Computing & information sciences: the discipline, careers, and future directions

ABSTRACT

Computing Science refers to "the study of computers and what they can do - the inherent powers and limitations of abstract computers, the design and characteristics of real computers, and the innumerable applications of computers to solving problems". "Computing," however, is no longer a single profession; rather, it is a broad designation that extends well beyond the boundaries of traditional computer science. In this presentation, we have chosen the term computing and information sciences as a generalization of the earlier term computer science and engineering, to refer collectively to the various academic programs related to computers and to the manipulation and representation of information.Like other, more mature fields, the discipline has grown into a collection of related professions including computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information technology, and information systems. These professions are related to but different from one another, and because they need to perform well and in concert, we must think of them as belonging to one discipline. We submit that, as an overarching discipline, computing and information sciences covers a complete spectrum, being concerned with understanding (science), designing (engineering), and applying (technology) computation, in all of its aspects, for the purpose of solving practical as well as abstract (theoretical) problems.We also contend that the computing and information sciences intellectual content of these programs can be synthesized by the grouping of topics into three fundamental knowledge areas, namely Interaction, Infrastructure, and Informatics. Termed "the three I's", these concepts form the foundation of a new breadth-first Ph.D. program and are pivotal to the structure of computing curricula. Briefly, interaction concerns the design and evaluation of computer-mediated experiences. Infrastructure provides the raw hardware and software technologies from which actual systems can be constructed. Informatics bridges the gap between interaction and infrastructure by focusing on the algorithmic solutions to process the data and to provide the results required by domain experts.The purpose of this talk is to bring all these aspects together and put them into perspective as we design new programs and address new challenges in the information age economy. Currently, he is focusing his experience in software engineering in the fields of embedded, ubiquitous systems, and security.