Yuan Yao (姚远)

Associate Professor, Nanjing University

Yuan Yao

Associate Professor

State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology

College of Computer Science

Nanjing University


Email ✉ : y DOT yao AT nju DOT edu DOT cn

[DBLP] [Google Scholar]


Research Interests

Selected Publications


2026

  • I3DP: Neuro-symbolic Inductive Invariant Inference for Distributed Protocols
    Weining Cao, Guangyuan Wu, Yuan Yao, Hengfeng Wei, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma
    SOSP 2026 [pdf] [code]
  • Neuro-Symbolic Proof Generation for Scaling Systems Software Verification
    Baoding He, Zenan Li, Wei Sun, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma, Zhendong Su
    OSDI 2026 [pdf] [code] [docker]
  • Planning to Hammer: Difficulty-Aware Decomposition for Automating Rocq Proofs
    Ning Zhang, Nongyu Di, Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Xiaoxing Ma
    OOPSLA 2026 [pdf] [code]
  • The Entropic Overhead of Conformal Correction
    Senrong Xu, Tianyu Wang, Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Feng Xu, Xiaoxing Ma
    KDD 2026 [pdf] [code]
  • CharTide: Data-Centric Chart-to-Code Generation via Tri-Perspective Tuning and Inquiry-Driven Evolution
    Xiangxi Zheng, Kuang He, Jiayi Hu, Ping Yu, Yuan Yao, Peng Hou, Anxiang Zeng, Alex Jinpeng Wang
    ACL 2026 [pdf] [model]
  • ChessArena: A Chess Testbed for Evaluating Strategic Reasoning Capabilities of Large Language Models
    Jincheng Liu, Sijun He, Jingjing Wu, Xiangsen Wang, Yang Chen, Zhaoqi Kuang, Siqi Bao, Yuan Yao
    ACL 2026 [pdf] [code]
  • FormalML: A Benchmark for Evaluating Formal Subgoal Completion in Machine Learning Theory
    Xiao-Wen Yang, Zihao Zhang, Jianuo Cao, Zhi Zhou, Zenan Li, Lan-Zhe Guo, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Yu-Feng Li, Xiaoxing Ma
    ICLR 2026 [pdf] [code]
  • Fair Conformal Classification via Learning Representation-Based Groups
    Senrong Xu, Yanke Zhou, Yuhao Tan, Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Feng Xu, Xiaoxing Ma
    ICLR 2026 [pdf] [code]

2025

  • Comprehend, Imitate, and then Update: Unleashing the Power of LLMs in Test Suite Evolution
    Tangzhi Xu, Jianhan Liu, Yuan Yao, Cong Li, Feng Xu, Xiaoxing Ma
    ASE 2025 [pdf] [code]
  • A Theoretical Study on Bridging Internal Probability and Self-Consistency for LLM Reasoning
    Zhi Zhou, Tan Yuhao, Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Lan-Zhe Guo, Yu-Feng Li, and Xiaoxing Ma
    NeurIPS 2025 [pdf] [code]
  • Clause2Inv: A Generate-Combine-Check Framework for Loop Invariant Inference
    Weining Cao, Guangyuan Wu, Tangzhi Xu, Yuan Yao, Hengfeng Wei, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma
    ISSTA 2025 [pdf] [code]
  • Simulate, Refine and Integrate: Strategy Synthesis for Efficient SMT Solving
    Bingzhe Zhou, Hannan Wang, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Feng Xu, Xiaoxing Ma
    IJCAI 2025 [pdf] [code]
  • Proving Olympiad Inequalities by Synergizing LLMs and Symbolic Reasoning
    Zenan Li, Zhaoyu Li, Wen Tang, Xian Zhang, Yuan Yao, Xujie Si, Fan Yang, Kaiyu Yang, Xiaoxing Ma
    ICLR 2025 [pdf] [code]
  • An Embarassingly Simple but Effective Knowledge-enhanced Recommender
    Haibo Ye, Zhang Lijun, Yuan Yao, Xinjie Li
    CIKM 2025 [pdf] [code]

2024

  • LLM Meets Bounded Model Checking: Neuro-symbolic Loop Invariant Inference
    Guangyuan Wu, Weining Cao, Yuan Yao, Hengfeng Wei, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma
    ASE 2024 [pdf] [code]
  • Neuro-Symbolic Data Generation for Math Reasoning
    Zenan Li, Zhi Zhou, Yuan Yao, Yu-Feng Li, Chun Cao, Fan Yang, Xian Zhang, Xiaoxing Ma
    NeurIPS 2024 [pdf]
  • Inspecting Prediction Confidence for Detecting Black-box Backdoor Attacks
    Tong Wang, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Miao Xu, Shengwei An, Ting Wang
    AAAI 2024 [pdf] [supp]
  • Datactive: Data Fault Localization for Object Detection Systems
    Yining Yin, Yang Feng, Shihao Weng, Yuan Yao, Jia Liu, Zhihong Zhao
    ISSTA 2024 [pdf]

2023

  • Neuro-symbolic Learning Yielding Logical Constraints
    Zenan Li, Yunpeng Huang, Zhaoyu Li, Yuan Yao, Jingwei Xu, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma, Jian Lu
    NeurIPS 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • Data Quality Matters: A Case Study of Obsolete Comment Detection
    Shengbin Xu, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Tianxiao Gu, Jingwei Xu, Xiaoxing Ma
    ICSE 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • Lightweight Approaches to DNN Regression Error Reduction: An Uncertainty Alignment Perspective
    Zenan Li, Maorun Zhang, Jingwei Xu, Yuan Yao, Chun Cao, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma, Jian Lu
    ICSE 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • Dynamic Data Fault Localization for Deep Neural Networks
    Yining Yin, Yang Feng, Shihao Weng, Zixi Liu, Yuan Yao, Yichi Zhang, Zhihong Zhao, Zhenyu Chen
    FSE 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • ImU: Physical Impersonating Attack for Face Recognition System with Natural Style Changes
    Shengwei An, Yuan Yao, Qiuling Xu, Shiqing Ma, Guanhong Tao, Siyuan Cheng, Kaiyuan Zhang, Yingqi Liu, Guangyu Shen, Ian Kelk, Xiangyu Zhang
    S&P 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • Learning with Logical Constraints but without Shortcut Satisfaction
    Zenan Li, Zehua Liu, Yuan Yao, Jingwei Xu, Taolue Chen, Xiaoxing Ma, Jian Lu
    ICLR (spotlight) 2023 [pdf] [code]
  • Softened Symbol Grounding for Neuro-symbolic Systems
    Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Taolue Chen, Jingwei Xu, Chun Cao, Xiaoxing Ma, Jian Lu
    ICLR 2023 [pdf] [code]
    • li>
    An Embarrassingly Simple Backdoor Attack on Self-supervised Learning
    Changjiang Li, Ren Pang, Zhaohan Xi, Tianyu Du, Shouling Ji, Yuan Yao, Ting Wang
    ICCV 2023 [pdf] \
  • MuSeNet: Multi-Scenario Learning for Repeat-Aware Personalized Recommendation
    Senrong Xu, Liangyue Li, Yuan Yao, Zulong Chen, Han Wu, Quan Lu, Hanghang Tong
    WSDM 2023 [pdf]

2022 and before

  • DescribeCtx: Context-Aware Description Synthesis for Sensitive Behaviors in Mobile Apps
    Shao Yang, Yuehan Wang, Yuan Yao, Haoyu Wang, Yanfang Ye, Xusheng Xiao
    ICSE 2022 [pdf] [code]
  • An Invisible Black-box Backdoor Attack through Frequency Domain
    Tong Wang, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Shengwei An, Hanghang Tong, Ting Wang
    ECCV 2022 [pdf] [code]
  • Fair Representation Learning: An Alternative to Mutual Information
    Ji Liu, Zenan Li, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Xiaoxing Ma, Miao Xu, Hanghang Tong
    KDD 2022 [pdf] [code]
  • MIRROR: Model Inversion for Deep Learning Network with High Fidelity
    Shengwei An, Guanhong Tao, Qiuling Xu, Yingqi Liu, Guangyu Shen, Yuan Yao, Jingwei Xu, Xiangyu Zhang
    NDSS 2022 [pdf] [code]
  • Structure Meets Sequences: Predicting Network of Co-evolving Sequences
    Yaojing Wang, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Yada Zhu, Hanghang Tong
    WSDM 2022 [pdf] [code]
  • Unsupervised Attributed Network Embedding via Cross Fusion
    Guosheng Pan, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    WSDM 2021 [pdf] [code]
  • Trading Personalization for Accuracy: Data Debugging in Collaborative Filtering
    Long Chen, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Miao Xu, and Hanghang Tong
    NeurIPS 2020 [pdf] [code]
  • Bringing Order to Network Embedding: A Relative Ranking based Approach
    Yaojing Wang, Guosheng Pan, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Hongxia Yang, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    CIKM 2020 [pdf] [code]
  • DeepIntent: Deep Icon-Behavior Learning for Detecting Intention-Behavior Discrepancy in Mobile Apps
    Shengqu Xi, Shao Yang, Xusheng Xiao, Yuan Yao, Yayuan Xiong, Fengyuan Xu, Haoyu Wang, Peng Gao, Zhuotao Liu, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    CCS 2019 [pdf] [code]
  • Discerning Edge Influence for Network Embedding
    Yaojing Wang, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    CIKM 2019 [pdf] [code]
  • Commit Message Generation for Source Code Changes
    Shengbin Xu, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Tianxiao Gu, Hanghang Tong, and Jian Lu
    IJCAI 2019 [pdf] [code]
  • Practical GUI Testing of Android Applications via Model Abstraction and Refinement
    Tianxiao Gu, Chengnian Sun, Xiaoxing Ma, Chun Cao, Chang Xu, Yuan Yao, Qirun Zhang, Jian Lu, and Zhendong Su
    ICSE 2019 [pdf] [tool]
  • Hashtag Recommendation for Photo Sharing Services
    Suwei Zhang, Yuan Yao, Feng Xu, Hanghang Tong, Xiaohui Yan, and Jian Lu
    AAAI 2019 [pdf] [code]
  • An Integral Tag Recommendation Model for Textual Content
    Shijie Tang, Yuan Yao, Suwei Zhang, Feng Xu, Tianxiao Gu, Hanghang Tong, Xiaohui Yan, and Jian Lu
    AAAI 2019 [pdf] [code]
  • Bug Localization via Supervised Topic Modeling
    Yaojing Wang, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Xuan Huo, Ming Li, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    ICDM 2018 [pdf] [code]
  • HoORaYs: High-order Optimization of Rating Distance for Recommender Systems
    Jingwei Xu, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Xianping Tao, and Jian Lu
    KDD 2017 [pdf]
  • QUINT: On Query-Specific Optimal Networks
    Liangyue Li, Yuan Yao, Jie Tang, Wei Fan, and Hanghang Tong
    KDD 2016 [pdf]
  • Ice-Breaking: Mitigating Cold-Start Recommendation Problem by Rating Comparison
    Jingwei Xu, Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, XianPing Tao, and Jian Lu
    IJCAI 2015 [pdf]
  • Predicting Long-term Impact of CQA Posts: a Comprehensive Viewpoint
    Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    KDD 2014 [pdf] [code]
  • Dual-Regularized One-Class Collaborative Filtering
    Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Guo Yan, Feng Xu, Xiang Zhang, Boleslaw K. Szymanski, and Jian Lu
    CIKM 2014 [pdf]
  • MATRI: a Multi-aspect and Transitive Trust Inference Model
    Yuan Yao, Hanghang Tong, Xifeng Yan, Feng Xu, and Jian Lu
    WWW 2013 [pdf]