Round-about path leads this informatics assistant professor to the head of the class

By Susan Williams

One of the most exciting areas of research Dalkilic does is trying to make computers reason. His other research includes developing tools, techniques and theories that would allow 'smart' computers to assist biologists in understanding and making use of volumes of new information, making the use of databases faster—query optimization—and developing ways for computers to discover hidden patterns in large amounts of data—data mining.

That was just the beginning of a round-about path to Indiana, Indiana University, computers and an assistant professorship in informatics.

After his family moved to northwest Indiana, Dalkilic decided on college at IU, where he set about obtaining what he calls "a meandering undergraduate education." In retrospect, it's probably the perfectly diverse background for teaching informatics, an interdisciplinary approach to combining information technology with the arts, humanities and sciences.

After successive bids to study piano, and then accounting, he landed in chemistry and graduated with honors and recognition as outstanding senior chemist in 1984. Medical school was next, where he also enrolled in the doctoral program for biochemistry.

"I didn't have a very clear idea of what I wanted to do after graduation, though I was intent on getting some kind of Ph.D.," Dalkilic said. "Professors impressed me as a kind of special breed—pensive, scholarly, thorough, influential. That's why I initially entered medical school as a M.D./Ph.D. student. Looking back at it now, I guess I wasn't ready for the responsibility of other people's lives."

After a couple of years, he decided that his interests were better served in computer science. He received both his master's and doctoral degrees at IU and then landed his teaching position, also at IU. He teaches introductory classes and conducts various research into information technology topics.

"As you are probably aware, we are drowning in information—from too much news on the television, to too much mail, to too many choices for even a cup of coffee," said Dalkilic in describing the scene that dictates the need for his work. "All of this information is accumulating faster than people's ability to understand and make use of it, and that's what I'm trying to help solve.

"One of the most exciting areas of research I do is trying to make computers reason. This is the aim of 'machine learning'—to make a machine be able to reason about information, drawing conclusions that are useful and meaningful. Using machine learning, I attack databases of information and extract useful information."

His other research includes developing tools, techniques and theories that would allow 'smart' computers to assist biologists in understanding and making use of volumes of new information, making the use of databases faster—query optimization—and developing ways for computers to discover hidden patterns in large amounts of data—data mining. He recently received a National Science Foundation grant to continue work on utilizing information theory to understand the problems of data mining, a project that began with his doctoral thesis.

He also is knowledgeable in the area of generational differences in attitudes toward technology.

Clearly, there is a digital divide, Dalkilic said. But, interestingly, the chasm comes as much in the culture technology has created as it does in the willingness to embrace a new way of gathering information. For example, a major change has occurred in the work place.

"Traditionally, work has been an 8-to-5 affair, with suits, noon lunch breaks, strict hierarchy of employer-employee," he said. "Today's youth have forgone these traditions: work takes place anytime during the day—whether the product is successfully completed is the issue, dress codes are meaningless, there is no longer a regimented routine in terms of, say, lunch at noon. And finally, there is no longer a hierarchy as there once was—everyone is on a first name basis, everyone can challenge anyone else's idea."

Dalkilic conducts his own classes in an informal style, passing out funny wigs, tiaras and bug-eyed glasses for students to wear and candy for them to eat. He said he loves teaching freshmen, because they're excited about school, open to ideas and hungry for knowledge.

"They are the reason we exist here, and I enjoy the class immensely."

And he loves being a part of "a fantastic" group of people involved in the development of the informatics program, IU's first new school in 25 years.

"I feel so fortunate to have such an incredible opportunity," Dalkilic said. "I've likened this to watching a planet form. It's so sublime and beautiful. And to be part of it's creation—it's wonderful."

E-mail: informat@indiana.edu

http://informatics.indiana.edu/

http://www.informatics.iupui.edu/