CV

General Information

Full Name Sara Baradaran
Website SaraBaradaran.github.io
Email sbaradar@usc.edu
Location Los Angeles, CA, USA

Education

  • 2023-Present
    Ph.D. in Computer Science
    University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
    • GPA: 4.0/4.0
  • 2023-2025
    M.Sc. in Computer Science
    University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
    • GPA: 4.0/4.0
  • 2017-2022
    B.Sc. in Computer Engineering
    Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
    • GPA: 19.49/20 (4.0/4.0)

Research & Work Experience

  • 2023-Present
    Graduate Research Assistant
    University of Southern California, Program Reasoning Lab, Los Angeles, USA
    • Worked on probabilistic Bayesian reasoning for software fault localization and type inference.
    • Designed SemQL, an extension of the CodeQL query language for writing semantic queries over code.
  • 2022-2023
    Undergraduate Research Assistant
    Isfahan University of Technology, Intelligent Mobile Networks Lab, Isfahan, Iran
    • Designed and implemented a testbed for intelligent 5G networks.
  • 2020-2022
    Undergraduate Research Assistant
    Isfahan University of Technology, Software Security Lab, Isfahan, Iran
    • Developed an automated framework for detecting software vulnerabilities in binary executables.

Software Projects

    • SemQL: An extension of the CodeQL query language for writing semantic queries over code.
    • Prosecutor: Fault localization tool for Java software that leverages counterfactual reasoning and Bayesian inference.
    • FitSlicer: A Java code slicer for effective test case minimization.
    • WasmChecker: Framework for differential testing between C/C++ programs and their WebAssembly counterparts.
    • UbSym: Framework for detecting memory corruption vulnerabilities in x86-64 binary code.
    • Wuzzer: Web fuzzer for detecting XSS, SQL, and command injection vulnerabilities in websites.

Academic Service

  • Journal Reviewer
    • IEEE Access 2026, TOSEM 2025, 2026
  • Artifact Evaluation Committee
    • IEEE S&P 2027, POPL 2027
    • OOPSLA 2026, PLDI 2026, ACSAC 2025

Teaching Experience

  • Teaching Assistant
    University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
    • Introduction to Operating Systems, Spring 2025
    • Security Systems, Fall 2024
  • Teaching Assistant
    Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
    • Advanced Programming Lab, Spring 2023
    • Operating Systems Lab, Fall 2021, Fall 2022
    • Fundamentals of Computer Security, Spring 2021
    • Compiler Design, Fall 2020, Spring 2020 & 2022
    • Algorithm Design and Analysis, Spring 2020 & 2022
    • Discrete Mathematical Structures, Spring 2019
    • C Programming Lab, Fall 2018, Spring 2019

Honors and Awards

  • 2017–2022
    • Ranked 1st in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Isfahan University of Technology among more than 280 undergraduate students.
  • 2017
    • Ranked in the top 0.5% in Iran's National Entrance Exam for B.Sc. programs in Mathematics and Physics.
  • 2015
    • Placed 2nd in the Junior Soccer Open Weight League at the 2015 RoboCup IranOpen International Competitions.

Research Interests

    • Program Analysis
    • Software Testing and Verification
    • Automated Reasoning
    • ML/AI for Software Engineering
    • Software Security
    • Binary Analysis