Advanced Graph Algorithms and Optimization Seminar, Fall 2021

263-4410-00L

Instructor: Rasmus Kyng
Assistants:
ECTS credits: 2 credits
Course catalogue entry: VVZ link

Course Objective and Content: This seminar is held once annually and is a supplement to the Advanced Graph Algorithms and Optimization course (AGAO20). In the seminar, students will study and present original research papers, with a focus on recent research developments. The core aim of the seminar is for students to get exposure to current research in the area and learn how to give a scientific presentation.

Prerequisites: As prerequisite we require that you passed the course "Advanced Graph Algorithms and Optimization". In exceptional cases, students who passed one of the courses "Randomized Algorithms and Probabilistic Methods", "Optimization for Data Science", or "Advanced Algorithms" may also participate, at the discretion of the lecturer.

Literature:

  • AGAO21 course notes
  • Convex Optimization by Stephen Boyd and Lieven Vandenberghe.
    • This book is a helpful reference for convex optimization.
  • Differential Calculus by Henri Cartan.
    • If you have a powerful urge to learn all about multivariate calculus, you can start here. You shouldn't need it for the course though.
  • Convex Analysis by Rockafellar.
    • This is the classic text on basic convex analysis (not optimization). Again, you shouldn't need this.


Seminar Format

Every participant is required to read, understand, and provide context for a selected research paper. This generally involves

Other Theory Institue professors have proceduced guidelines for giving talks which you may also find helpful. Note, however, that we encourage whiteboard talks instead of slides.


Performance Assessment


Paper Selection

Registered students will be contacted in late September with a list of available paper choices and asked to provide their ranked preferences for these papers. The course instructor will assign papers to the students, while trying to accommodate their preferences. Each student will be assigned one of the course assistants as their supervisor.


Schedule

More detailed scheduling information will be sent to registered students by late September once papers have been assigned.