Automated Reasoning

Computer Security and Artificial Intelligence have a massive societal impact: the safety of self-driving cars and the accuracy of judicial or medical decisions made by artificial intelligence hinge on the reliability of the underlying software and algorithms. How can we safeguard electronic systems against catastrophic malfunctions? Our hu- man capabilities to reason about the correctness of large real-world computer systems are rather limited. Computers, on the other hand, excel at performing tedious automated rea- soning tasks and generating formal proofs of correctness. Therefore, automated reasoning and formal verification are increasingly deployed to ensure that computer systems are safe. Automated reasoners nowadays routinely perform millions of security checks in cloud com- puting, analyze millions of lines of code, and are increasingly used to ensure the robustness and fairness of neural networks. These advances are driven by foundational research as well as applications, within a remarkably close collaboration of industrial research labs and academia. Consequently, there is a large demand for experts in these fields. The solution to this shortage lies in the education of future leaders at the intersection of security and machine learning with a strong background in automated reasoning. The doctoral program on Automated Reasoning is designed to educate these experts. On a scientific level, it targets foundational questions such as rigorously defining the notion of safety and security across domains and applications, the development of automated techniques and analyses to ensure safety and security of electronic systems, and explores synergies between the fields of security and artificial intelligence. The scientific excellence of the program is warranted by a faculty of seven outstanding researchers (and recipients of competitive awards) with close ties to industry. Doctoral students receive solid foundations spanning several of the sub-disciplines that make up the program (through area courses). The interdisciplinarity of their research is ensured via close co-supervision by faculty members with complementary expertise and frequent exchange and collaboration with their colleagues (in retreats, seminars, and social events). A strong focus on ethics early in the program prepares the students for difficult ethical questions they are going to face in their careers. Moreover, the program provides the opportunity of international secondments or intern- ships with our research partners in industry and academia, exposing the students to novel ideas, different working cultures, and opening up new career perspectives. Throughout the program, students are offered mentoring and support for career planning, and workshops on innovation and entrepreneurship. The goal of the doctoral program on Automated Reasoning is to educate the next generation of leaders in research who will make the electronic world (and hence our world) a safer and more trustworthy place.