My research group investigates the theoretical foundations and practical applications of trustworthy artificial intelligence, with an emphasis on mathematical rigor, clarity of reasoning, and relevance to real-world systems such as cyber-physical systems and legal- and social-critical software. We are part of the Programming Languages and Verification (CUPLV) group at CU Boulder.
Current group members
Postdoctoral associates
Shadi Tasdighi-Kalat
John Komp
PhD students
David Baines (since Fall 2022) – Reinforcement Learning for Finance
Alireza Nadali (since Fall 2022) – Transfer Learning for Control
Amin Falah (since Spring 2023) – Reinforcement Learning for Continuous-Time MDPs
Lekai Chen (co-advised with Alvaro Velasquez, since Fall 2023) – Large Language Models and Formal Languages
Undergraduate / Master’s students
Miles Zheng
How the group works
Research in the group is driven by regular technical discussions, careful reading and
writing, and a strong emphasis on foundational understanding. Group members are encouraged
to develop independence while engaging deeply with one another’s work.
Most projects combine theory with systems-oriented thinking. We value precise problem
formulation, clear explanations, and constructive feedback, and we aim to develop
researchers with strong long-term judgment and research taste.
Join the group
I am recruiting PhD students and occasional postdocs interested in formal methods,
reinforcement learning, cyber-physical systems, and AI accountability. Strong theoretical
foundations and curiosity about real-world impact are especially welcome.
If you are interested in joining the group, please send a concise email describing your
background and research interests. Prospective PhD students should also consult the
CU Boulder CS admissions page.
Alumni
PhD alumni
Saeid Tizpaz-Niari (PhD 2020) – Faculty, University of Illinois Chicago
Devendra Bhave (PhD 2020) – Principal Software Engineer, MathWorks
Tianhan Lu (PhD 2023) – Research Scientist, Meta
Taylor Dohmen (PhD 2024) – AI Research Scientist, 3M
John Komp (PhD 2024)
Vishnu Murali (PhD 2024) – Postdoctoral Researcher, CU Boulder
Mateo Perez (PhD 2025) – CEO and Founder, Jazzberry
Shadi Tasdighi-Kalat (PhD 2025) – Postdoctoral Researcher, CU Boulder
MS/BS thesis advisees (CU Boulder)
Saksham Srivastava – “LLMs and Program Synthesis”
Jordan Perr-Sauer (MS, Summer–Fall 2022) – “Verification of Neural Networks”
Zachary Mckevitt (BS, Fall 2020–Spring 2022) – “RNNs for Automatic Transient Execution Attack Detection”
Vishnu Murali (MS, 2019–2020) – “Optimal Repair for Omega-Regular Properties” (switched to PhD)
MS/BS research advisees (CU Boulder)
Aaptha Boggaram – “Artificial Cardiac Pacemakers and AI”
Varsha Dewangan – “Technical Challenges in Maintaining Tax Prep Software with LLMs”
Ali Almutawa, Jr. (BS, Summer 2022, co-advised with Fabio Somenzi)
Adam Adl (BS, Summer 2022, co-advised with Fabio Somenzi)
Ian Mckibben (BS, Summer 2021, co-advised with Fabio Somenzi)
John Paul Martin (MS, 2018–2020, co-advised with Evan Chang)
Juraj Culak (MS, 2017–2019)
Mateo Perez (BS, Summer 2018–Spring 2020, co-advised with Fabio Somenzi) – CEO and Founder, Jazzberry
Shemal Somil Lalaji (MS, Fall 2019) – now at Visa
Capstone Team “Love Bugs” (ECEE, Self-Driving Car Project, co-advised with Fabio Somenzi): Mohammed Al Hasani, George Matthew Helmick, Rodolfo Gonzalez Hill V, Myungshin Im, Michael Shea Oliver, Myungshin Im, and Mateo Perez
Aniruddha Phatak (MS/PhD, 2019–2020, co-advised with Pavol Cerny)
Aniket Lata (MS, 2015–2016, co-advised with Evan Chang) – now at Qualcomm
Ram Das Diwakaran (MS, 2016–2017, co-advised with Sriram Sankaranarayanan) – now at Generac