FormaliSE 2025: Advancing Formal Methods in Software Engineering
The 13th International Conference on Formal Methods in Software Engineering (FormaliSE 2025) was held on April 27–28, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada, co-located with the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 2025).
Organized by Formal Methods Europe (FME), FormaliSE continues its mission to bridge the gap between formal methods and practical software engineering. FormaliSE 2025 featured two keynotes:
- Corina S. Pasareanu (Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley, NASA Ames Research Center) presented “Adversarial Perturbations and Self-Defenses for Large Language Models on Coding Tasks”, discussing vulnerabilities in large language models (LLMs) and proposing defenses against adversarial examples in coding applications.
- Krzysztof Czarnecki (University of Waterloo) delivered “Assuring AI in Autonomous Driving: Challenges and Emerging Approaches”, highlighting the assurance challenges in AI-driven autonomous vehicles and exploring methods to enhance safety and reliability.
The conference program encompassed a range of topics, including:
- Generative AI and Fuzzy Logic: Sessions covered LLM-based generation of weakest preconditions, automated generation of formally verified C code, and fuzzy theoretical models for goal fulfilment assessment.
- Formal Specification and Verification: Discussions included refining Alloy-based mutation operators, verifying multiple TLA+ configurations, and type states specification in Frama-C.
The conference maintained a lightweight double-anonymous review process. 48 papers were submitted and 15 accepted, resulting in an acceptance rate of 31%. 39 people officially registered for the conference.
FormaliSE 2025 fostered active engagement among researchers and practitioners. Attendees appreciated the blend of theoretical advancements and practical applications presented. The inclusion of topics like AI assurance in autonomous systems and the integration of LLMs in formal methods sparked dynamic discussions and collaborations.
FormaliSE 2025 successfully advanced the discourse on integrating formal methods into software engineering practices. By addressing contemporary challenges and showcasing innovative solutions, the conference reinforced its role as a pivotal platform for researchers and industry professionals committed to enhancing software quality through formal methods.
For more details on the conference program and sessions, look here.