Call for Participation
6TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DATABASE THEORY
(ICDT 97)
Delphi, Greece, January 8-10, 1997
In cooperation with
ACM COMPUTER SOCIETY and IEEE COMPUTER SOCIETY
Invited Talks
Invited Tutorial
ICDT is a biannual international conference on theoretical aspects of databases and a forum for communicating research advances on the principles of database systems. Previous ICDT conferences were held in Rome (1986), Bruges (1988), Paris (1990), Berlin (1992), and Prague (1995). Since 1992, ICDT has been merged with the Symposium on Mathematical Fundamentals of Database Systems (MFDBS), another series of conferences on theoretical aspects of database systems that was initiated in Dresden (1987), and continued in Visegrad (1989) and Rostock (1991).
Abstract: Semi-structured data can be found in many data sources available electronically (most notably in the WWW). They also arise naturally as the result of the integration of independent heterogeneous sources. In such contexts, the structure of data is not as regular or rigid as in standard databases systems, e.g., in the relational or object-oriented database systems. Also, the notion of schema is altered in essential ways, e.g., the schema may become implicit. We will try to highlight the main aspects and particularities of semi-structured data. We will also survey some proposals of models and query languages for semi-structured data.
About the speaker: Serge Abiteboul obtained his Ph.D. from U.S.C, Los Angeles, in 1982, and a Th`ese d'Etat from Paris University, Orsay, in 1985. He is Senior Researcher at I.N.R.I.A., Rocquencourt, France where he managed a Database Group from 1989 to 1995. He is also Maitre de Conf'erence at Ecole Polytechnique. He is currently visiting for two years the Computer Science Dept. at Stanford U.
Abstract:
A number of ideas concerning information-integration tools can be
thought of as constructing answers to queries using views that represent
the capabilities of information sources. We review the formal basis of
these techniques, which are closely related to containment algorithms
for conjunctive queries and/or datalog programs.
Then we compare the approaches taken by AT&T Labs' "Information
Manifold" and the Stanford "Tsimmis" project in these terms.
About the speaker:
Jeff Ullman is the Stanford W. Ascherman Professor of Engineering and
acting chair of the Department of Computer Science at Stanford.
He received the B.S. degree from Columbia University in 1963 and the PhD
from Princeton in 1966. He has served as chair of the CS-GRE
Examination board, Member of the ACM Council, Chair of the New York
State CS Doctoral Evaluation Board, on several NSF advisory boards,
and is past or present editor of several journals.
He is presently a member of the Computing Research Association Board.
Ullman was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1989, has
held Guggenheim and Einstein Fellowships, and is the 1996 winner of the
Sigmod Contributions Award. He is the author of 14 books, including a
2-volume series on Database Systems. His research interests include
information integration, warehouse design, and data mining.
Abstract:
Data mining, also called knowledge discovery in databases,
aims at the discovery of interesting knowledge from large masses of
data. We review some recent developments in data mining methods for
relational, sequential, and time-series data, and present some
theoretical results and challenges in the area.
About the speaker:
Heikki Mannila is a professor of computer science at the
University of Helsinki, where he also obtained his Ph.D.
in 1985. After that he has been an associate professor
at the Universities of Tampere and Helsinki, a visiting professor
at the Technical University of Vienna, and a guest researcher
at the Max Planck Institut fur Informatik in Saarbrucken.
He has also worked at the National Public Health Institution in
Helsinki, as well as consultant in industry.
His research interests include data mining, machine learning,
database design, and text databases. He is the coauthor of the book
"Design of Relational Databases" (Addison-Wesley) as well as
numerous articles in algorithms, databases, machine learning and
data mining. He is one of the editors-in-chief of the new
scientifc journal "Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery".
LOCATION --------- ICDT 97 will be held at the European Cultural Center of Delphi, Greece. Delphi (elevation 573 m.) is located in a magnificent natural setting about 170 km N/W of Athens on the undercliffs of Mount Parnassus. The drive from Athens to Delphi takes about three hours. Delphi hosts one of the most significant archaeological sites in Greece. Although today it is just a small village, historically Delphi has been one of the cornerstones of ancient Greek civilization. Indeed, in antiquity Delphi was the seat of the oracle of Apollo, which was particularly active during the 7th and the 6th centuries BC and had to be consulted for essentially every major political decision. Ancient Greeks considered Delphi to be the "navel of the world". The shrine was administered by a panhellenic confederation, which every four years organized the Pythian Games; these were second only to the Olympic Games, but with more prominence on music and drama, as they were dedicated to Apollo.
January is winter time in Greece. The temperature at Delphi in January typically ranges from 5 to 15 degrees C (41-59 degrees F), with a small probability of being lower than 5 degrees C (41 degrees F).
The Greek currency is the drachma (DR). In September 1996, 1 US Dollar was approximately 235 DR. Currencey can be exchanged either at the Athens airport or in Delphi.
Delphi's archeological site has many interesting monuments and temples, including the sanctuary of Apollo, the theatre where the Delphic festivals were held, the stadium, the Kastalia Fountain where the Pythia, priestess of Apollo, would bathe before uttering her oracular utterances, and the tholos or rotunda, one of the most remarkable architectural constructions of antiquity (depicted on the conference poster). The collection of the Delphi museum consists exclusively of objects found on the archaeological site, including the famous bronze statue of the charioteer and an ancient copy of the sacred stone "omphalos" (the "navel of the world").
In Delphi and the surrounding villages you can find tavernas, restaurants, coffee houses, and bars.
From Delphi you can visit the ski facilities of Mount Parnassus (elevation 2400 m), the town of Itea (17 km), a pleasant summer resort by the sea, the town of Amfissa (22 km), surrounded by a forest of olive trees, and the monastery of Hosios Loukas (36 km), an outstanding example of Byzantine art and architecture.
The conference proceedings will appear as a volume in the "Lecture Notes in Computer Science" (LNCS) series, published by Springer-Verlag, and will be available at the conference. Each registered participant will receive a copy of the proceedings (except for students).
PROCEDURE
----------
People wishing to attend the conference should fill out a copy of the
registration form attached to the end of this announcement and return it,
via e-mail, fax, or postal mail, to the address:
E-mail registration is strongly preferred.
In addition to sending the registration form, the proper registration
fee should be paid via cheque or bank transfer, as explained below
in the METHOD OF PAYMENT section.
A separate form must be completed by each participant.
Please make sure that your society affiliation (membership number)
and/or university affiliation are shown on your registration form,
or that proof of your full time student status comes together with it.
Otherwise, the reduced registration fee will not be applied.
It is suggested to register for the conference at your earliest convenience.
As soon as both registration form and fee have been received,
an e-mail confirmation will be sent. To qualify for the early
registration fee, payment must be received by November 12, 1996.
The conference fee includes admission to all sessions
of the conference (including the invited talks and tutorial),
a copy of the proceedings (not included in the student fee),
refreshments during the breaks, lunches, transportation from and to Athens via
the transfer buses of the conference, and the social events (reception on
January 7, tour of the archaeological site and conference banquet on January 9
-the latter not included in the student fee).
A SPECIAL NOTE FOR EAST EUROPEAN PARTICIPANTS
----------------------------------------------
A limited number of free participations for people from
Eastern Europe (free conference attendance and accomodation)
will be offered. To become eligible for the support,
please apply to Foto Afrati by e-mail (afrati@softlab.ece.ntua.gr) before
November 12, 1996.
CANCELLATION AND REFUND
-----------------------
Cancellation must be made in written form to the organizers.
If cancellation notification is received before December 11, 1996,
80% of the registration fee will be refunded; no refunds will be made thereafter.
For registered participants who cannot attend, the proceedings
will be mailed after the conference.
METHOD OF PAYMENT
-----------------
Payment of the registration fees should be made in US dollars
in one of the following ways:
* cheque payable to "ICDT 97", mailed with the registration form,
* bank transfer to ERGOBANK S.A., Zographou Branch
Acc. No: 088/03741-00010/19
SWIFT address: ERGOGRAA, 90 Papagou av, and Maratou,
15772 Athens, Greece
Fax: +30-1-7486824
Tel: +30-1-7486822
If using a bank transfer, please send a copy of the receipt via postal
mail or fax to the address used for the registration above. It is
allowed to send a single check or make a single bank transfer covering
more than one registration fee.
* Upon arrival at the secretariat desk (full fee has to be paid).
SOCIAL EVENTS
=============
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1997 Welcome reception with light dinner at
20:00 AND 22:00 the EUROPEAN CULTURAL CENTER OF DELPHI.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9,1997 Tour of Delphi archeological site and museum.
14:00 - 16:30
20:30 Conference Banquet.*
During the banquet, a performance of
Greek music will take place.
*The cost of a banquet ticket (for those not registered or students) is
US $50 per person.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
==================
VISA
----
No entry visa is required for visitors from EEC countries, USA, and
Canada. For other countries, information about visa can be obtained
from the Greek Consulates or airlines.
LETTERS OF INVITATION
---------------------
Upon request, the secretariat of the conference will send a personal
invitation for participation in the conference. It should be understood that
such an invitation is only to help participants obtain a visa and does not
constitute a commitment on the part of the organizers to provide any
financial suport.
TO AND FROM DELPHI
------------------
THROUGH ATHENS
By plane: Athens International Airport has two terminals. OLYMPIC AIRWAYS
passengers arrive at the Western Terminal.
Passengers of all other airlines arrive at the Eastern Terminal.
You can travel from Athens to Delphi and from Delphi to Athens using the
conference buses or public transportation as described below. For those
who want to stay overnight in Athens before or after the conference, a block
of rooms in the Chandris hotel (address: Sygrou 385, tel: +30-1-9414824) has been
reserved. Conference buses will pick up participants both from the airport
and the Chandris Hotel (see below).
To reach the Chandris Hotel take a taxi from the airport (approximatively 8 US$).
ATHENS-DELPHI
USING THE CONFERENCE BUSES (trip takes about three hours)
* There are two conference buses on Tuesday, January 7, from Athens to Delphi:
the first bus departs: at 16:00 from the airport (arrivals) and
at 16:30 from the Chandris Hotel
the second bus departs: at 20:00 from the airport (arrivals) and
at 20:30 from the Chandris Hotel
* There is a conference bus on Friday, January 10, from Delphi to Athens,
departing at 20:00 (and stopping both at the Chandris Hotel and at the airport).
Conference bus transportation is included in the registration fee.
USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Public buses from ATHENS TO DELPHI depart from the Central Bus Station
located at Liossion St, according to the following schedule.
+---------------------+---------------+
| FROM | TO |
+=====================+===============+
| Athens@Liossion St | Delphi |
+=====================+===============+
| 7:30 | 10:30 |
+---------------------+---------------+
| 10:30 | 13:30 |
+---------------------+---------------+
| 14:30 | 17:30 |
+---------------------+---------------+
| 17:30 | 20:30 |
+---------------------+---------------+
+-------------+-----------------------+
| FROM | TO |
+=============+=======================+
| Delphi | Athens@Liossion St |
+=============+=======================+
| 5:30 | 8:30 |
+-------------+-----------------------+
| 9:00 | 12:00 |
+-------------+-----------------------+
| 10:30 | 13:30 |
+-------------+-----------------------+
| 13:30 | 18:00 |
+-------------+-----------------------+
| 16:00 | 19:00 (Fri&Sun only) |
+-------------+-----------------------+
| 18:00 | 21:00 |
+-------------+-----------------------+
The bus fare is DR 2600 one-way.
To reach the Central Bus Station at Liossion St, either take a taxi from
the airport (approximatively 15 US$) or first take the bus number 091 from
the airport to Syntagma Square (160 DR) and then a taxi from there to the
Central Bus Station at Liossion St. (approximatively 10 US$).
It is recommended to take a taxi directly from the airport.
Once in Delphi, all hotels are within easy walking distance.
ACCOMMODATION
=============
HOTEL RESERVATION
-----------------
Reservations have to be made directly with the person in charge
at the address below.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the European Cultural Center of Delphi,
as well as in a number of small and cozy hotels in the village of
Delphi. Rooms are also reserved in the Chandris hotel in Athens
for those who stay in Athens before or after the conference.
The special rates that were arranged are as follows: (in US $)
HOTEL SINGLE DOUBLE
----- ------ ------
ATHENS CHANDRIS 117 147
EUROPEAN CULTURAL CENTER 61 88
OF DELPHI
HOTEL GROUP I (DELPHI) 85 102
HOTEL GROUP II (DELPHI) 50 78
All rates are per room and night and include breakfast, taxes, and services.
ACCOMMODATION FEES
------------------
Those wishing to book accommodation in Athens, Delphi and conference bus
transportation Athens-Delphi-Athens are requested to complete the
attached Accommodation Form and send before NOVEMBER 12 to:
M. Bessieri (for ICDT 97)
24 Voulis str.,
10562 Athens,
Greece
TOGETHER with payment
in one of the two following ways (payment should be made in US dollars):
* a cheque payable to M. BESSIERI, or
* bank transfer to ERGOBANK S.A, Voulis Branch
Acc. No: 75/02148-01251/58, c/o M. BESSIERI
SWIFT Address ERGOGRAA, 3 Kolokotroni str. 10562 Athens-Greece
Fax: 301-3222 264.
It is allowed to send a single cheque or make a single bank transfer covering
more than one person (also covering more than one room).
A confirmation will be send to each participant with details for the hotel.
The reservation will be confirmed only upon receipt of the payment.
Cancellation must be made in written form to the organizers.
If cancellation notification is received before December 11, 1996,
80% of the accommodation fee will be refunded; no refunds will be made thereafter.
FORMS
=====
------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTRATION FORM [Please type or print. ONE FORM PER PERSON]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name ___________________________________First Name______________________
Affiliation ____________________________________________________________
Street Address _________________________________________________________
City, State, Postal Code _______________________________________________
Country ________________________________________________________________
Phone(s) _______________________________________________________________
Fax ____________________________________________________________________
E-mail _________________________________________________________________
Dietary Restrictions (circle if applicable): Vegetarian
Before 12 November 1996 After 12 November 1996
----------------------- -----------------------
Member* US$430 US$500
Regular US$500 US$550
Student# US$270 US$300
Accompanying US$300 US$350
The fee for accompanying persons covers meals and all the
special events of the conference.
* For members of ACM and IEEE. Please quote the membership number.
# If you apply for the student fee, please attach a copy of your student
identification for the ongoing year or a letter signed by the head of your
department confirming that you are a student.
Total Cost US$:____________
Number of extra Banquet tickets______
(US$50.00 per person)
Total Cost US$:____________
Total Due US$: ______________________________
Payment: please send either
-------
* cheque payable to "ICDT 97", mailed with the registration form,
(do not forget to sign and write your name(s) on the back of the check)
or
* bank transfer to ERGOBANK S.A., Zographou Branch
Acc. No: 088/03741-00010/19
SWIFT address: ERGOGRAA, 90 Papagou av, and Maratou,
15772 Athens, Greece
Fax: +30-1-7486824
Tel: +30-1-7486822
(do not forget to write your name(s) and refer to ICDT 97)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACCOMMODATION FORM [Please type or print. ONE FORM PER REGISTERED PERSON]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name __________________________________First Name________________________
Affiliation _____________________________________________________________
Street Address __________________________________________________________
City, State, Postal Code ________________________________________________
Country _________________________________________________________________
Phone(s) ________________________________________________________________
Fax _____________________________________________________________________
E-mail _________________________________________________________________
Arrival Date______________________Airline/No. Flight____________________
Arrival Time____________________________________________________________
Departure Date____________________Airline/No. Flight____________________
Departure Time__________________________________________________________
[Prices are per room per night. Please write the required number of
------
rooms in the appropriate cells]
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION IN ATHENS
=============================
CHANDRIS HOTEL: US$ 117 (single) US$ 147 (double)
single [ ] double [ ] name of other occupant:_____________________
Before the conference
---------------------
FROM _________(date of arrival) TO __________________(date of departure)
After the conference
--------------------
FROM _________(date of arrival) TO __________________(date of departure)
Total cost US $________________
HOTEL ACCOMMODATION IN DELPHI
=============================
SINGLE DOUBLE
EUROPEAN CULTURAL CENTER US$61 US$88
HOTEL I US$85 US$102
HOTEL II US$50 US$78
EUR. CUL. CEN. HOTEL I HOTEL II
single [ ] [ ] [ ]
double [ ] [ ] [ ] name of other occupant:_____________________
FROM _________(date of arrival) to __________________(date of departure)
Total cost US $________________
Total due US $________________
BUS RESERVATION (free)
----------------------
Write on the appropriate cells the required number of seats:
+-----------------+------------------+
| from airport | from Chandris |
+ -------------------------+-----------------+------------------+
| first bus on January 7 |(16:00 hours) | (16:30 hours) |
| | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------+------------------+
| second bus on January 7 |(20:00 hours) | (20:30 hours) |
| | | |
+--------------------------+-----------------+------------------+
+ -------------------------+---------+
| bus on January 10 | |
| | |
+--------------------------+---------+
Payment: please enclose either
-------
* a cheque payable to M. BESSIERI or
(do not forget to sign,
write your name and refer to ICDT'97 on the back of the check)
or
* bank transfer to ERGOBANK S.A, Voulis Branch
Acc. No: 75/02148-01251/58, c/o M. BESSIERI
SWIFT Address ERGOGRAA, 3 Kolokotroni str. 10562 Athens-Greece
Fax: 301-3222 264,
(do not forget to write your name and refer to ICDT'97)