A Graph-Based Operational Semantics of Object Oriented Programs

Title: A Graph-Based Operational Semantics of Object Oriented Programs
Speaker: Zhiming Liu, UNU-IIST, Macao, http://www.iist.unu.edu/~lzm
Time: 3：00pm, Thursday，July 16
Venue: Lecture Room,State Key Lab of Computer Science, Level 3 Building #5, Institute of Software, CAS

Abstract: Object-oriented programs are complex and thus difficult to design correctly. A formal semantics helps (or should help) first in clarification and then supports development of techniques and tools for analysis and verification.

In this talk, we present a very simple mathematical model of class graphs, object graphs and state graphs. We show how it can be used in defining a small-step operational semantics of oo programs. We use a couple of simple examples to demonstrate how interesting properties of oo programs can be described clearly. A feature of the semantics is that it is location (or address) independent. This is important because this information cannot be explicitly given in oo programs.

This talk will be quite easy to follow for student with some back ground of operational semantics. A technical report about this semantics is available with number 410 at http://www.iist.unu.edu/index.php/research/technical-reports.

Biography:
Zhiming Liu is a Senior Research Fellow at UNU-IIST http://www.iist.unu.edu). He received his master degree from Institute of Software of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1987, PhD in computer science from University of Warwick (UK).

Before he joined UNU-IIST, He had worked as a research associate and a postdoctoral researcher at University of Warwick and Technical University of Denmark, an university lecturer of computer science at University of Leicester (UK). His research interest is in the area of formal modelling, design, and analysis of computer systems. Some details of the research of his group are available at http://rcos.iist.unu.edu.