MONTREAL/February 27, 2002—
In partnership with computing giant Microsoft, the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science will host the first Canadian Undergraduate Software Engineering Conference (CUSEC) from March 6-8 at Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, as part of National Engineering Week.
Commemorating the first-ever graduating class in software engineering in Quebec this semester, the conference will converge future Canadian software engineers and students in other university computing programs with academic and industrial delegates to describe and demonstrate the developments in software engineering (SOEN). The theme of the inaugural conference "Design for Change" underscores the importance of promoting an open, cross-discipline dialogue regarding new challenges faced within the broad computing field.
ìCUSEC represents the future of software engineering,î said conference chair and founder John Jonathan Kopanas. ìIt's going to play a vital role in the education of software engineers across Canada.î
ìAnyone who is passionate about improving the way we create software should attend,î he continued. ìCUSEC provides an opportunity for students like myself to learn from researchers in the field of software engineering, to get an idea of how theory has been applied in industry and to discuss present and future SOEN education and research.î
Motorola, Forensic Technology Institute, Zeroknowledge and others will be among industry presenters. Funding, in large part has been provided by the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science and ECA (the Engineering and Computer Science Student Association). Microsoft will supply prizes for the conference, including 20 WinXP software packages, 50 books, grab bags and cash. The computer science department will also receive a new MSDN Academic Alliance License - designed for academic labs, faculty, and students in engineering, computer science and information systems to buy Microsoft developer tools, platforms and servers for instructional and research purposes.
The conference will feature five keynote speakers from Dalhousie University, the University of Ottawa and Concordia. There will also be two round-table discussions on the future of software education and software engineering, six corporate speakers and six additional academic speakers. A banquet will close the conference at 6 pm on Friday night at the Holiday Inn Midtown, on Sherbrooke.
ìThe whole organizing team is excited to bring the Canadian Undergraduate Software Engineering Conference to Concordia and feel that it will play a large role in the SOEN program at the University for years to come,î said Kopanas.
Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 at the door. Registration begins at 5 pm on opening night (March 6) followed by cocktails.
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