The University of Southampton

Published: 22 November 2012
Illustration

Professor Bashir Al-Hashimi, Associate Dean Research in Physical and Applied Sciences at the University of Southampton, and member of the Electronic and Software Systems (ESS) research group, has been internationally recognised for his leadership of one of the world’s biggest conferences in embedded systems and electronic design automation.

Bashir has received three awards for his role in making Design, Automation and Test in Europe (DATE2011) one of the most successful events for the design and test of electronic systems in the world. He was the General Chair of the conference and exhibition that was held in Grenoble, in France, in March 2011, and attracted 40 per cent more attendees than previous conferences.

He was given the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Council on Electronic Design Automation award for significant service as 2011 DATE General Chair, the IEEE Computer Society award for significant service as 2011 DATE General Chair, and the European Design and Automation Association Fellow status for outstanding performance servicing DATE. He has also been elected to the main board of the European Design and Automation Association.

Professor Al-Hashimi has said: “I am honoured to have received these awards for my work as General Chair of the DATE2011 conference and exhibition. The conference is a significant event in the global design and test of electronic systems and I am proud and delighted that during my leadership nearly 2,300 more attendees benefitted from the expertise on offer at the convention.”

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo
Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 23 November 2012

The future of cyber security research has been placed in the capable hands of experts at the University of Southampton following the opening of a new Academic Centre of Excellence.

Led by Professor Vladimiro Sassone, a leading figure within the University’s Web and Internet Science Group, the Centre draws on expertise from across the University including Electronics and Computer Science, Mathematics, Law, Management and Psychology.

Southampton is one of eight UK universities identified to help make the country’s government, businesses and consumers more resilient to cyber-attack by extending knowledge through original research and providing top quality graduates in the field of cyber security. The Academic Centre of Excellence status was awarded by GCHQ as part of the government's national cyber security strategy in partnership with the Research Council UK's Global Uncertainties Programme, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Each of the new Centres will receive a £50,000 capital investment and will benefit from closer collaboration with GCHQ and the UK Cyber Community and industry. The research conducted will support the drive for better cyber protection for the UK government and enable businesses and consumers to safely benefit from the huge opportunities offered in cyberspace.

“We are very pleased to have our world leading research in cyber security recognised through the awarding of this 'Centre of Excellence' status,” said Professor Sassone. “Our well-integrated research portfolio links together aspects of internet privacy and trust, super-identity and access control, and secure hardware devices in one full circle.

“This places the University of Southampton in a unique position. Online activities underpin a growing range of day to day activities and there is a real need to ensure that users are supported in their online transactions and behaviours. Issues span the robustness of our national security and economic processes, to the security of digital information held by government and public bodies, and recognise the technical, legal, ethical and social responsibilities around our own personal privacy,” Professor Sassone continued.

Speaking at the formal launch in Southampton, Professor Don Nutbeam, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton said: “Our existing world –leading research in cyber security is being recognised through the award of the EPSRC GCHQ Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research to our University and I would like to congratulate Professor Sassone and his team on this great achievement. The new Centre will give us the opportunity to further develop work we’ve been engaged in for quite some time in this crucial area of research – to foster innovation and provide top quality graduates in the field.

“Southampton is very proud to be one of just eight centres based at UK universities identified help the UK’s government, businesses, consumers and universities to be more resilient to cyber-attack and help us all to benefit from the huge opportunities that we know exist from our internet-connected world.”

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo
Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 27 November 2012
Illustration

Two of the world’s leading experts in Web Science from the University of Southampton have been named in a definitive list of the real movers and shakers in UK IT.

Computer Weekly’s third annual ‘UKtech50’ features Professor Dame Wendy Hall and Professor Tim Berners-Lee amongst the country’s top CIOs, industry executives, public servants and business leaders driving the role of technology in the UK economy.

For Dame Wendy, Dean of Physical and Applied Sciences at the University of Southampton, the accolade comes just months after she was named as the second most influential woman in UK IT also awarded by Computer Weekly. The ‘UKtech50’ was decided by an expert judging panel representing every aspect of the IT profession alongside a reader vote to determine who holds the most influence over the future of the UK IT sector in 2013.

Dame Wendy (at number 30) and Professor Berners-Lee (at number 26) were selected on the basis of their influence on the development of UK IT, their achievements over the past 12 months, their profile and authority in UK IT, their leadership and experience and the potential for their influence to grow in the next year and beyond.

“I'm delighted and flattered to be included in such a distinguished list” said Dame Wendy. “I’m particularly pleased to have my academic contribution recognised in a list that features so many big hitters from industry. It demonstrates the impact it is possible to have in the world of industry from an academic position and will hopefully encourage other academics not to be afraid to take an entrepreneurial approach to their work whilst still aspiring to achieve excellence in research and teaching.” Dame Wendy has held many leadership roles in addition to her academic research in computer science, in the development of the World Wide Web and, more recently, in establishing and developing the new discipline of Web Science.

With Professor Berners-Lee and fellow Southampton Professor Nigel Shadbolt, she co-founded the Web Science Research Initiative in 2006. She is currently a Director of the Web Science Trust which has a global mission to support the development of research, education and thought leadership in Web Science.

She was President of the British Computer Society; the first non-North American to be President of the Association of Computing Machinery, the world's largest organisation for computer professionals; a member of the Prime Ministers Council for Science and Technology; Senior Vice-President of the Royal Academy of Engineering; and a member of the Research Council of the European Research Council.

In the 2009 UK New Year’s Honours list, Dame Wendy became a Dame Commander of the British Empire and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society later the same year. She holds several non-executive director positions including most recently being appointed to the board of Idox plc. Professor Berners-Lee is best known as the man responsible for inventing the World Wide Web. In 1989, he proposed an idea to integrate hypertext, through the code now behind every Web page, with the internet and personal computers as a way of sharing data and information throughout CERN. The following year he implemented the first successful communication between a hypertext client and server via the internet. From there, that idea quickly grew in to the dominant global industry that is the World Wide Web in the 21st century.

Professor Berners-Lee is the 3Com Founders Professor of Engineering at MIT and in 2004 became a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southampton. He is a co-director of the government’s new Open Data Institute, along with Professor Nigel Shadbolt, which aims to nurture new businesses to exploit the Government’s open data releases.

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 30 November 2012
Illustration

The University of Southampton has won the coveted award for Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year at the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) awards for the second successive year.

The award recognises the benefits of the University’s Open Data Service http://data.southampton.ac.uk/, which provides open access to University data to help improve the life of the University community and our visitors while increasing the transparency of our operations.

One of the judges, Chris Cobb, Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary at the University of London, said that Southampton’s development of open standards was going from strength to strength. “This innovation demonstrates a practical application for their web service protocols – a real case of ‘walking the talk’ and leading by example. It’s even more impressive that it’s been adopted so widely on campus.”

Chris Gutteridge, a member of the University’s iSolutions technical innovation and development team in the Faculty of Physical and applied sciences, and the architect who designed and built the data.southampton.ac.uk website, collected the prize at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. “We’re very proud of what we have achieved in creating the University of Southampton’s Open Data Service,” said Chris.

“The reason this service has been a success is that we've had by-in and support at all levels, from students and the student union, the academics, the professional services, the Web and Internet Science Research Group (WAIS) and right up to the senior management. It's the positive culture at the University that has enabled us at every step.

“The tools and techniques we used, and in many cases built, are all open source and while this initiative might be ground-breaking now we envisage that in a few years’ time this is going to be business as usual for all organisations, just like having a website is in 2012.”

The data the University is making available under an open government licence via the Internet and through associated applications is transforming student life. “The open data site tells students what’s on (the Events Calendar combines 73 different information feeds to provide a comprehensive overview of university activity), where things are (interactive maps show all teaching, leisure and catering facilities and links to all the data about them) and even how to get there (with real time bus data from the Council linked to maps showing bus stops).

“By drawing data from other open data sources, such as Unistats, we have linked information about our courses with NSS scores and other key data, giving prospective students more information than ever before, and easily available in one place,” Chris concluded. “We are also extending the benefits to academic peers and industry who can also use data.southampton.ac.uk to find out more about the University’s research facilities and major items of equipment, which could lead to future collaborations and arrangements for working more closely together on academic and commercial projects.”

In 2011, Southampton won the THE Award for Outstanding ICT Initiative for the innovative Synote web-based annotation tool, which makes multimedia resources easier to access, search, manage and exploit for learners, teachers and other users.

The University of Southampton was also short-listed for this year’s THE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development for the Uni-Cycle project. This scheme enhances the University’s commitment to increase recycling and reduce its environmental impact by refurbishing unwanted and donated bikes from around Southampton and putting them back into active use.

Professor Don Nutbeam, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, said: “The University of Southampton is exceptionally proud and delighted to have received these nominations and to win the award for Outstanding ICT Initiative. This is a reflection of the outstanding effort and continual dedication of our staff, and the pioneering work going on in Southampton.”

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 4 December 2012

The Open Data Institute (ODI), founded by University of Southampton Professors Nigel Shadbolt and Sir Tim Berners-Lee, opens officially today.

Based in Shoreditch in East London's Tech City, the world-leading ODI will become the 'go to' venue for those seeking to create new products, entrepreneurial opportunities and economic growth from open data.

It will promote innovation driven by the Government’s Open Data policy, helping the public sector use its own data more effectively and developing the capability of UK businesses to exploit the commercial value of open data.

The ODI’s work will be presented to Cabinet Office Minister, Francis Maude, who says: “The creation of the Open Data Institute – the first organisation of its kind in the world – underlines our determination to maximise the potential of data as a material for economic and social growth. The ODI, and the expert team assembled there, are already helping to foster a new generation of innovative businesses built on open data, and to develop the specialist skills among data technologists that will see the creation of new products and services. We look forward to working with them to make data more readily available and accessible, and to further cement the UK’s position as an international leader in open data.”

The ODI was announced in last year’s Autumn Statement. It is receiving partial funding from the Government’s Technology Strategy Board (TSB) – £2m a year over five years. The organisation was the brainchild of Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Professor Nigel Shadbolt and has been substantially supported through its start-up phase with resources and services from the University of Southampton.

ODI Chairman and Southampton Professor of Artificial Intelligence, Nigel Shadbolt says: “I’m delighted to see our vision for the ODI made real. A world first, the ODI demonstrates both UK commitment and leadership. It shows what becomes possible when you make data available and build the conditions for people to use it to create new products and services. The ODI will be a catalyst for business, innovation and greater openness.”

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and Chair of Computer Science at the University of Southampton, adds: “People are looking to the UK as being a leader. A lot of people have come to me since they heard of plans to launch the ODI with questions about how they can launch one in their own country. I think it’s great to have somewhere to centralise a lot of experience, a lot of the brilliant work that people have been doing in this area both within the UK and in the international community. This is just the start of amazing things that are going to happen in this space.”

Current research by Deloitte reveals key features of an evolving open data market. As part of its start-up activities, the ODI has been working with business experts to assess the landscape.

The Deloitte analysis reveals that:

• The UK is leading the world in open data. Whilst data.gov.uk (in which Professors Shadbolt and Berners-Lee had a key role in its development) does not have the same quantity of data as government open data sites in countries including the US and France, in the period studied by Deloitte, data.gov.uk received more daily visits than either data.gouv.fr. or data.gov.; • Between January 2010 and September 2012, demand for open data on data.gov.uk, measured by the average number of page views for each dataset, has grown by 285 per cent; • There are significant variances between supply and demand for open data in different industry sectors; • As the environment develops, businesses are organising themselves in to five key “archetypes” based on the ways they use open data. Costi Perricos, Deloitte Analytics public sector leader, says: “Data has been referred to as the new raw material of the 21st century. Used wisely, open data can create opportunities for individuals and organisations, both in the public and private sectors, to make more informed and more effective decisions about the issues facing them today. While the open data market is still relatively immature in the UK, demand appears to be increasing. As a result of the rapid growth and availability of data today, we can expect to see a new generation of online citizens and businesses emerging.”

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 6 December 2012
Illustration

Professor Paul Lewin of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) at the University of Southampton has been honoured for his contributions to high voltage cable engineering by being named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

Paul joins an elite group of engineers and researchers from around the world who are recognized by the IEEE for their outstanding contributions for the benefit of humanity and the profession within one or more of a wide variety of areas that include aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications, biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics.

Elevation to Fellowship of the IEEE follows a rigorous evaluation procedure. The IEEE has more than 400,000 members in 160 countries and after a rigorous evaluation procedure Paul is one of just 298 new Fellows for 2013.

Paul has been at the University of Southampton since 1989. He was awarded a Chair in 2010 and is now Professor of Electrical Power Engineering. Since 2002 he has been head of the Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory that is recognised internationally as a centre of excellence for its research into high voltage phenomena, dielectric materials and condition monitoring.

His research interests and contributions in the general area of high voltage cable engineering focus on condition monitoring techniques for high voltage polymeric cables, methods for rating transmission cables, future cable insulation systems and measurement techniques for the study of dielectric phenomena.

He has contributed to international standards and his work has been of benefit to the electrical transmission and distribution industry that has continually funded his research.

In 2007 Paul was asked to chair IEEE International Conference on Solid Dielectrics, in Winchester. He is currently an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions: Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, has agreed to chair a large international conference in Seattle, USA in 2015, and been elected Vice-President (Technical Activities) of the IEEE’s Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society for 2013. He is also the UK representative on several European and international working groups concerned with standards for electrical measurements.

Paul said: “This is a great honour but is not just down to me. We have built a fantastic multidisciplinary research team within the Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory with world-class resources and have attracted a lot of industrial support to fund our activities. I have been fortunate to work with many distinguished colleagues from around the world, as well as at Southampton, and have been supported by excellent research staff and students.”

Professor Neil White, Head of Electronics and Computer Science, said: “Not only is this a notable individual recognition of the research contributions of one of our professors, but it is an excellent endorsement of the strength of our research and its international reputation in the area of high voltage engineering.”

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 11 December 2012
Illustration

For the second year running, a student from Electronics and Computer Science was a finalist in the prestigious award for UKESF (UK Electronic Skills Foundation) Scholar of the Year.

Samuel Hipkin, who is in the final year of his MEng degree in Electronic Engineering, was one of the two finalists for this year's UKESF Scholar of the Year, an annual award made to the most outstanding student on the UKESF programme. The programme aims to ensure the strong future of electronic engineering in the UK, and provides scholarships and summer placements with some of the UK's leading electronics companies. Samuel spent his summer placement working with ARM in Cambridge and will be joining the company on graduation in 2013.

Last year both students in the final of the competition were from ECS - Adam Malpass (who won the award and now works for Dialog Semiconductors), and Tom Dell (who now works for McLaren), both of whom graduated MEng Electronic Engineering with First Class Honours in July 2012. This year the award was won by Rares-Mihai Popa of Edinburgh University.

'It is an outstanding achievement for ECS to have provided three out of the four finalists in the UKESF Scholar of the Year competition', said Professor Neil White, Head of ECS. 'We strongly support the UK Electronic Skills Foundation and its aims of promoting Electronics. Many of our students have benefited from the Scholarship programme, as well as from the summer placements and summer school, and many of the companies involved in the programme will be attending our annual Careers Fair in February 2013. Many congratulations to Samuel on his success in the programme.'

**********

For further information on this story contact Joyce Lewis.

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Published: 13 December 2012

PROV a worldwide specification for provenance of information on the Web has reached a key milestone on the road to standardisation thanks to the work of an international group led by a University of Southampton professor.

Professor Luc Moreau, from Web and Internet Science in Electronics and Computer Science, is co-chair of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) provenance working group that is looking to define a standard for provenance on the Web.

W3C is an international community that sees organisations, staff and public working together to develop Web standards. It was founded by the inventor of the World Wide Web and University of Southampton Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee and aims to lead the Web to its full potential.

Luc has been leading the Provenance working group that has just published specifications for provenance of Web information as Candidate Recommendations. This is a major milestone before becoming a standard.

The PROV standard will provide the structure of a computer-processable audit trail that is capable of describing the origins of information. This audit trail will help people understand where their information has come from and whether it can be trusted.

Luc said: “The W3C Provenance working group that I co-chair has been working very hard to develop a standard for provenance on the Web. By publishing our specifications as Candidate Recommendations the community can review our proposed standard, implement it and make comments up until the end of January 2013.

“It is important that a standard for provenance is developed because it will help users determine whether they can trust data and documents on the Web. On the Web, where information is mashed up and republished, where we can trust sources more than others, provenance will allow users to decide whether information is authentic.”

After comments close at the end of January the specifications will become Proposed Recommendations before being finally endorsed by the W3C Advisory Committee.

To read the W3C PROV working group Candidate Recommendations in full go to:

Overview of the provenance specifications

Primer on PROV

PROV Data Model, Candidate Recommendation

Provenance Working Group page

Articles that may also interest you

Share this article FacebookTwitterWeibo

Pages