Masami Hagiya received MSc from Department of Information Science, University of Tokyo, in 1982. Hethen worked for Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University, and received PhD from Kyoto University in 1988. In 1992, he moved to University of Tokyo and has been working for Department of Information Science and Department of Computer Science. During 2, he served as the dean of Graduate School of Information Science and Technology. With background in formal logic, he is mainly interested in analysis, verification and synthesis of computational models in general. He has been working on formal verification of computing systems, recently on software model checking. One of his recent research projects is on model checking of networked software using and extending Java PathFinder. He also has been interested in applying computational models to biological and molecular systems. Beginning with research on DNA computing, he has been leading research on molecular computing and DNA nanotechnology in Japan, and one of his current research projects is on molecular robotics. Finally, he is also working on IT education at the high school level and at the university level including university general education, with the aim of raising the general IT level of Japanese society. He has been serving as the chair of the committee for creating a reference standard in informatics for university education.

The Science Council of Japan’s Committee on Informatics is currently creating a reference standard in informatics. This activity is intended to define informatics for university education and for the future academic development of informatics. The most characteristic feature of the chosen definition of informatics is the desire to cover all branches of informatics encompassing natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, with the intention of unifying the field. In this talk, the background of the activity, and the motivation and implications of the definition of informatics are presented. In particular, the talk emphasizes the importance of covering social sciences and humanities for the future development of informatics and the implications of the definition on liberal arts education in universities and primary and secondary education in elementary, middle and high schools.

Informatics, Informatics Education, Reference Standard, Science Council

David Reed is the Director of Computer Science & Informatics at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in computer science from Duke University in 1992, and subsequently taught and conducted research at Duke University and Dickinson College before joining the faculty at Creighton in 2000. His primary interests are in programming languages and computer science education, where he has published extensively on topics such as apprentice-based learning, Web-based programming, and innovative instructional methods in introductory computer science. His recent scholarship and service has focused on bridging K-12 and college computer science education.

In recognition of his computer science education leadership, Dr. Reed served as a member of the Steering Committee for ACM/IEEE Computing Curricula 2013, leading the subcommittee on Software Development Fundamentals. He is a long-time consultant for K-12 initiatives, including serving as Chief Reader for Advanced Placement Computer Science from 2004 to 2008. He is Chair of the Board of Directors for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), a membership organization of more than 21,000 K-12 educators and supporters worldwide. He is also the author of a popular introductory text, A Balanced Introduction to Computer Science, which is currently in its 3rd edition.

Computer science is a rapidly evolving discipline. Universities worldwide are faced with the challenge of developing computer science curricula that prepare students for advances in technology, shifting career paths, and an increasingly global technology space. Roughly once per decade, the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and IEEE-Computer Society form a joint task force to identify important developments and future trends in computer science, and to recommend best practices in computer science education. The latest such effort, Computer Science Curricula 2013 (CS2013), was released in late 2013 and is already having a significant impact on university programs and national initiatives. This talk will present an overview of the curricular guidelines and recommendations found in the CS2013 report, as well as address challenges for the future of computer science education.

Jaehyuk Huh is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at KAIST. His research interests are in computer architecture, parallel computing, virtualization and system security. He received a BS in computer science from Seoul National University, and an MS and a PhD in computer science from the University of Texas at Austin.

TBA