Software Engineering Institute

Note: The deadline to submit workshop proposals has been extended to April 19.

March 25, 2024—The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) will host the 43rd International Conference on Conceptual Modeling from October 28-31 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The conference, also called ER 2024 after its original focus on the entity-relationship model, is accepting submissions for papers through May 19 and workshop proposals through April 5.

ER 2024’s theme is Conceptual Modeling, Artificial Intelligence, and Beyond. Papers should focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are revolutionizing conceptual modeling. Established topics such as modeling languages, theories, and methods are also encouraged. Accepted papers will appear in a special issue of Data & Knowledge Engineering.

Proposed workshops should be interactive, collaborative forums on new, emerging, or established topics in conceptual modeling or its application in specific domains. Workshops aligned with the conference theme are especially encouraged.

Conceptual modeling describes “the semantics of software applications at a high level of abstraction,” according to the parent ER conference website. Hasan Yasar, the SEI’s technical director of continuous deployment of capability within the Software Solutions Division and the conference’s general chair, said the practice is vital for software engineering. “It provides a high-level framework for understanding and specifying the structure and behavior of the system being developed and deployed. Conceptual modeling also helps identify the key concepts and relationships in the problem domain, facilitate communication among stakeholders, guide the development process, and ensure that the software aligns with user needs and business goals.”

This level of rigor early in the software engineering lifecycle is especially important for new or less predictable kinds of software systems, such as those relying on ML and AI. “Conceptual modeling provides clear definitions and structures for the data and processes that ML algorithms leverage,” said Yasar. “It establishes a shared understanding of the domain, which is crucial for data preparation, feature selection, and the interpretation of AI outcomes, leading to more accurate, reliable, and transparent AI solutions.” Software engineering researchers and practitioners at ER 2024 will discuss the ontology of events and relationships as well as knowledge representation in current AI paradigms.

The SEI advances research in ontology and modeling across several domains, including cyber-physical systems, large-scale applications, and digital engineering. This research helps develop timely, effective, and reliable solutions for mission-specific challenges within Department of Defense systems.

The SEI joins a long list of organizations from around the world that have hosted the ER conference since the first event in 1979. The SEI has a history of active and impactful contributions to the software engineering community and a relationship with Carnegie Mellon University, one of the world’s leading AI research institutions.

Learn more about ER 2024 on the SEI’s conference website. Submit papers and workshop proposals via EasyChair. For more information on software modeling, model-based systems and software engineering, and DevSecOps, visit the SEI Blog and Digital Library.