Umut Simsekli

Umut Simsekli is a Researcher at INRIA - SIERRA team and École Normale Supérieure de Paris, Computer Science Department. He earned his PhD (2015) and MSc (2010) from Boğaziçi University, and a BSc from Sabancı University (2008). His career includes roles at Télécom Paris (2016-2020) and visiting positions at Oxford and Boğaziçi University.

• Research Focus: Mathematical Machine Learning, emphasizing Deep Learning theory, Heavy-Tailed Optimization, Bayesian Inference, and Stochastic Dynamics.
• Grants: Principal Investigator for ERC Starting Grant DYNASTY (€1.5M, 2022-2027) and co-PI for ANR/TUBITAK grant FBIMATRIX (2016-2022).
• Recent Article Trends: Explores PAC-Bayesian generalization, heavy-tailed SGD dynamics, and topological stability in optimization algorithms.

Scientific Awards:

• ERC Starting Grant (2021)
• ICASSP Best Student Paper Award (2020)
• Multiple IEEE/SPS Student Travel Grants (2012-2020)
• Victor L. Wooten Bass/Nature Camp Scholarship (2005)

Teaching & Advising: Teaches Deep Learning at École Polytechnique and previously led courses on Probabilistic Graphical Models at Télécom Paris. Supervises PhD students Dario Shariatian, Benjamin Dupuis, and others.