Gernot Heiser

I have been an academic at UNSW since completing my PhD in 1991. I am a full professor since 2002. Since 2009 I hold the John Lions Chair of Operating systems, and since 2011 the title of Scientia Professor. Since its creation in 2003 I was a research program leader at NICTA, where I created what is now the Trustworthy Systems group, spanning NICTA and UNSW. NICTA got absorbed into CSIRO in 2017, and since 2021 the group is wholly back at UNSW. I have co-founded Open Kernel Labs in 2006 for commercialising my microkernel research outcomes. This has led to the L4-embedded microkernel being deployed on billions of mobile devices, including the secure enclave of all recent iOS devices, where it protects security-critical operations. OK Labs was sold to General Dynamics in 2012. Since 2009 my work has focussed on the seL4 microkernel and trustworthy systems built on it. This has led to further commercial deployment, including defence systems and mass-produced electric cars. Operating Systems, especially microkernels and microkernel-based systems; Cybersecurity, highly-secure and dependable systems, high-assurance systems, analysis and prevention of cyber threats; Real-time systems, especially operating systems for temporal safety; Virtualization; Embedded and Cyberphysical Systems; Architectural support for operating systems; Dependability