Umut Acar is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Computer Science Department. His research interests include algorithms, programming languages, and parallel computing. Acar's work primarily focuses on raising the level of abstraction in computer science to facilitate reasoning about problems and the development of software systems. His research aims to design higher-level abstractions in programming languages that allow for creative thought expression while ensuring efficiency. Acar is particularly interested in dynamic incremental computation and the challenges posed by modern multicore processing environments. He strives to create new programming languages and algorithms that effectively utilize parallel hardware while addressing fundamental issues such as fault tolerance and communication costs among processors. Additionally, Acar explores techniques for improving software comprehension, aiming to enable effective interaction between users and software systems to clarify their behavior. His publications and contributions to these fields reflect his commitment to advancing the state of the art in computer science.