Info
Teachers: Miika Hannula and Riccardo Tommasini
Contact: miika.hannula@ut.ee (Room 3097) and riccardo.tommasini@ut.ee
Credits: 3 ECTS
Language: English
Classroom: 1025, Delta Centre
Time: Tuesday 14:15-16:00
General information:
This seminar introduces students to current research directions in databases, covering both foundational and systems perspectives. The course is well suited for Master’s and advanced Bachelor students who are interested in deepening their understanding of database research or considering future work in data management, data systems, query languages, or logic.
Seminar format:
Students choose a topic from a curated list of research areas, each with suggested papers and a possible supervisor. Students may also propose their own topic/paper, subject to approval. After topic selection, each student is assigned a supervisor (Miika/Riccardo) who guides the presentation and the report.
Each student will:
- study 1 core paper + inspect additional related papers (e.g., main references of core paper)
- prepare and deliver a seminar presentation (~45 minutes)
- act as an opponent/discussant for two other presentations
- write a research report (~6-7 pages + references, LIPIcs style or similar) synthesizing the main ideas
- (optionally, reproduce or implement a part of a paper’s method or experiment)
Evaluation:
Pass or fail. To receive a pass, student must:
- give one satisfactory presentation
- act as an opponent for two other presentations
- attend and actively participate in seminar meetings
Schedule (preliminary):
10.2.2025: Kickoff meeting + Lecture 1: Consistent query answering
17.2.2025: Lecture 2: Stream databases + Lecture 3: Graph databases
22.2.2025 Topic selections due
....
21.4.2025-19.5.2025 Student presentations (start date depends on the number of students)
26.5.2025 Reports due