Brownbag seminar: Primož Škraba: Topological Data Analysis

Topology is the branch of mathematics which studies spaces by how they are locally connected.  Recently, quantatative topology,
specifically the notion of perisistence has found numerous applications in computer science. In this talk, I will introduce three applications of these ideas to data analysis. Specifically, I will discuss: 1.) clustering/unsupervised learning, 2.) study of periodic systems, 3.) robustness of maps.

The notion of stability is crucial if we are to have any hope of working with real data sets. Using these examples, I will define the stability of persistence and show how it helps overcome noise and limited knowledge of the underlying system/space. Finally, I present preliminary results on extending stability using statistical tools.

Thursday, 3 February 2011, 13:00, Orange room