About our events
Our main events are a series of talks held by invited speakers on a relevant area of their expertise, which are open to all members of the university. Our speakers have included leading academics in their fields, as well as highly successful entrepreneurs representing technological companies. The talks are open to all members of the University: free for CUCaTS members and £2 on the door for non-members.
The talks are normally on Thursdays from 6pm until 7pm (although talks are not necessarily weekly; see below). Refreshments will be served starting 15 minutes before the talk. Talks are normally followed by formal with the speaker. If you are interested in attending formal after a particular talk, contact us. Formal tickets are normally £9.15 subject to availability, including wine courtesy of CUCaTS; we suggest that you email at least 7 days in advance to ensure availability.
Upcoming events
Fri 14 Jun 2013, 4:00pm | TBC
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We're proud to announce that, taking the first inductive step towards tradition, the Second CUCaTS Puzzlehunt will be held, once again, at the end of Easter Term. The Puzzlehunt is a team puzzle-solving and treasure-hunting competition. Like last year, it will be held in Cambridge - all of it! - over the course of 24 hours. The provisional time interval is Friday 14th June through to Saturday 15th June, i.e. the Friday and Saturday at the start of May Week.
To give you a better idea of what to expect, we have now finally written up an overview, including puzzles and solution notes, of last year's puzzlehunt.
PuzzlehuntWe're proud to announce that, taking the first inductive step towards tradition, the Second CUCaTS Puzzlehunt will be held, once again, at the end of Easter Term. The Puzzlehunt is a team puzzle-solving and treasure-hunting competition. Like last year, it will be held in Cambridge - all of it! - over the course of 24 hours. The provisional time interval is Friday 14th June through to Saturday 15th June, i.e. the Friday and Saturday at the start of May Week.
To give you a better idea of what to expect, we have now finally written up an overview, including puzzles and solution notes, of last year's puzzlehunt.
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Past events
Click on an event to expand the detailed representation and access additional data such as talk slides and photos.
| Wed 01 May 2013, 8:00pm | Computing and Technology Pub Social | |
Wed 01 May 2013, 8:00pm | The Mitre, Bridge Street
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The first pub social of term will be held this coming Wednesday and promises to provide an excellent break from exam revision. Members will be at The Mitre, on Bridge Street, from 8pm onwards. As always, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
Computing and Technology Pub SocialThe first pub social of term will be held this coming Wednesday and promises to provide an excellent break from exam revision. Members will be at The Mitre, on Bridge Street, from 8pm onwards. As always, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
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| Wed 13 Mar 2013, 1:30pm | 4th Annual General Meeting | |
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This year's Annual General Meeting is set to take place on Wednesday 13th March at 1:30pm. Most of the current committee are (reluctantly!) graduating out this year, so we are looking to fill most of the positions! If you think inviting famous speakers, going to free formals, commandeering a horde of minions and hoarding mugs with cat pictures on them is the right thing for you, there is only a handful of votes standing between you and fulfilment :)
We will conduct a review of the last year, followed by the much-anticipated elections for the next committee. For the purpose of nutrition, copious amounts of pizza shall be ordered.
Join us if you are thinking of running for the next committee, would like to make your vote heard, or just want to see what the fuss is all about and ... (more)
4th Annual General MeetingThis year's Annual General Meeting is set to take place on Wednesday 13th March at 1:30pm. Most of the current committee are (reluctantly!) graduating out this year, so we are looking to fill most of the positions! If you think inviting famous speakers, going to free formals, commandeering a horde of minions and hoarding mugs with cat pictures on them is the right thing for you, there is only a handful of votes standing between you and fulfilment :)
We will conduct a review of the last year, followed by the much-anticipated elections for the next committee. For the purpose of nutrition, copious amounts of pizza shall be ordered.
Join us if you are thinking of running for the next committee, would like to make your vote heard, or just want to see what the fuss is all about and get a free lunch out of it!
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| Tue 12 Mar 2013, 6:00pm | Computer Science and Statistics in Algorithmic Trading: A Sampler | Dr Hasan Amjad (Cantab Capital Partners) |
Dr Hasan Amjad (Cantab Capital Partners) speaks on
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Algorithmic trading is the computerised buying and selling of assets on electronic markets, often at timescales of milliseconds or less. We take a whistle-stop tour through one day in the life of a trading algorithm, encountering NP-complete problems, temporal logic, machine learning and stochastic optimisation.
Computer Science and Statistics in Algorithmic Trading: A SamplerAlgorithmic trading is the computerised buying and selling of assets on electronic markets, often at timescales of milliseconds or less. We take a whistle-stop tour through one day in the life of a trading algorithm, encountering NP-complete problems, temporal logic, machine learning and stochastic optimisation.
Hasan AmjadCantab Capital Partners Hasan got his PhD at the Automated Reasoning Group at the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory in 2004, where he is currently a Visiting Fellow. In 2008, he joined Cantab Capital Partners, a systematic hedge fund based in Cambridge, where he leads research and development on the firm’s algorithmic trading infrastructure.
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| Wed 06 Mar 2013, 8:00pm | Pub Social VI | |
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The final pub social of this term, and the last one that can be compared to a Star Wars episode (for now at least). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really). Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
Pub Social VIThe final pub social of this term, and the last one that can be compared to a Star Wars episode (for now at least). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really). Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
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| Mon 04 Mar 2013, 8:00pm | Annual Dinner | |
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Note: Booking has now closed for this event.
CUCaTS would like to invite you to join us for our first ever Annual Dinner at 8:00pm on Monday 4th March. The dinner will take place in the Allhusen Room of Trinity College; it will be a 4-course affair, including wine and port, at the heavily subsidised price of £15.
Annual DinnerNote: Booking has now closed for this event.
CUCaTS would like to invite you to join us for our first ever Annual Dinner at 8:00pm on Monday 4th March. The dinner will take place in the Allhusen Room of Trinity College; it will be a 4-course affair, including wine and port, at the heavily subsidised price of £15.
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| Thu 28 Feb 2013, 6:00pm | The beauty of bootstrapping and the joy of JIT | Dr Michael Spivey (University of Oxford) |
Dr Michael Spivey (University of Oxford) speaks on
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GeomLab is a simple functional language that we use at Oxford to help school students explore computer programming in a functional language with graphics. Recently, I have been working on a faster implementation that is based on compiling dynamically to code for the Java virtual machine. The project has become self-hosting, in that most of the GeomLab compiler is now written in its own language and compiles itself. The message of this talk is that using the JVM as a target makes it an easy and pleasant task to implement a programming language with reasonable performance, and better fun than ever as a personal programming project. Since GeomLab is open source, it can provide a springboard for your own experiments.
The beauty of bootstrapping and the joy of JITGeomLab is a simple functional language that we use at Oxford to help school students explore computer programming in a functional language with graphics. Recently, I have been working on a faster implementation that is based on compiling dynamically to code for the Java virtual machine. The project has become self-hosting, in that most of the GeomLab compiler is now written in its own language and compiles itself. The message of this talk is that using the JVM as a target makes it an easy and pleasant task to implement a programming language with reasonable performance, and better fun than ever as a personal programming project. Since GeomLab is open source, it can provide a springboard for your own experiments.
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| Tue 26 Feb 2013, 1:00pm | Pizza with the Committee | |
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Are you interested in getting involved with CUCaTS? Think you have what it takes to run Cambridge University's original Computer Science Society? If so, then come along to the Computer Lab at 1pm on Tuesday 26th February for free pizza, chat with the current committee and discover what we do behind the scenes. Since most of us are set to graduate at the end of this year, there are plenty of roles to fill at the upcoming AGM around the end of term!
Pizza with the CommitteeAre you interested in getting involved with CUCaTS? Think you have what it takes to run Cambridge University's original Computer Science Society? If so, then come along to the Computer Lab at 1pm on Tuesday 26th February for free pizza, chat with the current committee and discover what we do behind the scenes. Since most of us are set to graduate at the end of this year, there are plenty of roles to fill at the upcoming AGM around the end of term!
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| Sun 24 Feb 2013, 8:45am | Varsity Paintballing Trip | |
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YOU WILL NEED TO SIGN UP AGAIN EVEN IF YOU HAD SIGNED UP BEFORE THE EVENT WAS POSTPONED. (signup form)
Note: The time listed for this event denotes the time of departure of the coach from the Queens Road bus park.
With hopefully no further climatic caprioles to get in the way, we are organising a Varsity Paintballing Trip together with the Oxford University Computer Society. Courtesy of Palantir Technologies' generous sponsorship, the event will be FREE OF CHARGE, including transportation to and from the venue, for CUCaTS and Compsoc members to attend. (If you are not a member, we will charge you a token amount of £3.) NOTE however that, due to our arrangement ... (more)
Varsity Paintballing TripYOU WILL NEED TO SIGN UP AGAIN EVEN IF YOU HAD SIGNED UP BEFORE THE EVENT WAS POSTPONED. (signup form)
Note: The time listed for this event denotes the time of departure of the coach from the Queens Road bus park.
With hopefully no further climatic caprioles to get in the way, we are organising a Varsity Paintballing Trip together with the Oxford University Computer Society. Courtesy of Palantir Technologies' generous sponsorship, the event will be FREE OF CHARGE, including transportation to and from the venue, for CUCaTS and Compsoc members to attend. (If you are not a member, we will charge you a token amount of £3.) NOTE however that, due to our arrangement with Palantir, we can only invite current students of Computer Science, Mathematics and Natsci Physics.
Places are limited, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible using the signup form, and tell all your friends about it via facebook.
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| Wed 13 Feb 2013, 8:00pm | Pub Social V | |
Wed 13 Feb 2013, 8:00pm | The Bathhouse
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Well term is really starting to get into full swing and it's probably high time to take a quick break and nip to the pub with some absolutely excellent company (if I do say so myself). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really). Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
Pub Social VWell term is really starting to get into full swing and it's probably high time to take a quick break and nip to the pub with some absolutely excellent company (if I do say so myself). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really). Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
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| Thu 07 Feb 2013, 6:00pm | How is Haskell tackling the multicore problem? | Dr Simon Marlow (Facebook) |
Thu 07 Feb 2013, 6:00pm | MR5, Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Dr Simon Marlow (Facebook) speaks on
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Our computers are getting wider, not faster. Nowadays, to make our programs more efficient, we have to make them use more processors. Haskell is at the leading edge of research into parallel programming languages, and I'd like to use this talk to explore some of the ways in which we're making it easier to program parallel computers. The talk will cover two areas: parallel programming models (what the programmer writes), and runtime technology (how the system implements parallelism).
How is Haskell tackling the multicore problem?Our computers are getting wider, not faster. Nowadays, to make our programs more efficient, we have to make them use more processors. Haskell is at the leading edge of research into parallel programming languages, and I'd like to use this talk to explore some of the ways in which we're making it easier to program parallel computers. The talk will cover two areas: parallel programming models (what the programmer writes), and runtime technology (how the system implements parallelism).
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| Thu 24 Jan 2013, 6:00pm | Molecular Programming | Professor Luca Cardelli (Microsoft Research) |
Professor Luca Cardelli (Microsoft Research) speaks on
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Nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) encode information digitally, and are currently the only truly 'user-programmable' entities at the molecular scale. They can be used to manufacture nano-scale structures, to produce physical forces, to act as sensors and actuators, and to do computation in between. Eventually we will be able to use them to design nanostructure at the bottom end of Moore's Law, and to interface them with biological machinery to detect and cure diseases at the cellular level under program control. The basic technology to create and manipulate these devices has existed for many years, but the imagination necessary to exploit them has been evolving slowly. Recently, some very simple computational schemes have been developed that are autonomous (run on their own once started) and involve ... (more)
Molecular ProgrammingNucleic acids (DNA/RNA) encode information digitally, and are currently the only truly 'user-programmable' entities at the molecular scale. They can be used to manufacture nano-scale structures, to produce physical forces, to act as sensors and actuators, and to do computation in between. Eventually we will be able to use them to design nanostructure at the bottom end of Moore's Law, and to interface them with biological machinery to detect and cure diseases at the cellular level under program control. The basic technology to create and manipulate these devices has existed for many years, but the imagination necessary to exploit them has been evolving slowly. Recently, some very simple computational schemes have been developed that are autonomous (run on their own once started) and involve only short (easily synthesizable) DNA strands with no other complex molecules.
We now need programming abstractions and tools that are suitable for molecular programming, and this requires a whole hierarchy of concepts to come together. Low-level molecular design is required to produce molecules that interact in the desired controllable ways. On that basis, we can then design various kinds of 'logic gates' and 'computational architectures', where much imagination is currently needed. We also need programming languages to organize complex designs both at the level of gate design, and at the level of circuit design. Since DNA computation is massively concurrent, some tricky and yet familiar programming issues arise: the need to formally verify circuit designs to avoid subtle deadlocks and race conditions, and the need to design high-level languages that exploit concurrency and stochasticity.
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| Wed 23 Jan 2013, 8:00pm | Pub Social IV | |
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The final pub social of term will be on the evening of the last day of lectures. As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
Pub Social IVThe final pub social of term will be on the evening of the last day of lectures. As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
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| Sun 20 Jan 2013, 7:30am | Varsity Paintballing Trip | |
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UPDATE (2013-01-20): THE EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED BY THE VENUE DUE TO THE WRONG KIND OF SNOW.
Note: The time listed for this event is the time we will beginning paintballing. If you are getting the coach from Cambridge, you should be meeting at 7:20am
At the beginning of the coming term, we are organising a Varsity Paintballing Trip together with the Oxford University Computer Society. Courtesy of Palantir Technologies' generous sponsorship, the event will be FREE OF CHARGE, including transportation to and from the venue, for CUCaTS and Compsoc members to attend. (If you are not a member, we will charge you a token amount of £3.) NOTE however that, due to our arrangement with Palantir, we can only invite ... (more)
Varsity Paintballing TripUPDATE (2013-01-20): THE EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED BY THE VENUE DUE TO THE WRONG KIND OF SNOW.
Note: The time listed for this event is the time we will beginning paintballing. If you are getting the coach from Cambridge, you should be meeting at 7:20am
At the beginning of the coming term, we are organising a Varsity Paintballing Trip together with the Oxford University Computer Society. Courtesy of Palantir Technologies' generous sponsorship, the event will be FREE OF CHARGE, including transportation to and from the venue, for CUCaTS and Compsoc members to attend. (If you are not a member, we will charge you a token amount of £3.) NOTE however that, due to our arrangement with Palantir, we can only invite current students of Computer Science, Mathematics and Natsci Physics.
Places are limited, so if you are interested, please RSVP as soon as possible using the signup form, and tell all your friends about it via facebook.
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| Wed 28 Nov 2012, 8:00pm | Pub Social III | |
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The final pub social of term will be on the evening of the last day of lectures. As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
Pub Social IIIThe final pub social of term will be on the evening of the last day of lectures. As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else,really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
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| Wed 21 Nov 2012, 6:00pm | Computing on Encrypted Data | Professor Nigel Smart (University of Bristol) |
Professor Nigel Smart (University of Bristol) speaks on
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In the last couple of years amazing advances have been made on
techniques to perform computation on encrypted data. Some of the techniques
are even becoming practical. In this talk I will show a novel technique
which utilizes techniques used in Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) schemes to
provide efficiency improvements in Multi-Party Computation (MPC) protocols.
No prior knowledge of FHE or MPC will be assumed.
Computing on Encrypted DataIn the last couple of years amazing advances have been made on
techniques to perform computation on encrypted data. Some of the techniques
are even becoming practical. In this talk I will show a novel technique
which utilizes techniques used in Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) schemes to
provide efficiency improvements in Multi-Party Computation (MPC) protocols.
No prior knowledge of FHE or MPC will be assumed.
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| Wed 14 Nov 2012, 8:00pm | Pub Social II | |
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Well, the previous social (last week) was a resounding success by all accounts. The next one will take place on the 14th November (not tomorrow, but a week after), at 8pm, in the Castle Inn (on Castle Hill). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else, really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
Pub Social IIWell, the previous social (last week) was a resounding success by all accounts. The next one will take place on the 14th November (not tomorrow, but a week after), at 8pm, in the Castle Inn (on Castle Hill). As before, anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology should come along for a pint and a chat about those things (or anything else, really).
Absolutely everyone is welcome to come, including non-members.
The event on Facebook.
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| Wed 07 Nov 2012, 6:00pm | Selling category theory to the masses: a tale of food, spiders and Google | Professor Bob Coecke (University of Oxford) |
Wed 07 Nov 2012, 6:00pm | Room TBC, Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Professor Bob Coecke (University of Oxford) speaks on
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We will demonstrate the following. Category theory, usually conceived as some very abstract form of metamathematics, is present everywhere around us. Explicitly, we show how it provides a kindergarten version of quantum theory, how it helps to automate quantum reasoning, and how it will help Google to understand sentences given the meaning of their words.
Selling category theory to the masses: a tale of food, spiders and GoogleWe will demonstrate the following. Category theory, usually conceived as some very abstract form of metamathematics, is present everywhere around us. Explicitly, we show how it provides a kindergarten version of quantum theory, how it helps to automate quantum reasoning, and how it will help Google to understand sentences given the meaning of their words.
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| Wed 31 Oct 2012, 8:00pm | Pub Social | |
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CUCaTS are holding our first ever (fortnightly) pub social and we'd like anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology to come along for a chat.
Absolutely anyone is welcome to come, including non-members, but if you are a member (or sign up for membership there) CUCaTS will buy you your first drink this time round.
Pub SocialCUCaTS are holding our first ever (fortnightly) pub social and we'd like anyone interested in discussing computers, computer science and technology to come along for a chat.
Absolutely anyone is welcome to come, including non-members, but if you are a member (or sign up for membership there) CUCaTS will buy you your first drink this time round.
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| Tue 30 Oct 2012, 5:00pm | Financial Technology: Algorithmic Trading and Social Media Analytics | Professor Philip Treleaven (University College London) |
Professor Philip Treleaven (University College London) speaks on
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Two of the 'hottest' topics in financial technology are: a) high-frequency algorithmic trading where algorithmic trade automatically in milliseconds; and b) social media scraping and analytics such as using Twitter and News data to assess market sentiment. This presentation will describe the structure of Algorithmic Trading systems and how Social Media is scraped and sentiment analysis performed. It will then discuss applications in financial services and business analytics.
Financial Technology: Algorithmic Trading and Social Media AnalyticsTwo of the 'hottest' topics in financial technology are: a) high-frequency algorithmic trading where algorithmic trade automatically in milliseconds; and b) social media scraping and analytics such as using Twitter and News data to assess market sentiment. This presentation will describe the structure of Algorithmic Trading systems and how Social Media is scraped and sentiment analysis performed. It will then discuss applications in financial services and business analytics.
Philip TreleavenUniversity College London Philip Treleaven is Director of the UK Centre for Financial Computing and Business Analytics and Professor of Computing at UCL. The UK Centre is a collaboration of UCL, London School of Economics, London Business School and the major financial institutions and commercial organisations. The Centre undertakes analytics research in finance, retail, healthcare, services and sport. For the past 8 years the UK Centre has worked with many of the leading Investment Banks and Funds developing algorithmic trading systems, and for the past 3 years we have worked with the regulators on High-frequency trading risk and systemic risk. The UK Centre has over 60 PhD students working on finance and business analytics, and is unique in placing them in banks, funds and companies to develop advanced analytics and software. An additional 20-25 PhD students will join in October.
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| Thu 18 Oct 2012, 3:00pm | Freshers' Squash | |
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Come and join us for a chat and free food and drink including pizza, and find out more about CUCaTS. Freshers and non-freshers are both very welcome, and did I mention free food?
You'll also be able to sign up for the mailing list and/or become a member if you missed the chance to do so at the freshers' fair.
Freshers' SquashCome and join us for a chat and free food and drink including pizza, and find out more about CUCaTS. Freshers and non-freshers are both very welcome, and did I mention free food?
You'll also be able to sign up for the mailing list and/or become a member if you missed the chance to do so at the freshers' fair.
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| Mon 15 Oct 2012, 6:00pm | Friction In The Machine: How Fluid Processes Allow Optimal Human-Computer Interaction | Mr Tim Ronan (Palantir Technologies) |
Mr Tim Ronan (Palantir Technologies) speaks on
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It is well understood that humans and computers have different strengths
and weaknesses when it comes to solving problems. But what happens when
they need to work together? Is computational power, human ingenuity or
some mix of the two the key factor in arriving at the most efficient
solution? This talk will explore a surprising example from the world of
chess that helps to explain why Palantir chooses to build software in the
way it does.
As usual refreshments will be served 15 minutes before the start of the talk.
Friction In The Machine: How Fluid Processes Allow Optimal Human-Computer InteractionIt is well understood that humans and computers have different strengths
and weaknesses when it comes to solving problems. But what happens when
they need to work together? Is computational power, human ingenuity or
some mix of the two the key factor in arriving at the most efficient
solution? This talk will explore a surprising example from the world of
chess that helps to explain why Palantir chooses to build software in the
way it does.
As usual refreshments will be served 15 minutes before the start of the talk.
Tim RonanPalantir Technologies Tim Ronan was one of Palantir's first engineers in their Washington DC
office. Throughout Tim's time at Palantir, he has led our work with US
Federal Law Enforcement customers, started Palantir's business in New
Zealand, and been responsible for leading product vision on several
transformative capabilities. Tim is now based in London where he ensures
the success of Palantir's work across the UK, Europe, Latin America, and
Canada. Tim received his Bachelors degree from the University of Notre
Dame in Aerospace Engineering and his Masters degree from the University
of Virginia.
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| Tue 02 Oct 2012, 11:00am | Freshers' Fair | |
Tue 02 Oct 2012, 11:00am | Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre
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Want to learn more about CUCaTS? Come and find our stall at the freshers' fair, which will be held on Tuesday 2nd October and Wednesday 3rd October at the Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre.
It only takes a moment to sign up to our mailing list and you'll be informed about upcoming talks throughout the year. Computing and technology has implications for practically every subject, so it's worth finding out about our talks whatever your interests are.
If you're thinking about coming to one or more of our talks, you might want to consider paying for membership. You can do this at our stand and for only a few pounds you'll gain free entrance to all our talks this year, plus a huge number of other benefits.
Freshers' FairWant to learn more about CUCaTS? Come and find our stall at the freshers' fair, which will be held on Tuesday 2nd October and Wednesday 3rd October at the Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre.
It only takes a moment to sign up to our mailing list and you'll be informed about upcoming talks throughout the year. Computing and technology has implications for practically every subject, so it's worth finding out about our talks whatever your interests are.
If you're thinking about coming to one or more of our talks, you might want to consider paying for membership. You can do this at our stand and for only a few pounds you'll gain free entrance to all our talks this year, plus a huge number of other benefits.
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| Fri 15 Jun 2012, 4:30pm | Puzzlehunt | |
Fri 15 Jun 2012, 4:30pm | Great St Mary's
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We've now written up an overview of the puzzlehunt, including puzzles and solution notes.
So it's that time of year again. Exams are over (or nearly over), and we find ourselves at a loss for sources of intellectual exercise. Therefore, CUCaTS will be holding a Puzzlehunt this Friday.
Wait, what on earth is a Puzzlehunt, anyway? Well, to shamelessly quote Wikipedia, "A puzzlehunt is a puzzle game where teams compete to solve a series of puzzles at a particular site, in multiple sites and/or via the internet. Groups of puzzles in a puzzle hunt are often connected by a metapuzzle, leading to answers which combine into a final set of solutions.". So there.
The hunt will commence shortly after the end of the ... (more)
PuzzlehuntWe've now written up an overview of the puzzlehunt, including puzzles and solution notes.
So it's that time of year again. Exams are over (or nearly over), and we find ourselves at a loss for sources of intellectual exercise. Therefore, CUCaTS will be holding a Puzzlehunt this Friday.
Wait, what on earth is a Puzzlehunt, anyway? Well, to shamelessly quote Wikipedia, "A puzzlehunt is a puzzle game where teams compete to solve a series of puzzles at a particular site, in multiple sites and/or via the internet. Groups of puzzles in a puzzle hunt are often connected by a metapuzzle, leading to answers which combine into a final set of solutions.". So there.
The hunt will commence shortly after the end of the garden party, provisionally starting at 5pm, and will last for 24 hours. The location will be provided closer to the time.
The hunt is free to enter, and food will be provided. We would appreciate it if potential teams would sign here to show their interest. You can still sign up if you don't have a team, and we will try to find you people to compete with.
We expect to meet at Great St. Mary's at 4:30pm. Those who are attending both our Garden Party and the Puzzlehunt are likely to walk from the former to the latter in a group.
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| Fri 15 Jun 2012, 1:00pm | Science & Engineering Garden Party | |
Fri 15 Jun 2012, 1:00pm | Pembroke College Library Lawn
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Organised jointly by several societies from science and engineering - CUPS, CUAS, SciSoc, CUES, CUCaTS and the Archimedeans - this is promising to be one of the highlights of the end of the year. Join us in Pembroke College's Library Lawn from 1-4pm for music, Pimms, and lots of refreshments!
Tickets are sold out, and due to capacity limits we will be unable to sell any at the door.
Science & Engineering Garden PartyOrganised jointly by several societies from science and engineering - CUPS, CUAS, SciSoc, CUES, CUCaTS and the Archimedeans - this is promising to be one of the highlights of the end of the year. Join us in Pembroke College's Library Lawn from 1-4pm for music, Pimms, and lots of refreshments!
Tickets are sold out, and due to capacity limits we will be unable to sell any at the door.
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| Tue 08 May 2012, 5:30pm | Meta-Morphogenesis: Evolution of mechanisms for producing minds | Professor Aaron Sloman (University of Birmingham) |
Tue 08 May 2012, 5:30pm | Auditorium Lounge, Robinson College
Professor Aaron Sloman (University of Birmingham) speaks on
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* Please note this talk is on a TUESDAY at 5:30PM, unlike most other talks we have held. *
Alan Turing's work on morphogenesis (see below) explored how micro-interactions
in physicochemical structures might account for global transformations from a
fertilized egg to an animal or plant, within a single organism.
I'll outline a rudimentary theory of "meta-morphogenesis" that aims to show how,
over generations, interactions between changing environments, changing animal
morphology, and previously evolved information-processing capabilities might
combine to produce increasingly complex forms of "informed control", initially
just control of physical behaviour, then later also informed control of
information-processing. This potentially explains ... (more)
Meta-Morphogenesis: Evolution of mechanisms for producing minds * Please note this talk is on a TUESDAY at 5:30PM, unlike most other talks we have held. *
Alan Turing's work on morphogenesis (see below) explored how micro-interactions
in physicochemical structures might account for global transformations from a
fertilized egg to an animal or plant, within a single organism.
I'll outline a rudimentary theory of "meta-morphogenesis" that aims to show how,
over generations, interactions between changing environments, changing animal
morphology, and previously evolved information-processing capabilities might
combine to produce increasingly complex forms of "informed control", initially
just control of physical behaviour, then later also informed control of
information-processing. This potentially explains philosophically puzzling
features of animal (including human) minds, including the existence of "qualia".
It is also related to the transformation of empirical knowledge into a "generative"
or "deductive" form, a process labelled "Representational Redescription" by Annette
Karmiloff-Smith[*]. I suspect that such processes provide the foundation for human
mathematical competences.
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| Thu 08 Mar 2012, 6:00pm | The Theory behind TheoryMine | Professor Alan Bundy (University of Edinburgh) |
Thu 08 Mar 2012, 6:00pm | Mong Hall, Sidney Sussex
Professor Alan Bundy (University of Edinburgh) speaks on
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We describe the technology behind the TheoryMine novelty gift company, which sells the rights to name novel mathematical theorems. A tower of four computer systems is used to generate recursive theories, to speculate conjectures in those theories and then to prove these conjectures. All stages of the process are entirely automatic. The process guarantees large numbers of sound, novel theorems of some intrinsic merit.
The Theory behind TheoryMineWe describe the technology behind the TheoryMine novelty gift company, which sells the rights to name novel mathematical theorems. A tower of four computer systems is used to generate recursive theories, to speculate conjectures in those theories and then to prove these conjectures. All stages of the process are entirely automatic. The process guarantees large numbers of sound, novel theorems of some intrinsic merit.
Alan BundyUniversity of Edinburgh A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 01 Mar 2012, 6:00pm | Intelligence and Security in a Digital Age | Professor Sir David Omand (King's College London; Former Director of GCHQ) |
Thu 01 Mar 2012, 6:00pm | Winstanley Lecture Hall, Trinity College
Professor Sir David Omand (King's College London; Former Director of GCHQ) speaks on
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In the talk I will look at the way that successive technological advances have shaped the past world of secret intelligence and suggest that the process continues with the application of digital technologies to intelligence access and analysis. I shall examine some of the ethical issues that recent developments have created and suggest a model for examining the limits that society should impose on their use for public security.
Intelligence and Security in a Digital AgeIn the talk I will look at the way that successive technological advances have shaped the past world of secret intelligence and suggest that the process continues with the application of digital technologies to intelligence access and analysis. I shall examine some of the ethical issues that recent developments have created and suggest a model for examining the limits that society should impose on their use for public security.
David OmandKing's College London; Former Director of GCHQ A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Wed 29 Feb 2012, 1:30pm | 3rd Annual General Meeting | |
Wed 29 Feb 2012, 1:30pm | LT2, Computer Laboratory
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We will be reviewing the society's work over the past year and electing a new Executive Committee - all members are welcome to vote and/or stand for positions! Free pizza shall be served.
3rd Annual General MeetingWe will be reviewing the society's work over the past year and electing a new Executive Committee - all members are welcome to vote and/or stand for positions! Free pizza shall be served.
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| Thu 16 Feb 2012, 6:00pm | Using Machine Learning to Solve Real-World Problems | Mr David North (CoreFiling Ltd) |
Thu 16 Feb 2012, 6:00pm | Trinity Hall Lecture Theatre, Trinity Ln
Mr David North (CoreFiling Ltd) speaks on
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How do you approach a classification problem involving thousands of categories rather than the 'usual’ five or six? What happens when your data-set is several gigabytes and growing? What open-source tools are available, are they any good, and can they be put to commercial use? How do you measure the system’s effectiveness when you’re not allowed to see the real data because of client confidentiality?
David North, from Oxford-based software company CoreFiling, will aim to answer all these questions and more in a talk on machine learning from an industry perspective.
Using Machine Learning to Solve Real-World ProblemsHow do you approach a classification problem involving thousands of categories rather than the 'usual’ five or six? What happens when your data-set is several gigabytes and growing? What open-source tools are available, are they any good, and can they be put to commercial use? How do you measure the system’s effectiveness when you’re not allowed to see the real data because of client confidentiality?
David North, from Oxford-based software company CoreFiling, will aim to answer all these questions and more in a talk on machine learning from an industry perspective.
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| Thu 09 Feb 2012, 6:00pm | (Failing to) avoid success at all costs: the Haskell story | Professor Simon Peyton Jones (Microsoft Research) |
Professor Simon Peyton Jones (Microsoft Research) speaks on
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Haskell is twenty one years old, an age at which most programming languages are either dead and buried, or else have become mainstream and hence frozen in a web of backward-compatibility constraints. Haskell is different: it is in rude health, is widely used (but not too widely!), and is still in a state of furious innovation.
In this talk I'll reflect on this two-decade journey, I'll discuss Haskell's birth and evolution, including some of the research and engineering challenges we faced in design and implementation. I'll focus particularly on the ideas that have turned out, in retrospect, to be most important and influential, as well as sketching some current developments and making some wild guesses about the future.
(Failing to) avoid success at all costs: the Haskell storyHaskell is twenty one years old, an age at which most programming languages are either dead and buried, or else have become mainstream and hence frozen in a web of backward-compatibility constraints. Haskell is different: it is in rude health, is widely used (but not too widely!), and is still in a state of furious innovation.
In this talk I'll reflect on this two-decade journey, I'll discuss Haskell's birth and evolution, including some of the research and engineering challenges we faced in design and implementation. I'll focus particularly on the ideas that have turned out, in retrospect, to be most important and influential, as well as sketching some current developments and making some wild guesses about the future.
Simon Peyton JonesMicrosoft Research A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 26 Jan 2012, 6:00pm | On Origins | Nobel Laureate, Professor Brian Josephson (University of Cambridge) |
Nobel Laureate, Professor Brian Josephson (University of Cambridge) speaks on
|
A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
On OriginsA concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
Brian JosephsonUniversity of Cambridge A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 01 Dec 2011, 6:00pm | Unsupervised Machine Learning and Linguistics | Professor Alex Clark (Royal Holloway, University of London) |
Thu 01 Dec 2011, 6:00pm | Winstanley Lecture Hall, Trinity College
Professor Alex Clark (Royal Holloway, University of London) speaks on
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The fundamental problem of linguistics is to find how knowledge of language is represented and how that knowledge is acquired by children learning their first language; understanding or solving this problem would open the door to a new generation of intelligent language processing systems. This is fundamentally a computational problem, which can be studied using the tools of formal language theory and computational learning. Solving it requires reconceptualising some basic concepts -- including the relationship between a grammar and the language it defines.
In this talk I will give an overview of this field (assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics or machine learning) and discuss some recent technical results in distributional learning that can potentially provide a solution to this ... (more)
Unsupervised Machine Learning and LinguisticsThe fundamental problem of linguistics is to find how knowledge of language is represented and how that knowledge is acquired by children learning their first language; understanding or solving this problem would open the door to a new generation of intelligent language processing systems. This is fundamentally a computational problem, which can be studied using the tools of formal language theory and computational learning. Solving it requires reconceptualising some basic concepts -- including the relationship between a grammar and the language it defines.
In this talk I will give an overview of this field (assuming no prior knowledge of linguistics or machine learning) and discuss some recent technical results in distributional learning that can potentially provide a solution to this problem. These techniques involve modelling the relationship between substrings and the contexts that they can appear in -- these give rise to algorithms for learning classes of context free and context sensitive languages that seem to be a good match for the properties of natural language.
Alex ClarkRoyal Holloway, University of London A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 24 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | Don't Get Your Face Stolen! A Talk on ePassport Cryptography | Mr Jan Kjærsgaard (Cryptomathic) |
Thu 24 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | Mong Hall, Sidney Sussex
Mr Jan Kjærsgaard (Cryptomathic) speaks on
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With the introduction of electronic passports containing sensitive biometric information like fingerprints and iris scans, we face a new world of challenges. How do we allow a legitimate inspection system to read the passport while at the same time ensure that nobody else can? This talk discusses the advanced cryptography, primitives, and protocols involved in ePassports and inspection systems.
Don't Get Your Face Stolen! A Talk on ePassport CryptographyWith the introduction of electronic passports containing sensitive biometric information like fingerprints and iris scans, we face a new world of challenges. How do we allow a legitimate inspection system to read the passport while at the same time ensure that nobody else can? This talk discusses the advanced cryptography, primitives, and protocols involved in ePassports and inspection systems.
Jan KjærsgaardCryptomathic A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 17 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | Imaginary Interfaces: Interacting Spatially Without Visual Feedback | Mr Sean Gustafson (University of Potsdam) |
Thu 17 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | South Lecture Room, Department of Archaeology, Downing Street
Mr Sean Gustafson (University of Potsdam) speaks on
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To increase mobility, designers are creating ever smaller mobile devices. After a certain point they are so small that a screen cannot be included and the device no longer supports any sort of spatial interaction (such as pointing) because, seemingly, there is nothing to point at. In this talk, I will present Imaginary Interfaces, a vision of hypermobile devices that rejects this notion. These completely non-visual interfaces retain the model of spatial interaction by sensing where the user is pointing in free space or on their body. I will present a depth camera based prototype, called Imaginary Phone, which allows users to operate a real iPhone by mimicking iPhone interaction on their empty palm and a set user studies that explore methods of learning a non-visual pointing environment.
Imaginary Interfaces: Interacting Spatially Without Visual FeedbackTo increase mobility, designers are creating ever smaller mobile devices. After a certain point they are so small that a screen cannot be included and the device no longer supports any sort of spatial interaction (such as pointing) because, seemingly, there is nothing to point at. In this talk, I will present Imaginary Interfaces, a vision of hypermobile devices that rejects this notion. These completely non-visual interfaces retain the model of spatial interaction by sensing where the user is pointing in free space or on their body. I will present a depth camera based prototype, called Imaginary Phone, which allows users to operate a real iPhone by mimicking iPhone interaction on their empty palm and a set user studies that explore methods of learning a non-visual pointing environment.
Sean GustafsonUniversity of Potsdam A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
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| Thu 03 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | Great Ideas of Computing Science: from Aristotle to Euclid | Professor Sir Tony Hoare (Microsoft Research) |
Thu 03 Nov 2011, 6:00pm | MR3, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Clarkson Rd
Professor Sir Tony Hoare (Microsoft Research) speaks on
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Great ideas tell us how to think: how to think effectively about many areas of essential interest to us, because they tell us about ourselves and about the world we live in. They embody principles that endure and evolve over a long period of time. They form the basis of a teaching syllabus for the education of students at school and at Universities. The application of great ideas brings cultural, intellectual, moral, and/or economic benefit to those who adopt and exploit them. And a great idea is often associated with the name of a great thinker, who first formulated and propagated the principles in published form.
It is much easier to recognise great ideas that have been formulated a long time ago, for example in the civilization of Ancient Greece. We know that these ideas have ... (more)
Great Ideas of Computing Science: from Aristotle to EuclidGreat ideas tell us how to think: how to think effectively about many areas of essential interest to us, because they tell us about ourselves and about the world we live in. They embody principles that endure and evolve over a long period of time. They form the basis of a teaching syllabus for the education of students at school and at Universities. The application of great ideas brings cultural, intellectual, moral, and/or economic benefit to those who adopt and exploit them. And a great idea is often associated with the name of a great thinker, who first formulated and propagated the principles in published form.
It is much easier to recognise great ideas that have been formulated a long time ago, for example in the civilization of Ancient Greece. We know that these ideas have already stood the test of time; they have already been taught to our schoolchildren and university students through many generations. And their continuing relevance to today's world of computers and Computer Science are convincing evidence of their versatility and their enduring power to deliver benefit to mankind.
This lecture will concentrate on Aristotle's logic, and Euclid's geometry, and draw interesting analogies with some of the basic principles of Computer Science.
Tony HoareMicrosoft Research A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
|
| Thu 20 Oct 2011, 6:00pm | Photonic Quantum Information Science and Technologies | Professor Jeremy O'Brien (University of Bristol) |
Thu 20 Oct 2011, 6:00pm | South Lecture Room, Department of Archaeology, Downing Street
Professor Jeremy O'Brien (University of Bristol) speaks on
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The theory of quantum mechanics was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century to better explain the spectra of light emitted by atoms. At the time, many people believed that physics was almost completely understood, with only a few remaining anomalies to be ‘ironed out’. The full theory of quantum mechanics emerged as a completely unexpected description of nature at a fundamental level. It portrays a world that is fundamentally probabilistic, where a single object can be in two places at once—superposition—and where two objects in remote locations can be instantaneously connected—entanglement. These unusual properties have been observed, and quantum mechanics remains the most successful theory ever developed, in terms of the precision of its predictions. ... (more)
Photonic Quantum Information Science and TechnologiesThe theory of quantum mechanics was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century to better explain the spectra of light emitted by atoms. At the time, many people believed that physics was almost completely understood, with only a few remaining anomalies to be ‘ironed out’. The full theory of quantum mechanics emerged as a completely unexpected description of nature at a fundamental level. It portrays a world that is fundamentally probabilistic, where a single object can be in two places at once—superposition—and where two objects in remote locations can be instantaneously connected—entanglement. These unusual properties have been observed, and quantum mechanics remains the most successful theory ever developed, in terms of the precision of its predictions. Today, we are learning how to harness these surprising quantum effects to realize profoundly new quantum technologies. This lecture will examine how single particles of light—photons—are being used to develop secure communication systems based on the laws of physics, precision measurements using entangled light, and information processors that promise exponentially greater computational power for particular tasks.
Jeremy O'BrienUniversity of Bristol A concept we refer to as the biological constraint is shown to be able where id=11;
to explain the effectiveness of mathematical descriptions of the
universe, as well as accounting for the origin of life and our ability
to think logically. The biological constraint, which can be studied
systematically through the use of appropriate models, refers to
selection in the biological realm in favour of mechanisms that have wide
applicability, a subset of which have mathematical character that can
evolve to ever subtler forms. The precise conformance of physical
phenomena to precise mathematical laws is related to the enforcement of
symmetry.
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| Wed 12 Oct 2011, 2:00pm | Michaelmas Freshers' Squash | |
Wed 12 Oct 2011, 2:00pm | South Lecture Room, Department of Archaeology, Downing Street
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Come and join us for chats and free food, and find out more about CUCaTS. Freshers and non-freshers both very welcome: we believe everyone interested in computing and technology deserves free food, regardless of naivetë. ;-)
We'll be offering life membership at the discounted price of £8, and a Prize Draw involving a remote-controlled helicopter
among other goodies. We'd be delighted to see you there!
If you have any questions beforehand, don't hesitate to ask us.
Michaelmas Freshers' SquashCome and join us for chats and free food, and find out more about CUCaTS. Freshers and non-freshers both very welcome: we believe everyone interested in computing and technology deserves free food, regardless of naivetë. ;-) We'll be offering life membership at the discounted price of £8, and a Prize Draw involving a remote-controlled helicopter
among other goodies. We'd be delighted to see you there! If you have any questions beforehand, don't hesitate to ask us.
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