Computational Information Theory and Coding

Computational information theory is concerned with techniques (such as

channel coding) for achieving channel capacities. The field has

achieved dramatic scientific breakthroughs in recent years, and codes

that come close to theoretical limits have been discovered. Today,

the development of coding and information theory is closely related to

the explosion of information technology, with applications to the

Internet and the next generation of networks technologies. The rapid

development of a myriad of networked devices for computing and

telecommunications presents new and exciting challenges for coding and

information theory.

This project will explore interconnections among coding theory,

theoretical computer science, information theory, and related areas of

computer science and mathematics in order to deal with research

challenges arising from optical/magnetic recording and optical

transmission, the interface between information theory and symbolic

dynamics, the development of network information theory, advances in

high speed data transmission in wired channels, the connection between

coding theory and related mathematical approaches (especially using

discrete mathematics), the role of compression in all layers of data

networks, and exploiting the connections between algorithmic

complexity and notions of entropy and randomness.

Research efforts will be carried out by ``working groups'' that will

come together at DIMACS for several meetings aimed at catalyzing

communications and collaborations. Subgroups will investigate problems

of interest. The working groups will be concerned with Data

Compression in Networks and Applications and with Optical/Magnetic

Recording and Optical Transmission.

The project will integrate research and education through a series of

workshops aimed at identifying areas for research, involving large

groups of researchers in the field of computational information theory

and coding, and introducing many people (including outstanding junior

people and students) to the field. Workshops are

planned on the topics of High Speed Data Transmission in Wired

Channels, Network Information Theory, Complexity and Inference,

Information Theory and Symbolic Dynamics, and Coding Theory and

Discrete Mathematics.