Programming Languages

Our programming languages faculty are widely recognized as world leaders in the theoretical foundations, practical implementation, and application of programming languages.

CSD PL research is concerned with a comprehensive science of programming that encompasses not only language design and implementation as ordinarily conceived, but also specification, verification, implementation, evaluation, and validation of programs. We believe that programming is fundamentally an explanatory activity, which requires that a program be codified in a form that not only supports execution on a computer, but also manifests its design so that they can be understood by developers and maintainers, and subjected to mechanical verification and validation.

Our work comprises a broad spectrum of research, ranging from abstract theories of programming concepts to large-scale implementations of these ideas in working software systems. It is precisely this broad scope of investigation that distinguishes us from our competitors. Over the last two decades we have repeatedly demonstrated that fundamental theory is essential for building robust and reliable systems, and that enduring and elegant theories arise from meeting the demands of building such systems.

Our success in advancing an integrated view of Computer Science encourages us to take on even greater challenges, and opens up many new possibilities for us to explore. We envision that future languages will have fully formal definitions with fully checked proofs of their safety and security properties as a matter of course.


Events

News

Balzer Earns NSF CAREER Award

Monday, February 24, 2025
Stephanie Balzer, an assistant professor in the Computer Science Department, has received a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation. The awards are the foundation's most prestigious for young faculty researchers.

Innovative CMU Secure Blockchain Initiative Research, in Collaboration with Anaxi Labs, Focuses on Improving the Efficiency of Cryptographic Proof Systems

Tuesday, December 10, 2024
A team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers featuring Riad Wahby , assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kunming Jiang , Ph.D. student in the Computer Science Department, and Fraser Brown, assistant professor in the Software and Societal Systems Department, is overcoming the tradeoff between approaches that optimize for the CPU emulator, which is generally easier to program, versus the direct translation approach, which is potentially much less expensive in new research that is supported by Anaxi Labs.

Researchers Working in this Area

Last First Professional Title
Aberle Corinthia Doctoral Research Assistant
Acar Umut Professor
Aldrich Jonathan Professor, Affiliated Faculty
Avigad Jeremy Professor
Balzer Stephanie Assistant Professor
Battleman Zachary Doctoral Research Assistant
Blelloch Guy Professor
Brady Andrew Doctoral Research Assistant
Brookes Stephen Professor Emeritus
Brown Fraser Assistant Professor
Brumley David Professor of ECE, Affiliated Faculty
Cesar Costa AndrÉ Joao Doctoral Research Assistant
Chen Zhibo Doctoral Research Assistant
Chu Ethan Doctoral Research Assistant
Clune Joshua Doctoral Research Assistant
Codel Cayden Doctoral Research Assistant
Crary Karl Associate Professor, Director of Doctoral Programs
De Sa Luiz Gustavo Doctoral Research Assistant
Derakhshan Farzaneh Assistant Professor
Dos Reis Canedo Marques Rodrigo Doctoral Research Assistant
Dotzel Myra Doctoral Research Assistant
Fredrikson Matt Associate Professor
Gallicchio James Doctoral Research Assistant
Garlan David Professor
Ginesin Jacob Doctoral Research Assistant
Glover Nathaniel Doctoral Research Assistant
Goldstein Seth Associate Professor
Grodin Harrison Doctoral Research Assistant
Grosso Joshua Doctoral Research Assistant
Harper Robert Professor
Heule Marijn Associate Professor
Hoffmann Jan Associate Professor
Jiang Kunming Doctoral Research Assistant
Kabra Aditi Doctoral Research Assistant
Kent Zachary Doctoral Research Assistant
Li Runming Doctoral Research Assistant
Liu Pengyu Doctoral Research Assistant
Lucia Brandon Professor, Affiliated Faculty
McDonald Colin Doctoral Research Assistant
Mitsch Stefan Adjunct Faculty
Norman Chase Doctoral Research Assistant
O'Connor Juliana Doctoral Research Assistant
Parno Bryan Professor
Pfenning Frank Professor
Platzer Andre Professor
Przybocki Benjamin Doctoral Research Assistant
Reeves Joseph Doctoral Research Assistant
Roshal Sophia Doctoral Research Assistant
Saad Feras Assistant Professor
Scharager Matias Doctoral Research Assistant
Shah Amar Doctoral Research Assistant
Shaw Mary A. J. Perlis University Professor, Affiliated Faculty
Wing Jeannette Adjunct Faculty
Yao Yue Doctoral Research Assistant
Zhang Yinsen Doctoral Research Assistant
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