Ph.D. Activities

I was in the 2001-2003 cycle of Phd in Computer Science at Computer Science Department  - University of Pisa.

Ph.D. Courses

1. Complessità Computazionale (Computational Complexity). Prof. Bruno Codenotti, IMC, Pisa. 

• Held at CNR, Pisa in Jan-Feb 2001 

• Valuation degree 20/20

2. Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery.  Prof. Fosca Giannotti, CNUCE, Pisa. Prof. Dino Pedreschi, Computer Science Department, University of Pisa. Prof. Jiawei Han, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. 

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in March 2001
  

3.  Algebraic Semantics of Coordination. Prof. José Luiz Fiadeiro, Technical University of Lisbon. 

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in April 2001

• Abstract. We propose  an algebraic  characterisation  of the notion of coordination in the sense of recently  proposed  languages  and  computational models that provide  a clear  separation  between  the  modelling  of individual  software components  and  their  interaction  in the overall software organisation.  We show how this separation can be formalised  in a categorical  framework in which the suitability of specification logics, program design languages and  mathematical  models  of  behaviour  for supporting coordination mechanisms  can be discussed.  We further show how coordination can be formally related  to the notion of superposition, as used for parallel program design, and connectors, as used  for architectural  design.  Finally, we discuss the impact that coordination  has  on system evolution, namely on the ability for systems to be reconfigured  dynamically,  and ways of extending object-oriented modelling  languages  like the UML with coordination  primitives that support this evolutionary approach.

• Valuation degree 16/20

4. Higher Order Logic Programming: Syntactic and Semantic Tools. Prof. Jim Lipton  jlipton@wesleyan.edu, http://jlipton.web.wesleyan.edu/, Dept. of Mathematics, Wesleyan University, Middletown CT 06459-0128
   

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in July 2001.
  

5. Constraint Reasoning and Programming. Prof. Thom Fruehwirth, LMU (Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich)

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in July 2002

• Prologue - 2 hours
       Basic predicate logic and calculus
   
  Part I - 8 hours
  The family of (concurrent) constraint logic programming languages
       Constraint logic programming (incl. Prolog)
       Concurrent constraint logic programming
       Constraint handling rules
   
  Part II - 8 hours
  Constraint systems and their solvers
       Rational Trees
       Feature Terms
       Boolean Constraints
       Finite Domains
       Linear polynomial equations
       Non-Linear polynomial equations
   
  Finale - 2 hours
       Commercial applications, market and companies
       Case study Munich rent advisor on the internet
       Case study Planning wireless telecommunication
   
  We first introduce the basic ideas behind the family of (concurrent)constraint logic programming languages in a calculus-based framework.
  Constraint handling rules will be used to describe the constraint systems and their solver in a single high-level executable notation.
   
  We will present some of the most common constraint domains, their solvers and applications such as Boolean constraints for circuit design, linear polynomial equations for financial and engineering applications and finite domains for scheduling.

• Valuation degree 19/20

6. Some Computational Aspects of Geoinformatics.  Prof. Mike Worboys - Department of Spatial Information Science and Engineering University of Maine Orono, USA 

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in April 2003

• Abstract and program. Much of the early technology for spatial data handling (e.g. spatial indices, object-oriented spatial data models) is now well understood. Current preoccupations of computer scientists working with geospatial data will be the subject of these lectures. Topics will include spatial reasoning, qualitative spatial data handling, multi-contextual spatial data models and spatio-temporal information systems.
  
  1. Spatial reasoning will be approached from a formal perspective, looking at developments of Egenhofer's intersection method and the RCC calculus.
     
  2. Proper treatment of qualitative data and integration of qualitativewith quantitative spatial information is key if useful human computer interfaces with spatial databases are to be developed. 
  3. Current and future spatial information systems architectures will be multi-contextual, with data arising from many sources and having users with heterogeneous data models and purposes. The talk will develop a framework in which multiple contexts can be developed.
  4. Much useful geoinformation has dynamic and historic components, so the lectures will conclude by examining some of the recent work, including that of the European Chorochronos project, on spatio-temporal systems.
     
     

• Valuation degree 19/20

1. Linear Logic. Prof. Roberto Di Cosmo - University of Paris VII 

• Held at Computer Science Department, University of Pisa in Feb and April 2003

• Program

• Valuation degree 19/20

Schools

SNDIS 2001: Scuola Nazionale dei Dottorati di Informatica 
delle Facoltà di Scienze

21 Maggio -- 1 Giugno 2001
Centro Residenziale Universitario dell' Università di Bologna
Bertinoro (Forlì)

Taken Courses:

• Algoritmi Probabilistici (AP) (20 ore) Prof. Andrea Clementi (Università di Roma "La Sapienza")
• Sistemi Distribuiti su Larga Scala (SDLS) (20 ore) Prof. Fabio Panzieri  (Università di Bologna)
• Analisi e Verifica di Programmi via Interpretazione Astratta (AVPIA) (20 ore)  Prof. Giorgio Levi (Università di Pisa)
• Valuation Degree 20/20
  

Ph.D. Seminars

• Pierpaolo Degano - Gianluigi Ferrari: Mobility and Security (Feb-March 2001)
• My Talk: Non-interference security properties: formulation and classification in Secure Process Algebra (SPA). Papers by Riccardo Focardi and Roberto Gorrieri
  
• Roberto Barbuti - Andrea Maggiolo Schettini: Real-time systems and Timed Formalisms (March-May 2002)
• My Talk: The Timed Automata Model
  
• Roberto Grossi: Pattern Discovery (April-May 2003)
• My Talk: Introduction to Molecular Biology and computer science applications in this field.