Daniel Zilken

I am a PhD student in the Software Modeling and Verification Group headed by Professor Joost-Pieter Katoen.

Research

My research focuses on the verification of probabilistic programs via distributional invariants. More specifically:

• Viewing Probabilistic programs and Markov chains as distribution transformers
• Automatic derivation of invariants
• Certification in Markov chains and Markov decision processes

Thesis Projects

If you are interested in writing a Bachelor/Master’s thesis don’t hesitate to step by my office or contact me. Then you can either bring up your own ideas, we can think about possible topics together or we can discuss if one of the following open topics suits you:

• (B): Strategy Equivalences for MDPs and Nondeterministic Probabilistic Programs
• (B+M) Expressive Predicates for Sets of Distributions
• (M): Approximating the Output of a Probabilistic Program
• (M): Equivalences of Strategies with Memory for MDPs and Nondeterministic Probabilistic Programs
• (M): Distributional Certificates for Probabilistic Programs
• More topics on request…

Ongoing Projects:

• (B): Philip Strüwer – Semantic Equivalences of Probabilistic Programs and Their Underlying Markov Chains
• (B): Felix Euting – Distribution Transformers for Probabilistic Programs: A Study of Inductive Definability
• (B): Luis Matzke – Strategy Equivalence between Nondeterministic Programs and MDPs

Past Projects:

• (M): Jonas Seidel – Sound and Complete Proof Rules for Almost-Sure Termination: From Probabilistic Control-Flow Graphs to Program-Level Reasoning
• (B): Samuel Akinlaja – Which Probabalistic Programs are Modelcheckable?
• (Intern): Ivo Melse – Implementing Certificates for Long-Run Average Rewards in MDPs
• (B): Elbeck Lazaridi – Implementing the Denotational Semantics of Probabilistic Programs
• (Intern): Diane Cauquil – Certificates for Long-Run Average Rewards in MDPs

Publications

You can also find me on dblp, ORCID, and Google Scholar

• FM 26
  • https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-032-26204-2
  • (arXiv version: https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.06410)
• TACAS 25
  • https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-90653-4
  • (arXiv version: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.11467)

Awards

• FM26: Our paper Verifying Sampling Algorithms via Distributional Invariants (joint work with Joost-Pieter Katoen, Kevin Batz and Tobias Winkler) has received the Best Paper Award.
• Springorum Medal for receiving a master’s degree with distinction.

Teaching

Summer Semester 2026

• Data Structures and Algorithms (DSAL)

Winter Semester 2025/26

• Concurrency Theory

Summer Semester 2025

• Compiler Construction

Winter Semester 2024/25

• Seminar Probabilistic Programming

2021-2024

• Maybe you still know me as a student Tutor/Mentor from one of the following courses 🙂
• Mentoring, DSAL, MaLo, FoSAP, Progra, SaVoS, TFUML, CT

More About Me

• CV
• My personal webpage

Publications