Yalemisew Abgaz

Dr

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Yalemisew Abgaz is an Assistant Professor of Computing at the School of Computing, in the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, at Dublin City University, Ireland. Yalemisew's research interests are Data Literacy and Analytics,  Software Engineering, Semantic Modelling (ontology development and evolution, semantic publishing and search), Natural Language Processing, Information Retrieval and Computational Creativity.


Based in the School of Computing, Yalemisew is also involved in the teaching and supervision of MSc and PhD students. Yalemisew coordinates the University-wide Data Literacy and Analytics module (CA179) designed for more than ten DCU Futures programs. Yalemisew is the designer and coordinator of the module delivered to hundreds of DCU students each year. See his teaching portfolio here.


Yalemisew has been a funded principal investigator(2019-2021) on the ChIA project affiliated with the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. ChIA is a Digital Humanities research project aiming to enhance the access and analysis of cultural data by testing semantic tools and AI technologies on cultural and historical images. Yalemisew has been a senior research fellow in the Future Software Systems Architecture Project at the Lero Research Centre (2021-2022), a research fellow and postdoctoral researcher at the ADAPT Centre at Dublin City University (2017-2021) affiliated with the Austrian Centre for Digital Humanities at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, and a postdoctoral researcher (2014-2017) at Maynooth University.


Yalemisew's early research covered the application of Semantic Web technologies focusing on ontology evolution and its impact on content management systems. Yalemisew's broader research area encompasses the application of semantic web technologies in data analytics, natural language processing, digital humanities, health, and computational creativity. Yalemisew is an associate faculty at the National College of Ireland, School of Computing and delivered modules including Algorithms and Advanced Programming, Databases, Data Analytics, and Research Methods.


Before he arrived in Ireland, Yalemisew was a lecturer at the Information Science Department at Addis Ababa University. He worked as a national coordinator of the Health Information Systems Project (HISP) and the BENISH project, a collaboration between Addis Ababa University and the University of Oslo. He also worked as a graduate assistant and a chief librarian at Rift Valley University College.

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2023 Abgaz, Y.; Mccarren, A.; Elger, P.; Solan, D.; Lapuz, N.; Bivol, M.; Jackson, G.; Yilmaz, M.; Buckley, J.; Clarke, P. (2023) 'Decomposition of Monolith Applications Into Microservices Architectures: A Systematic Review'. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, 49 . [Link] [DOI]
2021 Abgaz, Y; Rocha Souza, R; Methuku, J; Koch, G; Dorn, A (2021) 'A Methodology for Semantic Enrichment of Cultural Heritage Images Using Artificial Intelligence Technologies'. Journal of Imaging, 7 (8). [Link] [DOI]
2019 Alejandro Rodriguez Diaz; Alejandro Benito-Santos; Amelie Dorn; Yalemisew Abgaz; Eveline Wandl-Vogt; Roberto Theron (2019) 'Intuitive Ontology-Based SPARQL Queries for RDF Data Exploration'. Ieee Access, . [Link] [DOI]
2018 Abgaz, Y.; Dorn, A.; Piringer, B.; Wandl-Vogt, E.; Way, A. (2018) 'Semantic modelling and publishing of traditional data collection questionnaires and answers'. INFORMATION, 9 (12). [Link] [DOI]
2014 (2014) 'Can a Computationally Creative System Create Itself? Creative Artefacts and Creative Processes'. .
2014 Javed, M.; Abgaz, Y.M.; Pahl, C. (2014) 'Layered change log model: Bridging between ontology change representation and pattern mining'. International Journal of Metadata, Semantics and Ontologies, 9 . [Link] [DOI]
2014 (2014) 'Creating Formal Specifications with Analogical Reasoning'. Pics-Publication Series Of The Institute Of Cognitive Science, .
2013 Javed, M.; Abgaz, Y.M.; Pahl, C. (2013) 'Ontology Change Management and Identification of Change Patterns'. JOURNAL ON DATA SEMANTICS, 2 . [Link] [DOI]

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2020 (2020) 'Harvesting Knowledge from Cultural Images with Assorted Technologies: The Example of the ChIA Project' In: Knowledge Organization at the Interface: Proceedings of the Sixteenth International ISKO Conference, 2020 Aalborg, Denmark. [Link] [DOI]

Conference Publication

Year Publication
2023 Yalemisew Abgaz; Ciaran Dunne (2023) Pedagogy for Higher Education Large Classes (PHELC) Designing Microcurricula-as-a-service: The case of large class, cross programme, and online asynchronous module [Link] [DOI]
2021 Lapuz, Neil; Clarke, Paul; Abgaz, Yalemisew (2021) SYSTEMS, SOFTWARE AND SERVICES PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, EUROSPI 2021 Digital Transformation and the Role of Dynamic Tooling in Extracting Microservices from Existing Software Systems [DOI]
2021 (2021) Proceedings of the International Joint Workshop on Semantic Web and Ontology Design for Cultural Heritage co-located with the Bolzano Summer of Knowledge 2021 (BOSK 2021), Virtual Event / ozen-Bolzano, Italy, September 20-21, 2021 Describing and Searching Food Content in Historical Images with the ChIA Vocabulary [Link]
2020 (2020) Proceedings of the 7th Workshop on Linked Data in Linguistics (LDL-2020) Using OntoLex-Lemon for Representing and Interlinking Lexicographic Collections of Bavarian Dialects [Link]
2020 (2020) Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Historical Image Enrichment and Access [Link]
2020 Diaz, J.L.P.; Dorn, A.; Koch, G.; Abgaz, Y. (2020) Proceedings - International Conference on Advanced Computer Information Technologies, ACIT A Comparative Approach between Different Computer Vision Tools, including Commercial and Open-source, for Improving Cultural Image Access and Analysis [Link] [DOI]
2020 (2020) Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Biomedical Ontologies (ICBO) joint with the 10th Workshop on Ontologies and Data in Life Sciences (ODLS) and part of the Bolzano Summer of Knowledge (BoSK 2020), Virtual conference hosted in Bolzano, Italy, September 17, 2020 The ARK Platform: Enabling Risk Management Through Semantic Web Technologies [Link]
2020 (2020) Proceedings of the Twin Talks 2 and 3 Workshops at DHN 2020 and DH 2020 A picture is worth a thousand words”? – From Project Inception to First Results: Describing Cross-disciplinary Collaboration in the Digital Humanities Project ChIA [Link]
2020 Grogan, Jake; Muheady, Connor; McDermott, James; Urbanavicius, Martynas; Yilmaz, Murat; Abgaz, Yalemisew; McCarren, Andrew; MacMahon, Silvana Togneri; Garousi, Vahid; Elger, Peter; Clarke, Paul (2020) SYSTEMS, SOFTWARE AND SERVICES PROCESS IMPROVEMENT (EUROSPI 2020) A Multivocal Literature Review of Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) Infrastructures and Implications for Software Developers [DOI]
2020 (2020) Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Historical Image Enrichment and Access Towards a Comprehensive Assessment of the Quality and Richness of the Europeana Metadata of food-related Images [Link]
2019 (2019) Digital Humanities Conference 2019 A Project Review Under The Focus Of Complexities On The Example Of ExploreAT!
2019 (2019) Opening up cultural content in non-standard language data through cross-disciplinary collaboration: insights on methods, process and learnings on theexample of exploreAT! [Link]
2019 (2019) DH_Budapest_2019 [Abstract Booklet] Enrichment of legacy language data: linking lexical concepts in data collection questionnaires on the example of exploreAT!
2018 (2018) Proceedings of the LREC 2018 Workshop CCURL 2018 Unlocking cultural conceptualisation in indigenous language resources: Collaborative computing methodologies
2018 (2018) EADH 2018 - Detailed Programme Co-creation of a thesaurus at the interface of cultural lexicography & cultural infrastructures: the case-study topothek.at & exploreAT! [Link]
2017 (2017) Dr. Inventor, Promoting Scientific Creativity by Utilising Web-based Research Objects, FP7
2017 (2017) Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Computational Creativity Characteristics of Pro-c Analogies and Blends between Research Publications [Link]
2016 Abgaz, Y.; O'Donoghue, D.; Smorodinnikov, D.; Hurley, D. (2016) Evaluation of analogical inferences formed from automatically generated representations of scientific publications [Link]
2016 (2016) Expert and Corpus-Based Evaluation of a 3-Space Model of Conceptual Blending
2016 (2016) Irish Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science Evaluation of Analogical Inferences Formed from Automatically Generated Representations of Scientific Publications
2016 (2016) Eighth International Workshop Modelling and Reasoning in Context (MRC 2016) Embedding a Creativity Support Tool within Computer Graphics Research
2016 (2016) UK-CLC 2016: 6th UK Cognitive Linguistics Conference Generating Lexico-Semantic Graphs for Novel Analogies between Computer Graphics Publications using Dr Inventor
2016 (2016) EGPAI 2016: Evaluating General Purpose AI workshop Expert and Corpus-Based Evaluation of a 3-Space Model of Conceptual Blending
2015 (2015) ICCC Stimulating and Simulating Creativity with Dr Inventor
2014 (2014) Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Computational Creativity Can a Computationally Creative System Create Itself? Creative Artefacts and Creative Processes [Link]
2014 (2014) Towards Dr Inventor: A Tool for Promoting Scientific Creativity
2013 (2013) EdMedia 2013 - World Conference on Educational Media and Technology Ontology evolution for learning content management systems
2012 (2012) Analyzing impacts of change operations in evolving ontologies [Link]
2012 (2012) Composite Ontology Change Operators and their Customizable Evolution Strategies [Link]
2012 Abgaz, Y.M.; Javed, M.; Pahl, C. (2012) Dependency analysis in ontology-driven content-based systems [Link] [DOI]
2011 (2011) 3rd International Workshop Ontology-Driven Information System Engineering (ODISE), London, UK A Layered Framework for Pattern-Based Ontology Evolution
2011 (2011) ISWC Workshops: Joint Workshop on Knowledge Evolution and Ontology Dynamics (EvoDyn), 24th October, 2011, Bonn, Germany Graph-based Discovery of Ontology Change Patterns
2011 Abgaz, Y.M.; Javed, M.; Pahl, C. (2011) A framework for change impact analysis of ontology-driven content-based systems [Link] [DOI]
2011 (2011) International Conference on Knowledge Science, Engineering and Management Towards implicit knowledge discovery from ontology change log data
2011 Javed, M.; Abgaz, Y.M.; Pahl, C. (2011) Towards implicit knowledge discovery from ontology change log data [Link] [DOI]
2011 (2011) Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Multilingual Semantic Web - Volume 775 A Semantic Model for Integrated Content Management, Localisation and Language Technology Processing
2010 (2010) International Conference on Ontological and Semantic Engineering (ICOSE) Ontology-based Domain Modelling for Consistent Content Change Management
2010 (2010) Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2010 Utilising Ontology-based Modelling for Learning Content Management [Link]
2010 Abgaz, Y.M.; Javed, M.; Pahl, C. (2010) Empirical analysis of impacts of instance-driven changes in ontologies [Link] [DOI]
2009 Javed, M.; Abgaz, Y.M.; Pahl, C. (2009) A pattern-based framework of change operators for ontology evolution [Link] [DOI]

Other Journal

Year Publication
2022 Yalemisew Abgaz; Amelie Dorn; Jose Luis Preza Diaz; Gerda Koch (2022) 'Is your Cultural Heritage Collection AI Ready? A Methodology for Semantic Enrichment of Cultural Images and Photographs' Imatge I Recerca 17es Jornades Antoni Vares, . [Link]

Data set

Year Publication
2023 Yalemisew Abgaz; Andrew McCarren; Peter Elger; David Solan; Neil Lapuz; Marin Bivol; Glenn Jackson; Murat Yilmaz; Jim Buckley; Paul Clarke (2023) Replication package for Decomposition of Monolithic Applications into Microservices Architectures: A Systematic Review. DSET [DOI]

Thesis

Year Publication
2013 (2013) Change Impact Analysis for Evolving Ontology-based Content Management. THES

Review Articles

Year Publication
2021 Dorn, Amelie; Wandl-Vogt, Eveline; Palfinger, Thomas; Theron, Roberto; Way, Andy; Abgaz, Yalemisew; Benito, Alejandro (2021) A project review under the focus of 'complexities' on the example of exploreAT!. REV [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Professional Associations

Association Function From / To
Artificial Intelligence Association of Ireland Member 01/01/2017 -

Committees

Committee Function From / To
School of Computing Erasmus Mobility Coordinator I am currently coordinating incoming and outgoing Erasmus students. 01/02/2024 -
Chair for AI4HI Workshop 2020 and 2022 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2022
Program Committee AI4DH Workshop (ICIAP 2023 Digital Humanities Hub) 01/07/2023 -
Data Literacy and Analytics Expert Panel 03/01/2022 - 30/06/2022

Employment

Employer Position From / To
Dublin City University Assistant Professor 01/01/2022 -
Dublin City University Senior Research Fellow 01/04/2020 - 31/12/2021
Dublin City University Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Researcher 01/04/2017 -
National College of Ireland Associate Lecturer 01/01/2018 -
Maynooth University Researcher 01/03/2014 - 31/03/2017
Addis Ababa University Lecturer 01/01/2005 - 01/01/2008
Dublin City University Assistant Professor 01/01/2022 -

Education

Start date Institution Qualification Subject
01/09/2003 Addis Ababa University MSc
01/01/1998 Addis Ababa University BSc
28/11/2008 Dublin City University PhD

Languages

Language Reading Writing Speaking
Oromo Functional Functional Basic
Amharic Fluent Fluent Fluent

Reviews

Journal Role
Geo-Informations-Systems Reviewer

Other Activities

Description
I volunteered to teach and mentor the youth who are in remote areas of Ethiopia. The program reaches out to transition year students to equip them with the transversal skills they require to navigate through the academic world ahead of them. The program involves a 20-hour teaching and additional mentoring of students and group projects.

Enterprise Engagement

Year Engagement Type Client Description
2022 Invited talk/presentation City Council of Girona Invited talk on the use of semantic web technologies to enrich archival collection. The title of my presentation is "Is Your Cultural Heritage Colection AI Ready? A Methodology for Semantic Enrichment of Cultural Images and Photographs" The talk was delivered at the 17th IMAGE & RESEARCH International Conference 17 – 18 November 2022

Research Interests

Yalemisew is mainly interested in Semantic Web Technologies, language processing, Software Engineering, and Digital Humanities.

Software Engineering: Yalemisew is interested in the extraction of microservices from monolithic applications. His research focus includes the development of monolith to microservices decomposition frameworks, datasets and their representation, machine learning, and optimisation algorithms.  See his current work here (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10160171).


Semantic Web Technologies: He is interested in ontology development, semantic modelling and enrichment of digital resources. His research in this area includes the development of ontologies for various domains including content management systems, lexicography, organisational knowledge-based systems, and others.  See his recent work here (https://doi.org/10.3390/info9120297)


Natural Language Processing: He is interested in knowledge extraction and representation using natural language processing tools and techniques combined with semantic web technologies. He is interested in the development of sentiment analysis and hate speech detection tools and technologies for under-resourced languages. His work combines NLP and Semantic Web Technologies in the area of digital humanities. See his recent work here (https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging7080121).


Microcurriculum Design: Aside from his research interests, Yalemisew is also keen on designing and implementing higher-education microcurriculum. He is a keen advocator of microcurriculum design and its implementation as a service. See his current research here (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8014148)


If you are interested in the Government of Ireland Postgraduate or Postdoctoral Scholarship as well as SFI, IRC, or EU-funded projects, please get in touch with him via this email YalemisewM.abgaz@dcu.ie or Yalemisew.abgaz@adaptcentre.ie.

Current Postgraduate Students

Student Name Degree Supervision
Lapuz ,Neil MSc Supervisor

Research Projects

Title Role Description Start date End date
Go!digital Next Generation Call grant 01/06/2019 01/05/2021
ChIA - accessing and analysing cultural images with new technologies DCU PI 01/06/2019 31/05/2021

Internal Collaborators

Type Name Company Role
Internal Rob Brennan ADAPT Academic

Teaching Interests

I am interested in teaching computer science modules including database systems and data analytics, programming, algorithms and data structures, artificial intelligence, semantic web technologies, natural language processing, and information systems.

Modules Coordinated

Term Title Subject
2022/23 Data Literacy and Analytics for the 21st Century CA179
2022 Introduction to Databases CA218
2022 Introduction to Programming CA146