Transcript iswc2006.semanticweb.org

NSF Support for
Semantic Web Research
Frank Olken
National Science Foundation
CISE/IIS
Presentation to
International Semantic Web Conference
Athens, GA
Nov. 7, 2006
Semantic Web Funding at NSF
NSF is routinely funding semantic
web research proposals as part of its
normal research programs and
solicitations.
2006-11-06
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Semantic Web Proposals Funded
by NSF (active awards)

25 awards= “semantic web” in title/abstract

92 awards = “semantic” and “web” in title/abstract

91 awards = “ontology” in title/abstract

16 awards = “ontology” in title only
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48 awards = “semantic” in title only

280 awards = “semantic” in title/abstract

Some of these are traditional linguistics or
programming language semantics
28 awards = “knowledge representation” in title/abstract

Total IIS active awards = 1,000
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Funding of Semantic Web
Proposals by NSF Divisions

CISE/IIS – DM, KM, IR, science informatics,
ecoinformatics, AI, machine learning, ...

CISE/CCF -theory

CISE/CNS – systems

SBE/BCS – e.g., linguistics

BIO/DBI – bioinformatics

OCI – cyberinfrastructure
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Why does NSF care about
semantic web technologies?

Formalization of scientific knowledge

Facilitate sharing of scientific data

Facilitate access to scientific data and knowledge


Natural language processing (information extraction,
digital libraries, ...)
Support for digital government (semantic rules
languages, disaster support, ...)

Support for machine learning

Support for math/science education
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Debates about support of
semantic web research

Skepticism about adoption of semantic tagging by the
masses


Skepticism by the database research community


NSF is concerned about scientific / govt uses, not
My Space
Still somewhat an issue, because semantic
proposals often go to to DB panels
Skepticism about scalability of semantic search and
inference engines

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Open research issue
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Where to apply for NSF funding
for semantic web research?

CISE/IIS Division

III (Information Integration and Informatics)


Funds data management, information retrieval,
knowledge management, digital libraries, digital
government
RI (Robust Intelligence)

Funds machine learning, artificial intelligence, speech,
vision, ...

CISE CNS Division (systems)

CISE CCF Division (theory)
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Where to apply for NSF funding
for semantic web research?

Biology, Geosciences, ... directorates

Fund domain specific ontologies for their specific
research areas

May fund software tools for particular research
areas – e.g., bioinformatics sequence annotation, ...
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Where to apply for NSF funding of
semantic web development?

CISE/CRI


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Funds infrastructure for computer science research
OCI (Office of CyberInfrastructure)

Funds software development for tools of use to
broad scientific communities (biology, etc.)

Anticipates funding data exchange standards and
domain specific ontologies
Note: CRI and OCI support infrastructure,
not direct research support !
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Proposal Deadlines for 06-572

NSF 06-572 Program Solicitation
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Deadline for small (<$450K) proposals is Dec. 6,
2006

Deadlines for large ($900K-$1.8M) and medium
($450K-$900K) proposals have past

Only one solicitation for IIS division this year

Future solicitations expected annually with similar
deadlines.
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Contact Information for NSF CISE / IIS / III

Frank Olken, [email protected]


Maria Zemankova, [email protected]
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Digital libraries
Larry Brandt, [email protected]
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Ontologies, bioinformatics, ...
Steve Griffin, [email protected]
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Knowledge management, information retrieval, workflow, vizualization, ...
Sylvia Spengler, [email protected], III Cluster Leader


data semantics, data/ontology integration, workflow, eng./sci. informatics,
metadata registries, ...
Digital government
Le Gruenwald, [email protected]

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Data management, security and privacy, ...
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Contact Information
NSF/CISE/IIS

Tanya Korelsky, [email protected]

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Natural Language Processing
Edwina Rissland, [email protected]
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Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Representation
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Contact Information
NSF Office of Cyberinfrastructure

Chris Greer, [email protected]
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
Kevin Thompson, [email protected]


Data Management cyberinfrastructure,
bioinformatics, data collections
Software / middleware cyberinfrastructure
To be hired,

2006-11-06
Additional staff in data collections, knowledge
management
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