Academic colloquium honoring Prof. Andreas Podelski
After 20 years at the University of Freiburg, Prof. Dr. Andreas Podelski will retire at the end of September 2026. To mark the occasion, the Faculty of Engineering and the Department of Computer Science will host an academic colloquium in his honor on Thursday, October 1, 2026, starting at 4:00 p.m.
Prof. Andreas Podelski has held the chair in Software Engineering at the University of Freiburg since 2006. Through his research on the analysis and automated verification of software systems, he has made important contributions to improving the quality and productivity of software development. At the same time, he has shaped numerous generations of students through his commitment to both research and teaching.
Beyond his academic work, Prof. Podelski has also contributed to the University in many ways, including serving as Head of the Department of Computer Science and Equal Opportunities Officer.
The colloquium will provide an opportunity to look back on the scientific developments and achievements of the past two decades while also exploring current and future challenges in computer science and software engineering.
International guests and current topics
The colloquium will open with a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Thomas Brox, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, followed by remarks from Prof. Dr. Armin Biere, Head of the Department of Computer Science.
The program will then feature talks by internationally renowned researchers:
Prof. Dr. Moshe Y. Vardi
Rice University
“Are AI Minds Genuine Minds?”
The question “Are AI minds genuine minds?” invites us to examine the nature of mind itself and whether artificial intelligence meets its defining criteria. A genuine mind is typically associated with consciousness, self-awareness, intentionality, and the capacity to experience mental states such as emotions. Whether AI qualifies as possessing a true mind ultimately depends on how we define the essential qualities of consciousness and intelligence. While this question has already been raised in the 19th Century, recent progress in AI requires us to re-examine it deeply.
Further information about Prof. Vardi can be found on his personal website.
Prof. Dr. Rupak Majumdar
Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, Kaiserslautern
“Software Engineering in the World of Agents.”
Coding agents have disrupted the way we build software and think about software engineering. Traditionally, software engineering processes were developed around the "scarce resource" of developer time. When software development costs go to (almost) zero, we have to re-evaluate many of our assumptions. In this talk, I will discuss problems in software engineering in the world of agents by considering problems of information acquisition, attention, and trust. Where possible, I will show simple mathematical models that provide a clean vocabulary to formulate these problems. It is difficult to predict how the world will look like in October (we are merely in July now), but framing engineering problems using the lens of information acquisition should give us a vocabulary that is relevant to many other problems.
Further information about Prof. Majumdar can be found on his personal website.
In his talk, Prof. Andreas Podelski will address “Challenges in Software Engineering 2006–2026.”
Exchange and Closing Reception
The academic program will be followed by a reception starting at 6:30 p.m. The reception will provide an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas, look back on the past years, and bring the afternoon to a close together.
Venue
Faculty of Engineering, University of Freiburg
Lecture Hall 00-026 (Ground Floor)
Georges-Köhler-Allee 101
79110 Freiburg, Germany
Contact:
Dr. Rainer Giersiepen
Faculty Manager
Faculty of Engineering
University of Freiburg
E-Mail: giersiepen@tf.uni-freiburg.de
Kerstin Steiger-Merx
Representative PR/Marketing
Faculty of Engineering
University of Freiburg
Tel.: 0761/203-8056
E-Mail: steiger-merx@tf.uni-freiburg.de