Realisations and Importance of research in Computer Science

Ann Now Rafael Bello Perez

What this talk is about

O Computer Science
O Computers for Science O eScience Network

But first: some realisations in CS within the VLIR-IUC program of UCLV

O

O
O O O O

recycling scholarships in Flemish universities 22 UCLV faculties joint research work during 1 to 3 months 25 courses by Flemish faculties in the PhD program research stays by 17 UCLV PhD students 3 joint PhDs 3 students received Flemish PhD scholarships significant infrastructure improvements the project supported the participation in 40 conferences and the presentation of 64 papers

But first: some realisations in CS within the VLIR-IUC program of UCLV

O What about the Flemish side?
O 3 joint PhDs O 3 PhDs received Flemish PhD

scholarships O Many joint publications and additional research topics

My co-author list

(top 20, taken from DBLP)

Katja Verbeeck(23) Yailen Martnez(4) Kris Steenhaut(19) Mara M. Garca(4) Peter Vrancx(18) Amilkar Puris(4) Karl Tuyls(15) Pasquale Gurzi(4) Rafael Bello(9) Yudel Gmez(4) Johan Parent(8) Tom Lenaerts(3) Yann-Michal De Hauwere(7) Yvan Saeys(3) Mihail Mihaylov(3) Maarten Peeters(6) Sven Van Segbroeck(3) Walter Colitti(6) Abdel Rodrguez(2) Yann-Al Le Borgne(4)

Computer Science A definition

O

The study of computer technology, both software and hardware.

O Software O Hardware Systems Theory Theory Software Systems SystemsHardware Systems O Computer Computer Discrete Mathematics Computer Architecture Software Engineering O Software Engineering O Computer O Algorithms Discrete Computer Networks Telecommunication O Telecommunication Mathematics Graph Theory Robotics Architecture Information Systems O Information O Computability Theory Algorithms O Systems Computer Networks Systems EmbeddedComputer Complexity Theory O Computer Networks Artificial Intelligence Networks O Graph Theory Probability Human-Computer Interaction O Artificial Intelligence O Robotics O Statistics Computability Natural Language Processing O Human-Computer Interaction Embedded Theory Cryptography O Image Processing O Natural Language O Complexity Theory Computer Aided EngineeringProcessing Systems O Scientific Computing O Image Processing O Probability O Numerical Analysis O Computer Aided Engineering Bioinformatics O Statistics O Medical Informatics O Cryptography Computational Chemistry O Simulation and Modeling

Computers for Science

O Computer science has certainly become a core discipline -- a discipline of study in itself -- and one that continues to grow. O However, a rather unique aspect of computer science is that it's not only a very broad discipline, but that it has exceptionally broad application to nearly every other discipline imaginable: Education (e-learning), Library & publishing, Biology, Medicine, Manufacturing, Transport, Defense, .

E-Science
O e-Science is about developing and applying
advanced tools within information and communication technology (ICT) in order to exploit a new mode of advancing research, complementing theory and experiments. e- Science is also about global collaboration within key areas of science, and about the next generation of infrastructures that will enable it. [2011, Sverker Holmgren, Nordforsk] O eScience, promises to revolutionise the scientific discovery process, as did the Scientific Renaissance in laying the basis for modern science. [2009 communication
from the European Commission to the European Parliament on ICT Infrastructures for eScience]

eScience Network
O Observations
O O O O

IUC project research in CS is very successful SC is a broad scientific discipline SC is very interdisciplinary SC supports other sciences, but is much more than using computers O Computer Science/ICT is recognized as a main branch by Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of Cuba O Cuba has high level ambitions in : biotechnology, pharmacy, tourism, green energy and ICT tools for industry in general.

eScience Network, Why?

O Why a network is the next step?
O Ideal way of disseminating capacity built at

UCLV O Other Cuban institutions also have capacity available

O Expertise O Infrastructure O Tight link through industry and society

O Manpower

eScience Network, But!

O Network must be well thought over
O Network should
O Reach many students from the whole of Cuba O Link with society must be guaranteed

O SC as a discipline in itself, but also as a support

for other disciplines O Trained staff and PhDs should play key role (train the trainers), but also have sufficient opportunities for further research.

eScience Network, How?

O

UCLV as a hub
O

Phase 1: Organisation of summer-schools at institutions with

O O O

Sufficient infrastructure Reach many students from whole of Cuba Link with society

by whom
O O

Cuban and Flemish staff and PhDs CS, eLearning, Library,

O O O

Phase 2: Call for PhD candidates Phase 3: Initial training of PhDs with available Cuban capacity Phase 4: Sandwich PhD training

Summer schools
O Basic idea is to bring experts together to teach

intensive courses on a topic/domain. O Mix of theory and practice (hands on experience). O Community building (on board, 1 or 2 weeks). Between students and staff, also after the summer school. O Should be in cooperation with e-learning, digital library and infrastructure. Need to store the courses (video-lectures, exercises), extra course material gathered by students, etc.

PhD selection
O Launch call for PhD proposals.
O Selection by joint Cuban-Flemish committee O Students present and defend the proposal in

English
O Relevance of the topic must be shown O Added value of sandwich PhD must be

justified.

First PhD phase in Cuba

O About 1 year
O Supervised by Cuban faculty and in

collaboration with Flemish supervisor O Reading of background material O Setting up initial experiments O Collaboration platform

Second PhD phase in Cuba

O About 3 years
O Students come to Flanders for 3 periods

of 4-6 months to work tightly with Flemish supervisor. O Attend courses, talks & local conferences

Impacts on the Cuban software industry

O To support the creation of an advanced group of

experts in the Cuban software industry. O Some results obtained by research groups in CS could lead to new software, which is developed by Cuban software industry. O The research groups in CS could develop research according to the necessity of the Cuban software industry. All these items allow to develop own know-how and consequently technological independence and novel products.