The Computing Innovation Fellows Project

Posted on: Monday, June 8th, 2009
Broad Research Area: AI / Machine Learning / Robotics / Vision, Networks / Operating Systems, Theory / Algorithms

Research Interests:

My current research is primarily focussed on algorithms and analysis of communication networks, wherein my current focus is on two newly emerging areas: Network Economics and Network Game Theory. “Network Economics” studies problems in networks that arise due to economic issues in networks. It is being realized that merely distributed optimization in networks can lead to sub-optimal outcomes since many networks (such as the Internet) are too large to be controlled by a single entity, and moreover each entity has its own economic objectives. Thus, future resource allocation algorithms and network protocols must be cognizant of the distributed and multi-objective nature of the network entities.
“Network Game Theory” studies problems that arise in multi-player games where the players are connected through a (social or communication) network. Typical problems include routing and congestion games, to reputation games in network security systems. There are problems of both (interaction) mechanism design such as auction design, as well as cooperative and non-cooperative game analysis.
There is overlap between the two areas along with traditional microeconomics and classical, computational and algorithmic game theory. Some of the mathematical tools used are real analysis and topology, fixed point theory, optimization, probability and approximation algorithms. I also have a strong interest in Stochastic Systems, their Modeling, Optimization and Control. Of particular interest is using and developing statistical learning theory and techniques for stochastic dynamical systems (such as Markov decision and Markov game models, hence my interest in machine learning).

Contact Information:

Email: email obfuscated - click to reveal (preferred),
Phone: (213)-740-2246
http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~rahuljai