[plt-scheme] Boston Lisp Meeting TUESDAY 2009-05-26: Norman Ramsey on HOFs & CPS for Dataflow Optimization

Boston Lisp Meeting:
TUESDAY May 26th -
Norman Ramsey on Using HOFs and CPS to Make Dataflow Optimization Simple

http://fare.livejournal.com/144312.html

A Boston Lisp Meeting will take place on
Tuesday, May 26th 2009 at 1800 at MIT 34-401B, where
Norman Ramsey will speak about
Using Higher-Order Functions and Continuation-Passing Style
to Make Dataflow Optimization Simple.

Additionally, we are still accepting proposals for up to two volunteers
to each give of a 5-minute Lightning Talk (followed by 2-minute Q&A).

Also, there will be a buffet offered by ITA Software.
Registration is not necessary but appreciated. See details below.

                                       *

Norman Ramsey will speak about
Using Higher-Order Functions and Continuation-Passing Style
to Make Dataflow Optimization Simple.

Norman Ramsey's research spans theory
(a foundational model for probabilistic programming languages)
and practice (methods for making code generators reusable).
While he has contributed to a variety of topics
in programming languages and software engineering,
his primary interests lie in functional programming
and programming-language infrastructure.
His introduction to functional programming came on a Symbolics Lisp machine,
but shortly afterward he was seduced by
the beauty of algebraic data types and pattern matching.
These days his favorite programmable programming systems are Haskell
(look! it has Prolog in the type checker and will generate your code for you!)
and Lua (the best of scripting, metaobjects, and C
rolled up into a tiny package).
He is currently Associate Professor of computer science at Tufts University,
a job which he enjoys tremendously
except that it does not leave him time for enough programming.

His website is at http://www.cs.tufts.edu/~nr/

                                      * *

Having observed the success of the formula at ILC'2009,
we have instituted Lightning Talks at the Boston Lisp Meeting.
At every meeting, before the main talk,
there are two slots for strictly timed 5-minute talks
followed by 2-minute for questions and answers.

The slots for next Monday are still open.
Step up and come talk about your pet project!


                                     * * *

The Lisp Meeting will take place on Tuesday May 26th 2009 at 1800 (6pm)
at MIT, Room 34-401B.

Note that the meeting will NOT take place as usual on
the last Monday of the Month, but on the next day, Tuesday.
Indeed, that last Monday of May is Memorial Day, a holiday,
and the next day thus makes do as a "Virtual Monday".

As the numbers indicate, the room is in Building 34, on the 4th floor.
This is the usual location, on 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge.

MIT map: http://whereis.mit.edu/bin/map?selection=34

Google map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=50+Vassar+St,+Cambridge,+MA+02139,+USA

Many thanks go to Alexey Radul for arranging for the room,
and to MIT for welcoming us.

                                    * * * *

Dinner: ITA Software, a fine employer of Lisp hackers
(disclaimer: I work there), is kindly purchasing a buffet
to accompany our monthly Boston Lisp meeting.
Anyone who attends is welcome to partake.

We appreciate it if you let us know you're coming,
and what food taboos you have,
so that we can order the correct amount of food.
Tell us by sending email to
boston-lisp-meeting-register at common-lisp.net.
We won't send any acknowledgement unless requested;
importantly, we'll keep your identity and address confidential
and won't communicate any such information to anyone,
not even to our sponsors.

                                   * * * * *

The previous Boston Lisp Meeting on April 27th
had 35 participants.
Noah Goodman gave a talk about Lambda the Ultimate Gamble
Alan Bawden also gave a Lightning Talk
about a better proposed representation for quasiquotes.

In the near future, we expect to have
Bruce Lewis on 2009-06-29 about BRL http://brl.codesimply.net and
ourdoings.com, Emmanuel Schanzer on 2009-08-31 about BootstrapWorld.org, and
Christine Flood on some undetermined date about
Fortress http://projectfortress.sun.com

                                  * * * * * *

We're always looking for more speakers.
The call for speakers and all the other details are at
http://fare.livejournal.com/120393.html
Also sought are volunteers to give Lightning Talks
http://fare.livejournal.com/143723.html

For more information, see our new web site boston-lisp.org.
For posts related to the Boston Lisp meetings in general, follow this link:
http://fare.livejournal.com/tag/boston-lisp-meeting
or subscribe to our RSS feed:
http://fare.livejournal.com/data/rss?tag=boston-lisp-meeting

Please forward this information to people you think would be interested.
Please accept my apologies for your receiving this message multiple times.
My apologies if this announce gets posted to a list where it shouldn't,
or fails to get posted to a list where it should.
Feedback welcome by private email reply to fare at tunes.org.