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Margareta Ackerman


MATHEMATICS COLLOQUIUM

Speaker: Margareta Ackerman
Title: Formal Foundations of Clustering
Affiliation: Computer Science, Florida State University
Date: Friday, October 24, 2014
Place and Time: Room 101, Love Building, 3:35-4:30 pm
Refreshments: Room 204, Love Building, 3:00 pm

Abstract. Clustering is a central unsupervised learning task with a wide variety of applications. However, in spite of its popularity, it lacks a unified theoretical foundation. Recently, there has been work aimed at developing such a theory. We discuss recent advances in clustering theory, starting with results on clustering axioms. We will then discuss a new framework for addressing one of the most prominent practical problems in the field, the selection of a clustering algorithm for a specific task. The framework rests on the identification of central properties capturing the input-output behaviour of clustering paradigms. We present several results in this direction, including a characterization of linkage-based clustering methods.