{"id":199776,"date":"2011-12-02T09:09:25","date_gmt":"2011-12-02T09:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/events\/latin-american-faculty-summit-2012\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T12:02:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T19:02:40","slug":"latin-american-faculty-summit-2012","status":"publish","type":"msr-event","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/research\/event\/latin-american-faculty-summit-2012\/","title":{"rendered":"Latin American Faculty Summit 2012"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n

Venue:<\/strong>\u00a0Grand Velas Riviera Maya Hotel (opens in new tab)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Past events:<\/strong>
\nLatin American Faculty Summit 2016<\/a>
\nLatin American Faculty Summit 2014<\/a>
\nLatin American Faculty Summit 2011<\/a>
\nLatin American Faculty Summit 2010<\/a>
\nLatin American Faculty Summit 2009<\/a>Opens in a new tab<\/span><\/p>\n

\"riviera-maya\"

The Riviera Maya (Image: Shutterstock\/Actidea)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Microsoft Research hosted the eighth annual Latin American Faculty Summit in the Riviera Maya, Mexico, from May 23 to 25, 2012. The theme of the 2012 Summit was \u201cTechnologies in Action.\u201d For the 2012 Latin American Faculty Summit, Microsoft Research united academic and government researchers, educators, and Microsoft researchers, product group engineers, and architects to explore new opportunities in computer-science research and advances that address world-scale challenges in such diverse disciplines as healthcare and wellbeing, energy and environment, and educational and social progress. The program consisted of a variety of keynotes, talks, panels, workshops, and demonstrations.<\/p>\n

Technologies in Action<\/h2>\n

The need to solve real-world problems, whether social or scientific, has provided the impetus for technological advancements over the years. Computing research and technology provide novel approaches to meet these challenges. For years, multidisciplinary researchers have been employing computational innovations to advance investigations in the sciences. New developments in the world of computation have changed the landscape and offer new capabilities to scientists who are interested in increasing their ability to process and understand vast amounts of data. Increasingly, information is stored in the cloud rather than locally, scientists are looking at new ways to interact with data, and computational advantages are being applied to an ever wider range of disciplines.<\/p>\n

About CONACYT<\/h2>\n

The National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) (opens in new tab)<\/span><\/a> is responsible for the design and execution of science and technology policies in Mexico. CONACYT’s aims are to consolidate a National Innovation System that responds to the priority demands of Mexico, provide solution to specific problems and needs, and help raise the standard of living and social wellbeing through five core objectives:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Establish short-, medium-, and long-term state policies to strengthen the links between education, basic and applied sciences, and technology and innovation.<\/li>\n
  2. Promote the decentralization of scientific, technological, and innovation activities in order to help advance regional development.<\/li>\n
  3. Finance basic and applied sciences, technology, and innovation.<\/li>\n
  4. Invest in scientific, technological, and innovation infrastructure.<\/li>\n
  5. Provide accountability to public investments in the development of science and technology, high-quality human resources training, research and development, and innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    By fulfilling these objectives, CONACYT\u2014along with other Federal Government agencies and entities, as well as with the production sector\u2014will help increase Mexico’s contribution to the generation, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge, and to advance the sciences and technology in Mexico.<\/p>\n

    As part of its international collaboration agenda, CONACYT is pleased to partner with Microsoft to present the 2012 Microsoft Research Latin American Faculty Summit.Opens in a new tab<\/span><\/p>\n

    Wednesday, May 23<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Time<\/th>\nEvent\/Topic<\/th>\nLocation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    \n
    12:00\u201312:30<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Opening Ceremony<\/td>\nGrand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    12:30\u20131:30<\/td>\n\n
    Opening Keynote Presentation<\/div>\n
    Microsoft Research: from Basic Research to Technological Innovations<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n

    Peter Lee, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research, United States<\/td>\n

    		<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    1:30\u20131:45<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Group Photo<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    1:45\u20133:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Lunch<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Azul Restaurant\/ Chak\u00e1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    3:00\u20134:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Keynote Presentation<\/div>\n
    Strengthening Mexico\u2019s Participation in Global Research Networks<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Sergio Carrera, Executive Director, INFOTEC, Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    4:00\u20134:45<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Plenary Session<\/div>\n
    Information Management via CrowdSourcing<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n

    Hector Garcia-Molina, Professor, Stanford University, United States<\/td>\n

    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    4:45\u20135:15<\/td>\n\n
    Refreshment Break<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Foyer Grand Velas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    5:15\u20136:00<\/td>\n\n
    Plenary Session<\/div>\n
    Putting the Cloud in the Palm of Your Hand<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n

    Victor Bahl, Director Mobile Computer Research Center, Microsoft Research, United States<\/td>\n

    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    6:00\u20137:00<\/td>\n\n
    Keynote Presentation<\/div>\n
    Bringing Theories to Life: Computer Science at Microsoft Research<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Tony Hey, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    8:30\u201311:00<\/td>\n\n
    Welcome Reception and Dinner<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Zen Grand Garden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Thursday, May 24<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Time<\/th>\nEvent\/Topic<\/th>\nLocation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    \n
    8:30\u20131:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Parallel Track Sessions<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    8:30\u20139:30<\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #1<\/div>\n
    Why Software\u00a0Engineering is the Best\u00a0Job in 2012<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n

    Judith Bishop, Director,\u00a0Microsoft Research\u00a0Connections, United States<\/td>\n

    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #2<\/div>\n
    Kinect for Windows\u2014an Update for Researchers<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Stewart Tansley, Director, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computing in eScience\u00a0Research Track #3<\/div>\n
    eResearch: Surveying the State of the Art<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Lee Dirks, Director, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    CONACYT Thematic Networks\u00a0Research Track #4<\/div>\n
    Teaching a Robot How to Perform New Tasks<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Eduardo F. Morales, Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica, y Electronica (INAOE), Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    9:30\u201310:30<\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #1<\/div>\n
    Future of Software\u00a0Engineering on Mobile\u00a0Devices<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Nikolai Tillmann, Principal\u00a0RSDE, Microsoft Research,\u00a0United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #2<\/div>\n
    The World of Multi-Mouse<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Miguel Nussbaum, Professor, Catholic University of Chile, Chile<\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    E-CLOUDSS: Building e-Government Clouds Using Distributed Semantic Services<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Genoveva Vargas-Solar, Universidad de Las Americas Puebla, Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computing in eScience\u00a0Research Track #3<\/div>\n
    Rethinking Computer Architecture: Research at BSC-Microsoft Research Centre<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Osman Unsal, Senior Researcher, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Spain<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    CONACYT Thematic Networks\u00a0Research Track #4<\/div>\n
    Data Mining and Its Importance in the 21st Century<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Christopher R. Stephens, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico<\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    The Discrete Compactness and Its Applications<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Ernesto Bribiesca, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    10:30\u201311:00<\/td>\nRefreshment Break<\/td>\nFoyer Grand Velas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    11:00\u201312:00<\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #1<\/div>\n
    Engineering Methods for\u00a0Ensuring Program\u00a0Correctness <\/strong>| slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Rustan Leino, Principal\u00a0Researcher, Microsoft\u00a0Research, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #2<\/div>\n
    Microsoft SQL Server Parallel Data Warehouse \u2013 Architecture Overview<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Jos\u00e9 Blakeley, Partner Architect, Microsoft, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computing in eScience\u00a0Research Track #3<\/div>\n
    LACCIR Projects<\/strong> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Chair:<\/strong> Ignacio Casas, Executive Director, LACCIR<\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    LiveANDES: A Software Platform to Share and Analyze Information for Wildlife Conservation<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Cristi\u00e1n Bonacic, Professor, Ecosystems and Environment Department, Catholic University of Chile (PUC-Chile), Chile<\/div>\n
    Andr\u00e9s Neyem, Professor, Computer Science Department, Catholic University of Chile (PUC-Chile), Chile<\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n
    Using Sensor Networks to Classify Frogs Based on Their Calls<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Eduardo Freire Nakamura, Assistant Professor, Research and Technological Innovation Center (FUCAPI), Brazil<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    CONACYT Thematic Networks\u00a0Research Track #4<\/div>\n
    Probabilistic Graphical Models: Applications in Biomedicine<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Enrique Sucar, Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica, y Electronica (INAOE), Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    12:00\u20131:00<\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #1<\/div>\n
    Experiences in Software\u00a0Engineering<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Derick Campbell, Director\u00a0of Engineering, Microsoft\u00a0Research Connections,\u00a0United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computer Science\u00a0Research Track #2<\/div>\n
    Specialized Machine Translation Using the Microsoft Translator Hub \u2013 Customized Models for Language Preservation and Domain Specific Deployment<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Kristin Tolle, Director, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    Computing in eScience\u00a0Research Track #3<\/div>\n
    Big Data and the Cloud Phenomenon<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Pedro Celis, Distinguished Engineer, Microsoft, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    <\/td>\n\n
    CONACYT Thematic Networks\u00a0Research Track #4<\/div>\n
    The Golem Project: a Laboratory for the Construction of Service Robots<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Luis Pineda Cort\u00e9s, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1:00\u20132:30<\/td>\nLunch<\/td>\nAzul Restaurant\/ Chak\u00e1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    1:15\u20132:15<\/td>\n\n
    Panel Session (lunch)<\/div>\n
    Moving the Needle and Growing Women in Computing in Latin America<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
      \n
    • Juliana Salles, Microsoft Research<\/li>\n
    • Jos\u00e9 Tiberio Hernandez, University of Los Andes<\/li>\n
    • Lorena G\u00f3mez, Tec of Monterrey<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
    		Azul Restaurant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    2:30\u20133:15<\/td>\n\n
    Research Talk<\/div>\n
    Deep Neural Networks for Speech and Image Processing<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Alex Acero, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    3:15\u20134:00<\/td>\n\n
    Research Talk<\/div>\n
    Using Computer Vision for Graphics<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Sing Bing Kang, Principal Researcher, Microsoft Research, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    4:00\u20134:30<\/td>\nRefreshment Break<\/td>\nFoyer Grand Velas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    4:30\u20135:15<\/td>\n\n
    Plenary Session<\/div>\n
    Advancing Environmental Understanding: the Role of eScience<\/strong> | slides<\/a> | video<\/a><\/div>\n
    Dan Fay, Director, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    5:15\u20136:00<\/td>\n\n
    Keynote Presentation<\/div>\n
    Driving Innovation Through the Microsoft Research Advanced Technology Labs<\/strong><\/div>\n
    Rico Malvar, Chief Scientist\/Distinguished Engineer, Microsoft Research, United States<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    6:00\u20136:15<\/td>\nAssemble for Departure to Social Event<\/td>\nHotel Lobby<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    7:00\u201310:00<\/td>\nSocial Event and Dinner Show<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Friday, May 25<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Time<\/th>\nEvent\/Topic<\/th>\nLocation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    \n
    8:30\u201310:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Closing Plenary Sessions<\/div>\n
    Chair:<\/strong> Jim Pinkelman, Senior Director, Microsoft Research Connections, United States<\/div>\n
    Data-Intensive Discoveries in Science: the Fourth Paradigm<\/strong> | slides<\/a><\/div>\n
    Alex Szalay, Alumni Centennial Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The Johns Hopkins University, United States<\/div>\n
    LACCIR: Results, Thoughts, and Opportunities<\/strong><\/div>\n
    Ignacio Casas, Executive Director, Latin American and Caribbean Collaborative ICT Research Federation (LACCIR)<\/div>\n
    Sergio Ochoa, Deputy Director, LACCIR<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Grand Velas 7-12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    10:00\u20131:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		DemoFest (Onsite Research Demos)<\/td>\nGrand Velas 1-6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    11:00\u201311:30<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Refreshment Break (During Demofest)<\/td>\nFoyer Grand Velas<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    1:00\u20133:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		\n
    Farewell Lunch<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Azul Restaurant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    \n
    3:00<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
    		Event Ends<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Opens in a new tab<\/span><\/p>\n

    Microsoft Research Software Engineering Workshops<\/h2>\n

    Microsoft Research hosted workshops on Dafny<\/strong>, a programming language and program verifier for functional correctness, and TouchDevelop Programming<\/strong>, a novel application creation environment developed by Microsoft Research for programming on Windows Phone 7. These two workshops were co-located with the Microsoft Research Latin American Faculty Summit 2012 and took place on May 22 and 23, 2012, in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.<\/p>\n

    Workshop Schedule<\/h2>\n

    Tuesday, May 22<\/span>
    \n2:30\u20134:30 PM | Dafny
    \n4:30\u20135:00 PM | Refreshment break
    \n5:00\u20137:00 PM | TouchDevelop Programming I<\/p>\n

    Wednesday, May 23<\/span>
    \n9:00\u201311:00 AM | TouchDevelop Programming II<\/p>\n

    \t

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