In the QS and Google webinar, Accelerating Research in the Agentic Era: Building the Next Engine of Discovery & Scholarly Impact, Dr Maria Spies, Chief Innovation Officer at QS, was joined by Charles Elliott, Field CTO at Google Public Sector, and Lav Varshney, Infinity Professor and AI Institute Director at Stony Brook University, to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI-driven research.
Join a collaborative workshop series designed to help you redesign writing-intensive assignments in the age of AI. The program includes four self-paced modules, weekly interactive workshops (September 18, 25, and October 2, 9), student resources, and a SUNY-wide virtual symposium. Applications are accepted through August 31.
https://you.stonybrook.edu/campusannouncements/2026/06/22/june-22-2026/
https://you.stonybrook.edu/campusannouncements/2026/06/22/june-22-2026/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/
I will be holding an informal 2-week short optimization course, to try
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/optimization-short-course/home
to cover a few important proofs in the field. The goal will be depth
over breadth, with focus on:
- convergence proofs for gradient descent and stochastic gradient descent
- energy functions and continuous time optimization
- estimate sequences and Nesterov acceleration
and, time permitting, additional topics like variance reduction,
quasi-Newton methods, and Frank-Wolfe methods. If we go super fast, we
can spend a few days at the end brainstorming interesting research
project ideas.
Details: NCS 220 6:15pm-7:45pm, Monday-Friday, Feb 7-Feb 18.
In person only, since I plan to use the whiteboard (but may be recorded)
More details will be uploaded here (notes, specific schedule):
https://sites.google.com/view/