Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute Advocates Aggressive Research
Agenda to Prepare for the Software-Intensive Systems of the Future
SMART and SEI team to deliver insight into ultra-large-scale systems
PITTSBURGH, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Carnegie Mellon(R) Software
Engineering Institute (SEI) and the Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for
Tomorrow (SMART) Organization will host an expert panel of researchers,
industry, and government representatives at the SMART Ultra-Large-Scale
Systems Forum to highlight a research study the SEI led on ultra-large-scale
(ULS) software-intensive systems. The SEI originally published its findings in
a SEI 2006 report titled Ultra-Large-Scale Systems: The Software Challenge of
the Future (www.sei.cmu.edu/uls/).
The forum will take place on Thursday, March 6, 2008, from 8:00 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. in the Carnegie Mellon University Center Rangos I and II conference
rooms.
The purpose of the forum is to bring together the authors of the report
with senior-level executives in academia, government, and industry who are
involved with the development or acquisition of large, complex, software-
intensive systems to network, learn, and exchange information on how to
address the challenges associated with ultra-large-scale systems.
Linda Northrop, director of the SEI Product Line Systems Program and lead
of the ultra-large-scale systems study stresses that an aggressive research
agenda is needed now to prepare for the future and the SMART Conference Forum
provides the opportunity to educate local, regional, and national
representatives.
"Software is the least well understood and the most problematic element of
our largest systems today," Northrop said. "Government and industry need to be
prepared to build the systems of the future that will be ultra-large scale in
many dimensions. We cannot afford to wait or postpone this research."
The forum will feature a keynote speech from Dr. Thomas Killion, chief
scientist for the United States Army. Dr. Killion's talk will focus on the
ultra-large-scale issues the Army is facing now and in the future. Expert
panel members throughout the day include representatives from IBM Research,
the University of Virginia, Boeing, Virtua Health, Vanderbilt University, and
the SEI. Patricia Hoffman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office
of Electricity, Delivery, and Energy Reliability in the U.S. Department of
Energy will also participate in the morning session.
Bob Carullo, executive director of SMART says that this event is a very
good example of why the SMART Congressional Caucus founded the SMART regional
initiative. "Their intent was to support the creation of an organizational
infrastructure that would facilitate all components of the technical community
addressing S&T issues of national and international significance," said
Carullo. "Specifically, this event will bring together S&T leaders from the
Federal Executive Branch (DC HQs), Federal Labs and Field Agencies, Industry,
Academia and S&T support organizations to address the national direction for
Ultra-Large-Scale Systems. Following the technical sessions, there will be
reception to network and informally de-brief our Federal, state and local
elected officials."
Registration is open for senior-level executives from government, industry
and academia. Exhibit and sponsor opportunities of the SMART Forum on Ultra-
Large-Scale Systems are also available. For more information on this
opportunity and to register, visit the SMART ULSS website at
www.smartulss.com.
About Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute
The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is a U.S. Department of Defense
federally funded research and development center operated by Carnegie Mellon
University. The SEI helps organizations make measured improvements in their
software engineering capabilities by providing technical leadership to advance
the practice of software engineering. For more information, visit the SEI Web
site at http://www.sei.cmu.edu.
About SMART
The SMART initiative is the integration of regional Science & Technology
activities for issues, events & projects among the SMART Congressional Caucus
(41 Representatives & 8 Senators), Federal Executive Branch HQs, the four
State governments (Executive & Legislative branches of DE, MD, NJ & PA) and
the collective weight of the regional tech community facilitated by SMART, a
temporary NFP company. SMART is a national model for addressing efficient
regional solutions for national and international S&T issues.
The Federal and State efforts include creating the nation's first
legislated, interstate, regional S&T Authority that would replace the
temporary SMART NFP Company. For more information, visit
http://www.smartstates.com.
SOURCE Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute
SEI Media Relations, Kelly Kimberland, APR, +1-412-268-4793,
public-relations@sei.cmu.edu
