SGER: Vignettes: The Promise of Information Technology

虽然信息技术的进步改变了我们的生活，推动了我们的经济发展，并改变了科学的行为，但将信息技术的研究转化为工业生产需要15-20年的时间。几十年后，我们将依靠明天或明年开始的研究来为未来提供变革的想法。当这与计算机专业的入学人数下降相结合时，问题就变得显而易见了。这一系列的小插曲将突出不同的问题，IT研究可以帮助提供解决方案。这些问题的范围从使整个地球的生活得到普遍改善，到设计一个新的互联网。大约十几个小插曲将用高影响图形说明。插图将提供非专业人员可以访问的可能转换的示例。如果读者选择获得更深入的理解，还将提供额外的链接。一个预期的结果是，在学院和大学中，人们对计算机科学作为一门学科产生了更大的兴趣，同时公众对研究在发展新思想和强大经济中的作用有了更深入的了解。

While advances in information technology (IT) change our lives, drive our economy and transform the conduct of science, it takes 15-20 years for research in IT to be transformed into industrial production. In a few decades, we will depend upon research begun tomorrow or next year to provide the transforming ideas for the future. When this is coupled with the declining enrollments in computing programs, the problem becomes starkly drawn. This series of vignettes will highlight different problems for which IT research can help offer solutions. The problems range from enabling a general improvement in life across the planet, to the design of a new Internet. Approximately a dozen vignettes will be illustrated with high impact graphics. The vignettes will provide examples of possible transformations that are accessible to the non-specialist. Additional links will also be provided, if the reader chooses to gain a deeper understanding. One anticipated result is the generation of more interest in computing science as a discipline in colleges and universities, as well as enhanced public understanding of the role of research in developing new ideas and a strong economy.