Theory club is an event for theory students to meet regularly and talk about research. The event has two parts: a social part (with snacks provided!) and a short board presentation. The topics of each presentation will be broad and the presentations are designed to be accessible to all theory students: no prior knowledge is assumed.


Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, theory club is canceled for the foreseeable future.

Q: When/where is theory club?
A: Tuesday, 4:30-5:30 (usually) in 6501 GHC.

Q: Who is the event for?
A: All theory students! (And occasionally some faculty, too.)

If you would like to receive notifications for our events, you can sign up for our mailing list.

Please answer the theory club poll here! (to pick topics and snacks)

Spring 2020 Schedule
Topic 1: Sum of Squares
February 11, 2020 (GHC 6501)
Does Sum of Squares know about chromatic number?

Abstract: I'll talk about a class of questions (most of them widely open) that ask whether "simple" proof systems such as sum of squares can estimate about basic combinatorial properties of graphs.


February 18, 2020 (GHC 6501)
Algorithmic Applications of Sum-of-Squares
Speaker: Ainesh Bakshi

Abstract: I will briefly discuss recent progress in robust statistics, including applications where low-degree sum-of-squares relaxations are strictly better than any known (spectral) algorithms.


February 25, 2020 (GHC 6501)
Rounding Sum-of-Squares Relaxations

Abstract: I will outline a common structure that several Sum-of-Squares -based algorithms follow, taking as an example the algorithm for the Planted Sparse Vector problem.



March 3, 2020 (GHC 6501)
Open house - socializing with accepted students

March 10, 2020
Spring break - No theory club
Topic 2: Online Algorithms
March 17-???, 2020
Canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.