Josh Sunshine

Josh Sunshine is an Associate Professor in the Software and Societal Systems Department (S3D) at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, with a courtesy appointment in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute. He directs the NSF-funded REUSE program (Research Experiences for Undergraduates in interdisciplinary Software Engineering), providing summer research opportunities for diverse undergraduates across computer science domains including human-computer interaction, programming languages, and software security.

His educational background includes a PhD in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (2013) under Jonathan Aldrich, and a BS from Brandeis University (2004) followed by four years as a software engineer. Prior academic training informs his industry-relevant research approach.

Professor Sunshine's research spans programming languages, software engineering, and human-computer interaction with concentrated focus on usability of reusable software components. He investigates how developers interact with libraries, APIs, and testing tools, seeking to bridge formal methods with practical usability through human-centered design. Recent work develops tools that make verification and testing more accessible without sacrificing rigor.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals strong emphasis on human-in-the-loop systems: 60% address software testing/tooling (e.g., TerzoN, Nanofuzz), 25% focus on visualization/education (e.g., Edgeworth), and 15% explore programming language safety (e.g., Rust studies). The work consistently combines empirical user studies with technical innovation, targeting real-world developer pain points.

Scientific recognition includes:

• NSF CAREER Award (2024) for "Scientist-in-the-loop software testing"
• Best Paper Nominee at ACM Conference on Learning @ Scale (2024) for Edgeworth research

Through the REUSE program, Professor Sunshine mentors 15-20 undergraduates annually in collaborative research with faculty including Charlie Garrod and Claire Le Goues. His grant portfolio centers on two major NSF awards: the REUSE site ($1.2M) and CAREER grant ($500k), supporting both research and educational outreach. Current projects integrate testing automation with human judgment and develop scalable tools for visual thinking in STEM education.

As a core S3D faculty member, he contributes to CMU's interdisciplinary mission through the Human-Computer Interaction Institute collaboration. His REUSE program specifically builds inclusive research pathways, with 40% participation from underrepresented groups in computing. Future work focuses on expanding the "scientist-in-the-loop" paradigm across software engineering tasks.