IKS Research in The Netherlands BNAIC 2005 : session reports From Geometry to Evolution

This is the last issue of the Newsletter of the year 2005. I believe it was a rather successful year for the AI community, both regarding quality and quantity. To witness this statement this issue presents circumstantial evidence. First, Richard Starmans reports in a lengthy article (see pp. 128-135) on current topics in IKS research. Based on five research questions he developed a questionnaire for SIKS Ph.D. researchers with the aim to identify a structure in the field. Analyzing the results of over 200 filled-in questionnaires he arrived at five sub-areas in the IKS-field, all very " AI-related ". Though Software Engineering seems to lose some influence in the last years, Database / Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence show a clear rising trend. Also, a growing number of researchers consider him-or herself to be an AI researcher. Second, as reported by Jaap van den Herik (see pp. 150-152) the number of SIKS Ph.D. theses continues in growing. The number of AI(related) theses, as reported in this Newsletter, though somewhat more whimsical, also follows the trend, with a doubling of the average number of Ph.D. theses per year to over 40 in the last decade. Third, this year's BNAIC conference was again a great event. General impressions were already give in the previous issue. This issue reinforces this feeling by providing ten session reports by the session chairs of BNAIC 2005 (see pp. 135-141). Moreover, this issue contains a report on two prize-giving events during the BNAIC, i.e., the 2005 SKBS Prize for the best demonstration, handed out to Gerald de Jong, and the KION M.Sc. Thesis Award, handed out to Olaf Booij. During the BNVKI General Assembly Meeting at the BNAIC 2005, which was well attended compared to previous years, the members elected as new board member Marie-Francine (or Sien, in short) Moens. Since she has been a section editor of the Newsletter for many years, providing me with many contributions, I expect her to yield many fruitful contributions to the Board also. Sien, welcome! Regarding the prize-winning demonstration at BNAIC 2005, mentioned above, we are glad that its author, Gerald de Jong, provided us with an inside story of the birth and rise of his Fluidiom software, which really generates fascinating creatures. Several pictures of these have been included in this issue. Of course it is a pity that no movies can be attached, since to see the creatures …