Wan Fokkink

Prof. Wan Fokkink is a Full Professor in Theoretical Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) and holds a part-time position as Professor of Model-Based System Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His research focuses on distributed systems, formal analysis of protocols, and supervisory control synthesis. He leads the Theoretical Computer Science group at VU and has authored three influential textbooks: Introduction to Process Algebra, Modelling Distributed Systems, and Distributed Algorithms: An Intuitive Approach.

Education: MSc in Mathematics (University of Amsterdam, 1990) and PhD in Computer Science (University of Amsterdam, 1994). Postdoctoral work at Utrecht University and lectureship at Swansea University preceded his leadership roles at CWI (2001–2004) and VU (since 2004).

Teaching includes courses on logic, concurrency, and distributed algorithms. He is editor of Logical Methods in Computer Science and co-founder of the Electronic Proceedings in Theoretical Computer Science. Active in professional organizations: co-founder of IFIP WG 1.8 (Concurrency Theory) and steering committee member of the CONCUR conference.

Research interests span formal verification, concurrency theory, and practical applications of supervisory control in engineering systems (e.g., traffic management, ship locks). His work aligns with sustainable development goals through contributions to reliable system design and optimization.

Recent articles explore model-based specification, distributed control under communication delays, and tools like Eclipse ESCET for supervisory control synthesis. Collaborations span international teams in Europe and beyond.