Symbolic Systems Program

What is Symbolic Systems?

What's New in Symbolic Systems?

The Symbolic Systems Program (SSP) focuses on computers and minds: artificial and natural systems that use symbols to represent information. SSP brings together students and faculty interested in different aspects of the human-computer relationship, including...

cognitive science: studying human intelligence, natural languages, and the brain as computational processes;
artificial intelligence: endowing computers with human-like behavior and understanding; and
human-computer interaction: designing computer software and interfaces that work well with human users.

Symbolic Systems' affiliated faculty come from several departments at Stanford University, including Computer Science, Linguistics, Philosophy, Psychology, Communication, and Education. Our students are exposed to the tools of these disciplines -- formal methods, philosophical analysis, computer programming, and empirical research -- with the aim of being able to apply the appropriate tool(s) to a chosen area of specialization. SSP alumni are found in various occupations, including software design and applications, teaching and research, law, medicine, and public service.

Welcome alums! If you are an SSP alum and you do not know how to access your account, contact us at the email address "ssp-af at csli dot stanford dot edu". If you know how to log into your account, you can edit your profile by signing in and clicking on "Update profile" under "Your account" on the left sidebar. Also, please contact us if you have address information for alumni whose email addresses do not appear in our database after you sign in.

The next Symbolic Systems Forum will be on Thursday, May 22, 2008 (4:15-5:30 pm in 380-380C), featuring Ben Shneiderman, of Johns Hopkins University. Check the SSP calendar page for details and abstracts for Forum talks as they are scheduled.

The Thomas A. Wasow Visiting Scholars in Symbolic Systems for the 2007-2008 academic year are Terrence J. Sejnowski (April 28-May 6), Ben Shneiderman (May 19-May 23), and Hiroshi Ishii (May 19-30). Public events featuring each of the Wasow Scholars are listed here.

Office hours for the Symbolic Systems Advising Fellows and Program Administrators will resume at the beginning of Spring Quarter (March 31). Watch below for updates.

Aurelie Beaumel, F 3:15-5:15 and by appointment in 460-040A
Todd Davies, TWTh 10:30-11:55 in 460-040C
Julie Finkelstein, MW 11:00AM - 1:00PM in 460-040A
Mike Krieger, MW 1-3pm in 460-040A (working on Distinguished Speaker 5/12)
Aman Kumar, TTh 1:00PM - 2:45 PM in 460-040A
Ben Newman, T 11:00AM-12:30PM and Th 11:00AM-12:30PM in 460-040A
Ivan Sag, By appointment in 460-103
Anna Schapiro, MW 4:00-5:00, T 4:30-5:00 in 460-040A

The March 2008 issue of San Francisco Magazine featured a profile of SSP alum Marissa Mayer ('97). Read what she says about her decision to major in Symbolic Systems here on page 6.