I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Laboratory for Compositional Systems and Methods at Tallinn University of Technology working with Amar Hadzihasanovic.
I defended my PhD on 27.06.2025 under the supervision of Amar Hadzihasanovic and Paweł Sobociński.
My research interests are in the computational aspects of higher-dimensional diagram rewriting.
Publications
A. Matsui, I. Obi, G. Sabbagh, L. Torres, D. Kessler, K. Muroya, J. F. Meleiro. A Critical Pair Enumeration Algorithm for String Diagram Rewriting. 2025.
To appear in 8th International Conference on Applied Category Theory (ACT) 2025.
F. Wiesner, Z. Chaoui, D. Kessler, A. Pappa, M. Karvonen. Why quantum state verification cannot be both efficient and secure: a categorical approach. 2024.
ArXiv preprint.
A. Hadzihasanovic, D. Kessler. Acyclicity conditions on pasting diagrams. 2024.
In Applied Categorical Structures, volume 32, issue 6, article number 31.
A. Hadzihasanovic, D. Kessler. Higher-dimensional subdiagram matching. 2023
In 38th Annual ACM/IEEE Symposium on Logic in Computer Science (LICS) 2023.
A. Hadzihasanovic, D. Kessler. Data structures for topologically sound higher-dimensional diagram rewriting. 2022. (Distinguished presentation)
In 5th International Conference on Applied Category Theory (ACT) 2022, volume 380 of EPTCS, pages 111—127.
Doctoral thesis
D. Kessler. Computational aspects of rewriting in higher-dimensional diagrams. 2025
Talks
ACT, 05.06.2025, Gainesville. Why quantum state verification cannot be both efficient and secure: a categorical approach.
ACT, 01.08.2023, Maryland. Higher-dimensional subdiagram matching - slides.
LiCS, 29.06.2023, Boston. Higher-dimensional subdiagram matching.
SmP workshop, 25.06.2023, Boston. Higher-dimensional subdiagram matching - slides.
CaCS, 23.09.2022, online talk. Data structures for topologically sound higher-dimensional diagram rewriting - slides.
ACT, 18.07.2022, Glasgow, joint talk with Amar Hadzihasanovic. Data structures for topologically sound higher-dimensional diagram rewriting - video.
Misc.
July 2024 - ICALP/LiCS/FSCD:
I was the SafeToc advocate for ICALP 2024. I was available on-site throughout the conference and social events in case anyone needed help with an incident of harassment or discrimination. I gave two presentations introducing SafeToc.
During the conference, I volunteered to help make sure that the talks and sessions run smoothly.
January 2024 - June 2024 - ACT Adjoint School.
I was a TA together with Juan F. Meleiro at the ACT Adjoint School on the project "Critical Pairs for String Diagram Rewriting". The group was mentored by Koko Muroya and continued the collaboration after the school ended. Our collaboration resulted in a paper accepted to ACT 2025 (see above).
Teaching
Spring 2023 - I was a lecturer for the functional programming course ITI0212 Functional Programming.
Spring 2022 - I was a teaching assistant for the functional programming course ITI0212 Functional Programming.
Spring 2020 - I was a tutor for the ``Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming'' and ``Software testing'' courses at Edinburgh University.
Autumn 2019 - I was a tutor for the ``Computation and Logic" course at Edinburgh University.
Seminars
Spring 2022 - I was in charge of the group's informal reading seminar.
Autumn 2021 - I was in charge for the Tallcat seminar series.
Education
2020-2025 - PhD in Computer Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia.
2014-2020 - Master of Informatics, Edinburgh University, United Kingdom. (First-Class Honours)
Professional Experience
September 2019 - June 2020 - Resident Assistant, Edinburgh University.
01.04.2019–12.07.2019 - Software Engineer Intern, Adobe Systems.
01.06.2017–18.08.2017 - Software Engineering Intern, Metaswitch Networks.
01.06.2016–30.08.2016 - Summer Intern, Edinburgh University.
Contact details:
Email:
Address:
Room 327, Department of Software Science, Cybernetics Building
Tallinn University of Technology
Akadeemia tee 21/1, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia