Machine Learning PhD (EECS)

[compscian]

Hello everyone,

I have been accepted to EE PhD programs at UW-Seattle, UT Austin, and Columbia. My research interest involve machine learning and optimization algorithms. I have been given RA/TA at all three places (TA for first term) and can pick adviser after arriving. UW and Columbia have very flexible programs where I can take courses and have advisers across CS and Stats in addition to EE. UT seems a bit more strict with requirements, with funding being a concern. It would be great if someone can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these programs on the whole, and ML in particular. Even though I would have EE as my home department, I plan to associate myself primarily with the CS community - both coursework and adviser selection.

I like the city of Seattle a lot, which is a great place for machine learning - comparable to the Bay Area. However, UWEE doesn't have a high overall ranking, even though it is highly rated for ML. Should I be concerned about this? I would like to go the academia route post PhD, but I am also very open to research positions in good labs

[lovedeep]

On 2/23/2016 at 7:27 AM, compscian said:

Hello everyone,

I have been accepted to EE PhD programs at UW-Seattle, UT Austin, and Columbia. My research interest involve machine learning and optimization algorithms. I have been given RA/TA at all three places (TA for first term) and can pick adviser after arriving. UW and Columbia have very flexible programs where I can take courses and have advisers across CS and Stats in addition to EE. UT seems a bit more strict with requirements, with funding being a concern. It would be great if someone can discuss the strengths and weaknesses of these programs on the whole, and ML in particular. Even though I would have EE as my home department, I plan to associate myself primarily with the CS community - both coursework and adviser selection.

I like the city of Seattle a lot, which is a great place for machine learning - comparable to the Bay Area. However, UWEE doesn't have a high overall ranking, even though it is highly rated for ML. Should I be concerned about this? I would like to go the academia route post PhD, but I am also very open to research positions in good labs

Sorry if it is a bit late. I would highly recommend UW, I live and work in vancouver with similar research interests and ML group at UW is most diverse you can find. It has some best profs in CS and stat depts.

[compscian]

@lovedeep Thanks for the response. Not sure if this is entirely appropriate, but would you happen to know how the industry views EE PhDs who worked on ML? I am very likely to work with only ML-proper professors, and would publish in NIPS, ICML and the like. However, the degree will formally be in EE. I am hoping that as long as it's a PhD in ML and I have papers in ML-proper venues, people wouldn't bother with the home department.

[lovedeep]

@compscian I don't think it matters what your degree says as long as you have published in related venues. I know people working in ML with all sorts of backgrounds (Math, Stat, CS, Bioinformatics, EE etc. ).