Other projects
EU Pascal research network (NoE) – Pattern Analysis, Statistical Modelling and Computational Learning (PASCAL)
Period: 12/2003-11/2007
Researchers: Petri Myllymäki, Wray Buntine, Patrik Floréen, Jyrki Kivinen, Jorma Rissanen, Esko Ukkonen, Juho Rousu, Matti Kääriäinen, Taneli Mielikäinen
Funding: EU
Pascal is a Network of Excellence funded by the EU and comprising 57 European research institutions. The Department of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki is one of the thirteen core sites of the network, and a representative from the University of Helsinki has a seat in the steering committee of the network. The basic idea of the network is to gather the foremost experts on statistical modelling and machine learning in Europe.
The unit at the University of Helsinki participated actively in the network’s operations, managing to procure 2 new so-called pump priming projects and 2 thematic programmes: "Learning with Complex and Structured Outputs" headed by Juho Rousu and "Intelligent Information Access" headed by Wray Buntine. Buntine also arranged a Pascal workshop under the title "Learning in Web Search" in connection with the ICML conference. The MDL theme group (SIG) headed by Petri Myllymäki was renamed "Information-Theoretic Modeling."
Coordination of the Research Programme on Proactive Computing - (PROACT)
Period: 2/2002 – 5/2006
Researchers: Greger Lindén, Project Coordinator; Heikki Mannila, Project Manager
Funding: The Academy of Finland
The Basic Research Unit at HIIT coordinated the shared Proactive Computing project (PROACT) of the Finnish Academy, TEKES and the French Ministry of Research.PROACT funded 14 research projects with a total of 41 Finnish and French research partners. The projects last three years and started at the beginning of 2003. The research programme ended in December 2005, and its total budget was MEUR8.
Academy Professor Heikki Mannila was the managing director of the programme and Specialist Researcher Greger Lindén acted as its coordinator. The goal of the coordination was to promote cooperation between the projects that were part of the programme, as well as international cooperation with other research programmes, to arrange seminars and to inform the general public about the programme. The coordinating body also reported to the financiers about the progress of the programme.
In spring 2005, the coordinators arranged a series of lectures aimed at the general public presenting the programme projects. In June, the coordinators participated in arranging an international workshop, Context Awareness for Proactive Systemsin (CAPS). Both programme projects and other researchers in the same field attended the workshop. In December, a final seminar for the research programme was held. During the year, information on the programme has been submitted to newspapers, TV programmes and through presentations in other forums. In 2006, an international panel will evaluate the whole research programme.
Additional information: www.aka.fi/proact/