Eric Walkingshaw

Graduate Student, Computer Science
Oregon State University

Contact:

Desk: KEC 2130-08
Email: walkiner@eecs.oregonstate.edu
Phone: 425-772-5559 (cell)
Advisor: Dr. Martin Erwig

Research:

I am interested in all aspects of programming language design and implementation. In my research so far I have focused on language design, functional programming, domain-specific languages, and visual languages.

I believe that programming languages are much more than simply a means for creating programs. The languages we use shape the way we view, think about, and attempt to solve problems. Good languages not only help us impelement solutions, they also help us understand the problems themselves. At their best, languages reveal the underlying patterns among seemingly different problems; they help us tease apart complexity and make the overwhelming manageable; and they can serve as an effective communication medium not just with computers, but between people.

I am currently working on the following research projects:

• The Choice Calculus
  The choice calculus is a fundamental representation of software variation that can serve as a common langauge of discourse for variation research, filling a role similar to lambda calculus in programming language research.
• Hagl - Haskell Game Language
  Hagl is a domain-specific language embedded in Haskell for use in experimental game theory. It supports the concise definition of games and strategies, and provides a platform for exploring games and running experiments.
• Explanation-Oriented Programming
  It would often be useful if programs produced not only results, but explanations of how those results were attained. We are exploring the concept of explanation in programming languages and developing a set of principles for designing languages with high explanatory power.

Publications:

List of Abstracts (rather out of date at the moment, see CV for recent publications)

Links:

• My CV (PDF)
• My GitHub Page
• My Personal Blog