Accions del document
Practical solutions, theoretical grounds
The Modelling and Processing Information Research Group (MPI) works on conceptual modelling and information systems design, validation of data schemas and data systems as well as updating and information processing. It is an officially recognised group by la Generalitat de Catalunya, led by Dr. Ernest Teniente. MPI is based on two powerful subgroups: FOLRE also led by Dr. Ernest Teniente and the group on Conceptual Modelling (GMC) led by Dr. Antoni Olivé. Research from both groups deeply feel the need to develop something that of high quality and useful for society. They do so by developing sound theoretical and technological research with a clear practical application.
(Catalan Version)
Dr. Ernest Teniente is the head of a diverse research group, the Group on Information Modeling and Processing (MPI) at the Software Department (LSI) at UPC.
He got his degree in Computer Science ant the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) in 1989. While he still was an undergraduate student he started to collaborate with professors in the Software Department as a scholarship holder of a research project. This collaboration evolved into a PhD Thesis in 1992. After several stays abroad, at the Politecnico de Milano and at the Universita Roma Tre, he became a tenured professor at UPC. We find several subgroups under the lead of professor Teniente.
One of the MPI subgroups is FOLRE. Dr. Ernest Teniente is, since 1994, the main researchers in this group. FOLRE stands for “Facing On Towards Logic Database Rule Enforcement" but it is also the name of one of the parts in the human towers that are typical of Catalonia
The main research goal of FOLRE is problems related to data bases. In this context they work on the definition of data base schemas, in the validation of logical and conceptual schemas, validation of transformations, mappings of one data base schema into another, and in the semiautomatic generation of multidimensional data base schemas. .
FOLRE is not a large research group but has been lucky enough to recruit competitive “can do” people. Presently there are four PhD in the group as well as two PhD students: Guillem Rull and Ã’scar Romero. The first one can be proud of winning one of the Microsoft Research European PhD Scholarships in 2006, since very few researchers outside the UK have been awarded this prize and he was one out of seven researchers who got it. He does research in the validation of transformations between schemas. On the other hand, Ã’scar is going to start a stay at the Bolzen-Bolzano University under the supervision of Dr. Diego Calvanese, a reference in this field.
The researchers in FOLRE are developing techniques and methods that can become practical solutions for real problems. Translating the contents of one data base, say “customers”, into another one, say “people related to the company” usually requires knowing which part of and schema refers to and object or another or which relationship is equivalent. This is no easy task to do automatically but it is something that has to do may times along the lifer of an information system of any organization. Techniques like the ones developed by FOLRE can make this change easy and faster.
In order to reach these practical solutions, they have to start from the basics, i.e., the theoretical research, developing new algorithms and looking for deeper answers. Currently they are working on the creation of prototypes that should be able to analyze logical schemas of data bases. When users work with huge amounts of data and want to do some action, a search, let’s suppose, it is very important that the underlying data base systems perform not only semantic validations (SGBD already offers that) but that they reach a deeper level of understanding of the users’ intended actions. FOLRE works on solutions that yield a high guarantee of quality for this type of actions and interpretations. They also work on prototypes to generate multidimensional data bases. These last results will be presented at the next ER 2008 Conference.
The Conceptual Modeling Research Group (GMC) is formed by researchers from the UPC and from the Catalan Open University (UOC). There are ten PhDs and four PhD Students. Its leader is Professor Antoni Olivé, who advised professor Teniente’s Ph D thesis.
GMC is well-known internationally. This is reflected on the numerous papers they published in three of the most prestigious Conferences: the International Conference on Computational Modeling (ER), the Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE) and the International Conference on Model Drive Engineering Languages and Systems (MoDELS, before called UML). Some of these works have been selected to be published on well-known international magazines like Information systems, Data and Knowledge Engineering and Software and Systems Modeling.
One of the objectives that keeps this group together is the development of a conceptual modeling assistance tool (GMC's tool). The main goal of this tool is to provide an advanced environment to help the conceptual scheme of software systems defined by UML language (Unified Modeling Language) and OCL language (Object Constraint Language) and its later development. The importance of these tools is clear; all software improvements done during the first steps of the process will mean a better quality of the finished product.
Some of the young Ph D students and researchers at GMC have extensive international experience and perspective. For example Jordi Conesa, was at Georgia State University, Atlanta. Jordi Cabot was also at the Politecnico de Milano, Italy, and is now at the Computer Science Department of Toronto University, Canada.
Finally Anna Queralt, a Ph D student at GMC got the Best Student Paper Award given by CAiSe 2008.
So both groups, FOLRE and GMC have a young generation full of energy that are getting successes for the group.
At the moment, the Conceptual Modeling Research Group (GMC) is organizing the 27th International Conference on Conceptual Modeling (ER 2008) that will take place in Barcelona, from the 20th to the 23rd of October. L'ER is a leading forum, probably the best one in the world in relation to this field, where people can introduce and discuss all the novelties and the most important applications on the conceptual modeling field. Among the participants, you will find people like Dr. Peter Chen, the creator of the Entity-Relation Model (ER) and the Honorary Conference Chair.
The first conference, ER 2008, is the International Conference on Conceptual Modelling, a leading forum where current research and applications of conceptual modelling is presented and discussed. Some of the discussion topics are: theories of concepts and ontologies underlying conceptual modelling, methods and tools for developing and communicating conceptual models, and techniques for transforming conceptual models into effective implementations.
The Information Modeling and Processing Research group is a consolidated group with a good relationship between its members and a high professional ambition level. That is why they keep on working and dreaming of making life easier to the others by developing new software solutions with higher quality, friendlier and with more services.
(Back to the Newsletter)
Dr. Ernest Teniente
He got his degree in Computer Science ant the Barcelona School of Informatics (FIB) in 1989. While he still was an undergraduate student he started to collaborate with professors in the Software Department as a scholarship holder of a research project. This collaboration evolved into a PhD Thesis in 1992. After several stays abroad, at the Politecnico de Milano and at the Universita Roma Tre, he became a tenured professor at UPC. We find several subgroups under the lead of professor Teniente.
The main research goal of FOLRE is problems related to data bases. In this context they work on the definition of data base schemas, in the validation of logical and conceptual schemas, validation of transformations, mappings of one data base schema into another, and in the semiautomatic generation of multidimensional data base schemas. .
FOLRE is not a large research group but has been lucky enough to recruit competitive “can do” people. Presently there are four PhD in the group as well as two PhD students: Guillem Rull and Ã’scar Romero. The first one can be proud of winning one of the Microsoft Research European PhD Scholarships in 2006, since very few researchers outside the UK have been awarded this prize and he was one out of seven researchers who got it. He does research in the validation of transformations between schemas. On the other hand, Ã’scar is going to start a stay at the Bolzen-Bolzano University under the supervision of Dr. Diego Calvanese, a reference in this field.
The researchers in FOLRE are developing techniques and methods that can become practical solutions for real problems. Translating the contents of one data base, say “customers”, into another one, say “people related to the company” usually requires knowing which part of and schema refers to and object or another or which relationship is equivalent. This is no easy task to do automatically but it is something that has to do may times along the lifer of an information system of any organization. Techniques like the ones developed by FOLRE can make this change easy and faster.
In order to reach these practical solutions, they have to start from the basics, i.e., the theoretical research, developing new algorithms and looking for deeper answers. Currently they are working on the creation of prototypes that should be able to analyze logical schemas of data bases. When users work with huge amounts of data and want to do some action, a search, let’s suppose, it is very important that the underlying data base systems perform not only semantic validations (SGBD already offers that) but that they reach a deeper level of understanding of the users’ intended actions. FOLRE works on solutions that yield a high guarantee of quality for this type of actions and interpretations. They also work on prototypes to generate multidimensional data bases. These last results will be presented at the next ER 2008 Conference.
The GMC group and their scientific globetrotters
The Conceptual Modeling Research Group (GMC) is formed by researchers from the UPC and from the Catalan Open University (UOC). There are ten PhDs and four PhD Students. Its leader is Professor Antoni Olivé, who advised professor Teniente’s Ph D thesis.
GMC is well-known internationally. This is reflected on the numerous papers they published in three of the most prestigious Conferences: the International Conference on Computational Modeling (ER), the Conference on Advanced Information Systems Engineering (CAiSE) and the International Conference on Model Drive Engineering Languages and Systems (MoDELS, before called UML). Some of these works have been selected to be published on well-known international magazines like Information systems, Data and Knowledge Engineering and Software and Systems Modeling.
One of the objectives that keeps this group together is the development of a conceptual modeling assistance tool (GMC's tool). The main goal of this tool is to provide an advanced environment to help the conceptual scheme of software systems defined by UML language (Unified Modeling Language) and OCL language (Object Constraint Language) and its later development. The importance of these tools is clear; all software improvements done during the first steps of the process will mean a better quality of the finished product.
Finally Anna Queralt, a Ph D student at GMC got the Best Student Paper Award given by CAiSe 2008.
So both groups, FOLRE and GMC have a young generation full of energy that are getting successes for the group.
ER 2008 organized by the GMC
The first conference, ER 2008, is the International Conference on Conceptual Modelling, a leading forum where current research and applications of conceptual modelling is presented and discussed. Some of the discussion topics are: theories of concepts and ontologies underlying conceptual modelling, methods and tools for developing and communicating conceptual models, and techniques for transforming conceptual models into effective implementations.
Forward, always forward
The Information Modeling and Processing Research group is a consolidated group with a good relationship between its members and a high professional ambition level. That is why they keep on working and dreaming of making life easier to the others by developing new software solutions with higher quality, friendlier and with more services.
Press Contact
ilapuente@lsi.upc.edu(Back to the Newsletter)