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What is Web Science and why is it important?

What is Web Science and why is it important?. Professors Wendy Hall and Nigel Shadbolt. Contents of this presentation. introduction to WSRI what we do what is Web Science exemplars current activities. Introduction our motivation. the Web has been transformational

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What is Web Science and why is it important?

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  1. What is Web Science and why is it important? Professors Wendy Hall and Nigel Shadbolt

  2. Contents of this presentation • introduction to WSRI • what we do • what is Web Science • exemplars • current activities

  3. Introductionour motivation • the Web has been transformational • we need to understand it • anticipate future developments • identify opportunities and threats • we have established a new discipline: Web Science

  4. Introductionour aims • promote and encourage multidisciplinary collaborative research to study the development of the Web • provide a global forum to enable academia, government and industry to understand the scientific, technical and social factors that drive the growth of the Web and enable innovation • devise curricula for the new discipline of Web Science so as to train future generations of Web Scientists

  5. Introductioninstitutions - joint venture MIT’s CSAIL Leader in North America Southampton’s ECS Leader in Europe

  6. Introductiondirectors Nigel Shadbolt Wendy Hall • the reputations, experience and skills of our Directors enables us towork closely alongside academia, government, industry and donors to realize our aims Tim Berners-Lee Daniel Weitzner

  7. “Web Science represents a pretty big next step in the evolution of information. This kind of research is likely to have a lot of influence on the next generation of researchers, scientists and, most importantly, the next generation of entrepreneurs who will build new companies from this.” Dr Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google Inc. “Web Science research is a prerequisite to designing and building the kinds of complex, human-oriented systems that we are after in services science.” Irving Wladawsky-Berger, VP, Technical Strategy and Innovation, IBM Corporation. Where we are launch November 06

  8. Introductionadvisors • scientific council • leaders in their disciplines • strategic advisory board • individuals with influence • formulating corporate advisory board • companies committed to Web Science

  9. Where we areWSRI Operational Phases • Phase 1: Nov 06 to Nov 07 • Launched the concept and targeted activities • Phase 2: Dec 07 to Nov 08 • Establish a lean organization in America and Europe • Phase 3: Dec 08 onwards • Build a global organization and expand activity base

  10. Web Science ResearchSome of the issues • the structure of the Web • effective protocols for the Web • social effects on the Web • meaning in the Web • fragmentation of the Web • rates of change on the Web…

  11. What we dothought leadership • a global forum of experts to raise awareness, lead thinking and disseminate information • provide corporations, governments and regulators with the capability to anticipate future developments

  12. What we doeducation • collaborate to develop degree courses and curriculum • modify and extend, evolve current courses • build capacity for this new field • motivated students tackling a real and important set of challenges

  13. The Web has been transformational Largest human information construct How are we to Understand what it is Develop its engineering Ensure its social benefit Develop capacity This requires a new interdisciplinary field - This field we call Web Science New fields have been constituted in the past and continue apace Computer Science Cognitive Science Systems Biology Genomics… What is Web Science?

  14. Web Science isinterdisciplinary Physics Statistical Mechanics Phase Transitions… Political Science Governance Democratic Mechanisms…

  15. Web Science isabout emergence • simple principles and protocols (e.g. links) create complex structures - the Web • simple behaviors (e.g. Blogging) create complex phenomena - the Blogosphere • anticipating new principles and behaviors

  16. Web Science - ExampleWeb Structure • Scale-free • The Web has a fractal nature • Power laws • Over the Web the numbers of links into and links out of any Web page obey a Power Law • Small worlds • The average distance (or diameter) is much smaller than the order of the graph.

  17. Web Science - ExampleThe Blogosphere • The Blogosphere • Why did it take off? • What structure does it have? • What drives its evolution? • Web Science aims to understand the scientific, technical and social factors that drive the growth of the Web

  18. Web ScienceA Process • creative innovation • design and engineering • the social and the technical • interpretation and analysis

  19. Self Expression Self Publish Blogs Spoofing and Splogs… Citation Trackback Blogosphere… Blog site… Web ScienceA Process • creative innovation • design and engineering • the social and the technical • interpretation and analysis

  20. Web Science - ExampleWikipedia - Collective Intelligence • Shape and structure • Scale free • Preferential attachment • Communities • Values and obligations • Incentives

  21. Web Science - ExampleWikipedia - Collective Intelligence • Shape and structure • Scale free • Preferential attachment • Communities • Values and obligations • Incentives

  22. Web Science Researchlinked data in health care • Clinical • Imaging • Microscopy • Treatment • Medical Records • Published background

  23. Web Science Researchanticipating the future The four micro principles of the Semantic Web 1. All entities of interest, such as information resources, real-world objects, and vocabulary terms should be identified by URI references. 2. URI references should be dereferenceable, meaning that an application can look up a URI over the HTTP protocol and retrieve RDF data about the identified resource. 3. Data should be provided using the RDF/XML syntax 4. Data should be interlinked with other data. • Is the Semantic Web at a tipping point • “Yes Jim but not as we know it” • It is not services it is content • The Linked Web of Data • See DBpedia etc.

  24. Web Science Researchanticipating the future

  25. Web Science Researchanticipating the future • A world in which we know where most things are most of the time? • What does this do to our individual and collective rights? • What business opportunities arise? • What social practices arise?

  26. Web Science Researchanticipating the future • A world in which we know where most things are most of the time? • What does this do to our individual and collective rights? • What business opportunities arise? • What social practices arise?

  27. Web ScienceSocial impact of linked data Public health challenges Data mining power Privacy concerns Unclear legal rules Unanticipated social effects Public Health investigation Linked Data-driveninvestigation Big brother? Public healthsuccess Data Mining Law? relief &unease Powerinvestigation

  28. A Linked Data Social challenge Public Health Investigation Complex Scenario Can we analyze data dependencies in order to track rule compliance and rule violation?

  29. Web ScienceInformation Accountability New privacy framework Technical architecture for usage tracking and policy explanation Legal rules the concentrate on permissible/impermissible use Analysis of technical/social interplay Need new privacyframework Information Accountability Public healthsuccess Social accountability? Dependency reasoning New Law Accountable usage Usage tracking

  30. Web ScienceNew social challenges… What can we learn from composition of social networks? What are the right privacy norms? How will we arrive at social/legal consensus?

  31. WSRI- a catalyst for the future web technology To create a multi-disciplinary approach to understand how the Web will evolve, anticipate issues that will arise and proactively address these issues to ensure that the Web remains as a positive enabler for our society vision Web Science science social Research Thought leadership Education • how • Evolution of the web • Structure • Protocols • Social effects • Fragmentation • Rates of change • Applications • Education • Science • Health • eGovernment • Global forum of experts to inform • Academia, Government, Industry • Raise awareness, lead thinking, disseminate • Workshops • Issue generation • Consultancy • Conferences • Input Sessions • Web Science curriculum development at undergraduate and graduate levels • Creation of Web Science capabilities and talent • Role of web in innovation • Web as driver for development • Integrated, multi-disciplinary perspective • Capacity for new field of Web Science • Solutions to anticipated issues • Coordination on a global scale impact Foundations/ non-profits Business Communities Policy Makers • Ability to share information • Informed resource allocation • Capacity building for Social welfare • Enhanced ways of working • Address future talent needs • Opportunities for innovation • More informed policy choices • Broader reach of input • More access • Connect resources with needs • Facilitate social goals • Maximize impact

  32. technology Web Science science social Research Thought leadership Education • Evolution of the web • Structure • Protocols • Social effects • Fragmentation • Rates of change • Applications • Education • Science • Health • eGovernment • Global forum of experts to inform • Academia, Government, Industry • Raise awareness, lead thinking, disseminate • Workshops • Issue generation • Consultancy • Conferences • Input Sessions • Web Science curriculum development at undergraduate and graduate levels • Creation of Web Science capabilities and talent • Role of web in innovation • Web as driver for development • Integrated, multi-disciplinary perspective • Capacity for new field of Web Science • Solutions to anticipated issues • Coordination on a global scale

  33. Current Activities • Community building workshops • Summer School at Oxford • Publications, F&T (also in Greek :-), CACM, Scientific American • Fund Raising - Research Agencies, Foundations, Corporate Sponsorship, EU Programme • Curriculum development • 1st International Conference on Web Science 18-20th March 09, Athens, Greece • World Wide Network of Web Science Labs

  34. World Wide Network of Web Science Labs • Founding Labs - Southampton and MIT • Developing a network of Web Science Labs around the world • Pursuing a coordinated programme of work • Research • Post Doctoral Training • Knowledge Transfer 35

  35. New Web Science Lab in Shenzhen 清华大学 南安普敦

  36. One World One Web • Diversity and community • The dangers of fragmentation • The challenge of culture and language • We will establish a common framework of semantic interoperability 37

  37. Web Sciencewhy this matters • the Web matters • an essential part of humanity • understanding the Web is a major challenge as big as any other global cause

  38. Research Thought leadership Education • Evolution of the web • Structure • Protocols • Social effects • Fragmentation • Rates of change • Applications • Education • Science • Health • eGovernment • Global forum of experts to inform • Academia, Government, Industry • Raise awareness, lead thinking, disseminate • Workshops • Issue generation • Consultancy • Conferences • Input Sessions • Web Science curriculum development at undergraduate and graduate levels • Creation of Web Science capabilities and talent • Role of web in innovation • Web as driver for development • Integrated, multi-disciplinary perspective • Capacity for new field of Web Science • Solutions to anticipated issues • Coordination on a global scale

  39. Thought leadership • Global forum of experts to inform • Academia, Government, Industry • Raise awareness, lead thinking, disseminate • Workshops • Issue generation • Consultancy • Conferences • Input Sessions • Research • Evolution of the web • Structure • Protocols • Social effects • Fragmentation • Rates of change • Applications • Education • Science • Health • eGovernment • Education • Web Science curriculum development at undergraduate and graduate levels • Creation of Web Science capabilities and talent • Role of web in innovation • Web as driver for development • Integrated, multi-disciplinary perspective • Capacity for new field of Web Science • Solutions to anticipated issues • Coordination on a global scale

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