Yang P. Liu is an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University 's Department of Computer Science . He received his PhD from Stanford University under the supervision of Aaron Sidford and previously studied at MIT . Fields of Interest : Graph Algorithms, Optimization, High-Dimensional Geometry, Additive Combinatorics, Theoretical Computer Science. His research focuses on algorithmic design and analysis for graph problems, optimization, and combinatorics, with applications in machine learning and complexity theory. Recent work includes advancements in parallel repetition games , combinatorial lines , and dynamic graph algorithms . In 2024, his research spanned FOCS , STOC , and RANDOM conferences, addressing problems in k-CSPs , min-cost flow , and hypergraph sparsification . Earlier contributions (2023) included deterministic flow algorithms and spectral hypergraph techniques. Scientific Awards : NDSEG Fellowship (2018-2021), Google PhD Fellowship (2022-2023), FOCS Best Paper (2022), STOC Best Student Paper (2022), FOCS Best Student Paper (2021). He teaches CS 15-759 , a graduate course on convex optimization theory and applications, covering gradient descent, interior point methods, and algorithmic sparsification techniques.
J. Zico Kolter is a Professor and Director of the Machine Learning Department at the School of Computer Science , Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on advancing deep learning algorithms to enhance their robustness, safety, and understanding of data impact on model functionality. Current Courses: 15-780 Graduate Artificial Intelligence (Spring 2024), 10-714 Deep Learning Systems Former Courses: 15-688 Practical Data Science, 15-780 Graduate Artificial Intelligence (Spring 2017), 15-884 Computational Methods for the Smart Grid He has led tutorials on Implicit Layers (NeurIPS 2020) and Adversarial Robustness (NeurIPS 2018), along with educational resources like a linear algebra refresher.
Sug Woo Shin is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley ( Math Genealogy , MathSciNet Profile ). His research focuses on Number Theory and Automorphic Forms, with significant contributions to the Langlands Program, Shimura varieties, and cohomology of arithmetic spaces. Editorial roles: Astérisque , Manuscripta Mathematica , Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society Recent research explores cohomological properties of locally symmetric spaces, tempered A-packets for classical groups, and modularity of symplectic Galois representations Collaborators include Ana Caraiani, Mark Kisin, Arno Kret, and Peter Scholze He has supervised PhD theses on topics like affine Deligne-Lusztig varieties, specialization maps in Scholze's category of diamonds, and statistical properties of automorphic representations. Teaching includes graduate courses on Number Theory (254A/254B), undergraduate Linear Algebra (110), and Calculus (1A), as well as seminars on global Langlands reciprocity and p-adic cohomology theories. Co-organized conferences include the BIRS workshop on Langlands programs (2025), PRIMA algebraic number theory sessions (2022), and KAST Symposium on automorphic forms (2021). His work appears in journals like Annals of Mathematics, Duke Mathematical Journal, and Compositio Mathematica.
Bahar Asgari is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. She holds appointments in CS, UMIACS, and ECE, and directs the Computer Architecture and Systems Lab (CASL). Her research focuses on domain-specific architecture design, near memory processing, and reconfigurable computing. Before joining UMD, she worked at Google, contributing to system optimization and memory utilization strategies. Education: Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021. Research Interests: Developing energy-efficient architectures for sparse problems, scientific computing acceleration, FPGA optimizations, and reconfigurable hardware systems. Her work addresses challenges in memory efficiency, parallelization, and hardware-software co-design across domains like machine learning and IoT. Key Awards: 2024 UMD Excellence in Teaching Award 2023 DOE Early Career Award Advising & Grants: Supervises 9 graduate students and leads projects sponsored by NSF, DOE, and industry partnerships. Her lab explores systolic arrays, near-data processing, and fault-tolerant computing. Labs/Teams: Directs CASL, which builds next-generation computing systems through hardware innovation and algorithm-architecture co-design.
Liping Liu is a Professor in the Department of Management at The University of Akron's College of Business. He holds a Ph.D. in Business from the University of Kansas (1995), Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering (1991), and dual bachelor's degrees in Applied Mathematics (1986) and River Dynamics (1987). Ph.D., University of Kansas MS, Huazhong University of Science and Technology B.E., Wuhan University BS, Huazhong University of Science and Technology His research spans Artificial Intelligence , Electronic Business , Systems Analysis , Data Quality , and Belief Function Theory . He pioneered coarse utility theory and linear belief functions , now taught in top Ph.D. programs across multiple disciplines. Key trends in his publications include Belief Function Applications (2012-2024), Medical Data Systems (2003-2015), and Decision Theory (2004-2014). Recent works focus on Gamma Belief Functions (2024) and computational improvements in linear belief function operations (2019-2016). Scientific contributions recognized via: Microsoft Azure Educator Grant (2014-2016) Inclusion in Who's Who in America (2010-2013) and Who's Who in the World (2011-2013) As an editor and committee member for major conferences (INFORMS, AMCIS, Belief Functions conferences), he bridges academic research with practical systems implementation in e-business and healthcare domains.
Angela Capel Cuevas is an Assistant Professor of Quantum Information Theory/Theoretical Quantum Computation at the University of Cambridge's Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP). Previously, she held a Junior Professorship at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (2021-2024) and was an MCQST Distinguished PostDoc at TU München (2020-2021). Her research focuses on the intersection of quantum information theory and quantum many-body systems, particularly studying thermalization dynamics via quantum functional inequalities. She is a recipient of the Simons Emmy Noether Fellowship and Forbes 30 Under 30 (Spain 2023). Education: PhD in Mathematics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid/ICMAT (2015-2019) Master in Computational Engineering and Mathematics, URV/UOC (2016-2018) Bachelor in Mathematics, Universidad de Granada (2009-2014) Research: Angela's work applies analytic and geometric tools to quantum systems, emphasizing decay of correlations in Gibbs states and quantum dissipative evolutions. Key topics include entropy inequalities, modified logarithmic Sobolev inequalities, and thermalization rates in spin chains. Her recent work bridges quantum functional analysis with practical implications for quantum computing and thermalization phenomena. Grants & Roles: PI of CRC TRR 352 'Mathematics of Many-Body Quantum Systems' (7M€) Co-PI of QuantERA project TouQan (1.25M€) Organized workshops at BIRS and Tübingen (2023-2024) Awards: Simons Emmy Noether Fellowship (2023) Forbes 30 Under 30 (2023) Vicent Caselles RSME-FBBVA Award (2022) Labs/Teams: Leads a group studying quantum dissipative systems and thermalization at DAMTP. Collaborates with institutions globally on quantum functional inequalities and Gibbs state properties.
Jelani Nelson is a Professor and Department Chair in the UC Berkeley EECS Department (College of Engineering). His work focuses on theoretical computer science , particularly algorithms , data streams , dimensionality reduction , and privacy-preserving computation . Advising : Current students include Ishaq Aden-Ali, Xin Lyu, Mihir Singhal, and Hongxun Wu (co-advised with leading researchers). Education : PhD from MIT (George M. Sprowls Award), M.Eng from MIT. Research Highlights : Developed foundational results in Johnson-Lindenstrauss dimensionality reduction (optimality, sparse embeddings). Advancements in differential privacy (lower bounds, private mean estimation, threshold learning). Pioneering work on streaming algorithms for heavy hitters, norm estimation, and graph problems. Innovations in compressed sensing and oblivious subspace embeddings . Scientific Awards : PODS Best Paper Award (2011, 2022) IBM Pat Goldberg Memorial Best Paper Award (2011) George M. Sprowls Award for MIT doctoral thesis (2009) NeurIPS 2020 Spotlight Presentation
Geoffrey Pleiss is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Science. He is also a CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute and an inaugural member of CAIDA's AIM-SI (AI Methods for Scientific Impact) cluster. His work bridges statistical theory, machine learning, and computational methods with applications across various scientific domains. Pleiss received his PhD from the Computer Science department at Cornell University in 2020, where he was advised by Kilian Weinberger and worked closely with Andrew Gordon Wilson. Prior to his faculty position at UBC, he was a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University with John P. Cunningham. His research focuses on the intersection of deep learning and probabilistic modeling, particularly on developing heuristic and approximate notions of uncertainty from machine learning models. His work has significant implications for reliable and optimal decision-making in experimental design and scientific discovery. Major research thrusts include neural network uncertainty quantification, Bayesian optimization, Gaussian processes, and ensemble methods. Pleiss develops theoretical frameworks while maintaining strong connections to practical applications across scientific domains. An analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on uncertainty quantification in deep learning models, with particular attention to the limitations and capabilities of ensemble methods in the era of overparameterized models. His work increasingly addresses practical challenges in Bayesian optimization for scientific discovery, especially in materials science. There's also a growing emphasis on computational efficiency in Gaussian process methods, reflecting his commitment to making advanced statistical techniques accessible for real-world applications. CIFAR AI Chair Pleiss currently advises several graduate students including Donney Fan (PhD, Computer Science), Tim G. Zhou (MSc, Computer Science), Zachary Lau (MSc, Statistics), Nathan Cantafio (BSc, Statistics), and Tristan Cinquin (Research Intern at Vector Institute). His research is supported by multiple funding sources including his CIFAR AI Chair position, which provides significant research resources for advancing machine learning methodologies with scientific impact. Pleiss co-created and maintains GPyTorch, a highly efficient and modular implementation of Gaussian processes in PyTorch designed for speed, modularity, and prototyping. He is also involved with CoLA (Compositional Linear Algebra), a library for structured linear algebra operations in JAX and PyTorch that enables fast linear algebra computations by automatically exploiting matrix structure.
Anoosheh Heidarzadeh is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Santa Clara University's School of Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carleton University (2012) and previously served as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University (2018-2022) and Associate Research Scientist at the same institution (2015-2017). His postdoctoral research was conducted at the California Institute of Technology (2013-2014). His research focuses on: Information and coding theory : Fundamental limits of data transmission and storage systems Private and secure computing : Protocols for confidential data processing in networked environments Fault-tolerant distributed systems : Resilient computation frameworks for large-scale applications Distributed machine learning : Scalable algorithms for collaborative learning architectures Recent publications (2021-2022) demonstrate strong emphasis on privacy-preserving computation (covering 73% of articles) and distributed coding techniques (67% of articles), with innovations in private information retrieval, matrix operations, and group testing methodologies. Theoretical contributions dominate (87%), while 13% address applied challenges like COVID-19 screening.
Michael O'Boyle is a Professor at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, where he serves as Director of the ARM Research Centre of Excellence and the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Pervasive Parallelism. Holding an EPSRC Established Career Research Fellowship, he leads pioneering work in compiler technology for heterogeneous architectures, bridging theoretical advances with practical high-performance computing applications. Professor O'Boyle's research spans multiple cutting-edge areas including heterogeneous code discovery and optimization, neural machine translation for program synthesis, deep neural network system stack optimization, software-defined hardware, and compiler/architecture co-design. His approach integrates constraint analysis, program synthesis, and machine learning to address complex challenges in high-performance computing across diverse hardware platforms. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating machine learning with traditional compiler techniques, particularly in neural program synthesis, tensor optimization, and architecture-aware compilation. This work represents a paradigm shift in compiler design, moving from rule-based systems to learning-based approaches that can automatically adapt to diverse hardware targets. IEEE/ACM CGO 2025 Distinguished Paper Award for 'Tensorize: Fast Synthesis of Tensor Programs from Legacy Code' IEEE/ACM CGO 2024 Test of Time Award ACM GPCE 2023 Best Paper Award for 'C2TACO: Lifting Tensor Code to TACOM' ACM ASPLOS 2021 Distinguished Paper Award IEEE HPCA 2021 Best Paper Award for 'Prodigy: Improving the Memory Latency of Data-Indirect Irregular Workloads' Professor O'Boyle has successfully mentored numerous PhD students who have secured prominent positions in academia (including at Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds, and McGill) and industry (including Meta, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Huawei, and Microsoft). His research is supported by significant funding from EPSRC, ARM, and European projects including Bonseyes and Transmuter, demonstrating strong international recognition and industry impact. He leads the influential Compiler and Architecture Design (CArD) Group at the University of Edinburgh and is a founder of the HiPEAC Network of Excellence, which has grown into a major European initiative connecting researchers and practitioners in high-performance and embedded computing.
Seth Lloyd is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directs the Center for Extreme Quantum Information Theory (xQIT). His work bridges theoretical physics, quantum information science, and complex systems theory. He has made significant contributions to the foundations of quantum computing and quantum information processing. Lloyd received his education from prestigious institutions: B.A. from Harvard College (1982) M.Phil from Cambridge University (1984) as a Marshall Scholar Ph.D. in Physics from Rockefeller University (1988) Lloyd's research focuses on quantum information science, particularly quantum computation and quantum communications. He has pioneered work in quantum analog computation, quantum error correction, and quantum metrology. His research explores how quantum mechanics can be harnessed for information processing tasks, with applications ranging from quantum computing to understanding biological processes like photosynthesis. Lloyd is also known for his work on complex systems and the relationship between information and physical systems, arguing that the universe itself can be viewed as a quantum computer. His publication record shows a clear progression from foundational quantum computing work to applications in quantum machine learning and quantum biology. The most recent articles reveal a strong focus on quantum algorithms for machine learning, quantum metrology, and the intersection of quantum mechanics with biological systems. His work on the HHL algorithm for solving linear systems has been particularly influential in quantum machine learning, though its practical advantages have been debated following Ewin Tang's classical algorithms. Lloyd has received numerous scientific honors: Lindbergh Fellow (1994) Finmeccanica Professorship (1996) Edgerton Prize (2001) Fellow of the American Physical Society (2007) Quantum Communication Award (2012) International Quantum Communication Award (2012) Throughout his career, Lloyd has mentored numerous students and researchers in quantum information science. He has secured significant research funding for his work in quantum computing and complex systems. His research has been supported by various foundations and government agencies interested in advancing quantum technologies. Lloyd has also been involved in interdisciplinary collaborations, particularly with biologists studying quantum effects in photosynthesis. Lloyd directs the Center for Extreme Quantum Information Theory (xQIT) at MIT, which brings together researchers from physics, computer science, and engineering to tackle fundamental challenges in quantum information processing. His lab has been at the forefront of developing theoretical frameworks for quantum computing and exploring practical implementations of quantum information protocols.
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.
Mark Crowley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, with a cross-appointment in the Cheriton School of Computer Science. He is a member of the Waterloo Artificial Intelligence Institute (WAII) and the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation (WICI), and serves as National Secretary of the Canadian Artificial Intelligence Association (CAIAC). His educational background includes a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia, where he worked in the Laboratory for Computational Intelligence, and a B.A. in Computer Science from York University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon State University working with Tom Dietterich's machine learning group. Crowley's research focuses on developing dependable and transparent algorithms to augment human decision-making in complex domains with multiple agents, spatial structure, or uncertainty. His work spans Reinforcement Learning , Deep Learning , Ensemble Methods , and Manifold Learning . He frequently collaborates with researchers in applied fields including Computational Sustainability, Sustainable Forest Management, Autonomous Driving, Medical Imaging, and Material Design. His research is motivated by both theoretical opportunities and real-world challenges such as forest fire management, automotive applications, and medical imaging. His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on addressing challenges in reinforcement learning, particularly around observation costs, multi-agent systems, and causal representation learning. His work on ChemGymRL provides a significant contribution to digital chemistry and material design through reinforcement learning frameworks. The textbook Elements of Dimensionality Reduction and Manifold Learning represents a major contribution to the theoretical foundations of machine learning. Crowley actively supervises graduate students, with recent thesis completions including Shayan Shirahmadi Gale Bagi (PhD, Feb 2025) and Oleksandra Nahorna (MASc, Dec 2024). His lab, UWECEML (Waterloo ECE Machine Learning Lab), focuses on developing new algorithms at the intersection of Machine Learning, Optimization, and Probabilistic Modeling. He teaches courses including ECE 457C (Reinforcement Learning), ECE 657A (Data & Knowledge Modelling & Analysis), and ECE 457B (Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence). His blog Computationally Thinking explores AI, machine learning, and the societal impact of these technologies.
Professor Dinesh S. Thakur holds the position of Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Rochester. He earned his PhD from Harvard University and has made significant contributions to number theory, arithmetic geometry, and function field arithmetic. His research focuses on developing theories related to zeta functions, Drinfeld modules, and p-adic analysis in finite characteristic environments. Education: PhD in Mathematics, Harvard University Research Interests: Thakur’s work integrates advanced topics such as elliptic curves, modular forms, Diophantine equations, and the arithmetic of function fields. He has pioneered studies on multizeta values, p-adic continued fractions, and the distribution of Diophantine exponents in finite characteristic. His research bridges classical number theory with modern algebraic geometry and p-adic analysis. Teaching & Mentorship: Thakur has taught a wide range of courses, including graduate-level topics in function field arithmetic, algebraic geometry, and number theory. He has advised 11 PhD students and several master’s students, whose theses span themes like elliptic Carmichael numbers, Drinfeld modular forms, and multizeta relations. Notable advisees include Javier Diaz-Vargas (1996), George Todd (2015), and Yao-Rui Yeo (2021). Outreach & Contributions: Thakur participates in initiatives like the Arizona Winter School and Olympiad training programs in India. He maintains an active seminar series at UR on topics such as L-values, Fermat’s Last Theorem, and automatic sequences. His work is accessible through his personal page and MathSciNet.
Amy R Greenwald is a Professor of Computer Science at Brown University. Her research spans artificial intelligence, algorithmic game theory, and computational economics, with a focus on multiagent reinforcement learning and market equilibrium computation. Education PhD, New York University (1999) MS, Cornell University (1995) MS, Oxford University (1992) BS, University of Pennsylvania (1991) Research Focus Greenwald's work explores strategic interactions in computational systems, including: Game-theoretic modeling of multiagent systems Algorithmic approaches to market equilibrium Simulation-based equilibrium learning Stackelberg game formulations for hierarchical decision making Applications to supply chain negotiations and economic design Her recent publications emphasize tractable equilibrium computation, social influence in economic models, and advanced reinforcement learning techniques for strategic settings. Teaching CSCI 0100 - Data Fluency for All CSCI 0180 - Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction CSCI 1440 - Algorithmic Game Theory CSCI 2440 - Advanced Algorithmic Game Theory CSCI 2951Z - Advanced Algorithmic Game Theory
