Talia Ringer

Talia Ringer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Illinois, where she is a member of the PL/FM/SE (Programming Languages/Formal Methods/Software Engineering) research group. She leads the Illinois Theorem Provers (ITP) lab, which focuses on advancing proof engineering technologies to make formal verification accessible to programmers of all skill levels across all domains.

Research Interests

Dr. Ringer's research spans multiple aspects of proof engineering with a strong focus on integrating techniques from dependent type theory, program transformations, and neural proof synthesis to solve real-world verification challenges. Her work addresses how to build systems that allow programmers to prove the absence of costly or dangerous bugs in software. She is particularly interested in proof repair, machine learning for proofs, and developing new methodologies that can drive the creation of large, secure, and robust verified software and hardware systems.

Research Trends

Dr. Ringer's recent publications demonstrate a strong shift toward integrating machine learning with formal verification, particularly in proof repair and synthesis. Her work explores how large language models can assist with theorem proving, how reinforcement learning can automate verification processes, and how to make proof engineering more practical for real humans. Many publications involve collaborations with students and researchers from multiple institutions, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary research.

Awards and Recognition

• Distinguished Paper Award at ESEC/FSE 2023 for "Baldur: Whole-Proof Generation and Repair with Large Language Models"
• ACM SIGPLAN Distinguished Service Award in 2023

Mentoring and Service

Dr. Ringer is a dedicated mentor who has advised numerous undergraduate and graduate students. She is the founder and president of the Computing Connections Fellowship, which provides transitional funding for computer science PhD students needing to escape unhealthy environments. She is also the founder and previous chair of the SIGPLAN Long-Term Mentoring Committee (SIGPLAN-M), which connects more than 200 mentors and 300 mentees across more than 44 countries. Her service work was formally recognized with the 2023 ACM SIGPLAN Distinguished Service Award.

Laboratory and Collaborations

Dr. Ringer leads the Illinois Theorem Provers (ITP) lab with current members including postdocs, PhD students, masters students, and undergraduates. She collaborates extensively with researchers at the University of Washington, UMass Amherst, Google Research, Galois, and other institutions on various proof engineering projects.