CertiK co-founder Professor Gu Ronghui received an important academic award from VMware, as academic elites usher in a new era of Web 3.0
The VMware Systems Research Award is established by VMware's academic department to recognize and support promising emerging research in the field of computer science systems, with a focus on groundbreaking research that has the potential to significantly advance the field of computer science.Author: CertiK
CertiK co-founder and Professor Gu Ronghui from Columbia University's Computer Science Department has been awarded the prestigious VMware Systems Research Award for 2022.
VMware is a global leader in cloud computing infrastructure and virtualization technology. The VMware Systems Research Award is established by VMware's academic division to recognize and support promising and emerging research in the field of computer science systems, focusing on groundbreaking research that has the potential to significantly advance the field of computer science.
Professor Gu Ronghui is widely recognized for his foundational contributions to system verification theory. He has also translated theoretical work into practical applications of secure and bug-free system software, expanding its application areas.
His doctoral dissertation from Yale University is one of Professor Gu Ronghui's most outstanding achievements. This pioneering work involves the complex task of certifying the CertiKOS operating system kernel, encompassing everything from compilers to the fundamental components of operating systems.
Professor Gu's mentor and CertiK co-founder, Professor Shao Zhong, stated: "Operating system certification is a daunting task that involves modeling many components, from threads and processes to physical and virtual memory management. Gu Ronghui is the main driving force behind making the vision of CertiKOS a reality: he tackled the complexities of concurrency while proving real systems."
Greg Morrisett, Dean of the College of Engineering and Vice Provost at Cornell University, remarked: "I think CertiKOS is a huge leap. Rather than being just a tool, it is a method for constructing proofs (though the tool itself is pretty cool)."
VMware researcher Pratap Subrahmanyam stated: "Gu Ronghui's work represents an important data point in the development of formal verification technology. He has made what was once an esoteric technology applicable in real-world environments. This is one of the reasons we find Gu Ronghui's research to be extremely valuable."
VMware researcher Christos Karamanolis added: "The depth, breadth, and focus of Gu Ronghui's research on formal methods—including the advancement of emerging fields like core platforms and quantum computing—are remarkable. This represents the system research priorities we value when awarding this prize."
The VMware University Research Fund will provide $125,000 to Columbia University to support Professor Gu's ongoing research, reflecting the originality, future impact potential, and significance of his research outcomes.
The recognition of Professor Gu Ronghui by the VMware Systems Research Award also indicates that cutting-edge technology in the computer science academic community has permeated the Web 3.0 space. Previous awardees include Professor Matei Zaharia from Stanford University, Professors Tim Kraska and Mohammad Alizadeh from MIT, and Professors Justine Sherry and Rashmi Vinayak from Carnegie Mellon University.
