Aesthetic Computing: Changing the Face of Software

  Abstract:

     Relatively recent advances in computer technology now enable us
  to represent formal mathematical and computing structures with a
  variety of aesthetic styles. On the hypothesis that the chief 
  impediment to building such structures has resided in the cost of
  labor and materials, we are on the brink of a greater degree of
  flexibility in how we create representations. For example, an
  equation or a finite state machine may be represented with a type
  of architectural aesthetic. Although, architecture has been used 
  as a software engineering metaphor, it has been surfaced in practice as
  a weak metaphor. We strengthen these metaphors by allowing the user
  to choose their own media, with an emphasis on 3D models. This procedure
  results in more personalized model forms, with the hope of bringing 
  formal structures to a greater population of users.

  Bio:

  Paul Fishwick obtained his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania,
  and is Professor of Computer and Information Science and Engineering
  (CISE) at the University of Florida. His research area is focused
  on model design for computer simulation and the computer arts. He is
  a Fellow of the Society for Computer Simulation, and most recently
  served as General Chair of the 2000 Winter Simulation Conference in
  Orlando, Florida.