About
Christopher Lynch is Professor of Computer Science and Chair of the Department of Computer Science at Clarkson University. His research focuses on automated reasoning, theorem proving, formal verification, cryptographic protocol analysis, and algorithm design.
Leadership & Professional Experience
2014-2021
Chair
Department of Computer Science
Clarkson University
2009-2014
Chair
Division of Math and Computer Science
Clarkson University
2007-Present
Professor of Computer Science
Clarkson University
Highlights
$2M+
External Research Funding
25+
Years at Clarkson University
9
Ph.D. Students Advised
12 Years
Chair
Research Funding
- Naval Research Laboratory, Unification in Symbolic Methods for the Verification of Automatically Synthesized Cryptosystems, $621,795, PI, 2019-2022
- University of Maryland, Automated Analysis and Synthesis of Secure Cryptographic Algorithms, $122,732, PI, 2019-2020
- USAF, Achieving Mission Focused Security in Cyber-Physical Systems, Co-PI, 2010-2012
- NSF, Unification Laboratory: Increasing the Power of Cryptographic Protocol Analysis Tools, $480,000, PI, 2009-2012
- NSF, Unification Laboratory for Cryptographic Protocol Analysis, $125,000, PI, 2008-2009
- NSF, Infer! A Foundation for Inferential Analysis, $175,000, PI, 2003-2007
- ASEE Sabbatical Grant, Naval Research Laboratory, PI, 2003-2004
- ITT, Cryptographic Protocol Analysis, $10,000, PI, 2002-2003
- NSF, Semantic Unification, $103,147, PI, 2001-2004
- Office of Naval Research, Cryptographic Protocol Verification, $45,838, PI, 2001
- NSF, Equality Reasoning: Word and Unification Problems, $142,602, PI, 1997-2000
Education
Ph.D. in Computer Science
Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
January 1994
Advisor: Wayne Snyder
Research in computational logic and theorem proving with equality.
M.A. in Mathematics
SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, New York
May 1988
Advisor: Fernando Guzman
Master's thesis in Universal Algebra.
B.S. in Computer Science
Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
May 1982
Cum Laude
Professional Experience
Clarkson University
- Chair, Department of Computer Science, 2014-2021
- Chair, Division of Math and Computer Science, 2009-2014
- Associate Chair, Division of Math and Computer Science, 2008-2009
- Professor of Computer Science, 2007-Present
- Associate Professor of Computer Science, 2002-2007
- Assistant Professor of Computer Science, 1996-2002
Research and Visiting Positions
-
Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. (2003-2004)
Sabbatical research in cryptographic protocol analysis. -
INRIA, Nancy, France (1994-1996)
Postdoctoral Fellow, PROTHEO Research Group. -
Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy, France (1994)
Visiting Professor, PROTHEO Research Group. -
Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (1993-1994)
Visiting Assistant Professor, Computer Science Department.
Industry Experience
-
IBM, Endicott, New York (1982-1988)
Senior Associate Programmer with responsibilities in project leadership, system design, program design, coding, testing, and maintenance. -
Boston University Information Technology, Boston, Massachusetts (1988-1989)
Systems Programmer for IBM systems.
Honors and Recognition
- Million Dollar Club, Clarkson University, 2002
- Graham Faculty Research Award, 2010
- Program Committee Member for major international conferences
- Conference Chair, Conference on Automated Deduction, 2013
- Program Committee Chair, Workshop on Unification Theory, 2000, 2009, and 2017
- Program Committee Chair, Rewriting Techniques and Applications, 2010
- Panel Reviewer for the National Science Foundation
- Journal Editor, Special Issue of Logical Methods in Computer Science, 2013
Research
Automated Deduction and Automated Reasoning
Automated deduction, also known as automated reasoning or automated theorem proving, is the study of computer programs that prove mathematical and logical statements. These systems use formal inference rules to derive conclusions, verify specifications, and reason about complex computational systems.
Automated reasoning is central to formal verification, where one seeks to verify that software, hardware, or security systems satisfy precise specifications. These methods help identify errors before deployment and improve the reliability of critical systems.
Professor Lynch's research emphasizes efficient algorithms for theorem proving, unification, rewriting, equality reasoning, symbolic reasoning, and cryptographic protocol analysis.
Research Interests
- Automated Deduction
- Automated Reasoning
- Automated Theorem Proving
- Formal Verification
- Computational Logic
- Unification Theory
- Rewriting Systems
- Equational Reasoning
- Satisfiability Modulo Theories
- Symbolic Computation
- Cryptographic Protocol Analysis
- Computer Security
- Artificial Intelligence
- Algorithm Design and Analysis
- Formal Methods
Publications
Professor Lynch has published extensively in automated reasoning, theorem proving, rewriting systems, unification, formal verification, cryptographic protocol analysis, and symbolic computation.
For a complete and regularly updated publication list, please see:
Selected Publication Venues
- Journal of Automated Reasoning
- Information and Computation
- Theoretical Computer Science
- Mathematical Structures in Computer Science
- Conference on Automated Deduction
- International Joint Conference on Automated Reasoning
- Frontiers of Combining Systems
- Rewriting Techniques and Applications
- Logic in Computer Science
Teaching
Professor Lynch has taught a broad range of undergraduate and graduate courses in computer science, mathematics, algorithms, programming languages, software engineering, artificial intelligence, formal methods, and automated reasoning.
Clarkson University
- CS141 - Introduction to Computer Science I
- CS142 - Introduction to Computer Science II
- CS250 - Symbolic Computation
- CS341 - Programming Languages
- CS344 - Algorithms and Data Structures
- CS350 / CS550 - Software Design and Development
- CS653 - Automated Reasoning
- CS447 / CS547 / EE667 / MA447 - Computer Algorithms
- CS451 / CS551 / EE565 - Artificial Intelligence
- CS458 / CS558 - Formal Methods for Program Verification
- CS657 - Advanced Topics in Computer Security
- CS661 - Symbolic Logic
- IT501 - Software Systems
- MA211 - Foundations of Mathematics / Discrete Mathematics and Proof
- MA314 - Number Theory
Previous Teaching
Northeastern University
- COM1100 - Fundamentals of Computer Science
- COM1105 - Computer Science and Applications
- COM1390 / COM3390 - Analysis of Algorithms
Boston University
- CS111 - Introduction to Computer Science
- CS112 - Computer Science II
- CS330 - Analysis of Algorithms
- CS547 - Expert Systems
Student Mentoring
Throughout his career, Professor Lynch has advised Ph.D. students, supervised graduate research, and served on dissertation and thesis committees across computer science, mathematics, computer engineering, and electrical engineering, at Clarkson University and internationally.
Ph.D. Students Advised
- Christelle Scharff
- Barbara Morawska
- Yuefeng Tang
- Hai Lin
- Ralph Eric McGregor
- Zhiqiang Liu
- Scot Tucker
- Dohan Kim
- Yu Liu
Contact Information
Christopher Lynch
Department of Computer Science
Clarkson University
P.O. Box 5815
Potsdam, NY 13699-5815
Office: (315) 268-2334
Email: clynch@clarkson.edu