Teaching

PhD Students

I currently have a fully funded PhD studentship for a home student. The deadline for applications is June 30th 2023. Please do contact me directly if you are interested in applying, or have questions about the studentship. The full advert is below:

Fully-Funded Home PhD Studentship

School of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, UK

Applications are invited from home students
for a fully-funded PhD studentship offered by the School of
Computer Science, starting on 1st October 2023.

The student will be supervised by Dr. Dan Marsden, and will conduct
research in an area related to his fields of interest, as a member of
the Functional Programming Lab. Topics involving category theory,
logic, diagrammatic languages, and their applications in theoretical
computer science would be particularly appropriate. Details of
Dr. Marsden’s research can be found on this website.

It is expected that candidates will have a strong mathematical background
suitable for research in these areas. Those interested in applying are
encouraged to contact Dr. Marsden directly to discuss potential research
proposals compatible with both their interests. Suitable candidates will
then be directed to make a formal application via the MyNottingham
system.

The studentship is fully funded for 3 years and includes a
stipend of £18,622 per year and tuition fees. Applicants are
normally expected to have a first-class class bachelors or
masters in Computer Science or another relevant area.

The Functional Programming Lab in Nottingham has been a leading
centre for programming language research for over 25 years. The
group comprises 5 academic staff, 1 postdoctoral research fellow,
and 10 PhD students, and has produced more than 30 PhD graduates
to date. The group provides a highly active research environment
that includes weekly seminars, regular visitors, and an annual
workshop, and is also a founder member of the Midlands Graduate
School in the Foundations of Computing Science.

Closing date for applications: June 30th 2023.

MGS 2023 – String Diagrams

I will be teaching a course on string diagrams at the Midlands Graduate School 2023.

Course Abstract

String diagrams are powerful graphical tools for reasoning in category theory. This will be an applied course that will explain how to efficiently perform calculations in elementary category theory using diagrammatic techniques. The main aim of the course is to equip students with the knowledge to confidently understand how and when to apply string diagrams in their own research. The emphasis will be on providing many examples of calculations in various areas of elementary category theory, particular including monads and adjunctions.

The course materials will be based on joint work with Ralf Hinze.

Prerequisites

Students will require some understanding of the basics of category theory, particularly the notions of category, functor and natural transformation. Some familiarity with at least small number of examples of monads and adjunctions would be useful for motivation, but not essential to understanding the material. No prior experience of string diagrams or more advanced category theory will be required.

Course Materials

Lecture material: