andrew blinn

me@andrewblinn.com

I use programming language theory to explore / explain / engineer compositional UI, trying to make engagement with algebraic abstractions more fluid, tangible, and fun

Can we make GUIs that compose like languages? Create languages made of GUIs?
Can malleable semantic interfaces help make code a thing you can dip you feet in?

Language servers can provide semantic contextualization and guidance to inform
helpful editing affordances for both people and language models
: LLMs need IDEs

Math needs juice. Working on tactile afforances to support the development of
mechanical sympathy in the manipulation of materials with mechanized semantics

PL 🟰 UI
IDEs ✖️ LLMs
Math ➕ Juice
Oct 2024
Currently in LA for SPLASH 2024, including HATRA, LIVE, Onward!,
and the Ink & Switch Unconf
Sept 2024
Briefly in Vancouver enroute to Gradient with Marcel, Elliot, and Ivan
(Update: And surprise guests Devine and PVH)
August 2024
Paper Statically Contextualizing Large Language Models with Typed Holes (Andrew Blinn,
Xi Liang, June Hyung Kim, Cyrus Omar) accepted at OOPSLA 2024 in Pasadena!
May 2024
On the program committees for LIVE, HARTA, and Onward! at SPLASH 2024.
Jan 2024
A distinguished paper award for Total Type Error Localization and Recovery with Holes at
POPL2024 (Eric Zhao, Raef Maroof, Anand Dukkipati, Andrew Blinn, Zoe Pan, Cyrus Omar)
Jan 2024
Our paper Toward a Live, Rich, Composable, and Collaborative Planetary Compute Engine accepted to PROPL @ POPL24 (Alexander Bandukwala, Andrew Blinn, Cyrus Omar)
Oct 2023
Our paper Gradual Structure Editing with Obligations was accepted to VL/HCC23
(David Moon, Andrew Blinn, Cyrus Omar)
Oct 2023
Spoke at the 2023 Midwest PL Summit about type-directed prompt construction
for LLM code completion (Slides)
Sep 2023
Conference grand tour! Joined the train jam on the Empire Builder from Seattle to St. Louis for the final Strange Loop and the first Local First Unconf
May 2023
Mastered (Computer) Science at the University of Michigan.
Pased preliminary exam and advanced to PhD candidacy
Apr 2023
Heading Causal Islands in Toronto and Gradient Retreat on Galiano Island with Omar, Max, and Ian
Sep 2022
Our paper Tylr - A Tiny Tile-based Structure Editor accepted to TyDe workshop
(David Moon, Andrew Blinn, Cyrus Omar)
Sep 2022
An Integrative Human-Centered Architecture for Interactive Programming Assistants Published and presented at VLHCC22 in Rome (Extended Paperclip Calculus edition)
(Andrew Blinn, David Moon, Eric Griffis, Cyrus Omar)
Oct 2021
Student volunteering at SPLASH/OOPSLA in Chicago; attended HATRA and LIVE workshops
Jun 2021
Our paper Filling typed holes with live GUIs accepted to PLDI21
(Cyrus Omar, David Moon, Andrew Blinn, Ian Voysey, Nick Collins, Ravi Chugh)
February 2021
Heading to Gradient with Omar, Toph, Horace, and Robert

Here's some other things i've worked on:

december 2020

figuring out new ways for you to fight with your editor, hybridizing hazel with the smyth program synthesizer

september 2020

joined cyrus omar's fp lab as a phd student at the u of m, helping ruin programming forever

july 2020

ended 18 months owning ownership at todaq with a project on making interfaces for reifying fake digital stuff