J. Anthony Hall
Encyclopedia
J. Anthony Hall FREng is a leading British
software engineer
specializing in the use of formal methods
, especially the Z notation
.
Anthony Hall was educated at the University of Oxford
with a BA in chemistry
and a DPhil in theoretical chemistry
. His subsequent posts have included:
In particular, Hall has worked on software development using formal methods for the UK National Air Traffic Services
(NATS). He has been an invited speaker at conferences concerned with formal methods, requirements engineering
and software engineering.
Since 2004, Hall has been an independent consultant
. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of York
. Hall was the founding chair of ForTIA
, the Formal Techniques Industry Association.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
software engineer
Software engineer
A software engineer is an engineer who applies the principles of software engineering to the design, development, testing, and evaluation of the software and systems that make computers or anything containing software, such as computer chips, work.- Overview :...
specializing in the use of formal methods
Formal methods
In computer science and software engineering, formal methods are a particular kind of mathematically-based techniques for the specification, development and verification of software and hardware systems...
, especially the Z notation
Z notation
The Z notation , named after Zermelo–Fraenkel set theory, is a formal specification language used for describing and modelling computing systems. It is targeted at the clear specification of computer programs and computer-based systems in general.-History:...
.
Anthony Hall was educated at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
with a BA in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and a DPhil in theoretical chemistry
Theoretical chemistry
Theoretical chemistry seeks to provide theories that explain chemical observations. Often, it uses mathematical and computational methods that, at times, require advanced knowledge. Quantum chemistry, the application of quantum mechanics to the understanding of valency, is a major component of...
. His subsequent posts have included:
- ICIImperial Chemical IndustriesImperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
Research Fellow, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of SheffieldUniversity of SheffieldThe University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
(1971–1973) - Principal Scientific Officer, British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
Research Laboratory (1973–1980) - Senior Consultant, Systems Programming Limited (1980–1984)
- Principal Consultant, Systems Designers (1984–1986)
- Visiting Professor, Carnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon UniversityCarnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
(1994) - Principal Consultant, Praxis Critical Systems (1986–2004)
In particular, Hall has worked on software development using formal methods for the UK National Air Traffic Services
National Air Traffic Services
NATS Ltd. is the main air navigation service provider in the United Kingdom. It provides en-route air traffic control services to flights within the UK Flight Information Regions and the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area, and provides air traffic control services to fifteen UK airports and Gibraltar...
(NATS). He has been an invited speaker at conferences concerned with formal methods, requirements engineering
Requirements engineering
Requirements engineering is a systems and software engineering process which covers all of the activities involved in discovering, documenting and maintaining a set of requirements for a computer-based system...
and software engineering.
Since 2004, Hall has been an independent consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
. Hall was the founding chair of ForTIA
ForTIA
The Formal Techniques Industry Association aims to support the industrial use of formal methods under the umbrella organization of Formal Methods Europe. It was founded in 2003 through the initial efforts of Dines Bjørner and is currently chaired by Volkmar Lotz. Its scope is international and...
, the Formal Techniques Industry Association.
Selected publications
- Anthony Hall, Seven Myths of Formal Methods, IEEE SoftwareIEEE SoftwareIEEE Software is a broad-based practitioner-oriented magazine of IEEE Computer Society targeting software professionals, including business analysts, requirements engineers, designers, architects, developers, process improvement experts, testers, quality engineers, and project managers...
, September 1990, pp. 11–19. - Anthony Hall and Roderick Chapman, Correctness by Construction: Developing a Commercial Secure System, IEEE Software, January/February 2002, pp. 18–25.