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Bayesian neural networks (BNNs) hold great promise as a flexible and principled solution to deal with uncertainty when learning from finite data. Among approaches to realize probabilistic inference in deep neural networks, variational Bayes…

Variational inference (VI) can be cast as an optimization problem in which the variational parameters are tuned to closely align a variational distribution with the true posterior. The optimization task can be approached through vanilla…

Particle-based approximate Bayesian inference approaches such as Stein Variational Gradient Descent (SVGD) combine the flexibility and convergence guarantees of sampling methods with the computational benefits of variational inference. In…

Black-box variational inference (BBVI) scales poorly to high-dimensional problems when it is used to estimate a multivariate Gaussian approximation with a full covariance matrix. In this paper, we extend the batch-and-match (BaM) framework…

For minimizing a strongly convex objective function subject to linear inequality constraints, we consider a penalty approach that allows one to utilize stochastic methods for problems with a large number of constraints and/or objective…

We introduce a gradient-free framework for Bayesian Optimal Experimental Design (BOED) in sequential settings, aimed at complex systems where gradient information is unavailable. Our method combines Ensemble Kalman Inversion (EKI) for…

Variational inference approximates the posterior distribution of a probabilistic model with a parameterized density by maximizing a lower bound for the model evidence. Modern solutions fit a flexible approximation with stochastic gradient…

Variational Inference (VI) offers a method for approximating intractable likelihoods. In neural VI, inference of approximate posteriors is commonly done using an encoder. Alternatively, encoderless VI offers a framework for learning…

This paper proposes a new steepest gradient descent method for solving nonconvex finite minimax problems using non-monotone adaptive step sizes and providing proof of convergence results in cases of the nonconvex, quasiconvex, and…

We develop a new variational approach on level sets aiming towards convergence rate analysis of a variable Bregman proximal gradient (VBPG) method for a broad class of nonsmooth and nonconvex optimization problems. With this new approach,…

Optimal experimental design (OED) seeks experiments expected to yield the most useful data for some purpose. In practical circumstances where experiments are time-consuming or resource-intensive, OED can yield enormous savings. We pursue…

A new gradient-based particle sampling method, MPM-ParVI, based on material point method (MPM), is proposed for variational inference. MPM-ParVI simulates the deformation of a deformable body (e.g. a solid or fluid) under external effects…

We survey incremental methods for minimizing a sum $\sum_{i=1}^mf_i(x)$ consisting of a large number of convex component functions $f_i$. Our methods consist of iterations applied to single components, and have proved very effective in…

Automatic Differentiation Variational Inference (ADVI) is efficient in learning probabilistic models. Classic ADVI relies on the parametric approach to approximate the posterior. In this paper, we develop a spline-based nonparametric…

We study trade-offs between convergence rate and robustness to gradient errors in the context of first-order methods. Our focus is on generalized momentum methods (GMMs)--a broad class that includes Nesterov's accelerated gradient,…

Few Bayesian methods for analyzing high-dimensional sparse survival data provide scalable variable selection, effect estimation and uncertainty quantification. Such methods often either sacrifice uncertainty quantification by computing…

It seems that in the current age, computers, computation, and data have an increasingly important role to play in scientific research and discovery. This is reflected in part by the rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence,…

This paper introduces a unified framework for accelerated gradient methods through the variable and operator splitting (VOS). The operator splitting decouples the optimization process into simpler subproblems, and more importantly, the…

Stochastic natural gradient variational inference (NGVI) is a popular posterior inference method with applications in various probabilistic models. Despite its wide usage, little is known about the non-asymptotic convergence rate in the…

In this paper, we explore two fundamental first-order algorithms in convex optimization, namely, gradient descent (GD) and proximal gradient method (ProxGD). Our focus is on making these algorithms entirely adaptive by leveraging local…