Proposal to NSF CPA Cluster for Supporting Student Travel to the 2nd ACM/IEEE International Conference on Methods & Models for Co-Design (MEMOCODE.04)
As computing systems are becoming increasingly complex, integrated to daily usable artifacts such as cell phones, cars, hand-held devices, medical prosthetics and other wide range of applications, the need for design methodologies which can guarantee successful integration of hardware and software, functional correctness and reliability is gaining importance. Today.s computing is no longer limited to servers, work stations and desktop computing, but they are embedded everywhere, most importantly in the medical space, as well as in the safety critical systems such as avionics control, automotive control etc. However, historically hardware and software have been built separately, and both being extremely complex, the methodologies that ensure correct construction of hardware or software are themselves research topics. Yet, we are faced with the need for formal and mathematical techniques to model and analyze systems which integrate both hardware and software, because of the increasing reliance of human society on ubiquitous and pervasive computing.
In 2003 the First International ACM/IEEE Formal Methods and Models for Co-Design (MEMOCODE) conference, for the first time, brought together researchers who apply formal methods in software engineering fields, and those who apply formal methods to design and validate hardware systems. It was felt from the panel discussions, key note talks, and informal discussions that formal method practitioners from both sides have a lot of share in terms of knowledge, experience and techniques. Also, the hardware- software co-design problem imposes an ever than before need for this symbiosis, which was the original aims of creating this series of conferences. More importantly, the US researchers present at the conference last year (in France), felt that there is a lack of research activity in this important area of formal methods in the US, compared to the initiatives and research activities in Europe. As a result, this year the conference is being held in San Diego, California, to bring more US participants, and create a forum for US researchers to exchange formal method ideas, techniques and creative initiatives. This proposal seeks financial support from NSF to support US graduate or advanced undergraduate students attending the conference for the first time, so that they get exposure to various aspects of formal methods, and recognize the importance of formal methods in system design, especially hardware/software safety critical systems. The intellectual impact of this support from NSF would be that the increased attendance of bright young students will fuel more research work in this very important area. The European community has made much more progress than their counter parts in the US due to a much less degree of interest by researchers to pursue formal methods. NSF can make substantial contribution to the enrichment of educational and research objectives of MEMOCODE. The workshop has some funding from sources other than NSF for invited speakers and other expenses. Broader Impact of the requested NSF funding is that it will provide travel support for students of US researchers, to encourage education and research in the workshop topic. The emphasis will be on funding students who do not otherwise have funding sources to attend the conference, and an attempt will be made to fund members of underrepresented groups.
