Featured in Five is a monthly section where we pose five questions to a Computing Reviews featured reviewer. Here are the responses from our current featured reviewer, Jesús Villadangos-Alonso (Universidad Pública de Navarra (Spain)).
Q: What is the most important thing that's happened in computing in the past 10 years?
A: The possibilities of new devices, operating systems, and interfaces, which have democratized computing power. Now, you see people of all ages working, reading books, and surfing the Internet from tablets and mobile phones.
Q: By the end of your career, where do you think computer science will have taken us? What are you working on that might contribute toward that?
A: Computer science will enable the presentation of all types of knowledge on the Internet, making it available anytime, anywhere, to anyone. Everyone will actively contribute to increasing the knowledge on the Internet. I think that the Internet should evolve as a semantic space where users can find the knowledge they are looking for in a few clicks. We are working on folksonomies, tools that help to integrate the nonformal knowledge of every user. Folksonomies allow the integration of all people in a common space with universal visibility.
Q: Who is your favorite historical figure? Why?
A: Any scientist or researcher—so many have contributed small things that have a great impact in the long term. The most famous people can do incredible things, but the work of researchers like R. Feynman or others has a bigger impact, and, in many cases, isn’t recognized as such.
Q: If you weren't working in the computer science field, what would you be doing instead?
A: I have studied physics, and am interested in understanding the power of nature--weather prediction, tornados, hurricanes, and so on. I would be interested in modeling natural forces and phenomena in order to better understand nature.
Q: What is your favorite type of music?
A: There is a time and a place for every type of music. However, I find myself listening most frequently to blues and rock & roll.
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Click here to learn more about Jesús Villadangos-Alonso , and here to read one of his recent reviews.
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