OPEN HOUSE on Multi-Task and Complex Outputs Learning (July 10--14, 2006)

The Open House is part of the PASCAL's fifth thematic programme.
This scientific programme brings together researchers around two themes:
i) learning tasks where the target is complex (i.e. large number of different predictions) but has structure (sequence, tree, graph) that can be utilized for learning effectively;
ii) multi-task learning, where several dependent learning tasks are to be tackled at once.
In particular, we shall focus on the following research topics/issues.

Research Issues

  • Feature representations for structured and multi-task learning.

  • Use of optimization methods.

  • Bayesian inference methods.

  • Online learning methods.

  • Relations with other problems (Collaborative Filtering, Conjoint Analysis etc.).

  • Use of unlabeled data.

  • Transfer of knowledge across domains, tasks and distributions that are similar but not the same.

  • Isolation of benchmark learning problems and challenges to fuel research in structured output and multi-task learning.

  • Applications (Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, System Biology, Marketing Science, Robotic, etc.).

    • Schedule

    Monday, July 10 (Computer Science Dept., Malet Place, New Engineering Building)
    We will meet those of you arriving this day between 16:00--17:00 at the reception area of the CS Dept. (Room 5.25) and then will go to a pub (more information will be given by email).

    Tuesday 11th -- Thursday 13th (Room 1.03, Malet Place, New Engineering Building):
    Meet for Coffee/Tea at 9:00 followed by seminars (see programme below)

    Friday 14th (Room 106, Torrington Place, Roberts Building)
    Meet for Coffee/Tea at 9:00 followed by seminars (see programme below)

    Programme ( PDF file, PS file)

    Note that there are open slots for short (up to 30mins) presentations either at 9:30 or at 16:00. Please let us know during the meeting if you wish to present something!

    Abstracts ( PDF file, PS file)

    Invited Speakers

  • Yasemin Altun (Toyota Technological Institute, USA)

  • Shai Ben-David (University of Waterloo, Canada)

  • Theodoros Evgeniou (INSEAD, France)

  • Florence d'Alche' (Universite' d'Evry, France)

  • Claudio Gentile (Universita' dell'Insubria, Italy)

  • Marko Grobelnik (J. Stefan Institute, Slovenia)

  • Tom Heskes (Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • Andreas Maurer (Germany)

  • Sayan Mukherjee (Duke University, USA)

  • Juho Rousu (University of Helsinki, Finland)

  • Volker Tresp (Siemens, Germany)

  • Antonio Torralba (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

  • Tong Zhang (Yahoo!, USA)

    • Directions and Accommodation

    The open house will be hosted by the Dept. of Computer Science at UCL. Please follow this link for information about how to get here.
    Please follow this link for information about accommodation in central London.
    (Note: the price list is a bit out-of date and current prices are slightly higher).

    Registration Information

    There is no registration fee for this event. Please return this registration form to Ms. Eileen Simon, by email (ess@ecs.soton.ac.uk) or by Fax (+44 (0) 23 8059 8702).
    Note: registration is now close (45 people have registered).

    Studentships

    We have 6 studentships available of about 500 Euros each for attending the event.
    Studentships are open to all students although priority will be given to PASCAL students.
    Please send an email to the conference organizers if you wish to apply for a studentship.
    All studentships have been assigned.

    Organizers

    Massimiliano Pontil (UCL) (m.pontil at cs.ucl.ac.uk)
    John Shawe-Taylor (UCL) (jst at ecs.soton.ac.uk)

    Return to Massimiliano Pontil's home page.