Call for Papers

FM 2003 is the twelfth in a series of symposia organized by Formal Methods Europe, an independent association whose aim is to stimulate the use of, and research on, formal methods for software development. These symposia have been notably successful in bringing together a community of users, researchers, and developers of precise mathematical methods for software development as well as industrial users.

Formal methods have been controversial throughout their history, and the realisation of their full potential remains, in the eyes of many practitioners, merely a promise. Have they been successful in industry? If so, under which conditions? Has any progress been made in dispelling the scepticism that surrounds them? Are they worth the effort? Which aspects of formal methods have become so well established in industrial practice that they have lost the "formal method" label in the meanwhile?

FM 2003 aims to answer these questions, by seeking contributions not only from the Formal Method community but also from outsiders and even from skeptical people who are most welcome to explain, document, and motivate the source of their reluctance. We are confident that a wide spectrum of experiences and a loyal contrasting of opinions will foster a better and deeper understanding, if not a wider adoption of Formal Methods.

Far from restricting the focus of the conference, however, FM 2003 also welcomes papers with strong theoretical content that establish a connection with the practice of formal methods.

Therefore, FM 2003 welcomes papers in all aspects of formal methods for computer systems, including the following:

• introducing formal methods in the practice of industrial processes (technical, organizational, social, psychological aspects)
• concerns and risks for potential adopters of formal methods; cost-benefit analysis
• reports on practical use and case studies (reporting positive or negative experiences)
• formal methods in hardware and system design
• reusable domain theories
• theoretical foundations (specification and modeling, refining, verification, etc.)
• tool support and software engineering
• environments for formal methods
• method integration

Papers

Full papers should be submitted electronically via the Web by March 16, 2003. Full submission details will be published on the conference web site. Papers will be evaluated by the Program Committee according to their originality, significance, soundness, quality of presentation and relevance with respect to the main issues of the symposium. Papers should have not been submitted elsewhere for publication. Accepted papers will be published in the symposium proceedings in the LNCS series by Springer Verlag.

Papers should not exceed twenty pages. LNCS format should be used. Please include a short list of keywords on a separate line at the end of the abstract, beginning with the word "Keywords": in boldface. Signed copyright forms should be sent by fax to Stefania Gnesi at: +39.050.3152810 (fax).

Other symposium activities

In addition to presentations of submitted papers, the symposium will offer tutorials, workshops, invited speakers, and tool demonstrations.

Proposals for half-day or full-day tutorials related to FM 2003 are invited. Tutorial proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their assessed benefit for prospective participants to FM 2003. Proposals should include: a description of the material that will be covered in the tutorial, a justification of the relevance of the tutorial for the symposium, a short history of the tutorial if it has been given before, its duration, its purpose, the key learning objectives for the participants, the intended audience and required background, the credentials of the instructor(s). Proposals should be directed to the Tutorial Chair by March 7, 2003.

Proposals for one-day or two-days workshops related to FM 2003 are invited. Workshop proposals will be evaluated on the basis of their assessed benefit for prospective participants to FM 2003. Proposals should be directed to the Workshop Chair by March 7, 2003.

Tool demonstrations will also take place during the symposium, with the opportunity of holding presentations for each tool. Proposals should be made to the Tool Exhibition Chair by May 9, 2003.

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