Eric Hehner

Eric C. R. Hehner, called Rick, is a Canadian computer scientist.

Eric Hehner was born on 16 September 1947 in Ottawa. He studied mathematics and physics at Carleton University, obtaining his first degree in 1969. He gained a PhD in computer science from the University of Toronto in 1974. He then joined the faculty there, becoming a full professor in 1983. He became the Bell University Chair in Software Engineering in 2001.

Hehner's main research area is formal methods, particularly for programming. In 1979, Hehner invented a method of representing rational numbers with current University of Victoria professor Nigel Horspool called quote notation, which allows for easier arithmetic and produces no roundoff error in arithmetic calculations implementing a generalization of radix notation. Hehner has also influenced many other computer science researchers with his ideas, including Tony Hoare, especially with his concept of predicative programming.

References

• E. C. R. Hehner, 1984. Predicative Programming. CACM, 27(2):134–151.
• E. C. R. Hehner, 1990. A Practical Theory of Programming. Science of Computer Programming, 14(2–3):133–158.
• E. C. R. Hehner, 2004. From Boolean Algebra to Unified Algebra. Mathematical Intelligencer, 26(2):3–19.
• "A new representation of the rational numbers for fast easy arithmetic", E.C.R. Hehner and R.N.S. Horspool

External links

• Home page
• DBLP publications
• A Practical Theory of Programming, Professor Hehner's book, freely available in PDF