Speaker: Prof.David Lorge Parnas, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

Host: Prof. Hu Zhenjiang, Prof. Zhang Jiang, School of Computer Science

Time: 9:00-11:00 am, October 26, 2022, GMT+8

Venue: Zoom Meeting ID: 835 3914 3592 Password: 20221001

Abstract:

Software has become a critical technology. Unfortunately, most of it must be characterized as unprofessional. Its developers were never taught how to apply what is known about software development; they are often self-taught people who depend on intuition and use poor software as models. Consequently, software is famous for its flaws. Software Engineering programmes are supposed to graduate people who will do better.

Many Universities now offer programmes called “Software Engineering” but often those teaching those programmes cannot explain the distinction between Computer Science programmes and Software Engineering programmes. Many of these programmes would be more accurately described as “applied computer science”; they offer less “theory” and more “programming” than other CS programmes but do not teach about other essential aspects of software development.

This talk is based on the observation. that scientists add to, and organize, knowledge while Engineers apply that knowledge and mathematics to produce products that are fit for use by others. Engineers should be judged by what they can do (capabilities) rather than what they know. There have been several efforts to identify a "body of knowledge" for Software Engineering but none captures the essence of the field. This talk addresses a different question, “What should a graduate Software Engineer be able to do?” Starting from two historical characterizations of the field by leading pioneers, it describes and explains a set of capabilities that are essential for today's "Software Engineers”. The talk is addressed to educators/students, managers, licensing authorities, and, of course, software developers interested in self-improvement.

Biography:

Professor David Lorge Parnas received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering - Systems and Communications Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University and honorary doctorates from the ETH in Zurich,the Catholic University of Louvain, and the University of Italian Switzerland in Lugano.

Professor Parnas is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the ACM and the the IEEE. He is a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and is licensed as a Professional Engineer in Ontario.

Dave was the first winner of the Norbert Wiener Prize from Computing Professionals for Social Responsibility. He has also received the FifFprize from Forum Informatiker für Frieden und Verantwortung in Germany. He won an ACM “Best Paper” Award in 1979, two “Most Influential Paper” awards from the International Conference on Software Engineering, the 1998 ACM SIGSOFT “Outstanding Research Award”, the IEEE CS’s “Practical Visionary Award” given in honor of the late Dr.Harlan Mills, and the “Component and Object Technology”Award presented at TOOLS99.

Recently, Parnas was proud to share the IEEE Computer Society’s sixtieth anniversary (one-time) award with Professor Maurice Wilkes of Cambridge University.

Parnas is the author of more than 250 papers and reports. Many of his papers have been repeatedly republished and some are considered classics. A collection of his papers can be found in: Hoffman, D.M., Weiss, D.M. (eds.), “Software Fundamentals: Collected Papers by David L. Parnas”, Addison-Wesley, 2001, 664 pgs., ISBN 0-201-70369-6.

Source: School of Computer Science