Assistant Professor, Software and Societal Systems Department, School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Software is embedded into nearly every facet of our society, playing a critical role in systems such as medical devices, aviation, automotive systems, smart homes, and critical infrastructure. This proximity to us means that the potential cost of a software failure is greater than ever. At the same time, as these systems become more complex, our ability to understand and control their behaviors is also diminishing. In this talk, I will talk about some of the new, emerging approaches to designing software systems with strong, mathematical guarantees about safety and robustness; that is, ensuring that these systems will not cause significant harm to users or the environment under any circumstances.