Events Calendar

PhD Dissertation Defense - Ayush Jain

Presentation Title: Decision Making in Complex Action Spaces
 
Committee Members: Erdem Biyik, Joseph J Lim, Gaurav Sukhatme, Stefanos Nikolaidis, Feifei Quan
 
Date and Time: Wed., Nov. 13th, 2024: 4:30pm - 6:30pm
 
Location: VHE 214
 
Abstract:  The action space of a reinforcement learning agent defines how it interacts with the world, whether selecting discrete items in a recommender system or controlling continuous movements in robotics. An agent is considered optimal when, at every step, it chooses an action within its action space that maximizes the expected future return. In this thesis, I study the relationship between expected returns and action space, identifying three key complexities that make certain tasks challenging. Specifically, I address decision-making in (1) unseen actions, such as new items to recommend; (2) changing action spaces, like variable inventory or toolset; and (3) locally optimal actions that hinder the search for the global best action. For each, we propose solutions to enhance agent adaptability and decision-making across complex action spaces.
 
Zoom Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/91845196972?pwd=ghI6Q1gZmsmvonVUlFOTffDLAFwFY9.1

Location: Vivian Hall of Engineering (VHE) - 214

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Ayush Jain