Lucas Bang - Curriculum Vitae

Contact Information

Harvey Mudd College

Computer Science Department

301 Platt Blvd

Claremont, CA 91711 USA

http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~bang

bang@cs.hmc.edu

Education

University of California, Santa Barbara

Ph.D. in Computer Science - June 2018

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

M.S. in Computer Science - May 2013

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

B.A. in Computer Science - August 2010

B.S. in Mathematics - August 2010

Unschooling and Community-Based Learning

School for Poetic Computation

The School for Poetic Computation (SFPC) is an artist-run experimental school in New York City and online, founded in 2013 to explore the intersection of code, art, hardware, and critical theory. It offers community-focused, interdisciplinary workshops on topics like creative coding, live coding, and physical computing, emphasizing a poetic and humanistic approach to technology.

Recurse Center

The Recurse Center is a self-directed, community-driven educational retreat for programmers in New York City.

Appointments

Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA

Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science (June 2024 – present)

Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science (July 2018 – June 2024)

Research Interests

Teaching

Harvey Mudd College

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Art: Exhibitions, Talks, Appearances

Interdisciplinary Publications, Talks, Appearances

  1. L. Bang. “Phenomenology of Program Surveyability.” International Association for Computing and Philosophy (IACAP 2024), University of Oregon.

  2. L. Bang. “Can Program Analysis Help Us Think About Scientific Modeling?”. Computational Methods in Science Workshop, University of Oregon, November 2025.

  3. L. Bang. “Program Size: A Call for Inquiry.” History and Philosophy of Programming (HaPoP 2022), Lille, France.

  4. L. Bang. “Programming as Alien Language.” Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts (SLSA). University of Arizona, October 2023.

  5. L. Bang. “Abstractionism in Software Development.” European Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts (SLSA). Models, Metaphors and Simulations. Epistemic Transformations in Literature, Science and the Arts. May 2023.

  6. L. Bang. “Notation as a School of Thought.” American Comparative Literature Association. Montreal, Canada. February 2026.

Computer Science Publications and Results

See also: DBLP or Google Scholar

Undergraduate advisee co-authors in bold.

  1. Mithra Karamchedu and L. Bang. “The number of spanning trees of the ladder graph Ln up to automorphisms of Ln”. Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS A363165), July 2023.

  1. Mithra Karamchedu and L. Bang, “Generating the Spanning Trees of Series-Parallel Graphs up to Graph Automorphism.” CoRR abs/2508.13480, 2025.

  2. Devon Tao and L. Bang. “Braitenberg Vehicle Simulator: Visualizing the Classic Thought Experiment.” Artificial Intelligence x Humanities, Education, and Art (AIxHEArt), 2024.

  3. Devon Tao and L. Bang, “Fitness landscape analysis of a cell-based neural architecture search space,” in EXPLAINS 2024, 2024, pp. 77–86.

  4. Mira Bhagirathi Kaniyur, Ana Cavalcante-Studart, Yihan Yang, Sangeon Park, David Chen, Duy Lam, and L. Bang, “Path complexity analysis for interprocedural code,” in ICSE Companion 2024, 2024, pp. 404–405.

  5. Mira Bhagirathi Kaniyur, Ana Cavalcante-Studart, Yihan Yang, Sangeon Park, David Chen, Duy Lam, and L. Bang, “Interprocedural path complexity analysis,” in ISSTA 2024, 2024, pp. 162–173.

  6. Eli Pregerson Shaheen Cullen-Baratloo, David Chen, Duy Lam, Max Szostak, and L. Bang, “Formalizing path explosion for recursive functions via asymptotic path complexity,” in FormaliSE 2023, 2023, pp. 76–85.

  7. Katherine Breeden, L. Bang, Christopher A. Stone, and Julie Medero, “Student experiences and academic outcomes when multiple introductory tracks converge,” in ITiCSE (1) 2023, 2023, pp. 89–95.

  8. Sofiane Dissem, Eli Pregerson, Adi Bhargava, Josh Cordova, and L. Bang, “Path complexity correlates with source code comprehension effort indicators,” in ICPC 2023, 2023, pp. 266–274.

  9. Sofiane Dissem, Eli Pregerson, Adi Bhargava, Josh Cordova, and L. Bang, “Program path complexity and code comprehension,” in PLATEAU ’21: 12th Annual Workshop on the Intersection of HCI and PL, 2021.

  10. Gabriel Bessler et al., “Metrinome: Path complexity predicts symbolic execution path explosion,” in ICSE ’21: 43rd International Conference on Software Engineering, ACM, 2021.

  11. Devon Frost, Shannon Steele, and L. Bang, “Virtually constrained dancing: Encoding language in movement and sound,” in MOCO ’20: 7th International Conference on Movement and Computing, ACM, 2020, pp. 12:1–12:4.

  12. Abtin Molavi, Mara Downing, Tommy Schneider, and L. Bang, “MCBAT: A practical tool for model counting constraints on bounded integer arrays,” in ESEC/FSE ’20: 28th ACM Joint European Software Engineering Conference and Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, ACM, 2020, pp. 1596–1600.

  13. Abtin Molavi, Tommy Schneider, Mara Downing, and L. Bang, “MCBAT: Model counting for constraints over bounded integer arrays,” in Software Verification - 12th International Conference, VSTTE 2020, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 12549, Springer, 2020, pp. 124–143.

  14. Mara Downing, Abtin Molavi, and L. Bang, “Symbolic execution + model counting + entropy maximization = automatic search synthesis,” in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Games, Automata, Logics, and Formal Verification, GandALF 2020, EPTCS, vol. 326, 2020, pp. 50–65.

  15. Mara Downing, Chris Thompson, and L. Bang, “Strategy synthesis for deduction games,” Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment (AIIDE) Workshop on Artificial Intelligence for Strategy Games, 2019.

  16. S. Saha, W. Eiers, I. B. Kadron, L. Bang, and T. Bultan, “Incremental adaptive attack synthesis,” Java Path Finder Workshop, 2019.

  17. N. Rosner, I. B. Kadron, L. Bang, and T. Bultan, “Profit: Detecting and quantifying side channels in networked applications,” in 26th Annual Network and Distributed System Security Symposium, NDSS 2019, 2019.

  18. N. Tsiskaridze, L. Bang, J. McMahan, T. Bultan, and T. Sherwood, “Information leakage in arbiter protocols,” in Automated Technology for Verification and Analysis - 16th International Symposium, ATVA 2018, 2018, pp. 404–421.

  19. L. Bang, N. Rosner, and T. Bultan, “Online synthesis of adaptive side-channel attacks based on noisy observations,” in 2018 IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EuroS&P 2018, 2018, pp. 307–322.

  20. A. Aydin et al., “Parameterized model counting for string and numeric constraints,” in Proceedings of the 2018 ACM Joint Meeting on European Software Engineering Conference and Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, ESEC/SIGSOFT FSE 2018, 2018.

  21. Q.-S. Phan, L. Bang, C. S. Pasareanu, P. Malacaria, and T. Bultan, “Synthesis of adaptive side-channel attacks,” in 30th IEEE Computer Security Foundations Symposium, CSF 2017, 2017, pp. 328–342.

  22. L. Bang, A. Aydin, Q.-S. Phan, C. S. Pasareanu, and T. Bultan, “String analysis for side channels with segmented oracles,” in Proceedings of the 24th ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on Foundations of Software Engineering, FSE 2016, 2016.

  23. A. Aydin, L. Bang, and T. Bultan, “Automata-based model counting for string constraints,” in Computer Aided Verification - 27th International Conference, CAV 2015, 2015, pp. 255–272.

  24. L. Bang, A. Aydin, and T. Bultan, “Automatically computing path complexity of programs,” in Proceedings of the 2015 10th Joint Meeting on Foundations of Software Engineering, ESEC/FSE 2015, 2015, pp. 61–72.

  25. L. Bang, W. W. Bein, and L. L. Larmore, “R-LINE: A better randomized 2-server algorithm on the line,” in Approximation and Online Algorithms - 10th International Workshop, WAOA 2012, 2012, pp. 120–130.

  26. S. Saha, S. Ghentiyala, S. Lu, L. Bang, and T. Bultan, “Obtaining information leakage bounds via approximate model counting,” Proc. ACM Program. Lang., vol. 7, PLDI, pp. 1488–1509, 2023.

  27. S. Saha, I. B. Kadron, W. Eiers, L. Bang, and T. Bultan, “Attack synthesis for strings using meta-heuristics,” ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Notes, vol. 43, no. 4, p. 56, 2018.

  28. L. Bang, W. W. Bein, and L. L. Larmore, “R-LINE: A better randomized 2-server algorithm on the line,” Theor. Comput. Sci., vol. 605, pp. 106–118, 2015.

Computer Science Talks and Appearances

  1. Talk. “The Next Challenge: Model Counting Modulo Theories.” MC2021 Model Counting Competition: Workshop on Counting and Sampling 2021, Virtual Event, July 6th, 2021.

  2. Panelist. “SAT and Synthesis.” ESEC/FSE ’20: 28th ACM Joint European Software Engineering Conference and Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, Virtual Event, USA, November 8-13, 2020.

  3. Talk. “Online Synthesis of Adaptive Side-Channel Attacks Based On Noisy Observations.” IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, London, UK, April 26, 2018.

  4. Talk. “Synthesis of Adaptive Side-Channel Attacks.” IEEE Computer Security Foundations Symposium, Santa Barbara, CA, August 24, 2017.

  5. Talk. “String Analysis for Side Channels with Segmented Oracles.” ACM SIGSOFT International Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, Seattle, WA, November 15, 2016.

  6. Talk. “Tutorial: Automata-based String Analysis.” ACM SIGPLAN conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation, Santa Barbara, California, June 13, 2016.

  7. Talk. “Automatically Computing Path Complexity of Programs.” Joint Meeting of the European Software Engineering Conference and the ACM SIGSOFT Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering, Bergamo, Italy, September 2, 2015

Grants

  1. Programming Language Mentoring Workshop (PLMW) NSF Travel Grant, 2025-2028, $45,000.

  2. NSF Collaborative Research: SHF: Small: Automated Quantitative Assessment of Testing Difficulty Co-PI with Tevfik Bultan (UCSB). Approved for three years, 2021-2023, $128,480.

  3. NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates: Harvey Mudd REU Site in Computer Systems Co-PI with George Montañez (HMC). Approved for 3 years, 2020-2022, $377,348.

Software

Metrinome

Project role: Research mentor

Description: Metrinome computes an upper bound on the number of feasible paths through the control flow graph of Java, C, and Python programs. Metrinome predicts path exploration costs of symbolic execution. This software subsumes APC (see below).

MC-BAT

Project role: Research mentor

Description: Solves model-counting problems over the theory of bounded integer arrays.

ABC: Automata-Based model Counter

Role: Contributor, original developer

Description: Computes the number of models for constraints over the theory of strings.

APC: Asymptotic Path Complexity

Role: Lead developer

Description: Computes an upper bound on the number of feasible paths through the control flow graph of Java programs. Deprecated. Subsumed by Metrinome (see above).

Professional Activities

Organizer

Reviewer

Program Committee Member

Service and Outreach

Harvey Mudd College

Computer Science Department

Broader Community Outreach and Service