The grant will support the extension of the Center for Basic Research in Program Verification (CPV), originally established in 2019 when Professor Birkedal was first appointed Villum Investigator. With the new funding, CPV will continue its mission to develop mathematically rigorous models and logics that advance the correctness and security of software systems - cornerstones of modern cybersecurity.

“Software errors and security breaches often stem from subtle flaws in system implementations. Through program verification, CPV addresses these challenges head-on by providing fundamental tools for mathematical reasoning about software execution,” says Lars Birkedal.

Since its beginning, CPV has grown into a thriving international research environment, building on several breakthrough results. The work on Iris, a powerful tool for machine-checked proofs in concurrent programs, has garnered international acclaim, including the prestigious Alonzo Church Award for Outstanding Contributions to Logic and Computation with the design and implementation of Iris in 2023.

The Villum Investigator grant will enable CPV to address major challenges in making software systems more secure and reliable. The team will also develop new tools to automatically check software for errors and further strengthen the mathematical theories that underpin their work. In addition, the grant will support international collaborations and attract talented researchers to Aarhus University.

For more information about Center for Basic Research in Program Verification (CPV) visit cs.au.dk/cpv.

About the Villum Investigator Programme

The Villum Investigator Programme supports experienced and internationally recognized researchers who have demonstrated exceptional originality and leadership in their fields. It aims to create and maintain world-leading research environments at Danish universities.

“With the Villum Investigator programme, we support excellent and curiosity-driven research that pushes the boundaries of what we know and understand about the world. We give freedom to researchers who have shown the ability to think innovatively and lead strong research environments. With their academic strength and curiosity, they contribute to new knowledge that can have an impact far beyond the walls of the universities,” says Lars Bo Nielsen, Executive Director of Villum Foundation.

In 2025, Villum Foundation has via the Villum Investigator Programme awarded more than DKK 300 million to 11 researchers at Danish universities. For more information about the programme and this years Villum Investigators, read the full press release from The Villum Foundation here.