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		   B O S T O N   U N I V E R S I T Y
                                       
		      Computer Science Department
                                       
			  C O L L O Q U I U M
                                       
		       Wednesday October 19, 1994
                                       
				 3:00pm
		       (Coffee served at 2:30pm)
                                       
			 Seminar Room / MCS 135
                                       

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This colloquium is the second of three that survey the faculty research
interests of Boston University's Computer Science Department.

			 Professor Assaf Kfoury

Types and their relation to programming languages is one of my
current research interests. Although types in different guises have
been studied in mathematical logic for more than a century, computer 
scientists have found many good uses for them in programming and 
revitalized their study over the past 15 years. Two particular 
concepts from type theory, commonly called "automatic type inference" 
and "type polymorphism", were first introduced in experimental 
programming languages in the late 1970's. These two features have 
been extended in many useful ways in recent years, and are now found 
in several modern languages. By way of simple examples, I will 
illustrate these two features: explain what they add to programming, 
their limitations and possible extensions, and mention further 
research directions and recent results.

			Professor Joyce Friedman

During 1954-1956 I had the the good fortune to work with Professor
Alonzo Church on several problems in first-order logic.  I will
recall that experience.

 Also speaking will be Professor Leonid Levin and Professor Peter Gacs.