Maria Florina Balcan
Location: (Altanta, GA)
Personal Research Web Page: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~ninamf/
Keywords: Machine Learning, Algorithmic Game Theory, and Algorithms, as well as on the interactions between these areas and other areas of Computer Science and Economics.
Posted on: Monday, May 10th, 2010
Broad Research Area: AI / Machine Learning / Robotics / Vision, Databases / Information Retrieval / Data Mining, Theory / Algorithms
Research Interests:
In Machine Learning, I have been working on developing theory and algorithms for understanding and exploiting new types of learning protocols that have become crucially important for modern machine learning applications. These include the ability to use unlabeled data in the learning process (i.e., semi-supervised learning), clustering, interactive learning, learning with kernel and similarity functions, multi-agent learning or learning in the presence of other learners.
A second major focus of my research has been on Algorithmic Game Theory. My work here includes the use of machine learning techniques to automate aspects of Mechanism Design and formally address the problem of market analysis, the development of pricing algorithms with improved guarantees over previous methods, and the development of techniques for understanding the overall behavior of complex multi-agent systems in which selfish entities are optimizing for themselves.
A third major focus of my research has been on developing fundamental connections between Machine Learning
and other areas of Theoretical Computer Science including Game Theory and Combinatorial Optimization. These connections are enabling both to advance Machine Learning and to solve important problems in Theoretical Computer Science via a fresh set of ideas and techniques.
Contact Information:
Email: ninamf@cc.gatech.edu
