[ecoop-info] PhD Studentship - Divinity and Abstraction: A Theory of Software Engineering for Systems-of-Systems

[Awais Rashid]

PhD Studentship – Divinity and Abstraction: A Theory of Software Engineering for Systems-of-Systems

Computing Department
Lancaster University, UK

Closing date: 15 May 2008.

Informal enquiries to: Prof. Awais Rashid (awais at comp.lancs.ac.uk). 

As software systems become more ubiquitous and pervasive in our daily lives, a new class of large-scale systems has emerged. These Systems-of-Systems are composed of geographically remote systems using a variety of devices and platforms to deliver services that cross device, platform, system administration and even geographical and cultural boundaries. This leads to a degree of complexity that is orders of magnitude greater than in traditional software systems. This, in turn, requires rethinking the classical notions of abstraction in software engineering for two main reasons:

1.	Supporting abstraction across technical, geographical and cultural boundaries is beyond the limits of current notions of abstraction, e.g., objects, components, services, etc., as these consider limited technical contexts rather than the broader geo-cultural context that defines a system-of-system.
2.	The same abstraction used in various constituent systems formulating part of a system-of-system may carry varying semantics depending on the context of the specific system in which it is reasoned about. Reconciling such reasoning across the system-of-system requires a theory of abstraction that integrates the inherent geographical and cultural factors into the abstraction mechanism itself.

Interestingly, similar issues have been treated as well as debated heavily in theology over millennia. The aim of this PhD project is to study such debates, synthesise the results with the existing technical notions of abstraction, and develop a theory of abstraction to support software engineering for systems-of-systems. The project can be broadly divided into five key phases (which necessarily overlap and are iterative):

1.	Study of debates on the nature of the holy trinity and the divinity of Jesus (e.g., between early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Tertullian, and the authors of texts, such as those discovered at Nag Hammadi, that did not form part of the Nicene Creed) as well as the treatises on transubstantiation during the Reformation (e.g., the writings of John Wyclif) to understand how monotheistic theology has treated varying natures of divinity.
2.	Contrasting the study in (1) with eastern religious philosophies, such as Hinduism, which are inherently founded on the multi-faceted nature of divinity.
3.	Analysing the factors that bind the followers of a religion in a loosely coupled fashion across geographical and cultural boundaries and how the interpretations of divinity differ across these boundaries in both types of theologies.
4.	Formulating a theory of abstraction for systems-of-systems by reconciling results of (1)-(3) with the existing classical technical notions of abstraction for software systems, especially roles, views and aspects all of which facilitate multi-faceted abstraction that goes beyond traditional module boundaries.
5.	Validating the theory by evaluating its capabilities to reason about abstractions in real-world systems-of-systems accessible through existing collaborative projects with industry.

The successful candidate must have a BSc or MSc in Computer Science with strong evidence of an interest in Religious Studies. Alternatively, s/he should possess a BSc or MSc in Religious Studies with strong evidence of IT-related knowledge. The successful candidate will join an ambitious research group with a strong track record in development of abstraction and composition mechanisms for software systems. We have a longstanding history of treating abstraction and composition issues using multi-disciplinary approaches based on methods from social sciences and linguistics. We are currently responsible for over € 10m of external research funding investigating abstraction and composition challenges in a range of contexts. We would expect the successful candidate to focus his/her research interests accordingly, and contribute to the dynamic and internationally respected research environment in the Department. S/he will also be required to engage with the Digital Humanities initiative at Lancaster, interact with collaborators in both the software industry and religious studies and attend relevant conferences and workshops, both nationally and internationally, to promote the outcomes of the project.

The studentship award covers fees and an annual stipend (starting £13,500). Due to funding criteria, the studentships are available only to candidates who hold a UK passport or have been ordinarily resident for a period of 3 years immediately prior to the date of application. EU nationals can be offered tuition fees only. International students can receive the full award if they have Indefinte Leave to Remain issued by the Home Office.

Prospective applicants, who should have an excellent first degree in a relevant discipline, are encouraged to initiate informal contact with Prof. Awais Rashid (awais at comp.lancs.ac.uk) by providing a detailed statement of their research interest and a brief summary of their qualifications. The application itself will comprise Application and Reference Forms, curriculum vitae, a degree transcript, and a covering letter detailing your specific research interest, which can be submitted electronically to the Postgraduate Admissions Office (https://www.pgapps.lancs.ac.uk/).

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Prof. Awais Rashid
Computing Department
Infolab21
Lancaster University
LA1 4WA
UK

email:
	marash at comp.lancs.ac.uk
	awais at computer.org

URL:
	http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/computing/aose/

Phone:
  	Off: +44-1524-510316

Fax:
      +44-1524-510492
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