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Tal MalkinView profile

Professor

• Cryptography
• Computer Security
• Complexity Theory
• +8 more

Tal Malkin is a Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University, directing the Cryptography Lab and serving as inaugural chair of the Cybersecurity Center at Columbia's Data Science Institute. She holds a Ph.D. from MIT (2000), joined Columbia after AT&T Labs research experience, and focuses on cryptography, security, complexity theory with applications in secure computation, zero-knowledge proofs, and privacy-preserving systems . Education: B.S. in Math and Computer Science, Bar-Ilan University M.S. in Computer Science, Weizmann Institute of Science Ph.D. in Computer Science, MIT (2000) Research Interests: Malkin's work spans foundational and applied cryptography, including homomorphic encryption, lattice-based protocols, attribute-based encryption, and tamper-resilient systems . She explores intersections with machine learning and information theory , addressing challenges in multi-party computation , public-key encryption , and side-channel resistance . Scientific Contributions: Her publications include breakthroughs in non-malleable codes , secure computation , and privacy-preserving databases . Notable works involve continual leakage resilience , optimally-fair coin tossing , and garbled circuits for efficient cryptographic protocols. Awards & Grants: Recipient of the NSF CAREER award, IBM and Google faculty research awards, and the IACR Fellow designation. Her research is funded by NSF, NSA, DHS, NYSIA, IARPA, and industry partnerships with Google, IBM, Mitsubishi, and NEC. Professional Leadership: Former conference chairs at CRYPTO 2021 , CCS 2017 , and CT-RSA conferences. Active in program committees for over 20 leading cryptography and security events, including FOCS , Eurocrypt , and Real World Crypto . Advising: Supervised numerous Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers, including Marshall Ball , Chengyu Lin , and Negev Shekhel Nosatzki . Her lab has mentored graduates like Ghada Almashaqbeh (2019) and Fernando Krell (2016), focusing on decentralized networks , secure learning , and cryptographic primitives .

Bo DaiView profile

Assistant Professor

• Reinforcement Learning
• Machine Learning
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• +3 more

Bo Dai is an Assistant Professor at the School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Staff Research Scientist at Google DeepMind. His research focuses on Agent AI, Generative Models, and Representation Learning, aiming to create decision-making agents through world modeling. He holds a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech (2013–2018) and previously worked at Google Brain. Dai has authored numerous influential papers in top conferences like NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR, and received the AISTATS Best Paper Award (2016). Education: Ph.D., School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech (2013–2018) Research Interests: Reinforcement Learning and Representation Learning for decision-making agents Generative Models and their integration with Agent AI Provable and scalable algorithms for real-world applications His work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing spectral representations and provable guarantees in complex systems. Key Article Trends: His recent work emphasizes scalable spectral methods for multi-agent systems, diffusion policies, and representation-based techniques in reinforcement learning. He also explores LLM alignment and sim-to-real transfer learning. Awards: AISTATS Best Paper Award (2016) NeurIPS Workshop Best Paper (2017) Ross Fellowship (2011–2012) Advising & Grants: Supervises 6 current Ph.D. and M.S. students. Active in organizing workshops on reinforcement learning and serves as an Area Chair for top conferences. Labs & Software: Leads development of Representation-based Reinforcement Learning and Repr-Control toolboxes for nonlinear control and stochastic systems.

Jiatao GuView profile

Assistant Professor

• Machine Learning
• Generative Models
• 3D Generation
• +3 more

Jiatao Gu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science (CIS) at the University of Pennsylvania, with a part-time role as Staff Research Scientist at Apple (MLR). He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Hong Kong (2018) and a B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering from Tsinghua University (2014). His research focuses on generative machine learning and AI agent interaction with the physical world, emphasizing multi-modal systems spanning language, images, videos, and 3D. Key themes include efficient modeling , flexible architecture design , and scalable decision-making frameworks . 2025: ICLR paper on DART framework 2024: TMLR work on GFlowNet alignment 2023: NeurIPS research on diffusion stability 2022: ACL papers on speech translation Recent publications explore diffusion models for text-to-image synthesis, 3D reconstruction, and efficient sampling techniques. His work addresses fundamental challenges in attention mechanisms, entropy collapse, and multi-stage distillation while advancing non-autoregressive translation and vision-language reasoning . Prospective students can apply through his recruitment process at UPenn. Prior affiliations include Meta AI (FAIR Labs) and academic collaborations with institutions like New York University's CILVR Lab.

Andrea ColadangeloView profile

Assistant Professor

• Quantum Computation
• Quantum Cryptography
• Quantum Learning Theory
• +3 more

Andrea Coladangelo is an Assistant Professor at the Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering , University of Washington , co-leading the Quantum group and contributing to the Theory and Crypto groups. He coordinates the NSF-funded Quantum@UW REU program , fostering undergraduate research in quantum information. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley and the Simons Institute , advised by Umesh Vazirani , following a PhD in Computer Science at Caltech under Thomas Vidick . His academic journey began with a B.A. in Mathematics from Oxford and a Master in Mathematics from Cambridge . He co-founded qBraid , a platform for quantum computing education. Research Interests : Andrea explores the intersection of quantum computation and cryptography , focusing on foundational questions in entanglement , quantum correlations , and quantum learning theory . His work investigates quantum pseudorandomness , device-independent security , quantum algorithms , and quantum copy-protection , often leveraging computational assumptions to bridge quantum information theory with cryptographic applications. Scientific Awards : 2025 Google Research Scholar Program Award in Quantum Computing 2023 CSE Undergraduate Teaching Award for his course on quantum computation 2019 Best Student Paper Award at QIP Teaching & Outreach : Andrea designed and taught CSE 434: Intro to Quantum Computation (Spring 2023, 2024, 2025), CSE 534: Quantum Information and Computation (Autumn 2023), and CSE 599C: Quantum Learning Theory (Winter 2025). He also delivered lectures at the 22nd Bellairs Crypto Workshop (2024) and led a quantum programming tutorial using qBraid . Labs & Teams : As co-leader of the Quantum group at the Allen School, he collaborates with researchers in Theory and Crypto , advancing quantum computing through interdisciplinary projects and educational initiatives.

Lijie ChenView profile

Assistant Professor

• Theoretical Computer Science
• Computational Complexity Theory
• Quantum Complexity Theory
• +4 more

Lijie Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, where he is part of the Berkeley Theory Group. Previously, he was a Miller Research Fellow at UC Berkeley, hosted by Avishay Tal and Umesh Vazirani, and earned his Ph.D. from MIT under Ryan Williams. His research focuses on theoretical computer science, particularly computational complexity theory, with applications to quantum physics and AI safety. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT (2022), B.Sc. from Yao Class at Tsinghua University. Research Interests: Complexity theory, quantum complexity, derandomization, circuit lower bounds, and foundational aspects of AI safety. Chen has made significant contributions to understanding fundamental questions in complexity theory, including circuit lower bounds and the connections between randomness and computation efficiency. His work often bridges theoretical insights with practical implications in quantum computing and algorithm design. Awards and Honors: Machtey Award for Best Student Paper (2019). Danny Lewin Best Student Paper Award (2019). Invited to SICOMP Special Issues for FOCS and STOC papers. He has organized workshops on complexity theory and derandomization, and his research has been recognized in venues like STOC, FOCS, and the Journal of the ACM.

Nils FleischhackerView profile

Assistant Professor

• Cryptography
• Theoretical Computer Science
• Zero-Knowledge Proofs
• +5 more

Nils Fleischhacker is an Assistant Professor for Cryptography at Ruhr University Bochum, where he leads the Theoretical Cryptography group within the Faculty of Computer Science. His research focuses on foundational aspects of cryptography with particular emphasis on zero-knowledge proofs, digital signatures, and secure computation. Prior to joining Ruhr University, he held postdoctoral positions at Johns Hopkins University and Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Fleischhacker received his PhD in Computer Science from Saarland University in February 2017, advised by Dominique Schröder. During his doctoral studies, he was a research intern at Microsoft Research with Chris Brzuska and a research visitor at the University of Maryland, College Park with Jonathan Katz and Dana Dachman-Soled. His research spans theoretical cryptography with significant contributions to zero-knowledge proofs, multi-signature schemes, property-preserving hash functions, and security proofs for cryptographic primitives. Fleischhacker's work often addresses fundamental questions about the limits and possibilities of cryptographic constructions, with particular attention to black-box separations and lower bounds. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on lattice-based cryptography and post-quantum secure protocols. Fleischhacker's publications over the past five years reveal a consistent research trajectory focused on improving the efficiency and security of cryptographic primitives, with particular emphasis on signature schemes, zero-knowledge protocols, and secure computation frameworks. His work frequently appears in top-tier cryptography venues including CRYPTO, EUROCRYPT, and CCS. Dr. Fleischhacker actively mentors PhD students, with numerous successful graduations spanning from 2010 to 2024. His former PhD students include Önder Askin (2024), Floyd Zweydinger (2023), and Lars Schlieper (2022), among others. His research is supported through various academic channels and collaborations. He is affiliated with several prominent research organizations including the Horst Görtz Institute (HGI) for Information Security, the DFG Excellence Cluster CASA, the EU Marie Curie Network QSI, and the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR). These affiliations provide a strong institutional framework for his theoretical cryptography research.

Andrew ChildsView profile

Professor

• Quantum Algorithms
• Quantum Information Processing
• Quantum Simulation
• +2 more

Andrew Childs is a Professor at the University of Maryland, affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and the Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). He serves as Director of the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation (RQS) and is a Fellow at the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS). His research focuses on quantum algorithms for simulating physical systems, algebraic problems, and quantum walk protocols, with applications in quantum computing and computational complexity. University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (QuICS) NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation Childs' research spans quantum simulation, quantum Fourier transform, phase estimation, and Hamiltonian dynamics. He has developed techniques to reduce quantum computational resources for simulating quantum systems and explored limitations of quantum computers through hidden subgroup problems and non-unitary dynamics. His publications cover diverse areas including quantum walk optimization, Hamiltonian simulation methods, and applications to cryptography and condensed matter physics. Recent works address spatial search algorithms, product formulas for commutators, and quantum routing protocols. As an educator, Childs has taught courses on quantum algorithms and information processing at both the University of Maryland and University of Waterloo, with lecture notes and materials spanning multiple years. Contact: amchilds@umd.edu | Office: ATL 3359 | Affiliated with University of Maryland's quantum research institutes.

David DuvenaudView profile

Associate Professor

• Machine Learning
• Generative Models
• Bayesian Inference
• +5 more

David Duvenaud is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto , holding a Canada Research Chair in Generative Models and a Schwartz Reisman Chair in Technology and Society . He is cross-appointed to the Department of Computer Science and Department of Statistical Sciences . A Sloan Research Fellow and founding member of the Vector Institute , his work bridges deep probabilistic models , AI safety , and scientific computing . PhD in Machine Learning (University of Cambridge, 2014) Postdoc in Hyperparameter Optimization (Harvard University, 2016) Co-founded Invenia (energy forecasting company) His research spans foundational Neural Ordinary Differential Equations (NeurIPS 2018 Best Paper) and Automatic Chemical Design (ACS Central Science 2018) to recent work on AGI governance (2025) and AI safety (2024). Key contributions include stochastic variational inference , implicit differentiation frameworks , and antisymmetrization layers for quantum Monte Carlo. Recent publications (2024-2025) focus on systemic existential risks from AI , many-shot jailbreaking attacks , and epistemic uncertainty quantification . His group trains energy-based models with scalable MCMC samplers and develops invertible neural architectures (e.g., Residual Flows NeurIPS 2019). He also explores human-AI alignment through LLM Processes (NeurIPS 2024) and Sycophancy in Language Models (ICLR 2024). Canada Research Chair (2025) NSERC Grant (2025) Sloan Research Fellow (2021) Schwartz Reisman Chair (2021) Best Paper Award (NeurIPS 2018) Distinguished Paper Award (ICFP 2021) His students include James Requeima , Jesse Bettencourt , and Raymond Douglas . He teaches courses on Statistical Methods for Machine Learning and Differentiable Inference . Current work (2025) investigates systemic human disempowerment through incremental AI capabilities and sabotage risk mitigation via hyperparameter-aware evaluations.

Vassilis ZikasView profile

Associate Professor

• Cryptography
• Blockchain Technologies
• Cryptocurrencies
• +5 more

Vassilis Zikas is an Associate Professor at the School of Cybersecurity and Privacy and holds a courtesy appointment in the School of Computer Science at Georgia Tech. He previously held positions at Purdue University, the University of Edinburgh, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). His research focuses on cryptography, blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies, game theory, and distributed computing. He leads the Blockchain Lab at Georgia Tech and serves as Chief Scientist at Sunday Group, where he contributes to the Mobby blockchain architecture. His work is supported by the NSF, DoD, Swiss NSF, and industry partners like Sunday Group and Algorand Foundation. He has organized major conferences including PKC 2020 and has served on program committees for EUROCRYPT, CRYPTO, and TCC. He advises PhD students in cryptography and related fields and has mentored postdocs and master’s students. Zikas’ publications span topics like secure multi-party computation (MPC), blockchain security, and cryptographic protocol design. His recent work includes advancements in privacy-preserving protocols, adaptive security frameworks, and composability in blockchain systems. Notable awards include the 2023 Leadership Award from Purdue College of Science and an AnlytiXIN Fellowship. He actively contributes to both theoretical and applied aspects of cybersecurity and privacy through academic and industrial collaborations.

Yin Tat LeeView profile

Associate Professor

• Convex Optimization
• Convex Geometry
• Graph Algorithms
• +2 more

Yin Tat Lee is an Associate Professor at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering , University of Washington, and a Senior Principal Researcher in Microsoft AI. His research spans convex optimization , convex geometry , graph algorithms , online algorithms , and differential privacy , with applications in machine learning and theoretical computer science.

Chaitanya SwamyView profile

Professor

• Combinatorial Optimization
• Approximation Algorithms
• Algorithmic Game Theory
• +4 more

Chaitanya Swamy is a Professor and University Research Chair in the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization at the University of Waterloo, Canada. His primary affiliation is within the Faculty of Mathematics, and he holds positions in both the Department of Combinatorics & Optimization and the School of Computer Science. He obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University under the supervision of David Shmoys, followed by postdoctoral research at Caltech's Center for the Mathematics of Information. Swamy’s research focuses on algorithms, particularly in combinatorial optimization, approximation algorithms, algorithmic game theory, stochastic optimization, network design, scheduling, and online algorithms. His work spans theoretical contributions and practical applications, including algorithm design for facility location, network routing, and mechanism design. He has contributed to foundational results in approximation algorithms, such as the development of primal-dual methods and LP-rounding techniques. Swamy has held significant editorial roles, including as an associate editor for Discrete Optimization and SIAM Journal on Computing . He has organized major conferences like CanaDAM 2021 and sessions at ISMP 2018. His teaching record includes courses on combinatorial optimization, scheduling, and algorithmic game theory. He has advised numerous Ph.D. and Master’s students, many of whom have gone on to prestigious academic and industry positions. Swamy’s research has been recognized through awards for his students, including the University of Waterloo Alumni Gold Medal. He actively contributes to the academic community through committee work for conferences like STOC, APPROX, and SODA, and his publications reflect a deep engagement with both theoretical and applied aspects of algorithms and optimization.

Sanjit A. SeshiaView profile

Professor

• Formal Methods
• Cyber-Physical Systems
• Computer Security
• +10 more

Sanjit A. Seshia is the Cadence Founders Chair Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley . He is affiliated with the Group in Logic and the Methodology of Science and participates in centers like the Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems Center , Berkeley AI Research , and the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing . Research interests include formal methods for automated verification and synthesis of dependable systems, with applications to cyber-physical systems , AI-based autonomy , and computer security . His work spans SMT solving, model counting, syntax-guided synthesis, and algorithmic improvisation, with tools like UCLID5 , VerifAI , and Scenic for verifying autonomous systems and educational platforms like CPSGrader . Students and collaborators include notable researchers such as Dorsa Sadigh (Stanford), Daniel Fremont (UC Santa Cruz), and Hazem Torfah (Chalmers). He has co-founded startups like Decyphir and 20ⁿ Labs based on his research.

Supratik ChakrabortyView profile

Professor

• Formal Methods
• Formal Verification
• Automated Synthesis
• +7 more

Supratik Chakraborty serves as the Bajaj Group Chair Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. He maintains dual affiliations with the Centre for Formal Design and Verification of Software and the Centre for Liberal Education at IIT Bombay, demonstrating his cross-disciplinary engagement. Professor Chakraborty's research spans formal methods with focus on formal verification, rigorous analysis of system models, and automated synthesis of systems from specifications. His work bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, particularly in developing mathematically provable guarantees for increasingly complex hardware, software, and intelligent systems. Current research interests include constrained counting and sampling, scalable formal verification of software and hardware systems, automated synthesis of programs and circuits, and applications of automata, logic and finite model theory to practical verification challenges. His publication trajectory shows a significant evolution from traditional hardware and software verification toward addressing verification challenges in machine learning and AI systems. Recent work increasingly focuses on interpretability of black-box models, verification of neural networks, and synthesis techniques applicable to intelligent systems. The research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections between formal methods, programming languages, and artificial intelligence. IIT Bombay Excellence in Thesis (CSE) Award 2011 (for Bhargav Gulavani's thesis) IIT Bombay Excellence in Thesis (CSE) Award 2017 (for Abhisekh Sankaran's thesis) Best Paper in Algorithms and Architecture track at IEEE International Conference on Computer Design: VLSI in Computers and Processors, 1998 Professor Chakraborty has successfully supervised 11 doctoral students, with research spanning formal verification techniques, Boolean functional synthesis, constrained counting, and applications to hardware and software systems. His students have gone on to positions at major institutions including Microsoft Research, TCS Research, Georgia Tech, and BARC, reflecting the strong industry and academic impact of his mentorship. Current research directions show increasing emphasis on verification challenges posed by machine learning systems and AI. His research group at IIT Bombay, while not explicitly named in the materials, appears to focus on formal methods with strong connections to the Centre for Formal Design and Verification of Software. The group maintains active collaborations with international researchers including Moshe Y. Vardi at Rice University, and has made significant contributions to verification tools like VeriAbs that bridge theoretical advances with practical applications.

• Perceptual information processing
• Computer Vision
• Artificial Intelligence
• +3 more

Hiroshi Ishikawa is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Waseda University's Faculty of Science and Engineering. He also serves as a Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Informatics since 2016. Previously, he held positions at Nagoya City University from 2004-2010 as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. His academic journey includes being a JST PRESTO Researcher from 2009-2013 and an Associate Research Scientist at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences from 2000-2001. Ph.D. in Computer Science, New York University (2000) Master of Science, Kyoto University Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, Kyoto University Faculty of Science (1991) Hiroshi Ishikawa's research spans perceptual information processing, computer vision, artificial intelligence, deep learning, and discrete optimization. His work focuses on developing algorithms for image restoration, segmentation, and understanding, with significant contributions to energy minimization techniques in computer vision. He has pioneered approaches in sketch simplification, medical image segmentation, and higher-order graph cuts. His research bridges theoretical advances in mathematical optimization with practical applications in medical imaging, computer graphics, and consumer electronics. Ishikawa's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on leveraging deep learning for image enhancement and understanding. His work spans super-resolution techniques, colorization methods, human avatar generation, and medical image analysis. A notable trend is the increasing integration of attention mechanisms and generative models to solve complex vision problems, with growing emphasis on real-world applications in medical imaging and computer graphics. His research group consistently produces high-impact work that appears in top-tier computer vision conferences. 75th Annual IEICE Best Paper Award (2019) Innovative Technologies 2016 Special Prize for Culture (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) MIRU Nagao Award (Best Paper Award) (2009) Young Author Award (IEEE Computer Society Japan Chapter, 2006) MIRU2006 Excellent Paper Award (2006) Harold Grad Memorial Prize (Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, NYU, 2000) As a professor at Waseda University, Ishikawa has mentored numerous students who have become active researchers in computer vision, including Yuya Masuda, Edgar Simo-Serra, and Satoshi Iizuka. His research has been supported by various grants, including JST PRESTO funding from 2009-2013. He has served on editorial boards for prestigious journals including IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence and has held leadership roles in major computer vision conferences such as ICCV, CVPR, and ACCV. Ishikawa leads a vibrant research group at Waseda University focused on computer vision and image processing. His laboratory collaborates extensively with researchers at Nagoya City University, National Institute of Informatics, and international institutions. The group maintains strong connections with industry partners, particularly in medical imaging and consumer electronics sectors, translating theoretical advances into practical applications.

Michael U. GutmannView profile

Senior Lecturer

• Machine Learning
• Bayesian Inference
• Likelihood-Free Inference
• +9 more

Michael U. Gutmann is a Senior Lecturer in Machine Learning at the School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, and a member of the Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation. His research lies at the intersection of machine learning, statistics, and scientific applications, with a focus on developing inference methods for complex and implicit models. Education: PhD in Computational Neuroscience, University of Tokyo MSc in Engineering and Applied Mathematics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich MSc, Ecole Centrale Paris His primary research interests include Bayesian inference, likelihood-free inference, optimal experimental design, unsupervised learning, and applications in computational biology and neuroscience. He is best known for introducing Noise-Contrastive Estimation (NCE), a foundational technique for training unnormalized statistical models. His recent work spans variational inference, density ratio estimation, flow models for missing data, and AI-driven experimental design in behavioral and biological sciences. His publications, including in NeurIPS , ICML , JMLR , and eLife , demonstrate a strong emphasis on methodological innovation for scientific discovery. He has contributed to open-source tools such as ELFI (Engine for Likelihood-Free Inference) and developed practical implementations of robust inference algorithms. Scientific Awards: No specific awards listed in the provided texts. Michael Gutmann actively supervises students and collaborates with leading researchers in machine learning and computational biology. He has secured research funding from EPSRC and BBSRC for projects in generative modeling and infectious disease epidemiology. He teaches advanced courses such as Probabilistic Modelling and Reasoning and Data Mining, reflecting his deep engagement with both theoretical and applied aspects of machine learning. Labs and Research Groups: Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation (ANC), University of Edinburgh Former affiliations with Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Department of Computer Science at the University of Helsinki and Aalto University