Yee Whye Teh : Biography and Curriculum Vitae
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Research Interests
I am interested in statistical machine learning and its applications. Specifically, I look into theories, models and methodologies to make graphical 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 for graphical models, in particular nonparametric and hierarchical models. I am currently looking into applications in natural language processing and bioinformatics.
- Approximate inference techniques for graphical models, in particular variational and message-passing algorithms.
- Unsupervised learning, in particular using energy-based models and contrastive divergence. I apply these models for sensory perception and computer vision.
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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 am now a lecturer back at the Gatsby Unit. Personal Interests
When I actually have time I like to skate (inline) and snowboard. I also like to watch movies, play boardgames (settlers of catan, puerto rico, alhambra; not monopoly nor risk), cook and do ceramics. When I get more time I like to travel, I still have not done large swathes of Europe and India, and I have never been to China, mainland Asian countries, Africa, nor central and south America. Looks like I have to be diligent to get things done.