Matthew Hammer

Welcome

I’m Matthew Hammer, an independent researcher excited by modern programming languages, including their mathematical designs and practical implementations.

In the past, I've been:

• A student, learning at
  • University of Chicago (PhD)
  • MPI-SWS (PhD, visiting student) and
  • UMD (post doc researcher).
• An assistant professor, at CU Boulder, 2015 to 2019
• A researcher and engineer, at DFINITY Foundation, 2019 to 2023
• An independent researcher, 2023 to today.

Languages

Languages are tools for linking thoughts and actions; programming languages are communication tools that link our thoughts and actions with machines.

The following is an incomplete list of languages that play a unique role in my life, and thought processes:

1. OCaml has historically played a significant role in my thinking about programming language design and implementation. Learning about OCaml, and later SML later and CML, helped inspire me to wait for graduate school responses in Spring 2005, rather than decide in Fall 2004 to join Amazon after my CS undergrad in Madison.
2. Rust uniquely blends system-level ideas with layers of practical abstractions.
3. Motoko captures the essence of autonomous internet agents with a clean, actor-based design.
4. Fumola mixes my favorite language features with room for me to grow and play.

Every programming language was created for some reason. The variety of ideas that coexist together in each one language, and across distinct ones, gives each a deeper sense of identity.