Yee Whye Teh : Biography and Curriculum Vitae
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Curriculum Vitae
Version February, 2011.
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Short Academic Bio
Yee Whye Teh is a Reader (equivalent to an associate professor in US system) of Computational Statistics and Machine Learning. He has been at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL since 2007. He is interested in machine learning and Bayesian statistics. His current focus is on developing Bayesian nonparametric methodologies for unsupervised learning, computational linguistics, and genetics. Prior to his appointment he was Lee Kuan Yew Postdoctoral Fellow at the National University of Singapore and a postdoctoral fellow at University of California at Berkeley. He obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Toronto in 2003. -
Research Interests
I am interested in computational statistics, machine learning and their applications. Specifically, I look into theories, models and methodologies to make probabilistic models applicable to large and complex problems. I am also keen on deploying the knowledge gained in applications ranging from natural language processing, to machine vision to biological problems. My current main projects are:- Bayesian techniques, in particular nonparametric and hierarchical models. I am currently looking into applications in natural language processing and genetics.
- Approximate inference techniques for graphical models, in particular variational and message-passing algorithms.
- Unsupervised learning, of complex distributed representations for sensory perception, vision, control and computational linguistics.
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Personal History
I was born in 1977 and spent my childhood years in Bukit Mertajam, Malaysia. In 1990 I went to Singapore under an ASEAN scholarship to study for the O levels at Dunman High School and spent the next four years in Singapore. Afterwards I moved to Canada where I studied Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of Waterloo, obtaining my B.Math. in 1997. Then I embarked on my graduate studies at the University of Toronto under Geoffrey Hinton. Between 1999 and 2001 I spent two years in London England at the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit where Geoff was the founding director. In 2001 we returned to Toronto and I finished my Ph.D. in 2003. Immediately I started a postdoc with Michael Jordan at UC Berkeley, finishing in 2004. Then I took half a year off travelling, before starting a stint as a Lee Kuan Yew postdoctoral fellow in August 2005. Starting in January 2007, I was a lecturer back at the Gatsby Unit, and became be a reader in 2011. Personal Interests
I cook and do ceramics regularly. When I have time I skate (inline), read and watch movies. When I have even more time, I play boardgames and snowboard. When I have really really lots of time I like to travel.