Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost

Faculty Spotlight

Hao Zheng

College of Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering Department

Undergraduate Degree

Electrical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, China

Graduate Degree

M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Doctoral Degree

Ph.D., Computer Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Previous Post(s)

Research Scientist, IBM, 2001-2004.

Selected Published Works

Publication list on Dr. Zheng's website

Area of Specialization / Research

Formal methods for concurrent system verification and validation, parallel computing and its applications in design automation.

Current Course Offerings

• Introduction to Computer Aided Verification

How and when did you first become interested in your field of study?

It is when I was working for IBM, I was assigned to experiment a verification technology, model checking, to demonstrate its strengths. I was deeply attracted by the then advanced technology and its capability of finding very subtle computer bugs. At the meantime, I was also deeply tortured by its weakness. I thought I could do something to make this technology better and more useful. My current research focus is to develop new methods and algorithms to make model checking more acceptable.

What made you decide to pursue a career in higher education?

Working in a university as a professor provides me an excellent opportunity to pursue research I am interested in, and to solve problems that I think are important. Figuring out important real-world problems, and coming up with creative solutions is hard but highly rewarding. It provides an environment that allows and motivates me to learn in various subjects, broadening my vision and making me wiser.

Why did you choose to be a part of the academic community at USF?

I chose USF because it gives me the best offer in terms of environment and support to allow me to pursue my research interests. The people here are very nice and warm, which is another reason that attracts me.

What do you enjoy about teaching the students of USF?

I really enjoy working with some very bright students. I am amazed by their capabilities, motivations, and eager to acquire knowledge. I also learn from the interactions with these students.

What do you like about the university community?

Being a professor in USF makes realize how respectful and rewarding this profession is. By participating various meetings, we help revise the education programs to better prepare students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. I like the progressive shift on focus to make education and research more balanced. This has made USF better known, and I believe USF will have a better reputation in advanced research in the future.