Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2006-02-06
NSF Support for Semantic Web Research
Frank OlkenNational Science Foundation
CISE/[email protected]
Presentation toSICOP Special Conference
Falls Church VA
Feb. 6, 2007
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 22006-02-06
What is Semantic Web Research?
Description Logic (OWL, etc.) Resource Description Framework (RDF) Ontologies, Ontology Building Tools, etc. Logic and Inference Engines Query Languages over RDF, etc. (SPARQL) Rules Languages, Inference Engines
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 32006-02-06
Semantic Web Funding at NSF
NSF is routinely funding semantic web research proposals as part of its
normal research programs and solicitations.
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 42006-02-06
Semantic Web Proposals Funded by NSF (active awards)
25 awards= “semantic web” in title/abstract 88 awards = “semantic” and “web” in title/abstract 86 awards = “ontology” in title/abstract 16 awards = “ontology” in title only 43 awards = “semantic” in title only 272 awards = “semantic” in title/abstract
Many of these are traditional linguistics or programming language semantics
26 awards = “knowledge representation” in title/abstract Total IIS active awards = 1,000
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 52006-02-06
Examples of NSF Supported Semantic Web Research
Marine Metadata Initiative uses OWL encoded ontologies for metadata
attributes, taxonomies, ... Microbial Genome Sequencing: Gene
Ontology Terms for Standardized Annotation of Plant-Associated Microbe Genomes standardized terms for describing all the functions
of genes in living organisms (extensions of Gene Ontology (GO))
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 62006-02-06
More Examples of NSF Supported Semantic Web Research
BIOPAX Uses OWL for data interchange standard for
biopathways (metabolic, signaling, gene regulatory networks) data
Workshop on Web Service Discovery & Composition Uses OWL-S to specify web services
Formal Theory of Distributed Ontologies for Semantic Web
QPQ: An Open Source Deductive Software Repository
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 72006-02-06
More examples of NSF funded Semantic Web Research
Scalable Querying and Mining of Graphs graph query algorithms for RDF, etc.
TANGO: Table Analysis for Semiautomatic Generation of Ontologies analyses tables in web pages to construct
ontologies Deductive Integration of Heterogeneous
Biological Data Sources
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 82006-02-06
More examples of NSF funded Semantic Web Research
Encoding Rights, Permissions and Obligations: Privacy Policy Specification and Compliance Uses ontologies, modal action logic, deontic action
logic for privacy policy specifications and compliance checking
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 92006-02-06
Funding of Semantic Web Proposals by NSF Divisions
CISE/IIS – DM, KM, IR, science informatics, ecoinformatics, AI, machine learning, ...
CISE/CCF -theory CISE/CNS – systems SBE/BCS – e.g., linguistics BIO/DBI – bioinformatics OCI – cyberinfrastructure OCE - Oceanography
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 102006-02-06
Why does NSF care about semantic web technologies?
Formalization of scientific knowledge Facilitate sharing of scientific data Facilitate access to scientific data and knowledge Natural language processing (information extraction,
digital libraries, ...) Support for digital government (semantic rules
languages, disaster support, ...) Support for machine learning Support for math/science education
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 112006-02-06
Debates about semantic web research
Skepticism about adoption of semantic tagging by the masses (and the quality of the tagging) NSF is concerned about scientific / govt uses, not MySpace.
Skepticism of semantics by most of the database research community: Still somewhat an issue, because semantic proposals often
go to to panels dominated by DB researchers. Progress in adding more semantic web researchers to panels.
Skepticism about scalability of semantic search and inference engines Open research issue ...
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 122006-02-06
More debates about semantic web research
Description Logic vs. First Order Logic Heated debates in KR research community about whether
description logics are adequate or whether FOL or other logics should be used.
Scalability and structuring of rule bases Concerns about the software engineering of large rule bases
(or collections of logic axioms). Efforts to partition such large rule bases / logic axiom collections (cf. Cyc's microtheories, etc.) This remains an open research topic.
Poor Quality Ontologies Ontology development and assessment remains difficult,
rare skill. Some progress (e.g., Ontoclean), clear need for more research and more training of practitioners.
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 132006-02-06
More debates about semantic web research
Ontology Merging is very very hard: Currently subject of research, see Ontoclean work,
also work by Joslyn, et al. on use of partial orders.
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 142006-02-06
Jeanette Wing named to head CISE at NSF
CISE = Computing, Information Science and Engineering Directorate
Dr. Jeanette Wing (CMU) is new head of CISE Consultant now, full time by July 1, 2007 Prof. Wing is an outspoken researcher and
advocate of formal methods in CS “type checking as the generalization of
dimensional analysis ...” suggests an interest in expanding semantics of type systems
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 152006-02-06
Where to apply for NSF funding for semantic web research?
CISE/IIS Division III (Information Integration and Informatics)
Funds data management, information retrieval, knowledge management, digital libraries, digital government
RI (Robust Intelligence) Funds machine learning, artificial intelligence, speech,
vision, ... CISE CNS Division (systems) CISE CCF Division (theory)
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 162006-02-06
Where to apply for NSF funding for semantic web research?
Biology, Geosciences, ... directorates Fund domain specific ontologies for their specific
research areas May fund software tools for particular research
areas – e.g., bioinformatics sequence annotation, ...
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 172006-02-06
Where to apply for NSF funding of semantic web development?
CISE/CRI Funds infrastructure for computer science research
OCI (Office of CyberInfrastructure) Funds software development for tools of use to
broad scientific communities (biology, etc.) Anticipates funding data exchange standards and
domain specific ontologies Note: CRI and OCI support infrastructure,
not direct research support !
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 182006-02-06
Proposal Deadlines for 06-572
NSF 06-572 Program Solicitation Deadline for small (<$450K) proposals was Dec. 6,
2006 Deadlines for large ($900K-$1.8M) and medium
($450K-$900K) proposals have past (Oct/Nov) Only one solicitation for IIS division this year Future solicitations expected annually with similar
deadlines.
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 192006-02-06
Contact Information for NSF CISE / IIS / III Frank Olken, [email protected]
data semantics, data/ontology integration, workflow, eng./sci. informatics, metadata registries, ...
Maria Zemankova, [email protected]
Knowledge management, information retrieval, workflow, vizualization, ... Sylvia Spengler, [email protected], III Cluster Leader
Ontologies, bioinformatics, ... Steve Griffin, [email protected]
Digital libraries Larry Brandt, [email protected]
Digital government Le Gruenwald, [email protected]
Data management, security and privacy, ...
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 202006-02-06
Contact InformationNSF/CISE/IIS
Tanya Korelsky, [email protected] Natural Language Processing
Edwina Rissland, [email protected] Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Representation
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 212006-02-06
Contact InformationNSF Office of Cyberinfrastructure Chris Greer, [email protected]
Data Management cyberinfrastructure, bioinformatics, data collections
Kevin Thompson, [email protected] Software / middleware cyberinfrastructure
To be hired, Additional staff in data collections, knowledge
management
F. Olken, NSF Funding of Semantic Web 222006-02-06
Contact Info for Speaker
Frank Olken National Science Foundation CISE Directorate / IIS Division / III Cluster 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1125 Arlington, VA 22230 Email: [email protected] Tel: 703-292-8930 (receptionist) Tel: 703-292-7350 (direct) Cell: 510-703-2764 (does not work within NSF)
