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  4. Combining Reasoning and Learning for Multi-stage Inference in Computational Sustainability and Scientific Discovery

Combining Reasoning and Learning for Multi-stage Inference in Computational Sustainability and Scientific Discovery

File(s)
Xue_cornellgrad_0058F_10840.pdf (7.2 MB)
Permanent Link(s)
https://doi.org/10.7298/X4V986B4
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/59449
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Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Author
Xue, Yexiang
Abstract

Problems at the intersection of reasoning, optimization, and learning often involve multi-stage inference. For example, making decisions based on machine learning models often leads to multi-stage inference problems where probabilistic models learned from data are embedded as first-stage subproblems within a global second-stage problem for decision-making. Multi-agent reasoning also involves multi-stage inference, since the reasoning of any given agent has to incorporate the goals of the other agents. As a result, the decision processes of the other agents are embedded as first-stage subproblems within the overall decision-making problem of that agent. With formal complexities beyond NP, multi-stage inference problems are often highly intractable. In this thesis, I introduce a novel computational framework, based on embeddings, to tackle multi-stage inference problems. Our embedding technique approximates the intractable sub-problems of a multi-stage inference problem through a series of novel representations. We then embed these representations into the global problem, effectively reducing a multi-stage inference to a single-stage inference. As one example, I present a novel way to encode the reward allocation problem for a two-stage organizer--agent game as a single-stage optimization. The encoding embeds an approximation of the agents' decision-making process into the organizer's problem in the form of linear constraints. We apply this methodology to eBird, a well-established citizen-science program for collecting bird observations, in a game called Avicaching. Our AI-based reward allocation was shown to be highly effective, surpassing the expectations of the eBird organizers and bird conservation experts. As another example, I present a novel constant approximation algorithm to solve stochastic optimization problems which identify the optimal policy that maximizes the expectation of a stochastic objective. To tackle this problem, I propose the embedding of its intractable counting subproblems as queries to NP oracles subject to additional XOR constraints. As a result, the entire problem is encoded as a single NP-equivalent optimization. This approach outperforms state-of-the-art solvers based on variational inference and MCMC sampling, on probabilistic inference benchmarks, deep learning applications, and a novel decision-making application in network design for wildlife conservation. I also apply the embedding technique to automated reasoning and machine learning for dimensionality reduction in scientific discovery. As one example, I propose the use of embeddings based on Fourier analysis as a compact representation of high-dimensional probability distributions. As a second example, I show how human computation, crowdsourcing, and parallel computation can identify key backdoor information, thereby drastically reducing the computation time from days to minutes in a dimensionality reduction application with complex physical constraints. Our novel integration of reasoning and learning has led to the discovery of new solar light absorbers by solving a dimensionality reduction problem to characterize the crystal structure of metal oxide materials using X-ray diffraction data.

Date Issued
2018-05-30
Keywords
Computer science
Committee Chair
Selman, Bart
Committee Member
Gomes, Carla P.
Joachims, Thorsten
Hopcroft, John E.
Degree Discipline
Computer Science
Degree Name
Ph. D., Computer Science
Degree Level
Doctor of Philosophy
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Type
dissertation or thesis

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