We aim to bring together experts and young researchers to discuss aspects of non-convex optimization that are related yet usually call for different mathematical tools: the study of landscapes, the analysis of algorithm dynamics, and the understanding of generalization in learning.
The schedule is kept light to favor interactions. We encourage blackboard talks where appropriate—the venue is optimized for that!
—The organizers: Nicolas Boumal, Lénaïc Chizat, Nicolas Flammarion and Andrew McRae.
Monday Aug. 25
| 9:00 | Welcome | |
| 9:10 | Irène Waldspurger | Second-order optimization for Burer-Monteiro factorizations |
| 9:50 | Aymeric Dieuleveut | Does heavy ball accelerate on smooth and strongly convex functions, beyond quadratics? |
| 10:30 | Break | |
| 11:00 | Conversation starters | Think “spotlights” but to entice chats rather than convey facts. |
| 12:00 | Lunch | We’ll distribute vouchers for a campus restaurant. |
| 14:00 | Alex Damian | Understanding optimization in deep learning with central flows |
| 14:40 | Conversation starters | |
| 15:40 | Break | |
| 16:10 | Vianney Perchet | Last iterate convergence for zero-sum games |
| 16:50 | Drinks |
Tuesday Aug. 26
| 9:00 | Julien Mairal | MAP estimation with denoisers: convergence rates and guarantees |
| 9:40 | Shuyang Ling | Local geometry determines global landscape for synchronization in \(O(d)\) |
| 10:20 | Break | |
| 10:50 | Clément Royer | Nonconvex landscapes and the computation of matrix square roots |
| 11:30 | Radu Dragomir | A theoretical explanation of grokking in the small regularization limit |
| 12:10 | Lunch | |
| 14:00 | Vaidehi Srinivas | Guarantees for alternating least squares (ALS) in overparameterized tensor decomposition |
| 14:40 | Andre Wibisono | Mixing time of the proximal sampler in relative Fisher information via strong data processing inequality |
| 15:20 | Break | |
| 15:50 | Quentin Berthet | Implicit diffusion: efficient optimization through stochastic sampling |
| 16:30 | Free time | |
| 18:00 | Still here? | Plan ahead: the boat won’t wait! (Take metro M1 to Flon then M2 to Ouchy.) |
| 18:50 | Dinner | Boat “Henry Dunant” departs from CGN port in Lausanne (Ouchy). |
Wednesday Aug. 27
| 9:00 | Aurélien Lucchi | Rethinking assumptions in neural networks optimization |
| 9:40 | Pierre Marion | Logistic regression with large step sizes |
| 10:20 | Break | |
| 10:50 | John Duchi | Geometry, computation and optimality in stochastic optimization |
| 11:30 | Lunch bags + hike | We go to Villeneuve and walk (on pavement) to Montreux (~1h30). From there, the world is your oyster! |
This event is sponsored by the Bernoulli Center and by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) under contract number MB22.00027.