Key research themes
1. How do foundational ontologies improve conceptual modeling and provide formal theoretical bases?
This research focuses on the role of foundational ontologies, such as UFO (Unified Foundational Ontology) and DOLCE, in establishing rigorous ontological foundations for conceptual modeling. Foundational ontologies provide a stratified taxonomy of types and microtheories that support the development of modeling languages and assist in integrating, analyzing, and validating conceptual models. These foundations aim not only at theoretical soundness but also at enabling practical tools for model construction, verification, and evolution, thereby bridging philosophical ontology and software engineering.
2. What are current methodologies and frameworks for ontology engineering and modeling, including their comparative strengths and limitations?
Ontology engineering methodologies provide frameworks guiding the systematic development, evaluation, and maintenance of ontologies. These methodologies vary in abstraction, completeness, and tool support, influencing ontology creation in diverse domains such as semantic web, information systems, and software engineering. Comparative analyses elucidate gaps, such as lack of mature standardization and insufficient methodological precision, and highlight the necessity for modular, reusable, and scalable approaches. This theme encapsulates the structured approaches, tools, languages, and lifecycle considerations relevant to engineering ontologies effectively.
3. How are domain-specific ontology modeling approaches and expressive ontology languages applied to support semantic technologies and practical applications?
This theme investigates the modeling techniques, languages, and domain-specific applications of ontologies, focusing on how expressive ontologies and modular structures facilitate the semantic web, smart sensing, healthcare competence modeling, and driver assistance systems. Research explores the adaptation of ontological languages to capture contextual information, semantic interoperability, and dynamic adaptability of systems. It also covers preference modeling to enhance discovery and ranking, as well as visual and conceptual modeling of dynamic ontological phenomena.