The Department of Applied Mathematics is pleased to host this series of colloquium lectures, funded in part by a generous gift from the Boeing Company. This series will bring to campus prominent applied mathematicians from around the world.
Title: Biological algorithms of learning
Abstract: How does natural intelligence resemble or differ from engineered intelligent systems? We explore this in the case of birdsong learning. This is a system in which the intended goal (song production), the required computation (reinforcement learning) and the underlying neuroanatomy have been well delineated, providing an opportunity to rigorously define a biological learning algorithm. We apply statistical data analysis, dynamical modeling and metalearning to ask how different brain regions use specific neural architectures and dynamics to contribute to learning and lifelong maintenance of this precise skill. Further, we address how this system is exquisitely capable of recovering after perturbation.
Video: Watch the talk on YouTube