JFLAP: An Interactive Formal Languages and Automata Package

Susan H. Rodger is Professor of the Practice of Computer Science at Duke University. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Purdue University. Rodger works in the area of computer science education. Her major contributions are in visualization and interaction software for education in theoretical computer science, computing in K-12 and peer-led team learning. Rodger developed JFLAP, software for experimenting with formal languages and automata. JFLAP is the leading educational tool for formal languages and automata theory and has been used around the world for over thirty years in several types of courses including formal languages and automata, compilers, artificial intelligence, and discrete mathematics. Rodger is a leader in integrating computing into K-12 with the Adventures in Alice Programming project. Rodger received the IEEE Computer Society 2019 Taylor L. Booth Education Award, ACM 2013 Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, Duke University Trinity College 2019 David and Janet Vaughn Brooks Distinguished Teaching Award, and she was one of two finalist candidates for the NEEDS Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware for the software JFLAP. Thomas W. Finley is a graduate student at Cornell University working towards a Ph.D. in machine learning. He received a B.S. degree in Computer Science, an A.B. degree in Mathematics, and a minor in Economics in 2002 from Duke University, graduating with High Distinction in both Computer Science and Mathematics. While at Duke, Thomas was one of the main developers of JFLAP 4.0. He has coauthored and authored papers in SIGCSE and ICML, publishes freeware under the name of Leaky Puppy Software, and competed in the 2003 ACM ICPC.