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Latest academic promotions

We are happy to announce four promotions in the department:

Many congratulations to our colleagues for all their achievements!


An Easy-Sounding Problem Yields Numbers Too Big for Our Universe

On this recent article in the Quanta magazine, Alex Dixon, who wrote in Haskell the first solver for the problem, commented:

For the past 50 years, Vector Addition Systems—a simple but powerful computational model—have been a topic of great interest in theoretical CS. The reachability problem in that model asks whether we can get from some configuration to another.

The problem sounds relatively easy on a first glance, and an exponential lower bound held firm for over 40 years. Work by excellent theoreticians, including familiar names from Warwick DCS, finally closed the difficulty of the problem in 2021, concluding that it is very, very difficult indeed.

Wed 06 Dec 2023, 16:35 | Tags: People Research Outreach Theory and Foundations

Paris Giampouras joins the department as an Assistant Professor

We are happy to announce that Dr Paris Giampouras has joined the Department of Computer Science as an Assistant Professor. Originally from Greece, he has relocated to Warwick from Baltimore, where he spent four years working as a Postdoctoral Fellow and later as a Research Faculty member at the Mathematical Institute for Data Science at Johns Hopkins University. His expertise lies in machine learning theory and its applications in image processing and computer vision. More specifically, his research has focused on exploring parsimonious representations to address various inverse problems and adversarial robustness.

Currently, he is focusing on two main areas: a) leveraging structured representation in Generative AI applications, and b) developing algorithms that enable continual learning of various tasks for deep learning systems. His goal is to contribute to the foundational understanding of AI algorithms, with a focus on robustness, applications of AI in medicine, and climate change.

We welcome him to the department!


PhD position in Quantum Learning Theory at the University of Warwick, UK (Application deadline: January 1, 2024)

One funded PhD position is available in the group of Dr Matthias C. Caro, who will join the Theory and Foundations group in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick, UK, in Fall 2024. Candidates interested in the interactions between quantum computing and learning theory are encouraged to apply.

The Warwick CS theory group has strong ties with the Centre for Discrete Mathematics and its Applications (DIMAP) and, together with DIMAP, is one of the leading theory groups in Europe, with regular publications in top international conferences and journals in theoretical computer science. Moreover, the successful candidate will become a part of the exciting, interdisciplinary research initiative Warwick Quantum. Overall, the Department of Computer Science at Warwick offers an excellent research environment. It was ranked 4th in the latest UK research assessment in Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021.

Tue 28 Nov 2023, 11:30 | Tags: Jobs and studentships Theory and Foundations

Professor Jianfeng Feng receives Humboldt Research Award for Lifetime Achievement

The Humboldt Research Award is given to outstanding researchers whose discoveries and insights have had a significant impact

Jianfeng Feng, a Professor of Computer Science at Warwick University, has been selected to receive a Humboldt Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

The award is granted to fewer than 100 researchers each year across all disciplines. It recognizes academics whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights, across their careers, have had a significant impact on their own discipline and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future. Winners receive a prize of 60,000 Euros and are invited to carry out research projects of their own choice, in cooperation with specialist colleagues in Germany, in the hopes of promoting international cooperation.

Professor Feng has spent much of his career working on developing new mathematical, statistical and computational theories and methods to meet the challenges raised in neuroscience and mental health research. He has made considerable contributions to the modelling of single neurons and neuronal networks, brain-inspired machine learning algorithms, stochastic control and causality analysis. He has many publications in journals that include Nature Medicine, Nature Human Behaviour, Nature Aging, and Nature Mental Health. His recent research interests are mainly in exploring the human brain, based upon data and experiments, carrying out simulations of the entire human brain (86 billion neurons), monkey and zebrafish brains, and developing brain-inspired AI algorithms for applications in automatic cars and medicine.

 

Jianfeng Feng was awarded the Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award in 2011, as a scientist “being of great achievement or potential”. He was also invited to deliver the 2019 Paykel Lecture at Cambridge University.

Wed 22 Nov 2023, 04:56

PhD Studentship in the topic of Multiagent Systems and related areas

We are seeking PhD candidates in the topic of Multiagent Systems and related areas, with particular emphasis on one or more of: computational social choice, algorithmic game theory, multiagent learning, and social and economic networks. The multiagent systems researchers at University of Warwick include Markus BrillLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Ramanujan SridharanLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Long Tran-ThanhLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Debmalya Mandal and Paolo TurriniLink opens in a new window


PhD positions at the University of Warwick, UK (Application deadline: 24 November, 2023)

PhD positions are available at the Theory and Foundations group in the Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, UK. The group works on various aspects of theoretical computer science, including:


* automata and formal languages,
* logic and games,
* algorithmic game theory,
* online and dynamic algorithms,
* sublinear and streaming algorithms,
* parameterized complexity and structural graph theory,
* string algorithms,
* parallel algorithms,
* approximation algorithms,
* combinatorial and graph algorithms,
* random structures and randomized algorithms,
* computational complexity.


The group has strong ties with the Centre for Discrete Mathematics and its Applications (DIMAP), established in 2007 jointly with Warwick Mathematics Institute and Warwick Business School. Together with DIMAP, the group is one of the leading theory groups in Europe, with regular publications in top international conferences and journals in theoretical computer science.


The Department of Computer Science at Warwick offers an excellent research environment. It was ranked 4th in the latest UK research assessment in Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021. The University of Warwick is one of the founding members of the Alan Turing Institute.


The university campus is located on the border of two counties, West Midlands and Warwickshire, is about one hour train ride from London, and 15 minutes from Birmingham International Airport.


The applicants are expected to have a strong background in discrete mathematics, algorithms, or related topics with undergraduate and/or Master's degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related disciplines. The position(s) will be fully funded, and the successful applicant(s) will be receiving a stipend at rate in line with current Research Councils UK rates.


If you are interested in this opening, please send an email to Dr Ramanujan Sridharan (r.maadapuzhi-sridharan@warwick.ac.uk) with a SINGLE .pdf file containing your CV and the names and email addresses of two references, by 24 November 2023. You are strongly encouraged to informally contact faculty members in the group you might want to work with prior to submitting your application.


Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed informally during the week of 4 December - 8 December, 2023.


List of faculty members in the group:

https://warwick.ac.uk/focs/people/<https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/dcs/research/focs/people/>

Centre for Discrete Mathematics and its Applications:
https://warwick.ac.uk/dimap/<https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/dimap/>

Fri 27 Oct 2023, 17:00 | Tags: Jobs and studentships Theory and Foundations

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