XunZhao Yu (余 训昭)

Ph.D. in Computer Science.

I have been working as a Research Fellow at the Department of Economics, University of Warwick since January 2024. Focusing on the UKPlanning project led by Dr. Kulka, Amrita (assistant professor) and Dr. Datta, Nikhil (assistant professor).

My research interests are Machine Learning and Optimization, including:
Deep Learning, Meta-Learning, Transfer Learning, Bayesian Optimization, Reinforcement Learning, Evolutionary Computation, Statistical Learning, Time Series Analysis, Stochastic Processes.
I focused on modeling ordinal relations in training data for model-based multi- and many-objective optimization to improve optimization efficiency. Based on statistical analysis (e.g., PCA) of large-scale datasets, I designed efficient stochastic process models and a bilevel architecture to dynamically allocate limited computational resources. I also explored pre-training deep learning and statistical models for diverse computationally expensive optimization problems. Recently, in my spare time, I have been collaborating with professors from top universities to conduct research on the mathematical theory underlying machine learning and optimization. In addition, I am interested in finance and am actively learning about quantitative research.

B.Sc. I obtained a B.Sc. at the Department of Computer Science & Technology, Nanjing University.
– During my undergraduate study, I joined the Learning And Mining from DatA (LAMDA) group, where I attended weekly seminars hosted by Prof. Zhi-Hua Zhou and began a systematic study of Machine Learning and Statistical Learning.
– I also started academic research on Machine Learning and Bayesian Optimization @LAMDA. Under the supervision of Prof. Yang Yu, I developed essential research skills. It was an honor to be supervised by Prof. Yu.

Ph.D. After my undergraduate study, I completed my Ph.D. at the School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham.
– Both of my supervisors left the University of Birmingham during my first Ph.D. semester. As a result, I completed my Ph.D. independently, developing a strong ability to conduct independent research.
– My Ph.D. study was funded by Ford Motor Company (USA), which gave me the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Yan Wang and Dr. Dimitar Filev (technical experts) from Ford USA and gain valuable experience in solving complex real-world problems.