Yao Zhao

Personal Website

Biography

I am a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Arizona, where I am fortunate to be mentored by Dr. Kwang-sung Jun. My academic journey has encompassed a diverse range of disciplines, as I hold degrees in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering as well.

My research primarily focuses on the multi-armed bandit problem. I approach this problem from both theoretical and practical angles. On the theoretical side, I delve into aspects like sample complexity analysis. In practical terms, my work involves tasks such as efficient data collection and adaptive experiment design, which contribute to real-world applications of the problem.

​​​​​Research Interests

Machine learning, bandit problem, mathematical optimization

What long-term project do you want to work on?

I am always interested in various provable algorithm design.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Making a decision when facing the uncertainties (the philosophy behind the bandit problem).

What are your career goals?

I hope my professional career can find a balance between the theoretical niche and the practical value.

​​​​Tell us something interesting about yourself!

I'm on a mission to be the top chef among computer scientists.