My past research have primarily been at the intersection between game theory, machine learning, control and their applications. In the past I have worked on or have been interested in the following topics:
optimal control, calculus of variations, and differential games,
optimization on manifolds,
all areas of machine learning and their interfaces with game theory,
online learning and bandit algorithms for multi-agent systems,
MDP-based reinforcement learning and inverse reinforcement learning/reward-learning,
generative adversarial networks and generative adversarial imitation learning,
metric geometry and metric learning,
information theory and information geometry,
symbolic dynamics,
computational social science/sociology/psychological/behavioral science.
Outside from these ideas which are adjacent to my previous area of research, I strongly hold the belief that one need to explore ideas which are outside of our comfort zone, not purely confined by our previous training or discipline. I am constantly seeking opportunities that allows for this type of exploration.
For example, I have been previously quite interested in biology, in particular neuroscience and physiology, I would be quite happy to do research on these areas. I'm also drawn to more exotic applications such as animal communication, extraterrestrial exploration, kinetic art, artificial life, and I follow other researchers who are working on these topics.
The type of research I have felt most passionate about is applying computational techniques to analyze people, social groups and society.
Society is paradoxically one of the simplest as well as the most complex system in existence. It is simple because society operate on simple principles (e.g., energy conservation and evolution mechanism) that produce routinely predictable macro-outcomes. It is also complex because these rules and outcomes are obfuscated through many layers of mediums such as our own perceptions, social scripts, and the media. It is difficult not to view society as having a well-defined mathematical structure. Social theories are descriptions of feedback systems.
I believe a truly intelligent AI system is one that is capable of objectively analyze the human experience and critique social structures. Unfortunately I don't think we will ever reach there.
I view my past works in control and games as a potential foray into my long-term vision, which is to algorthmatize research from the ''soft sciences'' and develop technology or analytical models or predictions that can aid people working in the area of public health, therapy, social work and social policy.