Ilya SergeyView profile
Associate Professor
Ilya Sergey is an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) School of Computing, with previous faculty appointments at University College London (2015-2018). His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions including IMDEA Software Institute (postdoctoral position) and KU Leuven (PhD). His educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from KU Leuven (2012), an MSc in Mathematics and Computer Science from Saint Petersburg State University (2008), and professional experience as a software engineer at JetBrains prior to academia. Sergey's research focuses on the intersection of programming language theory and practical software verification, with particular emphasis on concurrent systems , smart contracts , and program synthesis . His work bridges theoretical foundations in type theory and separation logic with practical applications in blockchain technology and Rust programming. He has developed novel techniques for verifying heap-manipulating programs, analyzing commutativity in distributed transactions, and synthesizing correct-by-construction code. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a clear trajectory toward practical verification of blockchain systems and concurrent data structures, with increasing focus on Rust programming language applications. His work demonstrates consistent innovation in mechanized reasoning techniques while maintaining relevance to real-world software challenges, particularly in the domains of smart contracts and distributed systems. Sergey maintains an active research group at NUS, as evidenced by his social media references to lab traditions and student collaborations. He frequently participates in major programming languages conferences as both author and committee member, serving in leadership roles including General Chair for ICFP 2025. His research lab follows distinctive traditions, including location-based Mattermost status updates when traveling. Sergey is deeply engaged with the programming languages community through conference organization, mentoring activities, and outreach initiatives such as nature walks for conference attendees.


