Aug

28

Landmark Contributions by Students in Computer Science

Filed Under computer history, resources | Comments

There are many reasons for research funding agencies (DARPA, NSF, etc.) to invest in the education of students. Producing the next generation of innovators is the most obvious one. In addition, though, there are an impressive number of instances in our field in which undergraduate and graduate students have made truly game-changing contributions in the course of their studies.

The inspiring list in the attached PDF was compiled by the following individuals and their colleagues: Bill Bonvillian (MIT), Susan Graham (Berkeley), Anita Jones (University of Virginia), Ed Lazowska (University of Washington), Pat Lincoln (SRI), Fred Schneider (Cornell), and Victor Zue (MIT).

We solicit your suggestions for additional student contributions of comparable impact – add them as comments below and email them to Ed Lazowska.

Here’s the list!


Aug

23

Cross-layer Reliability Visioning Progress

Filed Under big science, research horizons, workshop reports | Comments

The Cross-layer Reliability Visioning Study Group met July 8-9, 2009 in Los Alamos, NM.  This was the second of three scheduled meetings focused on how to address the growing challenges imposed by changes in device technology, system sizes, and application requirements.  A major goal of the Visioning process is to reach some consensus on how to achieve reliable computing using unpredictable components across different layers that dictate system reliability (i.e., device technology, design, architecture, software).  While the first meeting focused on defining the multi-dimensional cross-layer reliability design space, including both theoretical and practical aspects of the problem, the second meeting focused on considering cross-layer reliability from different application domains (e.g., consumer electronics, space/avionics, etc.).  The attendees were divided into visioning groups to target these individual domains.  Other visioning groups focused on developing common reliability metrics to address the cross-layer abstraction issue and addressing the technology reliability roadmap.  A number of common themes across the individual domains emerged, which will help to build consensus across the community as a research agenda is defined.

The third meeting will likely be scheduled for late October, though draft vision/consensus documents are being crafted before this next meeting.  The meeting will held at IBM in Austin, Texas, and will engage leaders from funding agencies as part of the program.

Aug

10

GROE Forum in Brighton, England a Major Success

Filed Under workshop reports | Comments

Twenty researchers met in Brighton, England July 4th and 5th for the Forum to Envision the Future of Learning.  This forum was part of the CCC’s Global Resources for On-line Education (GROE) initiative.  The meeting was held to coincide with the AI in Education meeting, also held in Brighton.  A list of participants is found on the GROE page on the CCC web site http://www.cra.org/ccc/groe.php.

Under the leadership of Beverly Woolf, head of the GROE initiative, the group discussed the results of the April workshop held in Tempe, Arizona, as well as the next steps for research involving the “road map” that came out of that workshop.

This meeting provided enthusiasm, support, and new ideas for the GROE initiative.  Results of the workshop will soon be reported on the CCC’s GROE initiative web site.