Prof. Dr. Helmut Jürgensen
Last revision: 15 January, 2012
Research Interests
- Theory of Codes: Characterizations of classes of codes; variable-length codes;
channel fault-models;
insertion, deletion and substitution errors; modelling physical channels;
error-detection and error-correction; combinatorial properties of words in codes; number
representations.
- Computing Models: Mathematical and philosophical foundations of computability;
models of computation; peptide computing; soliton automata;
algorithmic and probabilistic information theory;
axiomatization.
- Automaton Theory: Algebraic and combinatorial structure of automata;
structural consequences of determinization; weighted, fuzzy, probabilistic or topological automata;
algebraic dimension as a parameter in automaton algorithms.
- Theory of Formal Languages: Structure of grammars as related to acceptors;
natural language models; natural dialogue models; language classes above CF;
informational properties of words in languages.
- Semigroups: Finite semigroups; enumeration of small semigroups; algorithms for
semigroups; algorithms for groupoids.
- Document Processing: Information extraction; multimodal rendering;
font design.
- Information Access for the Blind: Multi-purpose documents;
tactile and auditory information; higher mathematics for the blind;
hadware and software development; HCI aspects;
interaction by gestures or voice or sound.
Contact
- By mail in London, Canada:
Department of Computer Science
The University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario
Canada N6A 5B7
- By mail in Potsdam, Germany:
Institut für Informatik
Universität Potsdam
August-Bebel-Straße 89, Haus 4
14482 Potsdam
Germany
Campus address:
Haus 4, Room 1.22
- By email: hjj at csd dot uwo dot ca
- By phone or fax in London, Canada:
+1-519-661-3560 (phone, my office)
+1-519-661-3540 (phone, Computer Science Department, main office)
+1-519-661-3515 (fax, Computer Science Department, main office)
+1-519-686-9104 (fax, my home)
- By phone or fax in Potsdam, Germany:
+49-331-977-3068 (phone, my office)
+49-331-977-3022 or -3042 (fax, main office)
+49-331-977-3021 or -3041 (phone, main office)
- Web pages in Potsdam, Germany:
 Computer Science at UWO
 Informatik in Potsdam
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Tentative Plans until April 2012 -- Where to Reach Me When
- September 2011 until about 15 February 2012: in London
- About 15 February to about 1 March, 2012: in Potsdam and New Zealand
- After 1 March, 2012: in London
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Teaching at UWO
In the fall term of 2011 I am teaching a graduate course on
Interfaces to Afford Accessibility.
Teaching at Potsdam University
The course on information theory planned for the present winter term had to be cancelled.
Depending on the circumstances, it may be scheduled for the summer of 2012.
Students interested to take this course should let me know soon so as to enable me to plan for it.
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Student and Post-Doctoral Supervision -- Information for Applicants
Students or potential post-doctoral fellows wishing to study with me should
contact me, preferably far before any official deadlines. We would then
discuss plans in preparation of formal applications.
I am looking for students or post-doctoral fellows with a very strong background in the fields
listed above.
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Brief Biographical Information
- Born 13 March 1942 in Rieseby, Germany
- Studies of (ancient) Greek, Latin, Mathematics, Indian languages (Sanskrit, Hindi, Newari), ancient languages
of the Near East (e.g. Hitite) at Kiel and Tübingen Universities, 1961-1968
- Dr. phil. with a thesis on the ancient notion of metaphor, Kiel, 1968
- Various research and faculty type positions at Mathematisches Seminar,
Universität Kiel, 1968-1977
- Dr. rer. nat. habil. for Informatics with a thesis on the extension theory
of semigroups, Kiel, 1976
- Professor of Theoretical Computer Science, Fachbereich Informatik,
Technische Universität Darmstadt, 1977-1983
- Director, Institut für Theoretische Informatik,
Technische Universität Darmstadt, 1978-1980
- Dean, Fachbereich Informatik,
Technische Universität Darmstadt, 1980-1981
- Professor, Department of Computer Science,
The University of Western Ontario, 1983-2008
- Honorary Professor, Department of Mathematics,
The University of Western Ontario, 1985-2008
- Professor, Lehrstuhl für Informationsverarbeitung und Kommunikation,
Universität Potsdam, 1996-2007
- Director, Institut für Informatik, Universität Potsdam, 1999-2002
- Professor Emeritus, Lehrstuhl für Informationsverarbeitung und Kommunikation,
Universität Potsdam, 2007-
- Professor Emeritus,
The University of Western Ontario, 2008-
- Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Computer Science,
The University of Western Ontario, 2008-
- Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Mathematics,
The University of Western Ontario, 2008-
- Faculty Member, Graduate Program in Linguistics, The University of Western Ontario,
2000-
- Visiting Professor: McMaster University,
University of Victoria,
The University of Western Ontario, University of Waterloo (Canada),
The University of Auckland (New Zealand), Universität Magdeburg (Germany), University of Szeged,
Budapest University of Economics (Hungary), Kyoto Sangyo University (Japan), Technical University Sofia (Bulgaria),
Århus University (Denmark), etc.
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Publications
The list of publications is available in pdf format as a whole or in sections as follows:
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Former Students
The list is available in pdf format as a whole or in sections as follows.
The list for undergraduate theses and similar projects is incomplete.
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Projects
Most of my research funding derives from basic university funding and an NSERC grant.
Some work related to information access for the blind is currently
conducted at Universität Potsdam in the HyperBraille
project and funded by the German ministry of economics.
Laboratory equipment to pursue this type of research is also
available in my laboratory at The University of Western Ontario.
The tactile display DMD 120060 with finger position sensors.
The talking tactile tablet.
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Research Co-Operation
- Theory: Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Universität Potsdam (Germany),
The University of Auckland (New Zealand),
St. Mary's University (Halifax, Canada), University of Saskatchewan (Canada)
- Interfaces for the blind: Universität Potsdam,
Universität Stuttgart, Technische Universität Dresden (Germany),
York University (UK)
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Committees
This section is still under construction.
- DIN, ISO
- IFIP:
- Founding member of SG 14 (Foundations of Computer Science) 1989-1996
- Member of TC 1 (Foundations of Computer Science) 1996-2003
- Founding member and Vice-Chair of WG 1.2 (Descriptional Complexity) since 1992
- Conferences, journals
- CDMTCS: Member of the international advisory board of the Centre for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer
Science (The University of Auckland, New Zealand) since 1995
- Other
- NSERC: Member of grant selection committes of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada, 19??--19??, ????--????, ????-????
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Awards, Honours
- University Students' Council Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence, The University of Western Ontario, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002
- Festschrift for my 60th birthday, special issue, Journal of Universal Computer Science
8(2), 2002
- Distinguished Research Professor, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Ontario,
1994-1995
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Other Interests
- Music: When time permits me to do so, I sing (bass) with
London Pro Musica and
Singakademie Potsdam.
- Classics: I have not completely forgotten my roots in philology.
- Stamps: I collect stamps of many northern countries from the very early
editions (including Germany, Denmark, the Baltic states, Greenland, Faeroe islands
and few more exotic places).
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News Items
- Alleged Plagiarism by zu Guttenberg (Plagiatsvorwurf Guttenberg): My letter to
the university of Bayreuth (in German).
Some recent developments regarding plagiarism are most disturbing. I am planning to add some relevant links
here soon.
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