Aurona Gerber

2013

Coetzer, W., Moodley, D., & Gerber, A. (2013). Implementing a semantic mediator to integrate flower-visiting records from South African natural history museums.

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Coetzer_SemanticMediation_FlowerVisiting.pdf

No Abstract

@misc{68,
  author = {Willem Coetzer and Deshen Moodley and Aurona Gerber},
  title = {Implementing a semantic mediator to integrate flower-visiting records from South African natural history museums},
  abstract = {No Abstract},
  year = {2013},
}

Coetzer, W., Moodley, D., & Gerber, A. (2013). A Case-Study of Ontology-Driven Semantic Mediation of Flower-Visiting Data from Heterogeneous Data-Stores in Three South African Natural History Collections. In The Semantic Web: ESWC 2013 Satellite Events. Berlin.

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download

No Abstract

@{62,
  author = {Willem Coetzer and Deshen Moodley and Aurona Gerber},
  title = {A Case-Study of Ontology-Driven Semantic Mediation of Flower-Visiting Data from Heterogeneous Data-Stores in Three South African Natural History Collections},
  abstract = {No Abstract},
  year = {2013},
  journal = {The Semantic Web: ESWC 2013 Satellite Events},
  pages = {87-100},
  month = {05/27},
  address = {Berlin},
}

de Vries, M., Gerber, A., & van der Merwe, A. (2013). A framework for the identification of reusable processes. Enterprise Information Systems, 7(1). Retrieved from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17517575.2013.805247#.UcgxlOsh4sc

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download

A significant challenge that faces IT management is that of aligning the IT infrastructure of an enterprise with its business goals and practices, also called business-IT alignment. A particular business-IT alignment approach, the foundation for execution approach, was well-accepted by practitioners due to a novel construct, called the operating model (OM). The OM supports business-IT alignment by directing the coherent and consistent design of business and IT components. Even though the OM is a popular construct, our previous research detected the need to enhance the OM, since the OM does not specify methods to identify opportunities for data sharing and process reuse in an enterprise. In this article, we address one of the identified deficiencies in the OM. We present a process reuse identification framework (PRIF) that could be used to enhance the OM in identifying process reuse opportunities in an enterprise. We applied design research to develop PRIF as an artefact, where the development process of PRIF was facilitated by means of the business-IT alignment model (BIAM). We demonstrate the use of the PRIF as well as report on the results of evaluating PRIF in terms of its usefulness and ease-of-use, using experimentation and a questionnaire.

@article{53,
  author = {Marne de Vries and Aurona Gerber and Alta van der Merwe},
  title = {A framework for the identification of reusable processes},
  abstract = {A significant challenge that faces IT management is that of aligning the IT infrastructure of an enterprise with its business goals and practices, also called business-IT alignment. A particular business-IT alignment approach, the foundation for execution approach, was well-accepted by practitioners due to a novel construct, called the operating model (OM). The OM supports business-IT alignment by directing the coherent and consistent design of business and IT components. Even though the OM is a popular construct, our previous research detected the need to enhance the OM, since the OM does not specify methods to identify opportunities for data sharing and process reuse in an enterprise. In this article, we address one of the identified deficiencies in the OM. We present a process reuse identification framework (PRIF) that could be used to enhance the OM in identifying process reuse opportunities in an enterprise. We applied design research to develop PRIF as an artefact, where the development process of PRIF was facilitated by means of the business-IT alignment model (BIAM). We demonstrate the use of the PRIF as well as report on the results of evaluating PRIF in terms of its usefulness and ease-of-use, using experimentation and a questionnaire.},
  year = {2013},
  journal = {Enterprise Information Systems},
  volume = {7},
  issue = {1},
  isbn = {1751-7583 (Online)},
  url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17517575.2013.805247#.UcgxlOsh4sc},
}

Coetzer, W., Moodley, D., & Gerber, A. (2013). A Case-Study of Ontology-Driven Semantic Mediation of Flower-Visiting Data from Heterogeneous Data-Stores in Three South African Natural History Collections. Retrieved from http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-979/WS_s4biodiv2013_paper_5.pdf

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Coetzer2013.pdf

The domain complexity and structural- and semantic heterogeneity of biodiversity data, as well as idiosyncratic legacy data-creation processes, present significant integration and interoperability challenges. In this paper we describe a case study of ontology-driven semantic mediation using records of flower-visiting insects from three natural history collections in South Africa. We establish a conceptual domain model for flower-visiting, expressed in an OWL ontology, and use it to semantically enrich the three data-stores. We show how this enrichment allows for the creation of an integrated flower visiting data set. We discuss how this ontology captures both implicit and explicit knowledge, how it can be used to identify and analyze high level flower-visiting behaviour, and ultimately to construct flower-visiting and pollination networks.

@misc{43,
  author = {Willem Coetzer and Deshen Moodley and Aurona Gerber},
  title = {A Case-Study of Ontology-Driven Semantic Mediation of Flower-Visiting Data from Heterogeneous Data-Stores in Three South African Natural History Collections},
  abstract = {The domain complexity and structural- and semantic heterogeneity of biodiversity data, as well as idiosyncratic legacy data-creation processes, present significant integration and interoperability challenges. In this paper we describe a case study of ontology-driven semantic mediation using records of flower-visiting insects from three natural history collections in South Africa. We establish a conceptual domain model for flower-visiting, expressed in an OWL ontology, and use it to semantically enrich the three data-stores. We show how this enrichment allows for the creation of an integrated flower visiting data set. We discuss how this ontology captures both implicit and explicit knowledge, how it can be used to identify and analyze high level flower-visiting behaviour, and ultimately to construct flower-visiting and pollination networks.},
  year = {2013},
  url = {http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-979/WS_s4biodiv2013_paper_5.pdf},
}

2012

Lombard, N., Gerber, A., & van der Merwe, A. (2012). Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft.

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paper9_0.pdf

Aircraft are valuable asset to the military and must be protected against different threats. One such a threat is shoulder-launched missiles which are portable, easy to use and easy to come by. To counter this the military deploy various kinds of countermeasures on aircraft against these attacks. In order to assist in the development, evaluation and deployment of the countermeasures, modeling and simulation are used. One such a system is the Optronic Scene Simulator, an engineering tool used to model and evaluate infra-red countermeasures to make recommendations for the deployment thereof. Ontologies are no longer a foreign concept in the computer and information sciences eld - it plays a valuable role in making systems more valuable. An ontology, Simtology, was developed to support the the simulation system in various ways such as providing a shared vocabulary, improve understanding of the concepts in the environment and add value through suitable functionality.

@misc{50,
  author = {Nelia Lombard and Aurona Gerber and Alta van der Merwe},
  title = {Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft},
  abstract = {Aircraft are valuable asset to the military and must be protected
against different threats. One such a threat is shoulder-launched
missiles which are portable, easy to use and easy to come by. To counter
this the military deploy various kinds of countermeasures on aircraft
against these attacks. In order to assist in the development, evaluation
and deployment of the countermeasures, modeling and simulation are
used. One such a system is the Optronic Scene Simulator, an engineering
tool used to model and evaluate infra-red countermeasures to make
recommendations for the deployment thereof. Ontologies are no longer a
foreign concept in the computer and information sciences eld - it plays a
valuable role in making systems more valuable. An ontology, Simtology,
was developed to support the the simulation system in various ways such
as providing a shared vocabulary, improve understanding of the concepts
in the environment and add value through suitable functionality.},
  year = {2012},
}

Lombard, N., Gerber, A., & van der Merwe, A. (2012). Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft. Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft. Retrieved from http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-969/paper9.pdf

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download PDF

paper9.pdf

This paper describes the development of an ontology for use in a military simulation system. Within the military, aircraft represent a signicant investment and these valuable assets need to be protected against various threats. An example of such a threat is shoulder-launched missiles. Such missiles are portable, easy to use and unfortunately, rela- tively easy to acquire. In order to counter missile attacks, countermea- sures are deployed on the aircraft. Such countermeasures are developed, evaluated and deployed with the assistance of modelling and simulation systems. One such system is the Optronic Scene Simulator, an engineer- ing tool that is able to model and evaluate countermeasures in such a way that the results could be used to make recommendations for successful deployment and use. The use of formal ontologies is no longer a foreign concept in the support of information systems. To assist with the simulations performed in the Optronic Scene Simulator, an ontology, Simtology, was developed. Sim- tology supports the system in various ways such as providing a shared vocabulary, improving the understanding of the concepts in the environ- ment and adding value by providing functionality that improves integra- tion between system components.

@misc{42,
author = {Nelia Lombard and Aurona Gerber and Alta van der Merwe},
title = {Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft.},
abstract = {This paper describes the development of an ontology for use
in a military simulation system. Within the military, aircraft represent
a signicant investment and these valuable assets need to be protected
against various threats. An example of such a threat is shoulder-launched
missiles. Such missiles are portable, easy to use and unfortunately, rela-
tively easy to acquire. In order to counter missile attacks, countermea-
sures are deployed on the aircraft. Such countermeasures are developed,
evaluated and deployed with the assistance of modelling and simulation
systems. One such system is the Optronic Scene Simulator, an engineer-
ing tool that is able to model and evaluate countermeasures in such a way
that the results could be used to make recommendations for successful
deployment and use.
The use of formal ontologies is no longer a foreign concept in the support
of information systems. To assist with the simulations performed in the
Optronic Scene Simulator, an ontology, Simtology, was developed. Sim-
tology supports the system in various ways such as providing a shared
vocabulary, improving the understanding of the concepts in the environ-
ment and adding value by providing functionality that improves integra-
tion between system components.},
year = {2012},
journal = {Using Formal Ontologies in the Development of Countermeasures for Military Aircraft.},
url = {http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-969/paper9.pdf},
}

Kinyondo, J., van Biljon, J., & Gerber, A. (2012). The potential role of open source software in overcoming digital poverty. In 6th IDIA Conference: Alleviating Digital Poverty with ICT innovation in emerging economies - Will ICT Rights make a difference?

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download PDF

IDIA2012-kinyondo.pdf

2012: Kinyondo, Josephat; van Biljon, Judy; Gerber, Aurona, 2012.The potential role of open source software in overcoming digital poverty, Alleviating Digital Poverty with ICT innovation in emerging economies. Will ICT Rights make a difference? IDIA2012 Conference Proceedings. 6th IDIA Conference. Steyn J, Kirlidog M. (eds). Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey. 6-8 September. Pages 122-139. ISBN: 978-975-6319-17-8

@{18,
  author = {Josephat Kinyondo and Judy van Biljon and Aurona Gerber},
  title = {The potential role of open source software in overcoming digital poverty},
  abstract = {2012: Kinyondo, Josephat; van Biljon, Judy; Gerber, Aurona, 2012.The potential role of open source software in overcoming digital poverty,  Alleviating Digital Poverty with ICT innovation in emerging economies. Will ICT Rights make a difference? IDIA2012 Conference Proceedings. 6th IDIA Conference. Steyn J, Kirlidog M. (eds). Beykent University, Istanbul, Turkey. 6-8 September. Pages 122-139.  ISBN: 978-975-6319-17-8},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {6th IDIA Conference: Alleviating Digital Poverty with ICT innovation in emerging economies - Will ICT Rights make a difference?},
}

Naidoo, R., Gerber, A., & van der Merwe, A. (2012). An Exploratory Survey of Design Science Research among South African Computing Scholars. In South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists: SAICSIT 2012, Centurion, Tshwane. October 1-3.

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SAICSIT_DSR_Final_v7.pdf

The debate ensues as to whether the traditional focus of computing research on theory development and verification and therefore has adequate immediate practical relevance. Despite increasing claims of the potential of design science research (DSR) to enhance the utility of the IT artifact and consequently practical relevance of research, many computing researchers seem to be reticent to accept this paradigm as a legitimate form of scholarly research. DSR is a relatively new paradigm in computing and little is known about its uptake in South Africa. In this paper, we investigate the opinions about DSR among South African computing scholars. Findings from a survey of 53 respondents indicate low adoption rates. The paper also investigates some of the key barriers preventing the uptake of DSR. The paper concludes with some implications as well as suggestions for building a local DSR community.

@{13,
  author = {Rennie Naidoo and Aurona Gerber and Alta van der Merwe},
  title = {An Exploratory Survey of Design Science Research among South African Computing Scholars},
  abstract = {The debate ensues as to whether the traditional focus of
computing research on theory development and verification and
therefore has adequate immediate practical relevance. Despite
increasing claims of the potential of design science research
(DSR) to enhance the utility of the IT artifact and consequently
practical relevance of research, many computing researchers seem
to be reticent to accept this paradigm as a legitimate form of
scholarly research. DSR is a relatively new paradigm in
computing and little is known about its uptake in South Africa. In
this paper, we investigate the opinions about DSR among South
African computing scholars. Findings from a survey of 53
respondents indicate low adoption rates. The paper also
investigates some of the key barriers preventing the uptake of
DSR. The paper concludes with some implications as well as
suggestions for building a local DSR community.},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists: SAICSIT 2012, Centurion, Tshwane. October 1-3.},
}

Kinyondo, J., van Biljon, J., & Gerber, A. (2012). An Assessment of Open Source Promotion in addressing ICT Acceptance Challenges in Tanzania. In IST Africa 2012.

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ISTAfrica_Paper_ref_178_doc_4855.pdf

IST-Africa 2012 Conference Proceedings Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham (Eds) IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2012 ISBN: 978-1-905824-34-2

@{12,
  author = {Josephat Kinyondo and Judy van Biljon and Aurona Gerber},
  title = {An Assessment of Open Source Promotion in addressing ICT Acceptance Challenges in Tanzania},
  abstract = {IST-Africa 2012 Conference Proceedings
Paul Cunningham and Miriam Cunningham (Eds)
IIMC International Information Management Corporation, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-905824-34-2},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {IST Africa 2012},
}

Gerber, A., Sinha, S., van der Merwe, A., & Kam, M. (2012). Accreditation of Academic Programmes in Computing in South Africa. In 4th Software Engineering Colloquium (SE 2012).

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download PDF

SE12_Accreditation_V6.doc

http://www.sosa.org.za/sites/default/files/IEEE_BITF_SE12_Omnibus_Proceedings.pdf

@{11,
  author = {Aurona Gerber and Saurabh Sinha and Alta van der Merwe and Moshe Kam},
  title = {Accreditation of Academic Programmes in Computing in South Africa},
  abstract = {http://www.sosa.org.za/sites/default/files/IEEE_BITF_SE12_Omnibus_Proceedings.pdf},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {4th Software Engineering Colloquium (SE 2012)},
}

Casini, G., Gerber, A., & Meyer, T. (2012). A Note on the Translation of Conceptual Data Models into Description Logics: Disjointness and Covering Assumptions. In South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT).

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download PDF

A Note on the Translation of Conceptual Data Models into Description Logics

Conceptual modeling is nowadays mostly done using languages such as Entity-Relationship (ER) Models, Unified Modeling Language (UML), and Object-Role Modeling (ORM). These models are used to depict the ontological organization of relevant concepts or entities. Such models share a common modeling approach, based on the notions of class or entity and the relations or associations between classes or entities. Recent developments in knowledge representation using logic-based ontologies have created new possibilities for conceptual data modeling. It also raises the question of how existing conceptual models using ER, UML or ORM could be translated into Description Logics (DLs), a family of logics that have proved to be particularly appropriate for formalizing ontologies and reasoning about them. Given a conceptual data model, two assumptions are usually made that are not explicitly stated but need to be clarified for its DL translation: (1) disjointness assumption: all the classes are to be assumed pairwise disjoint if not specified otherwise; and (2) covering assumption: the content of every class must correspond to the union of its immediate subclasses (this includes the assumption that we do not consider anything apart from what is expressed in the model). In this paper we propose two simple procedures to assist modelers with integrating these assumptions into their models, thereby allowing for a more complete translation into DLs.

@{7,
  author = {Giovanni Casini and Aurona Gerber and Tommie Meyer},
  title = {A Note on the Translation of Conceptual Data Models into Description Logics: Disjointness and Covering Assumptions},
  abstract = {Conceptual modeling is nowadays mostly done using languages such as Entity-Relationship (ER) Models, Unified Modeling Language (UML), and Object-Role Modeling (ORM). These models are used to depict the ontological organization of relevant concepts or entities. Such models share a common modeling approach, based on the notions of class or entity and the relations or associations between classes or entities. Recent developments in knowledge representation using logic-based ontologies have created new possibilities for conceptual data modeling. It also raises the question of how existing conceptual models using ER, UML or ORM could be translated into Description Logics (DLs), a family of logics that have proved to be particularly appropriate for formalizing ontologies and reasoning about them. Given a conceptual data model, two assumptions are usually made that are not explicitly stated but need to be clarified for its DL translation:
(1) disjointness assumption: all the classes are to be assumed pairwise disjoint if not specified otherwise; and (2) covering assumption: the content of every class must correspond to the union of its immediate subclasses (this includes the assumption that we do not consider anything apart from what is expressed in the model). In this paper we propose two simple procedures to assist modelers with integrating these assumptions into their models, thereby allowing for a more complete translation into DLs.},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {South African Institute for Computer Scientists and Information Technologists (SAICSIT)},
}

2011

Leenen, L., Alberts, R., Britz, K., Gerber, A., & Meyer, T. (2011). Developing a Knowledge System for Information Operations. In 6th International Conference on Information Warfare and Security. Washington D.C., United States of America. http://doi.org/10204/4951

Abstract BibTex Entry BibTeX Download PDF

Leenen1_2011.pdf

In this paper we describe a research project to develop an optimal information retrieval system in an Information Operations domain. Information Operations is the application and management of information to gain an advantage over an opponent and to defend one’s own interests. Corporations, governments, and military forces are facing increasing exposure to strategic information-based actions. Most national defence and security organisations regard Information Operations as both a defensive and offensive tool, and some commercial institutions are also starting to recognise the value of Information Operations. An optimal information retrieval system should have the capability to extract relevant and reasonably complete information from different electronic data sources which should decrease information overload. Information should be classified in a way such that it can be searched and extracted effectively. The authors of this paper have completed an initial phase in the investigation and design of a knowledge system that can be used to extract relevant and complete knowledge for the planning and execution of Information Operations. During this initial phase of the project, we performed a needs analysis and problem analysis and our main finding is the recommendation of the use of logic-based ontologies: it has the advantage of an unambiguous semantics, facilitates intelligent search, provides an optimal trade-off between expressivity and complexity, and yields optimal recall of information. The risk of adopting this technology is its status as an emerging technology and therefore we include recommendations for the development of a prototype system.

@{465,
  author = {Louise Leenen and Ronell Alberts and Katarina Britz and Aurona Gerber and Tommie Meyer},
  title = {Developing a Knowledge System for Information Operations},
  abstract = {In this paper we describe a research project to develop an optimal information retrieval system in an Information Operations domain. Information Operations is the application and management of information to gain an advantage over an opponent and to defend one’s own interests. Corporations, governments, and military forces are facing increasing exposure to strategic information-based actions. Most national defence and security organisations regard Information Operations as both a defensive and offensive tool, and some commercial institutions are also starting to recognise the value of Information Operations. An optimal information retrieval system should have the capability to extract relevant and reasonably complete information from different electronic data sources which should decrease information overload. Information should be classified in a way such that it can be searched and extracted effectively. The authors of this paper have completed an initial phase in the investigation and design of a knowledge system that can be used to extract relevant and complete knowledge for the planning and execution of Information Operations. During this initial phase of the project, we performed a needs analysis and problem analysis and our main finding is the recommendation of the use of logic-based ontologies: it has the advantage of an unambiguous semantics, facilitates intelligent search, provides an optimal trade-off between expressivity and complexity, and yields optimal recall of information. The risk of adopting this technology is its status as an emerging technology and therefore we include recommendations for the development of a prototype system.},
  year = {2011},
  journal = {6th International Conference on Information Warfare and Security},
  month = {17/03-18/03},
  address = {Washington D.C., United States of America},
  isbn = {978-1-906638-93-1},
  doi = {10204/4951},
}