[TYPES/announce] *Deadline extended* Final call for contributions AI4FM 2014

[Iain Whiteside]

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  AI4FM 2014 - the 5th International Workshop on
    the use of AI in Formal Methods
      
       http://www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2014/

    Singapore, 13th May, 2014
     In association with FM 2014
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     --- Final Call for Contributions ---


Confirmed Speakers
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Rustan Leino, Microsoft Research
Chin Wei Ngan, National University of Singapore
Dominique Méry, LORIA and Université de Lorraine

Important Dates
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Submission deadline: *March 15, 2014*
Notification of acceptance: March 22, 2014
Final version due: April 22, 2014
Workshop: May 13th, 2014

General
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This workshop will bring together researchers from formal methods, 
automated reasoning and AI; it will address the issue of how AI can 
be used to support the formal software development process, including 
requirement analysis, modelling and proof. Previous AI4FM workshops 
have included a mix of industrial and academic participants and we 
anticipate attracting a similarly diverse audience. 

Rigorous software development using formal methods allows the construction 
of an accurate characterisation of a problem domain that is firmly based 
on mathematics; by applying standard mathematical analyses, these methods 
can be used to prove that systems satisfy formal specifications. Research 
has shown that with tools backed by mature theory, formal methods are 
becoming cost effective and their use is easier to justify, not as an 
academic exercise, legal requirement or niche markets -- but as part of 
a business case. However, while industrial use of formal methods is 
increasing, in order to make it more mainstream, the cost of applying 
formal methods, in terms of mathematical skill level and development 
time, must still be reduced. We believe that AI can help with these 
issues.


Scope
---------------
We encourage submissions presenting work in progress, tools under
development, and PhD projects, in order that the workshop can become 
a forum for active dialogue between the groups involved in  automated 
reasoning, formal methods and artificial intelligence.  Particular 
areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

- The use of AI and automated reasoning to support and guide the formal 
  modelling process.
- The use of AI and automated reasoning in the requirement capture process.
- The use of AI to reuse formal models, programs and proofs.
- The use of machine learning to support interactive theorem proving.
- The use of machine learning to enhance automated theorem proving.
- The development of search heuristics.
- The use of AI for term synthesis, invariant generation, lemma discovery 
  and concept invention.
- The use of AI for counter-example generation.
- The use of constraint solvers in formal methods. 
- The role of AI planning for formal systems developments, from requirements 
  to the end product (including software and hardware).
- The interplay between reasoning and modelling and the role of AI in this 
  framework.
- Ontologies in the formal engineering process.


History
---------------
This will be the fifth workshop in the series. Previous workshops were held at:
 - Rennes, France, July 2013 @ ITP (www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2013/)
 - Schloss Dagstuhl, Germany, July 2012 (www.dagstuhl.de/12271)
 - Edinburgh, UK, April 2011 (www.ai4fm.org/ai4fm-2011.php)
 - Newcastle, UK, May 2010 (www.ai4fm.org/ko-meeting.php)


Submission
---------------
The main aim for the workshop is discussion, thus submissions do not 
need to be original. Extended versions of submissions may have been 
published previously, or submitted concurrently with or after AI4FM 
2014 to another workshop, conference or a journal.

Submission is by email to:

  ai4fm2014 at ai4fm.org

Please submit an abstract up to 3 pages in a PDF format. The extended 
abstracts will be handed out to all participants, and will be made 
into a technical report prior to the workshop. 

Acceptance for presentation at the workshop will be made by the 
organisers based on relevance to the workshop.


Organisers
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* Leo Freitas (Newcastle University, UK)
* Gudmund Grov (Heriot-Watt University, UK)
* Iain Whiteside (Newcastle University, UK)


Contact Details
----------------
If you have any queries, please email the organisers at the following 
email address:

  ai4fm2014 at ai4fm.org