Robert N. M. Watson

Robert N. M. Watson is a Professor in Systems, Security, and Architecture at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. He leads research projects in the Security, Networks and Operating Systems, and Computer Architecture groups. His work focuses on the CHERI architecture, DARPA-funded projects, and open-source contributions to FreeBSD. Watson's research emphasizes hardware-software interfaces, memory safety, and capability systems.

• Affiliations: University of Cambridge, FreeBSD Foundation Board Director
• Key Roles: Professor, Research Supervisor, Principal Investigator

Education: PhD in Computer Science (Cambridge, 2010), Postdoctoral Research (2010-2013), BS in Logic and Computation from Carnegie Mellon University.

Research Interests: CHERI architecture, software compartmentalization, formal verification, network stack optimization, and open-source software. Notable projects include the CHERI hardware architecture and the Capsicum sandboxing framework.

Awards: EuroSys Young Researcher Award (2021), PLDI Distinguished Paper (2016), NSDI Best Paper (2015). Over 100 publications spanning security, systems, and architecture.

Students: Supervises PhD candidates in systems security, architecture, and operating systems. Notable advisees include Hesham Almatary, Jessica Clarke, and Ilias Marinos.

Labs/Teams: Leads the CHERI project, collaborating with SRI International and Arm. Active in the FreeBSD community, contributing to MAC frameworks and network stacks.