Hullo!

I’m a “pre-doc” researcher1 at the University of Utah in the Flux research group. I work on the Xsmith project, which seeks to enable developers to create random program generators (“fuzzers”) for whatever language they like. I hold both a BS and MS in computer science from Utah, and am applying to PhD programs this fall.

My research interests lay at the intersection of programming languages, human-computer interaction, and computer science education. I want to work towards developing programming languages that empower developers of all ability levels, whether programming is their primary career or otherwise, and I am especially interested in first language acquisition (i.e., what designs make for a good introduction to computer science or programming).

More specifically, I find myself fascinated with types, effects, and language usability. I want for people to use advanced type systems and language features with great ease, and I want to develop solutions enabling this.

Prior to moving to the Flux group a few months ago, I spent just over three years working in the U Combinator research group under the direction of Dr. Matt Might (only briefly) and then Dr. Michael Adams. During this time I worked on numerous projects, but most interesting to me was my work on my own programming language, Viper. Viper is a language designed to be Python-like but with a static type system and other features I enjoy from various languages I’ve used. (Development on Viper comes and goes in waves, but it’s been consistently on my mind since I started the project a few years ago.)

I also have an interest in natural language processing, having minored in linguistics as an undergrad. However, my true love lies with programming languages.

I maintain a few hobbies (listed in no particular order):

  • programming (of course)
  • reading (sci-fi mostly, but anything else too)
  • movies
  • podcasts
  • Magic: The Gathering (EDH/Commander, specifically)
  • Destiny 2
  • photography
  • overusing parentheses (it’s a problem), em-dashes, semicolons, and commas
  • guitar (been playing for 11+ years now)
  • food
  • spending time with friends (cheesy, I know, but it’s true!)

Although I am demographically average in the United States (white, male, average height and build, straight, middle-class, etc., etc.), I am an ally for causes that seek to empower people through inclusion and diversity and am constantly trying to learn more about how other people perceive and are perceived by the world around them. My preferred pronouns are he/him.

My last name (Darragh) is pronounced [‘dɛr.ə] (“DARE-uh”), rhyming with Sarah.

Footnotes

  1. This is not a real thing. ↩