Ben Hardekopf

Ben Hardekopf is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), leading the Programming Languages Research Laboratory. He joined UCSB in 2009 after earning his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin under Prof. Calvin Lin. His career includes a four-year stint as an Air Force officer and MS studies while on active duty.

• Education:
• Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, 2009
• M.S., Computer Science, SUNY at Utica/Rome, 2001
• B.S., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Duke University, 1997

His research focuses on programming language design, analysis, and implementation, particularly applying program analysis and abstract interpretation to verify software correctness and security. He also explores programming language techniques in Computer Architecture and hardware design verification.

Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2014)
• Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award (2013)
• Multiple best paper awards at VEE, CGO, and PLDI

Prof. Hardekopf advises students in his Programming Languages Research Laboratory and collaborates on grants related to software verification and language implementation. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications in both software and hardware domains.