Quick Facts
Biography
Eric C. R. Hehner, called Rick, is a Canadian computer scientist.
Eric Hehner was born on 16 September 1947 in Ottawa. He studied mathematics and physics at Carleton University, obtaining his first degree in 1969. He gained a PhD in computer science from the University of Toronto in 1974. He then joined the faculty there, becoming a full professor in 1983. He became the Bell University Chair in Software Engineering in 2001.
Hehner's main research area is formal methods, particularly for programming. In 1979, Hehner invented a method of representing rational numbers with current University of Victoria professor Nigel Horspool called quote notation, which allows for easier arithmetic and produces no roundoff error in arithmetic calculations implementing a generalization of radix notation. Hehner has also influenced many other computer science researchers with his ideas, including Tony Hoare, especially with his concept of predicative programming.