AI Seminar sponsored by Apple

Reihaneh Rabbany -- Mining Connections

Abstract: Connections are ubiquitous in different domains; from collaborations and associations between people, to proteins and genes interacting to carry out a biological function. To study the structure and dynamics of the interconnected world around us, we need models and algorithms that integrate three principal elements: connection, content, and time. In order to achieve these integrated models, I will discuss bringing machine learning, network science, and data mining together. As a step toward this direction, I talk about narrowing the gap between clustering (based on content), community detection (using connections), and extending them to the dynamic settings (time). Throughout the talk, I will give examples from the broader impacts of this research in computational social science, combating online human trafficking, and educational data mining.