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Associate Professor and Chair of the Computer Science Department Peter-Michael Osera has received a significant grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). This grant, awarded by the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering’s Formal Methods in the Field program, supports collaborative research efforts aimed at advancing formal methods within the broader field of computer science and engineering.

Osera, in collaboration with colleagues from Iowa State University and the University of Iowa, has been awarded a grant of $248,445 for their groundbreaking project, “Integrating Formal Methods into the Foundational Undergraduate Curriculum” (CCF-2422174). This initiative is set to revolutionize the way foundational computer science concepts are taught, emphasizing a deeper integration of formal methods into the undergraduate curriculum.

The project’s goal is to develop and implement innovative pedagogical strategies that bridge the gap between introductory programming, discrete mathematics, and algorithms. By incorporating program reasoning into these fundamental areas, the new approach aims to strengthen students’ understanding and transition from concrete programming tasks to more abstract theoretical concepts encountered in upper-level courses.

“Last February, the White House released a white paper call promoting memory-safe programming in response to the ongoing threat of cybersecurity,” explains Osera. “While this need is well-known within the software industry, the main tool for achieving memory safety, formal methods, is not well-understood among professionals. Our goal in this project is to infuse ideas from formal methods, in particular, program reasoning, at multiple levels of the computer science curriculum. By doing so, we hope to grow a new generation of programmers who appreciate formal methods and are equipped to employ these techniques in industry.”

The grant will enable Osera and his team to refine and disseminate their educational strategies through regional and national conferences, ensuring that their pioneering work reaches the broader computer science educator community. 51��ɫ College’s portion of the grant amounts to $96,015.

Please join us in extending heartfelt congratulations to Professor Peter-Michael Osera and his collaborators on this remarkable achievement. Their work promises to significantly enhance computer science education and prepare future generations of students for success in both theoretical and applied aspects of the field.