Research
Computer Science has a long tradition of excellence at Melbourne. The arrival of Australia’s first computer to Melbourne in 1956 form the roots of our current computing research, which still examines how to realise the full potential of computer technology.
Our main strands of research balance theoretical and applied, established and new fields of exploration. Current areas of excellence include programming languages, algorithms, distributed computing, and cybersecurity and cryptography.
Research Themes
-
Algorithms
Effective data structures and algorithms optimise the performance of any computer program. Computer science has a number of continuing areas of interest including text information retrieval (search) technology, text indexation and compression, and the analysis of big data.
-
Databases and Information Retrieval
Databases is the study of efficient storage, retrieval, and management of large data, whereas information retrieval is the process of accessing and extracting relevant information from the databases.
-
Distributed Systems and Cloud Computing
Our world-leading distributed computing research group is pushing the boundaries of how we can extract more performance and computer-power from large-scale networks of computing devices. Fog, edge, cloud and grid computing issues are a continuing focus of our distributed computing work.
-
Programming Languages and Formal Verification
We work on designing and implementing programming language and formal verification tools and techniques that enable the development of high-assurance trustworthy software.
-
Quantum Computing
Quantum computing focuses on developing computer technology based on the principles of quantum theory, which explains the nature and behavior of energy and matter on the quantum (atomic and subatomic) level.
-
Security and Privacy
We are working on novel and practical solutions to improve the security and privacy of large real-world systems. Our research includes both attack and defense approaches that work on different layers, from web APIs, ML models, core software libraries to micro-architecture, firmware and hardware.
-
Software Engineering
Software Engineering is a multidisciplinary field which focuses on the systematic design, development, testing, and maintenance of software applications and systems. Research areas within this theme encompass topics such as software quality assurance, agile methodologies, program repair, and human and social aspects of software engineering.
Groups, Labs and Centres
-
Melbourne eResearch Group (MEG)
The Melbourne eResearch Group (MEG) supports the development, support and delivery of research-oriented IT systems to a wide range of research communities at the University of Melbourne. We provide research-oriented software engineering using a combination of the current bleeding edge technologies through to more tried and trusted software solutions.
-
Cloud Computing and Distributed Systems (CLOUDS) Laboratory
The CLOUDS Lab is a software research and development group engaged in the design and development of next-generation computing systems and applications that aggregate or lease services of distributed resources depending on their availability, capability, performance, cost, and users' quality-of-service requirements.
-
Academic Centre of Cyber Security Excellence (ACCSE)
Our research capability is focused on key challenges, including detecting attacks in large, complex systems, using formal methods to design platforms that are resilient to attack, designing robust controllers for critical infrastructure, and providing a legal framework for the governance of cyber operations that span a range of jurisdictions.
-
CATCH
While machine learning bots reduce the burden on human analysts by filtering information, cybersecurity poses unique challenges for human-bot teams. This project aims to develop rigorous science for human-bot cybersecurity teams, with the goal of developing cohesive teams that are robust to active human and machine learning adversaries.
- Toby Murray
Group leader
- Olya Ohrimenko
Group leader