Title: Datafication of The World: People, Community, and Physical Space

Speaker: Dr. Hsiao-Wuen HON
               Distinguished Scientist & Managing Director
               Microsoft Research Asia

Date:     30 April 2014 (Wednesday)
Time:     4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Venue:   Rm 121, Ho Sin Hang Engineering Building, CUHK

Abstract:
While Big Data has become a popular phrase in recent years, in this talk, I will discuss how using data to better model, interpret, and represent the world has been a continual process throughout the ages. Data allows us to build models to understand how the world functions, so that we can make better predictions and decisions and view the world from new perspectives. I will use research projects from Microsoft Research Asia in the areas of graphics, human computer interaction, and urban informatics to illustrate how data provide novel and richer ways to engage with people, community, and the physical space.

About the speaker:
Dr. Hsiao-Wuen Hon is the Managing Director of Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), overseeing the labs research activities and collaborations with academia in Asia Pacific. An IEEE fellow, Dr. Hon is an internationally recognized expert in speech technology. He serves on the editorial board of the international journal of the Communication of the ACM. Dr. Hon has published more than 100 technical papers in international journals and at conferences. He co-authored a book, Spoken Language Processing, which is a graduate-level textbook and reference book in the area of speech technology in many universities all over the world. Dr. Hon holds three dozens of patents in several technical areas. He joined Microsoft Research Asia in 2004 as a Deputy Managing Director, responsible for research in Internet search, speech & natural language, system, wireless and networking. Prior to joining MSRA, Dr. Hon was the founding member and architect in Natural Interactive Services Division at Microsoft Corporation. He previously worked at Apple Computer, where he led research and development for Apple's Chinese Dictation Kit. Dr. Hon received Ph.D in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from National Taiwan University.