Dr. Mauricio Verano Merino is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at VU Amsterdam. He holds a PhD in Computer Science and specializes in software engineering for the creative industries, end-user programming, software language engineering, and sports analytics.
His research focuses on making programming languages and software development tools accessible, intuitive, and effective for non-expert programmers, domain experts, and artists. He is best known for his work in language engineering and end-user programming environments, including the creation of tools like Kogi and Bacatá that automatically generate interactive, block-based programming interfaces for domain-specific languages. Beyond software engineering, his work bridges computing, real-world analytics, and the arts—exploring audio processing software ecosystems (such as VST plugins), digital preservation of software-based artworks, computer vision for sports analytics, and founding the Analogue Intelligence Lab.
Through these projects, his research addresses key societal challenges: empowering non-programmers across diverse domain areas to build and understand software, preserving digital cultural heritage, and leveraging technology to support creative industries and sports performance.
Recognitions & Grants
His contributions to software engineering and innovative educational tools have earned several recognitions:
-
Awards: 3rd Place in the VERSEN PhD Thesis Award, Distinguished Artifact Award at the Software Language Engineering conference (2021), and an IBM System i Administrator Scholarship (2009).
-
Research & Innovation Grants: Principal researcher on competitive funding initiatives, including the ZonMw-Sportinnovator grant for computer vision in water polo analytics (2026), multiple Faculty of Science VU Innovation Grants for AI-driven education tools like Rolo tutor (2023–2024), and grants from the Nederlands Letterenfonds (2021–2022).
Teaching
At VU Amsterdam, he teaches across undergraduate, graduate, and multidisciplinary programs, focusing on:
-
Introductory Programming in Python: Equipping foundational computer science and artificial intelligence students with algorithmic thinking and core software development skills.
-
Web Development & AI-Assisted Software Engineering: Guiding students through web development while critically experimenting with AI-powered coding assistants.
-
Software Language Engineering & Domain-Specific Languages: Training master’s-level computer science students in DSL design, compilers, code generators, and language workbenches.
-
Creative Coding & Computational Art: Leading studio course where students explore code as an expressive medium for interactive art, audio, and visual experiences.
