Ken is a Lecturer in the School of Computing at Newcastle University. His main interests lie in developing methods and tools for collaborative, model-based design and engineering of cyber-physical systems (CPSs). In particular, he is interested in helping engineers from multiple disciplines collaborate effectively through co-modelling and co-simulation to achieve better performing, more resilient designs across a range of domains. Recent new collaborations include applying collaborative modelling to the built environment, working with BIM Academy in the North East, the  Centre for Systems Engineering and Innovation at Imperial College London, and the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering at Sheffield University.

Ken is associated with the AMBER group (Advanced Model-based Engineering) the CPLab (Cyber-Physical Systems lab). He received his BSc (Hons) in Computer Science (Software Engineering) from Newcastle University in 2005 and studied for his PhD under the supervision of Prof. Cliff Jones. His thesis, titled "Enhancing the Usability of Rely-Guarantee Conditions for Atomicity Refinement", was published in December 2009. He participated in the successful FP7 projects DESTECS and COMPASS between 2010 and 2014 and currently works on two H2020 ICT-1 projects: INTO-CPS, a research project that is building a tool chain for CPS design; and CPSE Labs, an innovation project that forms a network of CPS “design centres” across Europe and provides cascading funding for focused experiments in CPS design.

Area of expertise: Model-based engineering and cyber-physical systems

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My research interests are in the areas of cyber-phsyical systems (CPSs), these are systems of interacting computing and physical elements, with requirements for distributed control, human interaction and error detection and recovery. More broadly I research model based design, collaborative modelling and co-simulation, design space exploration (DSE) and trade-space analysis, and fault tolerance. I also maintain an interest in formal methods, including the VDM formalism.

Ken has engaged in research-led teaching by incorporating CPS and co-modelling in the CSC3322 Real-time and Cyber-Physical Systems module. Prepared and delivered lectures, set coursework and exam questions and organised demonstrating and marking, and has co-supervised undergraduate and Master’s project students.
Ken has prepared and delivered training in collaborative modelling, and continuous-time (CT) and discrete-event (DE) formalisms to student and industrial partners. This includes two Summer Schools (2012, 2017) in model-based design for cyber-physical systems (CPSs), and three tutorials at the International Symposium on Formal Methods (FM11, FM14, FM16).

• Mace JC, Morisset C, Pierce K, Gamble C, Maple C, Fitzgerald J. A multi-modelling based approach to assessing the security of smart buildings. In: Living in the Internet of Things: Cybersecurity of the IoT. 2018, London, UK: Institution of Engineering and Technology.
• Mace JC, Morisset C, Pierce K, Gamble C, Maple C, Fitzgerald J. A multi-modelling based approach to assessing the security of smart buildings. In: Living in the Internet of Things: Cybersecurity of the IoT. 2018, Institution of Engineering and Technology.
• Bhattacharyya A, Mokhov A, Pierce K. An empirical comparison of formalisms for modelling and analysis of dynamic reconfiguration of dependable systems. Formal Aspects of Computing 2017, 29(2), 251-307.
• Bhattacharyya A, Mokhov A, Pierce K. A Comparison of Formalisms for Modelling and Analysis of Dynamic Reconfiguration of Dependable Systems. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2015. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1462.
• Fitzgerald JS, Gamble C, Larsen PG, Pierce K, Woodcock JCP. Cyber-Physical Systems Design: FormalFoundations, Methods and Integrated Tool Chains. In: 2015 IEEE/ACM 37TH IEEE International Conference on Software Engineering. 2015, Florence, Italy: IEEE.
• Fitzgerald J, Pierce K, Larsen PG. Collaborative Development of Dependable Cyber-Physical Systems by Co-Modeling and Co-Simulation. In: Bagnato, A; Indrusiak, LS; Quadri, IR; Rossi, M, ed. Handbook of Research on Embedded Systems Design. Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global, 2014, pp.1-28.
• Fitzgerald JS, Larsen PG, Pierce KG, Verhoef MHG. A formal approach to collaborative modelling and co-simulation for embedded systems. Mathematical Structures in Computer Science 2013, 23(4), 726-750.
• Pierce K, Ingram C, Bos B, Ribeiro A. Experience in Managing Requirements Between Distributed Parties in a Research Project Context. In: IEEE 8th International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE). 2013, Bari, Italy: IEEE.
• Fitzgerald J, Pierce K, Gamble C. A Rigorous Approach to the Design of Resilient Cyber-physical Systems through Co-Simulation. Newcastle upon Tyne: Newcastle University, 2012. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1331.
• Fitzgerald JS, Larsen PG, Pierce KG, Verhoef MHG. A Formal Approach to Collaborative Modelling and Co-simulation for Embedded Systems. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2011. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1264.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. Elucidating concurrent algorithms via layers of abstraction and reification. Formal Aspects of Computing 2011, 23(3), 289-306.
• Andrews Z, Bryans J, Fitzgerald J, Hughes J, Payne R, Pierce K, Riddle S. Modelling and Refinement of the MONDEX Electronic Purse in VDM. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2011. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1308.
• Pierce KG, Fitzgerald JS, Gamble C. Modelling Faults and Fault Tolerance Mechanisms in a Paper Pinch Co- model. In: ERCIM/EWICS/Cyber-physical Systems Workshop at SafeComp. 2011, Naples, Italy.
• Fitzgerald J, Larsen P, Pierce K, Verhoef M, Wolff S. Collaborative modelling and co-simulation in the development of dependable embedded systems. In: Integrated Formal Methods: 8th International Conference (IFM 2010). 2010, Nancy, France: Springer.
• Fitzgerald J, Gorm Larsen P, Pierce KG, Verhoef M, Wolff S. Collaborative Modelling and Co-simulation in the Development of Dependable Embedded Systems. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1213.
• Pierce K, Plat N, Wolff S. Proceedings of the 8th Overture Workshop. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, Newcastle University, 2010. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1224.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. Splitting Atoms with Rely/Guarantee Conditions Coupled with Data Reification. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1186.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. What Can the pi-calculus Tell Us About the Mondex Purse System?. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2010. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1185.
• Pierce KG. [PhD Thesis] Enhancing the Usability of Rely-Guarantee Conditions for Atomicity Refinement. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2009.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. Elucidating Concurrent Algorithms via Layers of Abstraction and Reification. Newcastle upon Tyne: School of Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2009. School of Computing Science Technical Report Series 1166.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. Splitting Atoms with Rely/Guarantee Conditions Coupled with Data Reification. In: Abstract State Machines, B and Z: First International Conference (ABZ 2008). 2008, London, UK: Springer-Verlag.
• Jones CB, Pierce KG. What can the π-calculus tell us about the mondex purse system?. In: Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Engineering of Complex Computer Systems, ICECCS. 2007, Auckland: IEEE.