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Research is another name for curiosity
* By Vítor Santos Costa
I hereby reply to the invitation that I received to present my vision on the challenges that a Computer Science researcher faces nowadays. For me, maybe the easiest way to do it is answer the old questions "What? Why? How? Where? When?"
What? Research is another name for curiosity and, in the case of Computer Science, there is a lot to be curious for. In my case – and I believe that the same thing happens with my co-workers at CRACS -, curiosity is knowing how to create fun things that make other enjoyable things. We can build a compiler for a new language that not only manages a sensor network, but also enables the remote control of the mating cycle of red termite. Or we can create a language that enables us to compare databases on the Mediterranean fruit fly, capable of being adapted for a certain kind of yeast. There is not much we can’t do. And when we can’t do it, we can simulate it...
Why? There is a difference between why a person does things and why other people want to do things. Generally, we want to make those things because we like it, because it’s a challenge. Strange as it may sound, debugging a compiler may be a pleasant experience like building a bathroom without breaking the marble or changing a flat tire. However, the world asks us to do “useful” things. Luckily, in our area, we can choose among all the problems in the world. And among all the problems in the world, there are some interesting ones. And that leads us to the next question...
How? The problem for those who have everything is choosing, that is, focusing on a problem or an area where we think we can make a difference. In my case, I chose logic programming because I like it and because it is an elegant bridge between the world of theory and reality. Other co-workers have chosen other areas: parallel systems, concurrent systems, Web systems, intelligent systems, safe systems. There are many paths to follow. The hard thing is choose. After that, all we have to do is listen to all the questions and try to answer by coming up with a theory and verify that theory through experimentation, maybe with a model (and then pray a lot). Finally, we must give the work back to the community. Or sell it... and if one day we get tired, one advantage with Computer Science is that we can start all over again.
Where? A good place for a curious person to live is a place with a lot of windows so that you can look outside. Access must be easy so that you can easily go to many places. You must be sociable so that you can meet many people and ask many questions. You must have rules because curiosity killed the cat. As a researcher, I believe that building a house like this is a great challenge. As someone who knows much about the history of INESC Porto, I am happy that CRACS, LIAAD and INESC took this challenge.
When? Now!
* Collaborator at the Center for Research in Advanced Computing Systems (CRACS)
