Spring Break with Artificial Intelligence

Ever wondered about how smart computers can be?

If you are curious about how to make computers smarter and want to stimulate your own brain during the spring break, we have an exciting opportunity for you.

Monte Carlo algorithms are randomized search algorithms that are creating big advances in Artificial Intelligence. They have produced the first master-level play in Go, and they also give excellent performance in Solitaire and other games. Monte Carlo methods are also being applied to many more practical problems such as robot planning and scheduling and also to environmental problems such as species conservation and sustainability. Monte Carlo methods are naturally parallel, simple to implement, and appear to perform better or comparably to other more complex approaches. There are many open research problems including some fundamental ones such as why and when they work well.

The National Science Foundation and Oregon State University are sponsoring an allexpenses paid short course on Monte Carlo algorithms for undergraduates from US colleges and universities. Students are expected to have some prior experience in programming, but do not need any previous experience in Artificial Intelligence. Students from groups historically under-represented in computer science (women, minorities, first generation to attend college) are particularly encouraged to apply. The
course runs from March 19-23 in the beautiful town of Corvallis. We will provide accommodation, airfare, computer access, high quality interactions, and technical presentations.

If you are interested or have questions, please visit http://www.eecs.orst.edu/mcai.  Applications are due by December 20, 2011.