Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 23:18:52 GMT Server: NCSA/1.5 Content-type: text/html
phone : 319/335-0718
e-mail: fleck@cs.uiowa.edu
fax: 319/335-3624
My initial research efforts were in algebraic automata theory and formal languages. These areas investigate highly abstract models of computing devices and languages, and apply them to examine the ultimate limits of language processing by mechanical devices. I still find this body of theoretical material helps to provide much better insight into many practical aspects of computing, and I am currently working on a textbook in this area.
My current area of research interest is foundations of programming and programming languages. This includes the formal syntax and semantics of programming languages, methodology for construction of correct programs, and methods for formal verification of program correctness. The methodology for construction of correct programs embraces means of specifying the behavior of programs at a level abstract enough to avoid particulars such as algorithm and data structure selection (e.g., abstract data types), plus transformation techniques for evolving more efficient programs from prototypes known to be correct. Recently attention has been focused on declarative programming languages (i.e., logic and functional paradigms) that facilitate developing prototypes directly from formal specifications, and which then admit general transformation techniques.