Tom Mitchell is creator and chair of, to my knowledge, the only “Machine Learning Department” in academia.
In doing so he authored a document in 2006 which strives to define Machine Learning as a separate intellectual discipline from statistics, computer science, or other related fields. His is one of several definitions.
So I was happy to see that he’s announced he’s updating his classic textbook on the subject from 1997.
He’s put up a page with one chapter on generative modeling and a request for comments. It’s been a dynamic 16 years for machine learning — what do you think is missing and should be included in the 2nd edition?
The New York blog is no longer being updated, although you can still read the archives. If you’d like to find out about discussions in NYC on how science is carried out and communicated online, you can check out the new SpotOn events microsite. SpotOn stands for science policy, outreach and tools online and reflects the three main discussion topics that the monthly NYC events cover:
You can attend the events in person, or online, and we feature regular content around each debate. You’re also welcome to suggest future topics or panelists by contacting us: spoton@nature.com.
The New York City science calendar is a little light this week. No doubt everyone wants to make the most of the last weeks of summer; however, with September right around the corner, New York universities, museums, and other organizations are gearing up for a great fall season of science events. For now, however, take the opportunities this week to learn a little bit about the night sky.
Tuesday – On Tuesday, the American Museum of Natural History hosts “Astronomy Live: Sky to Space”. Research scientist Jackie Faherty and astrophysics educator Christina Pease will recreate pivotal astronomical discoveries using the Hayden Planetarium’s projectors to show the key roles astronomical observations have made in advancing science since antiquity.
That’s all we’ve got for this week, but make sure to check out our Google calendar for other science events around the city, and if there’s an event that you’d like us to add to our calendar, let us know!
The latest Soapbox Science mini-series focuses on the role of mentors in science. Tying in with this year’s Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting, where almost 600 young scientists have the opportunity to meet each other and 25 Nobel laureates, we’ll be looking at the importance of supportive relationships and role models. We’ll hear from a mix of mentors, mentees and projects set up to support scientists and we aim to explore not just the positive examples of good mentoring but what can happen when these key relationships are absent or break down. For more discussions around this year’s Lindau meeting, check out the Lindau Nobel Community site.
Stephani Page is a rising 5th year graduate student at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is pursuing her PhD in the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics and is a member of the Bourret/Silversmith Lab in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology.
There are many qualities that signify an outstanding mentor: compassionate, wise, and humble; forthright, patient, and honest; knowledgeable, generous, and genuine. When I think of all of the individuals whom I have called “mentor”, they have demonstrated all of these qualities. The attributes and qualities of good mentorship cannot be assigned to gender, race, religion, or economic status; I have had many mentors from diverse backgrounds. Largely due in part to the depth and diversity of the relationships with people who have taken the time to mentor me, I feel equipped to step out into the vast unknown: a career in the sciences. Read more
The summer heat has finally come to New York City. If you’re looking for a place to cool down while learning some cool things about science, check out our list of events for this week.
On Wednesday, learn about sustainable happiness at the Rubin Museum. Joe Loizzo, a psychotherapist, will discuss his new book about well-being and altruism and what we can learn from Asian cultures about living well-balance lives and handling the stresses of modern society that often lead to depression, obesity, and cancer.
Thursday
Come out to Brooklyn Bridge Park after the heat has gone to check out the night sky. Astronomers from the Amateur Astronomers Association will be out with telescopes to help you identify some night sky objects.
Friday
If you’re still looking for a way to see the night sky, the Columbia Astronomy Outreach program is hosing their biweekly Science Fact vs Fiction event. This Friday, they will be showing the movie Transformers 3, followed by a discussion of science fiction vs science fact and a stargazing session.
Check out our Google calendar below for other science events around the city, and if there’s an event that you’d like us to add to our calendar, let us know!
Come out to Genspace on Monday night for PCR and pizza. Anyone and everyone is welcome to bring in a plant sample and learn how to do PCR and DNA barcoding, or to just sit back and watch, learn, and eat pizza. Genspace is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting citizen science and access to biotechnology. Check out their weekend classes on synthetic biology and biotechnology.
Tuesday
Looking for some more citizen science opportunities? Head on out to Staten Island this Tuesday for FrogWatch USA, a nationwide, monthly amphibian monitoring program. Read more
Too good to be true? A compound that may treat cancer and diabetes, improve cardiovascular function, increase your lifespan…AND it’s found in wine and chocolate!? A quick Google search for resveratrol will unearth pages of companies trying to sell you the “fountain of youth”, a few warnings “not to believe the hype”, and even a few scientific studies thrown in for good measure. So what’s the truth? Resveratrol: wonder drug or over-hyped?
Last Tuesday night, Joseph Bauer from the University of Pennsylvania spoke at the New York Academy of Sciences to help us sort through the sensationalist headlines (my own included) and take a well-balanced look at the science behind these claims. Bauer became interested in resveratrol while trying to mimic the increase in lifespan observed in mice due to calorie restriction, the idea being that perhaps there is a druggable target that could produce the same effects as caloric restriction without, you know, having to eat less. Bauer eventually focused in on a family of proteins called sirtuins, specifically Sirt-1, which controls life expectancy in yeast (Sir2) and mice (Sirt-1). A screen for compounds that activated Sirt-1 by Biomol (now Enzo Life Sciences) turned up resveratrol, a compound found in red wine and chocolate and is now the subject of several preclinical and clinical studies. Read more
As an 11-year-old boy, Alan Alda was mesmerized studying a candle flame. Finally, after hours of watching it flicker and dance, a question began to creep up from the back of his mind: What is this thing we call a flame? We can see the light it gives off, we can feel the heat, but what is it? In an attempt to find an answer to his question, young Alan Alda asked one of his teachers: What is a flame? And the teacher replied, “A flame is oxidation.”
It seemed that he would have to be satisfied with that explanation for the time being, but the question still haunted him, and decades later, Alda asked this same question to the scientific community, and thousands answered. The Flame Challenge was a call for scientists to improve upon “It’s oxidation” and explain to an 11-year-old child just exactly what a flame is. Read more
The rain held up last Sunday just enough to let visitors to the World Science Festival’sUltimate Science Street Fair dance, exercise, and shoot some hoops, all while learning about science. Here are some pictures from the day:
A little bit of rain, but all in all a great day in Washington Square Park
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