# Thierry Coquand

> French mathematician, logician and computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q3524190](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3524190)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thierry_Coquand)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/thierry-coquand

## Summary
Thierry Coquand is a French mathematician, logician, and computer scientist known for his foundational work in type theory and proof assistants. He is best recognized as the creator of the Rocq prover, a formal proof verification system widely used in mathematics and computer science.

## Biography
- Born: April 18, 1961, in Isère, France
- Nationality: French
- Education: École Normale Supérieure
- Known for: Developing the Rocq prover and contributions to type theory
- Employer(s): University of Gothenburg, Chalmers University of Technology, INRIA
- Field(s): Computer science, mathematics, logic

## Contributions
Thierry Coquand is the creator of the Rocq prover (formerly Coq), a proof assistant that enables formal verification of mathematical proofs and software correctness. Developed starting in 1984, Rocq has become a cornerstone tool in both mathematics and computer science for ensuring the reliability of complex systems. His work on type theory, particularly the Calculus of Constructions, forms the theoretical foundation of Rocq and has influenced the design of many modern programming languages and verification tools. Coquand's research has enabled mathematicians and computer scientists to formally verify proofs that would be impractical to check by hand, advancing the field of formal methods and contributing to safer software development practices.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Thierry Coquand known for?
A: Thierry Coquand is known for creating the Rocq prover, a formal proof assistant used to verify mathematical proofs and software correctness, and for his foundational work in type theory.

### Q: Where does Thierry Coquand work?
A: Thierry Coquand is affiliated with the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, and has also worked with INRIA in France.

### Q: What is the Rocq prover?
A: The Rocq prover is a formal proof assistant developed by Thierry Coquand that allows mathematicians and computer scientists to verify the correctness of proofs and software using type theory.

## Why They Matter
Thierry Coquand's work has fundamentally changed how we approach mathematical proof and software verification. By creating the Rocq prover, he provided the mathematical and computer science communities with a powerful tool for formal verification that has become essential for ensuring the correctness of critical systems. His contributions to type theory have influenced programming language design and formal methods, making software development more reliable and mathematically rigorous. Without his work, many advances in verified computing and formal mathematics would not have been possible, and the field would lack the robust tools that Rocq provides for ensuring correctness in complex systems.

## Notable For
- Creator of the Rocq prover (formerly Coq), a widely-used formal proof assistant
- Developed the Calculus of Constructions, foundational to modern type theory
- Recipient of the 2013 ACM Software System Award for Rocq
- Member of Academia Europaea in the Informatics section since 2011
- Doctoral advisor to numerous prominent computer scientists including Hugo Herbelin and Arnaud Spiwack

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Thierry Coquand was born on April 18, 1961, in Isère, France. He received his education at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure, one of France's most selective institutions for higher education in science and humanities.

### Academic Career
Coquand has held academic positions at several institutions, including the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. He has also been affiliated with INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique) in France, a major research organization in computer science and applied mathematics.

### Research Contributions
His most significant contribution is the development of the Rocq prover, a formal proof assistant that began in 1984. This system implements type theory and allows users to write formal proofs that can be mechanically checked for correctness. The Rocq prover has become one of the most important tools in formal verification and has been used to verify complex mathematical theorems and critical software systems.

### Type Theory and Calculus of Constructions
Coquand's theoretical work on type theory, particularly the Calculus of Constructions, provides the mathematical foundation for Rocq and has influenced the design of many modern programming languages. This work bridges the gap between mathematical logic and computer science, enabling the development of tools that can verify the correctness of both mathematical proofs and software.

### Recognition and Awards
In 2013, Coquand received the ACM Software System Award for his work on Rocq, recognizing the system's significant impact on the field of computer science. He was also elected as a member of Academia Europaea in 2011 in the Informatics section, acknowledging his contributions to the field.

### Academic Lineage
Coquand completed his doctoral studies under the supervision of Gérard Huet, a prominent French computer scientist. He has supervised numerous doctoral students who have gone on to become influential researchers themselves, including Hugo Herbelin, Arnaud Spiwack, and Daniel Fridlender.

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## References

1. [Source](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mathematical-structures-in-computer-science/information/editorial-board)
2. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/newell/award-recipients)
3. [Source](http://www.theses.fr/1985PA07F126)
4. Mathematics Genealogy Project
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. [Source](https://www.ae-info.org/ae/User/Coquand_Thierry)
7. Integrated Authority File
8. IdRef
9. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File