Robert Lorch, PhD candidate, presented at the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE) in Rio de Janeiro.
He presented on his research paper titled “Parse this! Summoning Context-Sensitive Inputs with Goblin.” The paper discusses novel techniques to automate the process of software testing and the discovery of security vulnerabilities. In fact, research methods developed in his paper have already been used to help find real-world security vulnerabilities in widely used software, such as Wi-Fi authentication protocols.
What was your experience like at the 2026 International Conference on Software Engineering?
Overall, I had a blast. It was a bit overwhelming -- I had never been to Brazil before, and I had never attended a software engineering conference (I usually publish in venues from other fields: security and formal methods). So, the whole experience was full of new people and places, and I was just trying to keep up. It’s always a balancing act trying to work and make professional connections while still enjoying the destination.
Was there a moment at the conference that stuck out to you the most?
One of the most famous researchers in the field was interested in my talk, and we had a long conversation afterward. Building connections like this is the major benefit of conference publications (compared to journal publications).
What advice would you give to someone attending or presenting at the next conference?
Try to meet new people and explore the area. Initiate conversations, ask people about their work, and try to find out if there’s any synergy between their work and your work. There’s not much point to a conference if you spend a lot of time in your hotel room.
What was your experience like in Rio de Janeiro?
Rio is an interesting destination; it has a mixed reputation online, with some people raising concerns about safety. However, the parts I visited (the hotel and surrounding areas, the conference venue, the nearby beach, the banquet venue, a nearby shopping center, Copacabana, and so on) were all very modern, clean, and safe. I was surprised at the food -- while Brazil certainly has its own culinary traditions, they also have a lot of food options from many different parts of the world in a way that reminded me of the US.
What's one thing you'd recommend to anyone traveling to Rio de Janeiro for the first time?
I think Rio is a great tourist destination that doesn’t require many specific recommendations. Stay in a nice hotel or Airbnb, use Uber for transportation (it is safe and cheap), get food recommendations (from locals or online), avoid obviously shady areas, and just explore. And, by the way, note that you should not flush toilet paper (they use bins) .
