MEDIA CONTACT: Cheryl Halle
561-297-1399, challe@fau.edu or
Michaelle Serrano
561-297-1013, michaelle.serrano9@gmail.com

FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science is
First U.S. College to Host International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods

            BOCA RATON, FL (December 12, 2007) – Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science recently hosted the ninth annual International Conference on Formal Engineering Methods.  Renowned professionals from various regions of the world met to present and discuss engineering methods for the development of mission-critical and life-critical computer systems.  The conference was jointly organized and sponsored by FAU, the Loyola College in Maryland and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.     

            This year’s conference was preceded by a Grand Challenge Workshop that addressed issues associated with flash memory hardware. Conference keynote speaker, Dr. Jean-Raymond Abrial, professor of computer science for the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, opened the conference by introducing a complex engineering concept that may be used to alleviate some of the challenges associated with flash memory.  During the introduction, Abrial emphasized how Event-B (a specific mathematical approach) can be used to create models that will enable computer programmers to better specify solutions to the problems associated with flash memory and other components that form part of mission-critical and life-critical systems.   

 “Many organizations are using flash memory and are experiencing difficulties associated with it.  Therefore, it is truly important to understand and correct issues, in order to reduce these errors,” said Dr. Maria Petrie, co-chair of the conference and associate dean for academic and international affairs in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. 

-FAU-

Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science is committed to providing accessible and responsive programs of education and research recognized nationally for their high quality. Course offerings arepresented on-campus, off-campus, and through distance learning in bioengineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, geomatics engineering, mechanical engineering and ocean engineering.  For more information about the college, please visit www.eng.fau.edu.