Informatics

Finite automata are a simple model of computation, yet they offer intriguing difficulties – and results – when used in the description and analysis of infinite objects. These objects may arise as infinite-state systems, infinite computations (such as computation trees), or a combination of both. Automata serve here as a tool to make logic over infinite structures effective, which in turn has led to many applications in algorithmic verification and synthesis. The lecture offers a personal account of the development of automata theory with this focus. Starting from a historical discussion, we give an intuitive explanation of central results (regarding automata over infinite strings and trees, and infinite games), and then address some open problems on the interplay between automata theory and logic.

Professor Dana Scott, Carnegie Mellon University, presents his Distinguished Lecture entitled "Geometry Without Points". Ever since the compilers of Euclid's Elements gave the "definitions" that "a point is that which has no part" and "a line is breadth-less length", philosophers and mathematicians have worried that the basic concepts of geometry are too abstract and too idealized. In the 20th century writers such as Husserl, Lesniewski, Whitehead, Tarski, Blumenthal, and von Neumann have proposed "pointless" approaches. A problem more recent authors have emphasized it that there are difficulties in having a rich theory of a part-whole relationship without atoms and providing both size and geometric dimension as part of the theory. In this lecture, a solution will be proposed using the Boolean algebra of measurable sets modulo null sets along with relations derived from the group of rigid motions in Euclidean n-space. (Joint work with Tamar Lando, Columbia University.) This lecture was recorded on Monday 23 June at the University of Edinburgh's Appleton Tower.

Bjarne Stroustrup, creator and developer of C++, delivers his talk entitled, The Essence of C++. Stroustrup has held distinguished posts at Texas A&M University and spent significant time in the Computer Science Departments of Cambridge, Columbia and Princeton. C++ is the one of the world's most widely used technology languages and it has influenced newer languages such as C# and Java as well as older languages. Find more information on Bjarne Stroustrup and this lecture: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/informatics/news-events/lectures/bstoustrup Recorded on 28 April 2014 at the University of Edinburgh's George Square Lecture Theatre.

Professor Eva Tardos, Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Computer Science at Cornell University, presents "Games, Auctions, Learning, and the Price of Anarchy". This lecture is part of the Milner Lecture series, which recognises excellent and original theoretical work which has a perceived significance for practical computing: http://wcms.inf.ed.ac.uk/lfcs/events/milner-lectures. This lecture was recorded on 14 October 2013 at the University of Edinburgh's Informatics Forum.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, University of Southampton, delivered his distinguished lecture entitled "The Fifth Paradigm: From Open Data to Social Machines" This lecture is supported jointly by The University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics and the Farr Institute for Health Informatics. www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/informatics/news-events/lectures/nigelshadbolt Recorded on Tuesday 10 September 2013 at the University's Informatics Forum.

Professor Nick Jennings, University of Southampton, delivers his distinguished lecture entitled "Putting the Smarts in the Smart Grid". Recorded on Friday 7 June 2013 at the University of Edinburgh's Informatics Forum.

The iVentureTuesday Speaker Series features a new programme of talks given by prominent members of the business community. The programme seeks to inspire and motivate those who wish to develop their careers in different directions or have entrepreneurial ambitions. Sir Tom is the founder of Kwik-Fit, one of the World's largest automotive parts repair and replacement specialists. He has spent all of his working life in the Tyre and Automotive industry.

Guy Kawasaki speaks for Informatics Ventures on the 29 April, 2009 at the Informatics Forum, Edinburgh. Introduced by Andrew Mitchell (School of Informatics) and Crawford Gillies (Chair, Scottish Enterprise).

Guy Kawasaki speaks on 'The Art of the Start' at the Informatics Forum, Edinburgh. Kawasaki speaks of his experiences as an evangelist, entrepreneur, and most recently, as a venture capitalist who found, fixed, and funded startups.