Call for Papers


QEST 2005

2nd International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of SysTems

Torino, Italy, September 19-22, 2005

The International Conference on Quantitative Evaluation of SysTems (QEST) is a major forum for contributions on evaluation and verification of computer and communication systems, through measurements and stochastic models, possibly incorporating non-deterministic behaviour.

QEST combines three events:

  • the International Conference on Modeling Techniques and Tools for Computer Performance Evaluation (TOOLS);
  • the International Workshop on Petri Nets and Performance Models (PNPM);
  • the Joint International Workshop on Process Algebras and Performance Modeling and Probabilistic Methods In Verification (PAPM-ProbMIV);
that have discovered an increasing convergence in their interests and in their communities of researchers. The 1st QEST conference was held at the University of Twente in 2004. The 2nd QEST conference will be held in Torino, the city that hosted the first PNPM workshop twenty years ago. Torino has also hosted TOOLS in 1991 and PAPM in 1996.

CONFERENCE HOMEPAGE

http://www.qest.org/

SCOPE & TOPICS

Quantitative properties of interest include, but are not limited to, performance, dependability (e.g., reliability, availability), safety, security, survivability, correctness, timeliness, and efficiency. Topics of interest cover the areas of modelling formalisms and methodologies, measurements, analytical and numerical evaluation, simulation and verification, and theory of probabilistic systems, as well as case studies showing the role of quantitative evaluation in the design of systems and applications including computer architecture, distributed and fault tolerant systems, communication systems, embedded systems, web-based systems, and safety-critical systems. Moreover tools for supporting the practical application of research results in all the above areas are of special interest for QEST and therefore tool papers are sought. Example topics of interest include:
  • stochastic and timed Petri nets,
  • stochastic and timed process algebras,
  • stochastic and timed automata,
  • queueing networks,
  • Markov chains,
  • non-Markovian models and algorithms,
  • numerical and analytical evaluation techniques,
  • efficient simulation techniques,
  • formal specification techniques,
  • quantitative extensions of UML,
  • measurement and benchmarking,
  • schedulability analysis,
  • verification of stochastic and probabilistic systems,
  • concurrency theory for probabilistic systems,
  • analysis of randomized algorithms,
  • model-checking algorithms,
  • optimization techniques,
  • probabilistic decision making and planning,
  • hybrid and hierarchical modelling and evaluation techniques.

SUBMISSIONS

We invite authors to submit papers with original material related to the topics of the conference, written in English, and formatted in the IEEE double column format. The length of the paper should not exceed 10 pages. Additional material for the aid of the reviewers (e.g. proofs, definitions) can be presented in a clearly marked appendix. Papers must be unpublished and must not be submitted for publication elsewhere. Accepted papers must be presented at the conference by one of the authors. The proceedings will be published by IEEE.

All papers will be thoroughly reviewed by at least 3 referees on the basis of their originality and their scientific and practical contribution to the state of the art. An award for best paper will be presented at the conference.

Authors are required to submit electronically the title and the abstract of the paper before submitting the full paper.

TOOL SESSION

A special session will be arranged to present and demonstrate tools relevant to any topic covered by the conference. Accepted tool descriptions will appear in the conference proceedings (2 pages, IEEE format).

WORK-IN-PROGRESS SESSION

A special session will be arranged to present preliminary work. Authors are invited to submit short papers (2 pages, IEEE format).

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Abstract submission: April 4, 2005, 6pm EST - passed
  • Paper submission: April 11, 2005, 6pm EST - passed
  • Tool presentation submission: May 9, 2005 - passed
  • Notification of acceptance of regular papers/tool presentations: May 30, 2005
  • Tutorial proposal submission: June 9, 2005 - passed
  • Notification of acceptance of tutorial proposals: June 30, 2005
  • Work-in-progress submission: July 10, 2005
  • Notification of acceptance of work-in-progress submissions: July 15, 2005

GENERAL CHAIR

Gianfranco Balbo (Italy) (qest05-chair@di.unito.it)

PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS

Christel Baier (Germany)
Giovanni Chiola (Italy)
Evgenia Smirni (USA)

TOOL DEMO CHAIR

Matteo Sereno (Italy)

TECHNICAL PROGRAM COMMITTEE

Marco Ajmone Marsan (Italy) Bengt Jonsson (Sweden)
Christel Baier (Germany) Joost-Pieter Katoen (Germany)
Daniele Beauquier (France) Peter Kemper (Germany)
Mario Bravetti (Italy) John C.S. Lui (China)
Peter Buchholz (Germany) Daniel Menasce (USA)
Javier Campos (Spain) Andrew Miner (USA)
Lucy Cherkasova (USA) Carroll Morgan (Australia)
Giovanni Chiola (Italy) Gethin Norman (UK)
Gianfranco Ciardo (USA) Alma Riska (USA)
Pedro D'Argenio (Argentina) Emilia Rosti (Italy)
Josée Desharnais (Canada) Gerardo Rubino (France)
Edmundo de Souza e Silva (Brazil) William H. Sanders (USA)
Susanna Donatelli (Italy) Roberto Segala (Italy)
Claude Dutheillet (France) Matteo Sereno (Italy)
Giuliana Franceschinis (Italy) Evgenia Smirni (USA)
Reinhard German (Germany) Mark Squillante (USA)
Stephen Gilmore (UK) Eugene Stark (USA)
Serge Haddad (France) Miklos Telek (Hungary)
Boudewijn Haverkort (The Netherlands) Kishor Trivedi (USA)
Holger Hermanns (Germany) Murray Woodside (Canada)
Ravi Iyer (USA)

QEST STEERING COMMITTEE

Gianfranco Balbo, Università di Torino, Italy
Pedro D'Argenio, Universidad Nacional de Córdorba, Argentina
Peter Buchholz, Universität Dortmund, Germany
Boudewijn Haverkort, University of Twente, The Netherlands
Jane Hillston, University of Edinburgh, UK
Joost-Pieter Katoen, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
Marta Kwiatkowska, University of Birmingham, UK
Raymond Marie, IRISA/INRIA, Université de Rennes 1, France
William H. Sanders (Chair), University of Illinois, USA
Roberto Segala, Università di Verona, Italy
Manuel Silva, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain

PUBLICITY CHAIR

Jeremy Sproston (Italy)

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Marco Ajmone Marsan, Politecnico di Torino
Susanna Donatelli, Università di Torino
Giuliana Franceschinis, Università di Piemonte Orientale

LOCAL ORGANIZATION

Marco Ajmone Marsan
Gianfranco Balbo
Marco Beccuti
Simona Bernardi
Andrea Bobbio
Daniele Codetta Raiteri
Davide D'Aprile
Massimiliano De Pierro
Susanna Donatelli
Giuliana Franceschinis
Rossano Gaeta
Marco Gribaudo
Andras Horvath
Daniele Manini
Aurora Martina
Jeremy Sproston

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