Center for Parallel, Distributed, and Intelligent Systems
An Industry-University Cooperative Research Center sponsored by the National Science Foundation
Co-Directors
- Shi-Kuo Chang
- Bruce G. Buchanan
Mission
The mission of CPDIS is to provide an environment for innovative research in computer science. Through the involvement and active participation of industry members, CPDIS serves as a useful interface between the researchers and the industries, thus enabling a continuous information exchange. More specifically, CPDIS engages in research into the fundamental methodologies of parallel, distributed, and intelligent systems: system specification, design, verification, integration and evaluation. CPDIS works closely with the manufacturing and service industries, who as system integrators would benefit from the R&D results produced by CPDIS. CPDIS can also supply the needed technological know-how to small-to-medium-size companies through technological assessment reports and educational programs.
This NSF-sponsored research center provides a research environment to enable technology transfer and continuous information exchange among participating industries. CPDIS emphasizes both fundamental research and applications such as computer systems, office information systems, expert systems, and flexible manufacturing systems. Thus it creates a powerful synergy to apply innovative ideas to pressing practical problems.
In addition to enhancing the degree programs offered by the university, CPDIS will also provide short courses, seminars and continuing education programs to participating industry members and the industrial community at large, to train experienced researchers in the design of parallel, distributed, and intelligent systems.
Research
CPDIS supports research projects conducted by faculty and students, and encourages participation by industry members. The research agenda includes many areas of research topics, centered on the design of parallel, distributed, and intelligent systems, and the methodologies for integrating diverse technologies for the capture, processing, storage, transmission and delivery of information.
- Parallel Systems: This area includes novel computer architectures, programming environments for parallel computation, languages and implementations for parallel computation, and VLSI realization of parallel algorithms.
- Distributed Systems: This area includes requirements-driven distributed system prototyping, and the design of distributed operating systems, distributed databases, multi-media databases, network protocols, and fault-tolerant local area networks.
- Intelligent Systems: This area includes knowledge representation, knowledge-based systems, user interface design and evaluation methodology, machine learning, knowledge acquisition, intelligent workstations, and visual languages.
- Fundamental Methodologies: This area includes parallel algorithms, parallel computational models, mathematical models for distributed systems, and transformation of specifications into prototypes.
Senior faculty members coordinate and lead CPDIS's research activities, interact with the R&D groups of participating companies, and establish further new projects.
Industry Membership
Membership dues are $25,000 annually. All CPDIS members have equal rights with regard to information access. The industry advisory board consisting of representatives from industry members meets twice a year to discuss policy issues for CPDIS. In addition to full members, CPDIS also accepts associate members who contribute at least $10,000 annually to CPDIS. The associate members have access only to the published reports and documents of CPDIS.
More Information
Dr. Shi-Kuo Chang,
Department of Computer Science,
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. 15260
ph: 412.624.8423
fax: 412.624.8465