Frank Pfenning is a German-American professor of

computer science Computer science is the study of computation, information, and automation. Computer science spans Theoretical computer science, theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory) to Applied science, ...

, adjunct professor in

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

, and was head of the Computer Science Department at

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institu ...

from 2013 to 2018.

Education and career

Pfenning grew up in Rüsselsheim in Germany and studied mathematics and computer science at

Technische Universität Darmstadt The Technische Universität Darmstadt (official English name Technical University of Darmstadt, sometimes also referred to as Darmstadt University of Technology), commonly known as TU Darmstadt, is a research university in the city of Darmsta ...

in Germany. He attended

after receiving a

Fulbright Scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...

, and subsequently became a professor in Carnegie Mellon's Computer Science Department. His research includes work in the area of

programming languages A programming language is a system of notation for writing computer programs. Programming languages are described in terms of their syntax (form) and semantics (meaning), usually defined by a formal language. Languages usually provide features ...

logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure o ...

and

type theory In mathematics and theoretical computer science, a type theory is the formal presentation of a specific type system. Type theory is the academic study of type systems. Some type theories serve as alternatives to set theory as a foundation of ...

, logical frameworks,

automated deduction Automated theorem proving (also known as ATP or automated deduction) is a subfield of automated reasoning and mathematical logic dealing with proving mathematical theorems by computer programs. Automated reasoning over mathematical proof was a maj ...

, and trustworthy computing. He is one of the principal authors of the

Twelf Twelf is an implementation of the logical framework LF developed by Frank Pfenning and Carsten Schürmann at Carnegie Mellon University. It is used for logic programming and for the formalization of programming language theory. Introduction At ...

system. He also developed Carnegie Mellon's introductory

imperative programming In computer science, imperative programming is a programming paradigm of software that uses Statement (computer science), statements that change a program's state (computer science), state. In much the same way that the imperative mood in natural ...

course for undergraduates and the C0 programming language used in this course.

Honors and awards

In 2015, he was named a

Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...

"for contributions to the logical foundations of automatic theorem proving and types for programming languages." In 2016, he received the LICS Test of Time Award for the paper "''A Linear Logical Framework"'', co-authored with Iliano Cervesato.

Personal life

Pfenning is a competitive squash player, ranked in the top five of the university's squash ladder. Pfenning has also appeared in an experimental film alongside

Sharon Needles Sharon Needles (born November 28, 1981) is the stage name of Aaron Robert Coady, an American drag performer and recording artist. Needles rose to international attention on the RuPaul's Drag Race (season 4), fourth season of the Logo (TV channel) ...

References

External links

* , CMU Carnegie Mellon University alumni Programming language researchers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Carnegie Mellon University faculty 2015 fellows of the Association for Computing Machinery People from Rüsselsheim 20th-century German mathematicians German computer scientists Technische Universität Darmstadt alumni 21st-century German mathematicians {{Compu-scientist-stub