The World's Ontology Ecosystem: Difference between revisions
| Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
The course also includes structured discussions of: | The course also includes structured discussions of: | ||
* | * Legal Intology | ||
* | * Ontology for Systems Engineering | ||
* | * AI-driven ontology construction systems | ||
== Domains of Application == | == Domains of Application == | ||
Revision as of 10:16, 10 August 2026
PHI 605SEM-SMI (13336): The World's Ontology Ecosystem
Hybrid Interactive Graduate Seminar. In Person and Online, both Synchronously and Asynchronously
August 3–7, 2026
Washington, DC and Online
Registration information and course details are provided below.
Course Overview
The University at Buffalo is pleased to announce PHI 605SEM-SMI (13336), The World's Ontology Ecosystem, taught by John Beverley and Barry Smith. Offered through UB's internationally recognized Applied Ontology graduate programs, this seminar provides a structured introduction to ontology as both a philosophical discipline and a foundational technology for modern information systems.
The seminar combines lectures, group discussion, and structured debate with leading researchers in ontology and knowledge representation. It may be taken for credit by enrolled UB students, prospective students, or outside participants.
Participation is available in person or online, either synchronously or asynchronously. Places are limited for the in-person sessions.
Course Focus
The seminar centers on Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) and its role as the most widely adopted framework for ontology-driven science, industry, and government.
Topics include:
- Global adoption and practical deployment of BFO
- BFO and ISO/IEC 21838 (Parts 1 and 2)
- Applications in emerging domains such as quantum physics and historical data modeling
- Critical comparison of BFO with alternative ontology and data modeling approaches
- Intensive training in BFO tradecraft
The course also includes structured discussions of:
- Legal Intology
- Ontology for Systems Engineering
- AI-driven ontology construction systems
Domains of Application
- National security and defense
- Law and public policy
- Economics and finance
- Industrial and systems engineering
- Organizational and institutional modeling
- Mathematics and physics
- Ontology-based data integration and knowledge graphs
- The role of ontologies in contemporary AI systems
Course Format
Workshop Week (August 3–7, 2026)
Lectures, hands-on workshops, group discussions, and debates conducted both in person and online. Sessions in morning and afternoon. Additional meetings in evenings.
Post-Workshop Component (Students Seeking Course Credit)
Regular Zoom sessions, ontology exercises, a final presentation, and an individual research paper.
Registration
Go here
Syllabus
Syllabus and further information are available here.