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Roland Backhouse

Professor of Computing Science, Faculty of Science

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Expertise Summary

Datatype-generic programming: Many programs have to be rewritten time and again for different datatypes because current programming languages do not allow the programmer to abstract from the structure of the data that the program manipulates. Datatype-generic programming ---parameterising programs by datatypes-- will provide this kind of abstraction, aims to enable the programmer to write statically-chackable generic shape-dependent programs that exploit the inherent structure of data. This epsrc-supported research focuses on specification and calculation methods; one aim is to rationalise design patterns in oo technology, making their use more reliable in a mathematically precise way. Algorithmic problem solving: This research is about enhancing problem-solving skills by conscious use of "correct-by-construction" algorithm-design principles. This involves studying diverse problems, exploring and documenting good and bad ways of tackling the problems. Educational material is already available. In the future, I hope to develop tools that better demonstrate the dynamic nature of algorithmic problem solving.

Recent Publications

  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE and JOAO FERREIRA, 2011. On Euclid's algorithm and elementary number theory Science of Computer Programming.
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, 2011. Algorithmic Problem Solving John Wiley.
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, WEI CHEN and JOAO FERREIRA, 2010. The algorithmics of solitaire-like games. In: Mathematics of Program Construction: Proceedings 10th Conference 6120. 1-18
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, RICHARD BIRD and PAUL HOOGENDIJK, 2009. Meeting a fanclub: a lattice of generic shape selectors. In: Proceedings of the 2009 ACM SIGPLAN workshop on Generic programming
  • JOAO FERREIRA, ALEXANDRA MENDES, ROLAND BACKHOUSE and LUIS BARBOSA, 2009. Which Mathematics for the Information Society. In: Teaching Formal Methods 5846. 39-56
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, 2008. Recounting the Rationals: Twice!. In: Mathematics of Program Construction: Proceedings 9th Conference 5133. 79-91
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE and HENK DOORNBOS, 2008. Datatype-Generic Termination Proofs Theory of Computing Systems. 43(3), 362-393
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, 2008. The capacity C torch problem. In: Mathematics of Program Construction: Proceedings 9th Conference 5133. Springer New York. 57-78
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and DOORNBOS, H., 2007. Datatype-generic termination proofs. <b>Theory of Computing Systems</b> New York: Springer. Available at: <http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00224-007-9056-z>
  • RYPACEK, O., BACKHOUSE, R. and NILSSON, H., 2007. Type-theoretic design patterns ACM SIGPLAN NOTICES. VOL 41(SUPP), 2
  • BACKHOUSE, R., 2006. Regular algebra applied to language problems Journal of Logic and Algebraic Programming. 66(2), 71-111
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and MICHAELIS, D., 2006. Exercises in quantifier manipulation In: Mathematics of Program Construction. 8th International Conference, MPC: 2006, Kuressaare, Estonia, 3-5 July 2006. 69-81
  • ROLAND BACKHOUSE, 2006. Algorithmic Problem Solving -- Three Years On British Computer Society. Available at: <http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.9087>
  • BACKHOUSE, R.C. and MICHAELIS, D., 2005. A Calculational Presentation of The Theory of Impartial Two-Person Games In: 8th International Conference on Relational Methods in Computer Science.
  • BACKHOUSE, K. and BACKHOUSE, R., 2004. Safety of abstract interpretations for free, via logical relations and Galois connections Science of Computer Programming. 51(1-2), 153-196
  • BACKHOUSE,R.C. and MICHAELIS,D., 2004. Fixed-Point Characterisation of Winning Strategies in Impartial Games In: Relational and Kleene-Algebraic Methods in Computer Science 7th International Seminar on Relational Methods in Computer Science and 2nd International Workshop on Applications of Kleene Algebra, Bad Malente, Germany, May 12-17, 2003, Revised Selected Papers. 34-47
  • BACKHOUSE, R., 2004. Algebraic Approaches to Problem Generalisation In: Algebraic Methodology and Software Technology. 1--2
  • BACKHOUSE, R.C., 2004. Algorithmic Problems Solving In: Workshop - IFIP Working Group 2.1, Meeting No. 58.
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and HOOGENDIJK, P., 2003. Generic Properties of Datatypes LECTURE NOTES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. ISSU 2793, 97-132
  • BACKHOUSE, ROLAND C. (ROLAND CARL), 1948-, 2003. Program construction : calculating implementations from specifications: Roland Backhouse Chichester : Wiley, c2003.
  • BACKHOUSE, R.C., 2003. Algorithmic Problem Solving In: Workshop - BCS FACS Workshop on Teaching Formal Methods. Practice and Experience.
  • BACKHOUSE, R.C. and MICHAELIS, D., 2003. Win, Lose and Stalemate in Impartial Games In: 7th International Symposium on Relational Methods in Computer Science.
  • BACKHOUSE, K. and BACKHOUSE, R.C., 2002. Galois Connections and Logical Relations In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematics of Program Construction.
  • BACKHOUSE, R., 2002. Galois Connections and Fixed Point Calculus LECTURE NOTES IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. [NO] 2297, 89-148
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and OLIVEIRA, J., 2002. Preface Science of Computer Programming. VOL 43(NUMBER 2-3), 91-92
  • BACKHOUSE, R.C., 2002. Calculating with Conway's Factor Theory, In: 14th Nordic Workshop on Programming Theory.
  • BACKHOUSE,R.C., 2001. Fusion on Languages In: Programming Languages and Systems: 10th European Symposium on Programming, ESOP 2001: Held as Part of the Joint European Conferences on Theory and Practice of Software, ETAPS 2001, Genova, Italy, April 2001, Proceedings. 107-121
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and FOKKINGA, M., 2001. The associativity of equivalence and the Towers of Hanoi problem Information Processing Letters. VOL 77(NUMBER 2-4), 71-76
  • BACKHOUSE, R. and HOOGENDIJK, P., 1999. Final dialgebras: From categories to allegories Theoretical Informatics and Applications. VOL 33(PART 4/5), 401-426
  • BACKHOUSE, R., 1998. Pair algebras and Galois connections INFORMATION PROCESSING LETTERS. VOL 67(NUMBER 4), 169-176
  • BACKHOUSE, R., VERHOEVEN, R. and WEBER, O., 1997. Math/pad: A System for On-Line Preparation of Mathematical Documents Software - Concepts and Tools. VOL 18(NUMBER 2), 80-89
  • DOORNBOS, H., BACKHOUSE, R. and VAN DER WOUDE, J., 1997. A calculational approach to mathematical induction Theoretical Computer Science. VOL 179(NUMBER 1/2), 103-136
  • FORD, DAVID MALCOLM and UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM. THESES. COMPUTER SCIENCE, 1991. On-line recognition of connected handwriting

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