Computer Science Newsletter May 2002

Headlines:

Academic Staff:

I am sorry to announce that Enrico Franconi has resigned w.e.f. 10.7.2002 in order to take up a post as Associate Professor at the University of Bolzano (returning to the better weather and good food of his native Italy). I am sure everyone would like to wish Enrico every success for the future.

Len Freeman will be moving over to the Department of Computer Science 100% w.e.f. 1.8.2002 but will still continue to nod distantly to his former colleagues in the Department of Mathematics.

With effect from August 2002 Steve Pettifer, Rizos Sakellariou and Ning Zhang will be reappointed to the normal age of retirement.

back to the top of the page

Research Staff:

I am pleased to welcome the following new appointments: Wykeen Seet (formerly a research student with Brian Warboys) has joined the IPG group w.e.f. 1.4.2002

Manjunath Manjunathaias has joined the APT group w.e.f. 6.5.2002 Alexandre Riazanov (formerly a research student with Andrei Voronkov) has joined the FM group w.e.f. 13.5.2002 Mikel Lujan Moreno will be joining CNC w.e.f. 1.8.2002 ... and sorry to announce the departure of Sergio Tessaris of IMG who left to take up a Lectureship with the Department of Computation at UMIST w.e.f. 31.5.2002

back to the top of the page

Honorary Appointments:

I am also pleased to welcome the appointment of John Brooke (of Manchester Computing) as Honorary Lecturer for a period of 3 years w.e.f. 1st April 2002. John is heavily involved in the e-Science North West Centre.

back to the top of the page

Research News:

Congratulations to Carole Goble and all her team who were involved in the official opening of the e-Science North West Centre on Wednesday 22nd May. I am told it was a highly successful and enjoyable day.

The Department continues to be extremely successful in attracting research funding, and the sharp rise we saw last year has been maintained this year. Congratulations to:

Paul Nutter on his TCS Programme grant for the Design Development and Manufacturing of a test product for automative fault diagnosis.

Doug Edwards whowas awarded an EPSRC ROPA Grant for Evaluating Test Vector Coverage, with me, an EC Grant ASPIDA and an EPSRC Grant for a Visiting Fellowship for Prof. Steven Nowick

Andy Carpenter who was awarded an EPSRC Overseas Travel Grant associated with the Specification of the System Level Design Language Rosetta

Alan Rector on the award of two major MRC Grants for CLEF - a co-operative clinical E-Science Framework - and associated studentships

Juergen Dix on his EC funded Grant for the WASP project

Ian Horrocks on his EC funded Grant for the MONET project

Steve Pettifer and Terri Attwood who were awarded an EC Grant for the E-Science NW Centre UTOPIA project

Norman Paton on the NESC award for the E-Science NW Centre project OGSA - Data Access and Integration Services

back to the top of the page

Postgraduate News:

Student applications for both postgraduate taught and research have been high this year both in terms of quantity and quality.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering had over 80 applications for Overseas Research Student Awards (highly competitive awards funded by UUK for outstanding overseas candidates) and put forward 39 for consideration by the University. Of these ten were from Computer Science (more than any other Department in the Faculty and equal to the number for the entire School of Engineering). The University put forward 22 of these applications to UUK (four of which were from CS) plus two reserves (one from CS) so we have done extremely well in the competition so far. UUK's decisions will be known some time in July.

The MSc timetable for 2002/3 is now on the web.

back to the top of the page

Admin Changes 2002/3

Various changes in admin duties are under negotiation; the following have been agreed already:

Paul Nutter will be taking over from Doug Edwards as Engineering Lab Manager and will be giving up his involvement in Undergraduate Visits. Mike Cunningham will be joining the Undergraduate Visits team.

back to the top of the page

UMIST Fusion:

There has been relatively little concrete information about progress on the possible fusion of the two universities as yet, but there are signs that things will begin to warm up rapidly over the next few months.

Within this Department I have formed a `task force' to worry about the issue. The membership of this group is:

• Steve Furber (Head)
• Carmel Dickinson (Admin)
• David Bree (Deputy Head)
• John Gurd (Research)
• Ian Watson (Teaching)
• Graham Gough (Department Board)
• Alan Williams (Department Board)
• Hilary Kahn (observer - member of University Academic Strategy Group)

• Stephen Barton
• Barry Middleton