Pawel Sobocinski

Paweł Sobociński is a Professor of Trustworthy Software Technologies at the Department of Software Science, School of Information Technologies, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), where he also leads the Laboratory for Compositional Systems and Methods. He is a principal investigator in several major research projects including the Estonian Research Council’s PRG1210 (ALICE), the EU-funded CHESS cybersecurity hub, and the EXAI Centre of Excellence in AI. His academic background includes faculty positions at the University of Southampton and research roles at the University of Cambridge and institutions in France and Italy.

His research lies at the intersection of computer science and mathematics, with a focus on applied category theory. He investigates compositional modeling of systems, where the behavior of complex systems emerges from the structured interaction of their components. His work employs string diagrams, process algebras, Petri nets, and categorical semantics to develop formal methods for verifying and reasoning about concurrent and cyber-physical systems. He is particularly known for his contributions to graphical linear algebra and diagrammatic reasoning.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in diagrammatic methods, especially string diagrams, for expressing logic, algebra, and system behavior. These works span from foundational categorical structures to applications in electrical circuits, concurrency, and formal verification, demonstrating a unifying thread of compositional reasoning. His leadership in organizing conferences like LICS 2024 and ICALP 2024 underscores his central role in the theoretical computer science community.

His scientific recognition includes numerous invited talks and tutorials at major international venues such as CONCUR, QPL, MFPS, and ETAPS, as well as leadership roles in academic organizations. He is an Associate Editor for journals including Compositionality, Mathematical Structures in Computer Science, and Logical Methods in Computer Science, and has served on the steering committee of ETAPS.

Sobociński has supervised multiple PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, including Owen Stephens, Fabio Zanasi, Mario Román, and Elena di Lavore. He is also the director of the PhD programme in ICT at TalTech and has received research grants from the Estonian Research Council, the European Commission, and the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research, supporting his work in trustworthy software, AI, and cybersecurity.

He leads the Laboratory for Compositional Systems and Methods at TalTech, a research group focused on developing and applying compositional techniques in software science, with applications in AI, security, and formal verification. The lab fosters international collaboration and is active in organizing workshops and summer schools.