Ben Rubinstein
@bipr.bsky.social
ML & Privacy Prof at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Deputy Dean Research. Prev Microsoft Research, Berkeley EECS PhD. @bipr on the X bird site. He/him.
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
We are hiring continuing academic in #cyber security! Come join one of Australia's best groups (brokenassumptions.org), alongside stars like @bipr.bsky.social, @shaananc.bsky.social, Olga Ohrimenko, Thuan Pham, Xingliang Yuan, & Sarah Erfani. jobs.unimelb.edu.au/en/job/91947...
Details : Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer in Cyber Security : The University of Melbourne
Careers at The University of Melbourne
jobs.unimelb.edu.au
February 20, 2025 at 10:46 AM
We are hiring continuing academic in #cyber security! Come join one of Australia's best groups (brokenassumptions.org), alongside stars like @bipr.bsky.social, @shaananc.bsky.social, Olga Ohrimenko, Thuan Pham, Xingliang Yuan, & Sarah Erfani. jobs.unimelb.edu.au/en/job/91947...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
CBA trials myGov ID verification www.cyberdaily.au/security/116...
CBA trials myGov ID verification
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has begun trialling a myGov verification program that will allow customers to verify their identities with their myGov accounts rather than handing over identi...
www.cyberdaily.au
January 21, 2025 at 6:06 AM
CBA trials myGov ID verification www.cyberdaily.au/security/116...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Curious to see how they plan to anonymise our NHS data for training ML models. I personally wouldn’t know how to start doing that
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
January 13, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Curious to see how they plan to anonymise our NHS data for training ML models. I personally wouldn’t know how to start doing that
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
If the UK can do it, why can't Australia? www.computing.co.uk/news/2025/ai...
UK government unveils multibillion-pound AI investment plan to boost national capacity
UK government unveils a bold new plan to unleash the power of AI, aiming to transform public services, boost economic growth, and cement the nation's ...
www.computing.co.uk
January 13, 2025 at 12:34 PM
If the UK can do it, why can't Australia? www.computing.co.uk/news/2025/ai...
The NACC (Australia's Commonwealth attempt at an anti-corruption commission) has been quite the disappointment.
The NACC:
$140m spent, 200 staff, 0 results.
No wonder Labor and Coalition colluded to ensure the NACC wouldn’t have public hearings. Farcical.
$140m spent, 200 staff, 0 results.
No wonder Labor and Coalition colluded to ensure the NACC wouldn’t have public hearings. Farcical.
January 12, 2025 at 8:46 AM
The NACC (Australia's Commonwealth attempt at an anti-corruption commission) has been quite the disappointment.
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Excited to co-organise another summer school on learning theory! This time in beautiful Odense, Denmark. Please share and apply here:
event.sdu.dk/algoml2025
event.sdu.dk/algoml2025
PhD School on Intersections of Algorithms and Machine Learning Theory
event.sdu.dk
January 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Excited to co-organise another summer school on learning theory! This time in beautiful Odense, Denmark. Please share and apply here:
event.sdu.dk/algoml2025
event.sdu.dk/algoml2025
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
BoM data finds 2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
BoM data finds 2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record
Rise in greenhouse gases responsible for average temperatures rising to 1.46C above average, with one climate scientist saying this is ‘the norm now’
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2025 at 3:17 AM
BoM data finds 2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
I seem to be on a "defend LLMs for personal use" kick. It seemed like fun to see how I've used them in the past month. In most cases, I first did a search that proved useless (often, spending a long time following links that looked like they *could* be helpful…but weren't). ↵
January 1, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I seem to be on a "defend LLMs for personal use" kick. It seemed like fun to see how I've used them in the past month. In most cases, I first did a search that proved useless (often, spending a long time following links that looked like they *could* be helpful…but weren't). ↵
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
I've been thinking about in-context learning for nearly 3 years. While there is still plenty I don't fully understand, five papers have--to a very large extent--shaped my perspective on it, and I believe everyone should read them.
December 29, 2024 at 11:00 PM
I've been thinking about in-context learning for nearly 3 years. While there is still plenty I don't fully understand, five papers have--to a very large extent--shaped my perspective on it, and I believe everyone should read them.
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
📢 Outstanding PhD opportunity!
The successful candidate will be based at The University of Manchester Dept. of CS ✨ to work on learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts, co-supervised with @samikaski.bsky.social
⏳ DL 31.Jan.2025.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
The successful candidate will be based at The University of Manchester Dept. of CS ✨ to work on learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts, co-supervised with @samikaski.bsky.social
⏳ DL 31.Jan.2025.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts. at The University of Manchester on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts. at The University of Manchester, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
December 26, 2024 at 5:16 PM
📢 Outstanding PhD opportunity!
The successful candidate will be based at The University of Manchester Dept. of CS ✨ to work on learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts, co-supervised with @samikaski.bsky.social
⏳ DL 31.Jan.2025.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
The successful candidate will be based at The University of Manchester Dept. of CS ✨ to work on learning theory and methods for novel types of distributional shifts, co-supervised with @samikaski.bsky.social
⏳ DL 31.Jan.2025.
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
As the year winds down, the summer sun shines and boxing day does its thing 🏏, reminder that if you want to follow #ComputerScience academics in Australia 🇦🇺 and NZ 🇳🇿, there's a starter pack perfect for you: go.bsky.app/N5x6GLQ
December 26, 2024 at 4:38 AM
As the year winds down, the summer sun shines and boxing day does its thing 🏏, reminder that if you want to follow #ComputerScience academics in Australia 🇦🇺 and NZ 🇳🇿, there's a starter pack perfect for you: go.bsky.app/N5x6GLQ
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Loving the new Yayoi Kusama exhibition @ National Gallery Victoria #Melbourne
December 21, 2024 at 7:20 AM
Loving the new Yayoi Kusama exhibition @ National Gallery Victoria #Melbourne
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Announcing the accepted papers for ALT 2025! It was a very competitive year, and we were able to accept only 51 of 144 submissions. Thanks to my co-chair Po-Ling Loh and the entire program committee for their hard work!
See you in Milan in February!
algorithmiclearningtheory.org/alt2025/acce...
See you in Milan in February!
algorithmiclearningtheory.org/alt2025/acce...
December 20, 2024 at 2:57 PM
Announcing the accepted papers for ALT 2025! It was a very competitive year, and we were able to accept only 51 of 144 submissions. Thanks to my co-chair Po-Ling Loh and the entire program committee for their hard work!
See you in Milan in February!
algorithmiclearningtheory.org/alt2025/acce...
See you in Milan in February!
algorithmiclearningtheory.org/alt2025/acce...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
The School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh is hiring a lecturer or reader in embodied natural language processing. Apply by 31 Jan 2025 at edin.ac/4fqgawg
December 19, 2024 at 1:13 PM
The School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh is hiring a lecturer or reader in embodied natural language processing. Apply by 31 Jan 2025 at edin.ac/4fqgawg
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Needless to say, we disagree with that headline. It turns out to be an opinion piece we wrote for them a few months ago and they just published — with a bunch of changes they didn’t tell us about. wired.com/story/human-...
December 15, 2024 at 2:23 PM
Needless to say, we disagree with that headline. It turns out to be an opinion piece we wrote for them a few months ago and they just published — with a bunch of changes they didn’t tell us about. wired.com/story/human-...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
I was on NPR with
@bobbyallyn.bsky.social re Australia’s teen social media ban.
Tests by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that age algorithms are off by an average of 5yrs for West Africans–discriminating in practice.
🎧 Take a listen! www.npr.org/2024/12/09/n...
@bobbyallyn.bsky.social re Australia’s teen social media ban.
Tests by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that age algorithms are off by an average of 5yrs for West Africans–discriminating in practice.
🎧 Take a listen! www.npr.org/2024/12/09/n...
How will Australia's teen social media actually work?
Australia's Parliament has passed one of the strictest social media crackdowns in the world. Under the new law, anyone under 16 years old will be banned from opening a social media account.
www.npr.org
December 13, 2024 at 8:43 PM
I was on NPR with
@bobbyallyn.bsky.social re Australia’s teen social media ban.
Tests by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that age algorithms are off by an average of 5yrs for West Africans–discriminating in practice.
🎧 Take a listen! www.npr.org/2024/12/09/n...
@bobbyallyn.bsky.social re Australia’s teen social media ban.
Tests by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that age algorithms are off by an average of 5yrs for West Africans–discriminating in practice.
🎧 Take a listen! www.npr.org/2024/12/09/n...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Found slides by Ankur Moitra (presented at a TCS For All event) on "How to do theoretical research." Full of great advice!
My favourite: "Find the easiest problem you can't solve. The more embarrassing, the better!"
Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/15VaT...
TCS For all: sigact.org/tcsforall/
My favourite: "Find the easiest problem you can't solve. The more embarrassing, the better!"
Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/15VaT...
TCS For all: sigact.org/tcsforall/
December 13, 2024 at 8:31 PM
Found slides by Ankur Moitra (presented at a TCS For All event) on "How to do theoretical research." Full of great advice!
My favourite: "Find the easiest problem you can't solve. The more embarrassing, the better!"
Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/15VaT...
TCS For all: sigact.org/tcsforall/
My favourite: "Find the easiest problem you can't solve. The more embarrassing, the better!"
Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/15VaT...
TCS For all: sigact.org/tcsforall/
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
I look forward to co-directing the Canadian AI Safety Institute (CAISI) Research Program at CIFAR with @catherineregis.bsky.social
We will be designing the program in the coming months and will soon share ways to get involved with this new community.
Read more here: cifar.ca/cifarnews/20...
We will be designing the program in the coming months and will soon share ways to get involved with this new community.
Read more here: cifar.ca/cifarnews/20...
December 12, 2024 at 7:36 PM
I look forward to co-directing the Canadian AI Safety Institute (CAISI) Research Program at CIFAR with @catherineregis.bsky.social
We will be designing the program in the coming months and will soon share ways to get involved with this new community.
Read more here: cifar.ca/cifarnews/20...
We will be designing the program in the coming months and will soon share ways to get involved with this new community.
Read more here: cifar.ca/cifarnews/20...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Now that @mkearnsphilly.bsky.social is here, this starter pack just became the real deal. Better refollow it. go.bsky.app/21nFz12
December 12, 2024 at 5:48 PM
Now that @mkearnsphilly.bsky.social is here, this starter pack just became the real deal. Better refollow it. go.bsky.app/21nFz12
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
Actual content post: Have not talked much about this work yet but we have a paper on Oracle-Efficient Reinforcement Learning for Max Value Ensembles at this year's #NeurIPS. We provide an efficient algorithm to ensemble policies given a value function oracle. arxiv.org/abs/2405.16739
Oracle-Efficient Reinforcement Learning for Max Value Ensembles
Reinforcement learning (RL) in large or infinite state spaces is notoriously challenging, both theoretically (where worst-case sample and computational complexities must scale with state space cardina...
arxiv.org
November 10, 2024 at 5:51 PM
Actual content post: Have not talked much about this work yet but we have a paper on Oracle-Efficient Reinforcement Learning for Max Value Ensembles at this year's #NeurIPS. We provide an efficient algorithm to ensemble policies given a value function oracle. arxiv.org/abs/2405.16739
Touching story of the innovations of an immigrant overcoming adversity. As with so many other skilled immigrants, Australia benefits. Short sighted to scape goat people who want to build a better society, economy and world. We should welcome them instead. www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...
Scientist turns down $500 million to keep waste-to-compost invention in Australia
Australia means so much to Iranian-born biotechnologist Sam Jahangard, he has made a huge sacrifice to keep his developments in the country instead of selling them internationally.
www.abc.net.au
December 8, 2024 at 7:24 AM
Touching story of the innovations of an immigrant overcoming adversity. As with so many other skilled immigrants, Australia benefits. Short sighted to scape goat people who want to build a better society, economy and world. We should welcome them instead. www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
An advent calendar of some of my favourite TCS/Maths talks. Day #1: Avi Wigderson on Reading Alan Turing.
It is a gem of a talk, full of insights about Turing's work, writing style, and influences on mathematics and computer science. Pure joy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk_...
It is a gem of a talk, full of insights about Turing's work, writing style, and influences on mathematics and computer science. Pure joy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk_...
Reading Alan Turing - Avi Wigderson
YouTube video by Institute for Advanced Study
www.youtube.com
December 1, 2024 at 12:22 PM
An advent calendar of some of my favourite TCS/Maths talks. Day #1: Avi Wigderson on Reading Alan Turing.
It is a gem of a talk, full of insights about Turing's work, writing style, and influences on mathematics and computer science. Pure joy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk_...
It is a gem of a talk, full of insights about Turing's work, writing style, and influences on mathematics and computer science. Pure joy!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uk_...
Reposted by Ben Rubinstein
I'm excited about a new paper that gives tractable generalizations of Aumann's Agreement Theorem, with an eye towards human/model collaboration in machine learning. We can implement algorithms that can "converse" with people and quickly come to agreement on downstream actions. 🧵
December 2, 2024 at 5:12 PM
I'm excited about a new paper that gives tractable generalizations of Aumann's Agreement Theorem, with an eye towards human/model collaboration in machine learning. We can implement algorithms that can "converse" with people and quickly come to agreement on downstream actions. 🧵