From brings Wed May 7 00:10:19 1997 Received: from hopfield.phil.rpi.edu (brings@hopfield.phil.rpi.edu [128.113.33.20]) by mail1.its.rpi.edu (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id AAA33748; Wed, 7 May 1997 00:10:19 -0400 From: Selmer Bringsjord Received: (brings@localhost) by hopfield.phil.rpi.edu (8.6.9/8.6.4) id AAA20010; Wed, 7 May 1997 00:10:18 -0400 Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 00:10:18 -0400 Message-Id: <199705070410.AAA20010@hopfield.phil.rpi.edu> To: galbrm@rpi.edu, kalshm@rpi.edu, noelr@rpi.edu, selmer@rpi.edu Subject: Re: M&M Press release first draft Cc: connen@rpi.edu X-UIDL: 6f42a48011551e4fa787fb3e9c56fd51 Status: R Megan, hi. Some thoughts --indented -- follow. (Am doing them quickly 'cause I'm in the middle of the bloody NSF stuff you know about.) Thanks! Yrs, //Selmer ============ >DRAFT Minds & Machines PR >May 6, 1997 > >TROY, N.Y.-Can a computer virus actually be alive? Will robots replace >humans? Can a computer control where we live and work? I think some of the lead questions should indicate that this is a program about solving problems, and getting paid to do it. E.g., How do you build a really smart video game? What sort of web browser really works? What is a softbot, and how do you build (and sell) one? Etc. I'm not saying that every question needs to be like these, but some should come from this category (and perhaps all should). >Machines may be getting a lot smarter, but they can't think for us just >yet. Minds & Machines, the newest bachelor of science degree at Rensselaer >Polytechnic Institute, will study today's science fiction in order to >understand tomorrow's reality. Machines, especially computers, are getting a lot smarter. (Just ask Gary Kasparov.) Yesterday's science fiction is today's's product; today's sci fi is tomorrow's start-up company. Minds & Machines, the newest bachelor os science degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, prepares students to turn sci fi into marketplace reality. >"Understanding what the future of computing and Artificial Intelligence >holds for humanity, and how we can make it work for us, is a big part of >the Minds & Machines plan," says Selmer Bringsjord, associate professor of >philosophy, psychology, and cognitive sciences at Rensselaer, and project >leader (I gave you that title Selmer, is it appropriate?) ..., Associate Professor and Director of the Minds and Machines Program >Industry and government increasingly produce and deliver their products and >services in computer-mediated environments. A degree in Minds & Machines >will provide an understanding of human intelligence, machine intelligence, >and the social and organizational aspects of the interface between human >and machine systems. and the interface between the two. >Part futurists, technologists, and information managers, students in Minds >& Machines will design their own curriculum to include studies in >everything from robotics, to intelligent game design, to investment >strategy modelling by computer. The unique combination of cognitive >science, psychology, computing, and engineering will prepare students for >careers as: I have a list of job titles in a separate file, which I'll send. >NEED BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THESE (also would these be considered true >career titles for grads of M&M?-They're my guesses . . .) > >* cognitive engineers >* knowledge engineers >* webmasters >* information systems managers >* intelligent game designers > >A "Knowledge Engineer" for example might earn a BS in psychology with >minors in computer science, management, and finance. The starting salary >for such a position ranges from $60-$100,000. >In order to better understand how humans and computers will interact in the >future, students will study: >* Softbots-artificial agents that exist in software; they have no bodies >* Artificial agents-creatures designed and created using >computational techniques >* Virtual characters-aritificial agents designed to play the role of >characters in electronic games and films >* Neural computing-computing based on models abstracted from the >human brain >* Cyborgs-creatures that are part robot, part human >* Robots >* Androids >* Intelligent games-like "Deep Blue" >* Telepresence-Virtual Reality that incorporates touch, sight, and >even smell >A sampling of coursework might include: Human Factors in Design, Social >Psychology, Cognition and the Brain, Intro. to Graphical Human-Machine >Interfaces, Human-Computer Interaction, Philosophy of Artificial >Intelligence, Motivation and Performance, Managing the High-Performance >Organization, and Ethical Issues in Computing. I would only go w/ course names that resonate w/ target audience. So, e.g., Social Psychology, as valuable as it certainly is, might not do the trick. Cognition and the Brain, however, does. I would include Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Systems Engineering. >CONTACT: Selmer Bringsjord, 518-276-8105 (selmer@rpi.edu) > Mike Kalsher, 518-276-8267 (kalshm@rpi.edu) > URL:http://www.rpi.edu/dept/ppcs/MM/mm.html This URL references material not ready for public viewing. Let me know when this is going to go out. I need to finish things to a certain level by then! Thanks.