Symposium Ampersand

Ampersand: An overview of 25 years of research, results, and impact
Ampersand has contributed to practical applications, a novel theory of information systems, innovative education, and a stream of publications in relation algebra outlets. In this talk, we will synthesize these contributions, reflect on the results, and highlight the remaining challenges.

Stef Joosten has been a part-time full professor at the OUNL since 1999. He also serves as senior architect at Sopra Steria (formerly Ordina). His work emphasizes high-quality software engineering and its practical applications.

Resolving Misalignments in Business Architecture with Ampersand
This research leverages Ampersand to develop a method for aligning key business architecture models - value streams, capabilities, and information - by detecting and resolving inconsistencies. The approach enhances decision-making, mitigates risks, and strengthens organizational adaptability, demonstrating how Ampersand advances business architecture management.

Sefanja is an Enterprise Data Architect at Stedin, a Dutch energy system operator. He develops conceptual models for national energy registers and co-authors NBility, a business architecture model for the energy industry.

Model-Driven Software Engineering with Ampersand: Developing the Semantic Treehouse Web Platform
In this talk, we demonstrate how the Ampersand language and compiler ensure consistency across the database, backend, API, and frontend implementation of a modern web application. The Ampersand language formalizes the underlying conceptual model, while the Ampersand compiler generates technical artifacts to support a fast and consistent development cycle.

Michiel Stornebrink is a senior researcher at TNO’s Data Ecosystems department and holds an MSc degree in Technology Management from the University of Groningen. He works on projects aimed at improving the interoperability of business-to-business information and data exchange. His expertise and interests include semantic interoperability, linked (open) data, data modeling, IT/data governance, and model-driven software development. Michiel is the product owner of TNO’s Semantic Treehouse, a community platform for data model management. His skills and knowledge converge in the research and development of this application.

What Ampersand has contributed to RAMiCS
The conference series on Relational and Algebraic Methods in Computer Science has been one of the main venues of publication for research related to Ampersand. In this talk, we attempt a brief sketch of what Ampersand means to the RAMiCS community.

Wolfram Kahl is a full professor at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and has been serving as associate chair for undergraduate studies in the Department of Computing and Software since 2016. Wolfram’s research on software correctness focusses on development and use of high-level formalisms, based in particular on relation algebra, graph transformation, and dependent types. Wolfram has been involved in RAMiCS from its beginnings in the early 1990s.