Process Algebra

The following topics will be addressed in every installment of the
course: semantic models of behaviour; sequential composition,
parallel composition, abstraction, recursion; structural operational
semantics; behavioural equivalence; congruence; equational process
theories; soundness and completeness of an equational theory with
respect to a semantic model of behaviour; elimination theorem;
fairness. In addition, every year one or two more advanced topics in
process algebra will be addressed (timing, probabilities, mobility, web
services, etc.).

There will be three homework assignments and a final examination. The homework assignments will be graded, and the average grade of the three assignments counts for 30% of your final grade. The final examination counts for 70% of your final grade, and for passing the course the grade for the final examination should be at least 5.0.

After completing this course, the student

• is able to formally specify and reason about behaviour using process algebraic techniques;
• can formalise the informal semantics of operations on behaviour using the method of structural operational semantics;
• can differentiate between several notions of behavioural equivalence;
• can construct semantic models of behaviour according to several different techniques;
• can reason about the soundness and completeness of an equational theory of processes with respect to a semantic model of behaviour;
• can read scientific literature in the area of process algebra.

Familiarity with (formal) logical reasoning, naive set theory, and automata and formal languages is required.

• Process algebra:equational theories of communicating processes (ISBN 978-0-521-82049-3)
• handouts
• Slides