Course announcement
Information Theory in Computer
Science (Harvard CS 229r)
Prereq: CS
121/124/125 + Mathematical Maturity
Time: TuTh 1:00-2:30pm
Location: Maxwell-Dworkin 119
Homepage: http://madhu.seas.harvard.edu/courses/Spring2016/
Information Theory
originated in a seminal work of Shannon that attempted to
formalize and quantify the theory of Communication. This theory
was mostly ignored by theoretical computer science till the 1990s
when tools and concepts from Information Theory started to play a
central role in powerful results in the field. Notable examples
include the Parallel Repetition Theorem of Raz (1994), the
development of the Information Complexity measure as a means of
understanding Communication Complexity (2001). Today Information
Theory measures and tools influence many aspects of CS theory
including analysis of streaming algorithms, differential privacy
and game theory.
This course will introduce the basic concepts in information
theory and then sample topics of interest to CS theory where
information theoretic tools play a central role. Most of the
course, after the first few "standard" lectures, will be run
seminar style with students being expected to participate in the
selection of topics, and the presentation and discussion of
papers.
Instructor: Madhu Sudan (http://madhu.seas.harvard.edu).
Alert: Please email Madhu if you are interested in the
course.