About Rob Nederpelt

Laatste wijzigingen: 24.08.2004

Robert Pieter Nederpelt Lazarom is working in the computer science department, Formal Methods group, of the Technische Universiteit (University of Technology) Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

He was born on July 19th, 1942 in the Hague, the Netherlands. He finished grammar school (Het Nederlands Lyceum in The Hague; beta-department) in 1959. After studying Mathematics at Leiden University, the Netherlands, Rob Nederpelt received his Ph.D. at the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven in 1973. His Ph.D. supervisor was professor N.G. de Bruijn, the founder of the Automath mathematical proof checker.
Subsequently, Rob Nederpelt worked as an assistant professor in the math department of the Eindhoven university. Later he became an associate professor in Applied Logic, in the computer science department.

He is currently working on the theory of formalizing mathematical texts with help of a computer. This is a continuation of his work with de Bruijn, which was followed, a decade ago, by an intensive collaboration with Fairouz Kamareddine (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh). A recent joint paper with Fairouz Kamareddine in the Journal of Logic, Language and Information describes a formal basis for a language (`Weak Type Theory') which is close to the common mathematical language as used in mathematics and computer science. He also published in 2004 two books, which were co-authored by mrs. Kamareddine. With post-doctoral assistant Gueorgui Jojgov, Rob Nederpelt recently published two papers on possible approaches to gradually closing the gap between a first and incomplete formalization of mathematics, and a full formalization in e.g. type theory.

In using type theory as a medium for fully expressing all kinds of mathematical thoughts -- ranging from definitions to theorems and complete proofs -- he follows the lines marked out by N.G. de Bruijn and filled in by Henk Barendregt and his group at the University of Nijmegen. One member of the Nijmegen staff is Herman Geuvers, with whom Rob Nederpelt recently published a paper on natural deduction in linear style (`flag-format').

Outside the university, Rob Nederpelt has the following favourites, apart from family life and friends:

1. Theatre performances, in particular the smaller, experimental productions. (Rob Nederpelt acts as a theatre reviewer for Eindhovens Dagblad.)
2. Music, in particular modern jazz (bebop and later) and classical chamber music for violin(s) and/or piano.
3. Tennis. He is an enthousiastic amateur player (with matching low grade) at the TU court and the municipal courts at the Aalsterweg, Eindhoven.
4. Moreover, he likes mountains (one-day hiking), lakes (sailing) and beautiful landscapes.