Event

How human-human dialogue research can lead us to understand speech behaviours in human-computer dialogue: The case of lexical alignment by Benjamin Cowan, University of Birmingham.

Abstract:
Dialogue is a dynamic social activity. Research has consistently shown that our dialogue partners impact our speech choices whereby we converge (or align) on aspects such as lexical choice and syntax. With the development of more natural computer dialogue partners and the increase of speech as an interaction modality in many devices and applications, it is important that we understand what impacts how we behave linguistically in such dialogue interactions wth computers. My talk will focus on my current work looking at how design choices and computer partner behaviours affect alignment in human-computer dialogue and how this can inform the theory-based debate over what leads to such a behaviour.

Bio:
Dr Benjamin Cowan is a Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Human-Computer Interaction Centre, based in the School of Computer Science. His research is at the juncture between Psychology and Computer Science, studying how interface design affects user perceptions, emotions and behaviours in human-computer based interactions. Specifically he studies how design and system actions affect user linguistic behaviours as well as the causes and predictors of user anxiety towards social system contributions.

Event details

  • When: 25th February 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Format: Seminar

Ubicomp, Touch and Gaze by Hans Gellersen

Abstract:
Touch input and two-handed interaction were intensively studied in the mid 80′s but it’s taken 20 years for these ideas to emerge in the mainstream, with the advent of multi-touch interfaces. Gaze has been studied for almost as long as interaction modality and appears on the brink of wider use. This talk will present recent work that reconsiders touch and gaze to address challenges in ubiquitous computing: interaction across personal devices and large displays, and spontaneous interaction with displays using our eyes only.

Bio:
Hans Gellersen is a Professor of Interactive Systems in the School of Computing & Communications at Lancaster University. His research interests are in ubiquitous computing and systems and technologies for human-computer interaction. He has contributed on topics including location, context and activity sensing, device association and cross-device interaction, and interfaces that blend physical and digital interaction. In his recent work, he is particularly interested in eye movement analysis: as a source of contextual information on human activity, interest and well-being; and as a resource for interaction beyond the lab. Hans is closely involved with the UbiComp conference series which we founded in 1999, and served on the Editorial Boards of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, and IEEE Pervasive Computing. He holds a PhD from Karlsruhe University.

Event details

  • When: 11th February 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Format: Seminar

Geometrisation of first-order logic

Dr. Roy Dyckhoff will give a talk titled, “Geometrisation of first-order logic”.

Abstract:

We show that every first-order theory T has a conservative extension G_T that is a geometric theory. Reasoning problems in T can therefore be replaced by problems in G_T, where the methods of geometric (aka ‘coherent’) logic are applicable. We discuss related work by Skolem (1920), Antonius (1975), Bezem and Coquand (2005), Fisher (2007–..), Polonsky (2011) and Mints (2012).

(A formula is **positive** iff built from atoms using \exists, \land and \lor. A **geometric implication** is the universal quantification of a formula C -> D where C and D are positive. A theory is **geometric** iff axiomatised by geometric implications. Lots of mathematical theories are geometric. Reasoning in a geometric theory usually avoids the unnatural conversions of resolution-based theorem proving, and produces intuitionistically sound proofs)

Joint work with Sara Negri (Helsinki).

Event details

  • When: 21st February 2014 12:00 - 13:00
  • Where: Maths 1A Tut Rm
  • Format: Talk

Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure

Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure, or ‘how to break into a nuclear power station for fun & profit’

Dr Richard Gold, Cisco Systems, UK

Cyber Security for Critical Infrastructures such as the power grid, oil & gas pipelines and dams has become a hot topic since the Stuxnet malware attack against the nuclear enrichment centrifuges in Iran. However, due to intrinsic issues with the field of Critical Infrastructure (a.k.a., ICS or SCADA), it is difficult to deploy standard IT security solutions “as is” to these systems. In this talk I discuss the problems associated with deploying effective security processes in Critical Infrastructures, the various types of security holes which these system contain and a step-by-step approach to exploiting a Critical Infrastructure installation. Thinking from the attacker’s perspective allows us to get an insight into how these systems are vulnerable and how a potential attacker might exploit them.

Event details

  • When: 18th February 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Series: School Seminar Series
  • Format: Seminar

Evaluation of Network Resilience and Survivability: Analysis, Simulation, Tools, and Experimentation by James P. G. Sterbenz, ITTC, University of Kansas

As the Internet becomes increasingly important to all aspects of society, the consequences of disruption are increasingly severe. Thus it is critical to increase the resilience and survivability of the future networks in general, and the Internet in particular. We define resilience as the ability of the network to provide desired service even when the network is challenged by attacks, large-scale disasters, and other failures. Resilience subsumes the disciplines of survivability, fault-tolerance, disruption-tolerance, traffic-tolerance, dependability, performability, and security. After an introduction to the disciplines and challenges to network resilience, this presentation will discuss analytical, simulation, and experimental emulation techniques for understanding, evaluating, and improving the resilience of the Future Internet. This includes a multilevel state-space based approach that plots network service delivery against operational state that is the basis for both mathematical- and simulation-based analysis, and graph-theoretic complex-system approaches that embed fundamental properties such as redundancy and diversity into all aspects of network structure, mechanism, and protocols. A set of tools to help in this analysis has been developed: KU-LoCGen (Location and Cost-Constrained Topology Generation), KU-TopView (Topology Viewer), and KU-CSM (Challenge Simulation Module). Plans to experimentally evaluate resilience include using the international programmable testbed GpENI: Great Plains Environment for Network Innovation. A new composable, cross-layered resilient transport protocol (ResTP) and geodiverse multipath routing protocol (GeoDivRP) are being developed.

Event details

  • When: 28th January 2014 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Maths Theatre B
  • Series: School Seminar Series
  • Format: Seminar

Techniques for Scalable Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage

Three-Hour Research Tutorial by Peter Christen, Australian National University

Privacy-Preserving Record Linkage (PPRL) is an increasingly important topic in data management, data engineering, and data mining, as organizations in both the private and public sectors are under pressure to share, integrate, and link their data in order to allow analysis that is not possible on individual databases. At the same time, sensitive information such as personal identifying details or confidential business data need to be protected. PPRL can for example be applied to match health databases without revealing any sensitive personal details of patients, or to detect individuals that have been involved in fraudulent activities across organizations without the need to share the full, potentially confidential, databases. Research in PPRL over the past decade has developed a variety of algorithms, however the challenge of linking very large databases in privacy-preserving, scalable, accurate, and automatic ways is still an open problem. In this half-day tutorial I will illustrate the significance of PPRL through several real-world scenarios, and introduce the concepts, techniques, algorithms, and research directions of PPRL.

This tutorial was previously held at CIKM 2013. Further details at: http://cs.anu.edu.au/people/Peter.Christen/cikm2013pprl-tutorial/.

There will be a limit on numbers due to the size of the venue. Attendance is free but prior registration is required. Please contact Graham Kirby <graham.kirby@st-andrews.ac.uk> if you wish to attend.

Event details

  • When: 11th February 2014 14:00 - 17:00
  • Where: Cole 1.33a
  • Format: Seminar

An Experience of Peer Instruction

Talk by Quintin Cutts, University of Glasgow

Fed up with talking at students in one-hour chunks? Fed up with them not turning up, or falling asleep, or not remembering anything you said? Alternatively, are you fed up going to seminars where you get talked at for 55 minutes with only 5 minutes to ask questions?

Come along on Tuesday for a taste of something different. Peer Instruction (PI) is a pedagogy from the “flipped classroom” stable, where students do preparatory work before coming to lecture, and the lecture itself is more of a tutorial with lots of small-group and class-wide discussion. PI has been documented to give “times two” learning gains on standardised tests over traditional methods. Students work hard in these lectures, making your and their time worthwhile – one student said this term “I felt mentally tired after these lectures, which felt really good actually!”

I’ll run the first part of the session (at least) as if we were in a PI classroom. This will only really work if you have already at least skim-read the short three page article linked below which introduces some of the aspects of PI – saving me having to go over it again in the seminar, and allowing you to process it and be ready to grill me in the session itself!

http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2076450.2076459

Event details

  • When: 17th December 2013 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Cole 1.33a
  • Format: Talk

Enterprise First: How to Start a Tech Startup

Enterprise First is the UK’s top graduate startup accelerator, sponsored by government as well as global companies such as McKinsey, KPMG and Microsoft.
 Please see the event description below and check out the facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/451961804910008

 

How to Start a Tech Startup

Entrepreneur First is coming to St Andrews to deliver an intensive, practical workshop on how to actually start a startup as a computer scientist.
 
When: Friday 22nd November, 4-5pm.
Where: Physics Theatre C
Why: Maybe you’ve already thought of founding a startup after graduation. But, maybe you’re going into a tech company to gain experience or staying in academia to research your idea. Entrepreneur First thinks best way to build something amazing is to actually do it from Day 1. Why should you compromise? Last year 32 graduates joined Entrepreneur First and built 11 companies now worth over $35million, two of which went on to Y Combinator. Come and find out how.
 
This is the hardest, most challenging career path available, and is almost exclusively open to technical graduates. The Founders of Entrepreneur First will show you what it takes, and highlight previous St Andrews students who have gone on to create successful startups on the programme.
 
If you’re the sort of person who wants to build big, world-changing products, Entrepreneur First was designed for you. Almost everyone has strong technical backgrounds. Entrepreneur First is the only programme in the world to select individuals purely on the basis of talent, often pre idea and pre team, and give them the opportunity to build their ideas with other exceptional people.
 
Entrepreneur First is a not-for-profit backed by the City of London, McKinsey & Company, KPMG, Microsoft, Nokia, Experian, Osborne Clarke, Rackspace, Sky, SVB, and Workspace. You can read about them in the BBC, The Daily Telegraph, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Tech City News, and the Financial Times. Find out more:

Event details

  • When: 22nd November 2013 16:00 - 17:00
  • Where: Phys Theatre C
  • Format: Talk

Evolution of our existing institutional research information infrastructure : a facilitator for Open Science?

Anna Clements, Head of Research Data and Information Services, University of St Andrews.

Open Science’ seems to be one of the hottest topics around with organisations and funders from the G8 downwards stressing the importance of open data in driving everything from global innovation through to more accountable governance; not to mention the more direct possibility that non-compliance could result in research grant income drying up.
Here at St Andrews we have had an institutional research information system (CRIS) since 2006 which has evolved in tandem with the rapidly changing research policies and slower cultural shifts towards more and more open access to research outputs, outcomes and impact. But, we now face, perhaps, the biggest challenge so far in determining the extent to which Institutional infrastructure and services can support this transition to an ‘open by default’ culture. I will argue that this challenge cannot be met without researchers engaging with the debate and driving the agenda forward with the support services here at St Andrews – there is a joint responsibility very clearly articulated in the EPSRC policy framework on research data. So there will be some suggestions on what we could do by building on our existing infrastructure, including examples of best practice from elsewhere, but also an invitation to the audience for suggestions on how to respond to this incessant and increasing clamour for access to research outputs and, in particular, research data.

Event details

  • When: 19th November 2013 14:00 - 15:00
  • Where: Purdie Theatre C
  • Series: School Seminar Series