GENERAL INFORMATION

Title: Information integration: towards a declarative language ``à la SQL'' for query rewriting

Subtitle: Application to transparent querying of heterogeneous biological data

Study Area: relational databases, knowledge representation and reasoning, information systems

Theme: information integration (data and applications)

Application: integration of biological and medical data, semantic web

Abstract: The proposed subject concerns the design and study of a language allowing to express queries rewritings in a declarative way (ie for example in the form of a formula). A generic engine will be further implemented to allow the automatic generation of an algorithm associated with a given rewriting from its description. Next, this language will be used to propose new rewritings for ontologies based queries aiming at flexible information integration, in areas such as interoperability of biological data and the semantic web.

More information : http://laic.u-clermont1.fr/~more/PhDSubjectMoreQuilliotRey.pdf

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Place: Clermont-Ferrand, France

Funding: Term 3 years - Net monthly wage about 1400 euros

Start Date: September 2008

Contacts: Malika More, more@laic.u-clermont1.fr, Christophe Rey, rey@isima.fr

Research groups: LAIC http://laic.u-clermont1.fr/, LIMOS http://www.isima.fr/limos/

Deadline for application: May 19, 2008

Applicants should send a detailed resume + graduate transcripts + email of at least one academic reference

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Training in computer science or mathematics

Knowledge of French is not required

Skills : first-order logic, description logic, relational databases (conjunctive queries, relational algebra, predicate calculus, complex values)

Languages and tools: SQL, PL/SQL, Oracle