Karam Kharraz Successfully Defends PhD Thesis at ISP

The Institute for Software Engineering and Programming Languages (ISP) at the University of Lübeck congratulates Karam Kharraz on the successful defense of his PhD thesis titled “Formal Modeling and Analysis of Metric-Timed and Multi-Agent Normative Specifications of Actions.”

In his dissertation, Karam addressed the challenges of formally specifying and analyzing systems in which multiple agents operate under normative constraints—such as obligations, permissions, and prohibitions—while also respecting precise timing requirements. His work combines techniques from formal methods, temporal logic, and multi-agent systems to provide rigorous frameworks for modeling complex interactions where both timing and rules play a crucial role.

A central contribution of the thesis lies in advancing the formal foundations for reasoning about metric-timed behaviors in normative systems, enabling more accurate analysis of real-world scenarios in which deadlines, durations, and temporal dependencies are essential. By integrating these aspects with multi-agent settings, Karam’s research opens new avenues for the verification and design of reliable, rule-governed distributed systems.

The successful defense marks an important milestone and reflects Karam’s dedication and significant contributions to the field. The ISP team warmly congratulates him on this achievement and wishes him continued success in his future academic and professional career.