NUIG showcases web science from DERI

One of the world’s leading international web science research institutes will showcase its research at NUI Galway on April 6. The Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), based at the university, is a key player in the Government’s plan to transform Ireland into a competitive knowledge economy. Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock will give the keynote address at the event.

The day-long event will reflect the work undertaken by DERI’s 120 researchers who, with key partners from multinational companies and small and medium enterprises, are shaping the next generation of the web known as the semantic web and developing new products and technologies in this area. In the past seven years DERI has developed into an internationally recognised leading research centre, as documented by its large number of high-quality publications in core conferences, outnumbering any other research organisation worldwide in its field of research.

The institute’s focus is on education and technology transfer, which directly contributes to the Government’s plan of transforming Ireland into a competitive knowledge economy.

“The discovery, integration, and exploitation of the humungous amount of the web’s information have become important challenges,” said Professor Stefan Decker of DERI. “DERI is taking on these challenges by defining and executing a research agenda and outreach activities targeted at enabling and supporting people, organisations, and systems to collaborate and interoperate on a global scale using semantic web technologies.”

A selection of DERI technologies will be presented through a series of lecture sessions and participants can engage with researchers through demonstration and posters sessions. Industry partners including Cisco, Storm, Alcatel-Lucent, Celtrak, and Avaya will also participate on the day.

“By helping to create critical new jobs, products, services and commercial opportunities, our centre is an integral part of the national strategy of transforming Ireland into a competitive knowledge economy,” said Michael Turley, CEO of DERI. “Our event on April 6 gives us a chance to network with existing partners and open up our research to potential new collaborations and influences.”

DERI is a centre for science, engineering and technology (CSET) established in 2003 with funding from Science Foundation Ireland. As a CSET, DERI brings together academic and industrial partners to boost innovation in science and technology, with its research focused on the semantic web. DERI has leveraged its SFI CSET funding to add significant additional research funding from the European Union, Enterprise Ireland, and industry sources giving it a total funding to date of more than €62 million.

The DERI open day will take place from 10.30am to 5.30pm on Wednesday. For registration and a full programme visit www.deri.ie/about/deri-open-day/