Event

The Results Delusion – Systems Seminar by John Thomson

Systems Seminar – by John Thomson

All wecome.

The Results Delusion

Abstract:

It is often said that any subject which requires the word ‘science’ to be placed somewhere in its name, is unlikely to be very scientific. This is unfortunately far too true for systems research in general. Every systems conference, papers are presented which show significant speedups over previous approaches to problem X, but these improvements are rarely replicated in output from industry. Why? The unpalatable answer is that a significant amount of systems research is the result of self-delusion, bad science and, I suspect occasionally, fraud.

Standards of scientific rigour in CS often fall well below what would be taken for granted in other sciences – particularly with regard to measurement of results, statistical analysis and replicability of results. I would like to do something about this, and will be presenting the idea for a new CS journal, which focuses on this exact problem. Oh, and peer review is gone too! Pitfalls abound. Would love to hear your comments, objections and advice.

Event details

  • When: 27th March 2012 13:00 - 13:45
  • Where: Cole 1.33a
  • Format: Seminar

School Seminar by Eoin Woods

The Role of the Software Architect in Industry

Eoin Woods is a professional software architect and amateur software architecture researcher, having spent over 20 years in software engineering practice and contributed a number of papers and a co-authored book to the research literature on software architecture. In this talk, he will discuss how the two worlds relate to each other, the context for software architecture provided by enterprise software development and what software architects actually spend their days doing. The aim of the talk is to provide an honest insight into the day-to-day work of an industrial software architect, while still inspiring people to become one!

Event details

  • When: 8th May 2012 15:00 - 16:00
  • Where: Phys Theatre C
  • Series: CS Colloquia Series
  • Format: Colloquium

Seminar, An Overview of the AspeKT Project – Turning Academic Excellence into Gold by Colin Adams

An Overview of the AspeKT Project – Turning Academic Excellence into Gold


Abstract


The talk will give an overview of the major elements of the AspeKT project a 3 year program funded by Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council dedicated to improving the flow of ideas between the research excellence and talent pool produced by SICSA, and local industry. It will go through the major elements of the program designed to stimulate industrial innovation and a great flow of start-ups from that research base.


Bio


Dr Colin Adams is the Director of Commercialisation at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh and the Director of the AspekT program – the knowledge transfer program for the SICSA research pool. Colin started as an academic in the 1970’s before moving to Digital Equipment Corporation where he managed the development of VAX/VMS operating system before running the office automation business and the All-In-1 product line. He then moved into Electronic Design Automation and silicon, founding European Silicon Structures , US Silicon Structures and EuCAD. He sold EuCAD to Cadence Design Systems and managed various Cadence businesses and finally running the TALITY Management Buy Out. After a brief attempt at retiring he returned to the School of Informatics at University of Edinburgh to run the ProspeKT program focusing on generating start-ups out of the talent pool there.
He also chairs 2 local start-ups: ATEEDA and Coriolis Media and is a non Exec Director for ScotlandIS. HE has a BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics and a PhD in Computer Science, both from the University of Edinburgh

Event details

  • When: 23rd April 2012 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Phys Theatre C
  • Series: CS Colloquia Series
  • Format: Colloquium