
Absolute limitations of tree distributive structures
River Networks 
Fractals and allometry

3- Applications of fractal concepts to the study of complex systems:
Image analysis and compression
Multifractal signal analysis
Scaling topology of the internet and the www
Fractal aviation communication network