معرفی
Professor Michael Franz is a Distinguished Professor and ICS Alumni Professor in the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering. Franz directs UCI's Secure Systems and Software Laboratory and is a Fellow of AAAS, ACM, IEEE, and an Inaugural Fellow of IFIP.
His educational background includes:
- Doctor of Technical Sciences in Computer Science from ETH Zurich (advisor: Niklaus Wirth)
- Dipl. Informatik-Ingenieur ETH degree from ETH Zurich
Professor Franz pioneered mobile code and dynamic compilation research, creating early just-in-time compilation systems and co-inventing trace compilation technology that became Firefox's JavaScript engine. His current research focuses on Software Systems, particularly compiler and virtual machine techniques for making software safer, faster, or both. His work spans Computer Security, Trustworthy Computing, and Software Engineering, with recent emphasis on multivariant execution, automated software diversity, and probabilistic memory safety. Franz's research bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, resulting in technologies deployed in major software systems used by hundreds of millions.
His publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in security and systems research, with recent work focusing on survivable systems, binary analysis, and cross-platform security solutions. The publications reveal an evolution from foundational compiler techniques to sophisticated security mechanisms addressing real-world vulnerabilities, with strong emphasis on practical implementation and measurable impact.
Professor Franz has received numerous prestigious awards:
- ACM Charles P. 'Chuck' Thacker Breakthrough in Computing Award (2020)
- Humboldt Research Award (2019)
- Distinguished Professor at UCI (2022)
- UCI's 'Innovator of the Year Award' (2018)
- Fellowships from all four major computing professional organizations
- Multiple Best Paper Awards at top-tier conferences
As an advisor, Franz has graduated over 40 Ph.D. students, with recent graduates including Mitchel Dickerson and André Rösti. His research group has secured over $24 million in competitive grants (more than $16 million as sole PI) and received over $1 million in unrestricted industry gifts. Franz maintains strong industry connections, with many former students now at Google, Apple, and Meta, and his research directly influences commercial technologies.
Leading the Secure Systems and Software Laboratory, Franz fosters a collaborative environment focused on developing innovative security solutions. The lab maintains global research partnerships and continues to advance areas like multivariant execution systems, automated software diversity, and practical security mechanisms. Current projects emphasize developing systems that maintain functionality even when compromised, addressing the evolving landscape of cyber threats with scientifically rigorous approaches.
