Re: Suggestion for PhD thesis theme (connected with Semantic Web technologies)

As John pointed out there are some areas which could benefit greatly from Semantic Web technologies being put to good use.

I would like to add several suggestions, some adding to John's comments and others pointing out issues we tend to want to overlook and ignore as "techies".

It would be a good idea to do a comparative analysis of the penetration levels of semantic web technologies in the different areas of research, science, academia, social, cultural and economic activities to determine the acceptance factors and actually all the parameters that influence introduction, acceptance and widespread use.

Semantic Web technologies or linked data technologies for the listers who generalize the concepts and technologies used, are intrinsically hard to learn and master even for those versed in general Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

One of the greatest promises of the use of the Semantic Web is to be put to use for global sustainable development, but in reality this is proving to be very hard.

Only in some work areas of the UN is work being done extensively on semantic web technologies. Aside from the obvious endeavors of UNESCO in this field, e.g. the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is doing a lot of good work.

I would suggest you look at John Graybeal's points and also look at the most recent pleas from Tim Berners-Lee online (videos and texts, e,g. on http://www.thenationaldialogue.org/).

So there are three issues: intrinsic technical issues, potential uses (new areas), (widespread) penetration and utilization (existing areas).

In addition you may want to look at how semantic web technologies benefit from synergies with other emergent fields of technologies and usage, e.g. open source platforms for social networking, e-newspaper and e-magazine publishing coupled to e-readers, cloud computing, open access online repositories (including libraries).

For any additional ideas also check: http://www.paradiso-fp7.eu/contributions.php and similar sites.

Milton Ponson
GSM: +297 747 8280
Rainbow Warriors Core Foundation
PO Box 1154, Oranjestad
Aruba, Dutch Caribbean
www.rainbowwarriors.net
Project Paradigm: A structured approach to bringing the tools for sustainable development to all stakeholders worldwide
www.projectparadigm.info
NGO-Opensource: Creating ICT tools for NGOs worldwide for Project Paradigm
www.ngo-opensource.org
MetaPortal: providing online access to web sites and repositories of data and information for sustainable development
www.metaportal.info
SemanticWebSoftware, part of NGO-Opensource to enable SW technologies in the Metaportal project
www.semanticwebsoftware.info

This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail.


--- On Sat, 8/29/09, John Graybeal <graybeal@marinemetadata.org> wrote:

From: John Graybeal <graybeal@marinemetadata.org>
Subject: Re: Suggestion for PhD thesis theme (connected with Semantic Web  technologies)
To: "MacCybex" <maccybex@gmail.com>
Cc: semantic-web@w3.org
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 9:42 PM

Some naive ideas:

* Using semantic technologies for emerging earth science concepts
  (On the tricky aspects of working with concepts and vocabularies are keeping up with emerging science, and are therefore always changing, in poorly defined and understood ways...)

* Comparative analysis of comparative techniques for semantic representations
  (How do you evaluate an ontology or vocabulary to determine if it is useful for your purposes? What are good and bad qualities of ontologies? What techniques can be used to rate the value of community ontologies?)

* Comprehensive semantic search engines
  (There are a lot of search engines and search techniques when you are looking for a suitable ontology. They are all a far cry from Google. How can all this information be consolidated for search users?)

* Ontological design techniques and patterns
  (The PhD version of the book Semantic Web for the Working Ontologist. What are the most powerful options for modeling in order to get the best (inferencing/discovery/reuse) results?

John

On Aug 18, 2009, at 11:12 AM, MacCybex wrote:

> Hi!
> 
> I am starting my PhD studies soon and I plan to write a thesis in the field
> of the Semantic Web.
> But I am not yet sure what direction to take and what to select for my
> practical part.
> Therefore I would like to hear some advices from the experienced
> developers/scientists about possible theme or field.
> I should add that it can be any discipline (databases, SOA and etc.).
> I just need a starting point if you know what I mean.
> 
> Thanks for any information!
> --View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Suggestion-for-PhD-thesis-theme-%28connected-with-Semantic-Web-technologies%29-tp25030567p25030567.html
> Sent from the w3.org - semantic-web mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> 
> 
> 

---------------
John Graybeal
Marine Metadata Interoperability Project: http://marinemetadata.org
graybeal@marinemetadata.org