People of ACM European Chapters - Sergey Stupnikov

November 20, 2018

Can you briefly describe your own line of research and how you became interested in this area?

My research focuses on data integration, in particular, data model mapping, transformation, semantics and verification. My interest in this field started with several courses on formal specification languages when I was an undergraduate student. My graduate thesis focused on combining process algebra with a specification language based on first-order logic. Later, my PhD thesis concerned formal semantics of object data models aimed at verification of data integration. Recently, our research group developed methods and tools for data model mapping and transformation intended to support problem solving over distributed computational infrastructures. We studied various kinds of data models, including relational, object, semantic (such as resource description framework (RDF) and web ontology language (OWL) data models), as well as array-based, graph-based data models.

In your area of research, what recent advance/emerging subfield will yield important advances in the years ahead?

One of the fastest-growing subfields in the area of data integration is big data integration based on machine learning. Traditional methods for data integration are applicable for integration of dozens of data sources, but fail for hundreds and thousands of data sources. Machine learning is applied to almost every important stage of data integration, such as schema alignment, record linkage, and data fusion, which allows us to scale with a large volume of data.

Will you tell us a little about the Moscow ACM SIGMOD Chapter?

The chapter was established in 1992 and today includes 24 official members, as well as 70 members via our Facebook group. The main activity of the chapter is a monthly scientific seminar held at the Lomonosov Moscow State University. About 200 seminar meetings devoted to various advanced directions of databases and information systems have been organized over 25 years. Since 2014, video records of seminars are available on YouTube.

Another important activity of the chapter is our participation in organizing the annual International Conference on Data Analytics and Management in Data Intensive Domains (DAMDID). The conference is positioned as a multidisciplinary forum for researchers and practitioners from various domains of science and research promoting cooperation and exchange of ideas in data analysis and management. The conference was formed in 2015 as a result of the transformation of the Russian Conference on Digital Libraries (RCDL) established in 1998. Chapter members serve on the conference’s program, organizing and coordinating committees of the conferences.

How is participating in the chapter beneficial to members?

Via monthly seminars and the annual DAMDID conference, the chapter provides members with a forum to communicate, exchange ideas and discuss advanced database methods and technologies.