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<i>Department of Computer Science Seminar</i> <br>
<b><br>
William Hoza<br>
Postdoctoral Fellow<br>
University of California, Berkeley<br>
<br>
Tuesday April 4th<br>
2:00pm - 3:00pm <br>
In Person: John Crerar Library 298<br>
<br>
Zoom:<br>
<a href="https://uchicagogroup.zoom.us/j/96948783920?pwd=VWVkZ0ZFd1o5OTJkd2dKN3dpWXhlQT09">https://uchicagogroup.zoom.us/j/96948783920?pwd=VWVkZ0ZFd1o5OTJkd2dKN3dpWXhlQT09</a></b>
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Meeting ID: 969 4878 3920<br>
Passcode: 161298</b><br>
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<b>Title: Pseudorandomness and Space Complexity: New Methods, New Insights, and New Milestones</b><br>
<b><br>
Abstract:</b><br>
Algorithm designers often introduce random choices into their algorithms in an effort to improve efficiency. However, random bits cannot necessarily be produced for free, so deterministic algorithms are preferable to randomized algorithms, all else being equal.
Is randomness ever truly necessary for efficient computation? What, ultimately, is the role of randomness in computing?<br>
<br>
In this talk, I will discuss the "L = BPL" conjecture, which says that for every clever randomized algorithm, there is an even cleverer deterministic algorithm that does the same job with roughly the same space complexity. The most traditional approach for
trying to prove this conjecture is based on pseudorandom generators (PRGs), which have additional applications beyond derandomizing algorithms. There are also other approaches based on variants of the PRG concept, most notably "weighted PRGs" and "hitting
set generators." I will give an overview of my contributions in this area (with collaborators), consisting of new constructions and applications of these three types of generators.<br>
<b><br>
Bio:</b>
<div>William Hoza is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley through the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing. His PhD is from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was advised by David Zuckerman. He studies topics in computational
complexity theory, especially pseudorandomness and derandomization.</div>
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<div>----</div>
<div>Holly Santos<br>
Executive Assistant to Michael J. Franklin, Chairman<br>
Department of Computer Science<br>
The University of Chicago<br>
5730 S Ellis Ave-217 Chicago, IL 60637<br>
P: 773-834-8977<br>
hsantos@uchicago.edu<br>
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