Michael Philippsen

Michael Philippsen is a Professor at the Department of Computer Science at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), where he leads the Chair of Programming Systems (Lehrstuhl für Informatik 2). His research spans software engineering, programming languages, high-performance computing, and machine learning applications. He has directed multiple significant research projects including Holoware (software visualization in VR/AR), ORKA (OpenMP for FPGAs), and CS4MINTS (computer science education initiatives).

Prof. Philippsen's research focuses on improving software quality and developer productivity through innovative approaches. His work in software testing includes novel methods for detecting flaky tests using version history and test execution data. In compiler research, he has pioneered automated testing techniques and optimization methods, particularly for FPGA acceleration using OpenMP extensions. His Holoware project revolutionized software visualization by applying city metaphors in virtual reality to enhance program comprehension. Additionally, he has made significant contributions to machine learning applications in software engineering, including few-shot out-of-domain detection in natural language processing systems.

His publication record demonstrates a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research bridging traditional software engineering with emerging technologies. A significant portion of his recent work focuses on optimizing compiler techniques for heterogeneous architectures, particularly FPGA acceleration through OpenMP extensions. His research in software visualization has produced award-winning work on layered software city metaphors that significantly improve program comprehension compared to traditional visualization techniques. The consistent theme across his work is applying practical, measurable solutions to real-world software engineering challenges.

• Best Paper Award for 'Multipurpose Cacheing to Accelerate OpenMP Target Regions on FPGAs' (2023)
• Best Paper Award for 'A Layered Software City for Dependency Visualization' (2020)

Prof. Philippsen has secured substantial research funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts (StMWK), and the Fraunhofer Society. His projects often involve industry collaboration to ensure practical applicability. He has supervised numerous student theses contributing to his research in compiler testing and software visualization. His research group maintains specialized laboratories for VR/AR software visualization, FPGA acceleration, and educational tool development as part of the CS4MINTS project.