The Coq mailing list

[Adam Chlipala <adamc AT csail.mit.edu>]

On coq-club, I often see very formal posts about open positions for 
research students and postdocs.  This message aims at roughly the same 
purpose, but is much less formal.

I recently started as an assistant professor of computer science at MIT 
(in the Boston area of the United States).  More information on me here:
   http://adam.chlipala.net/
My current count of research students is zero, and I am setting myself 
the ambitious goal of increasing that number by an infinite factor 
within finite time.

I'm a regular coq-club participant, and around half of my research uses 
Coq, with most of the rest directly inspired by dependent types as in 
Coq or Agda.  In terms of applications, lately I've worked mostly on 
formal verification of low-level software and on practical dependent 
types for web programming.  In terms of solutions, my focus is on 
reducing the human costs of applying ideas born in the type theory and 
tactic-based theorem-proving communities.  Regular list readers may be 
familiar with my mania for proving theorems with single compound tactics. ;)

I am seeking both PhD students and postdocs.  I may also be interested 
in "interns," if I understand correctly the terminology used by at least 
some European universities.  (I'm also looking for undergraduates and 
masters students, but I have no say in admissions decisions there.)  I'm 
very interested in finding students and postdocs currently residing in 
any part of the world, if they would consider moving to the Boston area 
to attend/work at MIT.

There is no formal postdoc admissions process, so please just get in 
touch with me if you think we could find a good project to collaborate on.

Here's a quick primer of the important things to know about PhD programs 
in the USA.
1. Most students spend 4-6 years in the programs and are fully funded 
for the durations of their stays.  (That is, it's not normal to have 
another job to "support yourself"; being a student or postdoc is that job.)
2. Unlike the impression I've gotten of European positions, students 
aren't usually admitted into particular projects.  You have the freedom 
to explore options during the early parts of the degree, and you can 
even change subjects later on.  Students are usually admitted based on 
broad compatibility of research interests with faculty.
3. Some kind of magic happens to get non-US students permission to live 
in the country while studying here.
4. MIT's deadline for PhD student applications is December 15!  (That 
is, apply by December 15, 2011, if you want to start in September 2012.)

There's an official application page:
   http://www.eecs.mit.edu/grad/
but please also get in touch with me by e-mail if you're interested!

Thanks for humoring me with this non-traditional message format!