Related papers: Extended-variable relaxations for the constrained …
In this paper we propose the Graduated NonConvexity and Graduated Concavity Procedure (GNCGCP) as a general optimization framework to approximately solve the combinatorial optimization problems on the set of partial permutation matrices.…
This paper describes an extension to the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) called MUSE CSP (MUltiply SEgmented Constraint Satisfaction Problem). This extension is especially useful for those problems which segment into multiple sets of…
In this paper, we tackle the resolution of chance-constrained problems reformulated via Sample Average Approximation. The resulting data-driven deterministic reformulation takes the form of a large-scale mixed-integer program cursed with…
This paper presents a novel convex optimization-based method for finding the globally optimal solutions of a class of mixed-integer non-convex optimal control problems. We consider problems with non-convex constraints that restrict the…
We develop the theory of Energy Conserving Descent (ECD) and introduce ECDSep, a gradient-based optimization algorithm able to tackle convex and non-convex optimization problems. The method is based on the novel ECD framework of…
The maximum entropy principle (MEP) is a method for obtaining the most likely distribution functions of observables from statistical systems, by maximizing entropy under constraints. The MEP has found hundreds of applications in ergodic and…
A new method of deriving comparative statics information using generalized compensated derivatives is presented which yields constraint-free semidefiniteness results for any differentiable, constrained optimization problem. More generally,…
A $\mu$-constrained Boolean Max-CSP$(\psi)$ instance is a Boolean Max-CSP instance on predicate $\psi:\{0,1\}^r \to \{0,1\}$ where the objective is to find a labeling of relative weight exactly $\mu$ that maximizes the fraction of satisfied…
We study randomized algorithms for constrained optimization, in abstract frameworks that include, in strictly increasing generality: convex programming; LP-type problems; violator spaces; and a setting we introduce, consistent spaces. Such…
The Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) is a problem of computing a homomorphism $\mathbf{R}\to \mathbf{\Gamma}$ between two relational structures, where $\mathbf{R}$ is defined over a domain $V$ and $\mathbf{\Gamma}$ is defined over a…
Current state-of-the-art model-based reinforcement learning algorithms use trajectory sampling methods, such as the Cross-Entropy Method (CEM), for planning in continuous control settings. These zeroth-order optimizers require sampling a…
We develop a general framework for MAP estimation in discrete and Gaussian graphical models using Lagrangian relaxation techniques. The key idea is to reformulate an intractable estimation problem as one defined on a more tractable graph,…
In recent years, semidefinite relaxations of common optimization problems in robotics have attracted growing attention due to their ability to provide globally optimal solutions. In many cases, it was shown that specific handcrafted…
Expansion of natural gas networks is a critical process involving substantial capital expenditures with complex decision-support requirements. Given the non-convex nature of gas transmission constraints, global optimality and infeasibility…
Memory is a key computational bottleneck when solving large-scale convex optimization problems such as semidefinite programs (SDPs). In this paper, we focus on the regime in which storing an $n\times n$ matrix decision variable is…
We propose a stochastic conditional gradient method (CGM) for minimizing convex finite-sum objectives formed as a sum of smooth and non-smooth terms. Existing CGM variants for this template either suffer from slow convergence rates, or…
SEMMS (Scalable Empirical-Bayes Model for Marker Selection) is a variable-selection procedure for generalized linear models that uses a three-component normal mixture prior on regression coefficients. In its original form, SEMMS assumes…
Chance constraints provide a principled framework to mitigate the risk of high-impact extreme events by modifying the controllable properties of a system. The low probability and rare occurrence of such events, however, impose severe…
Stochastic network models play a central role across a wide range of scientific disciplines, and questions of statistical inference arise naturally in this context. In this paper we investigate goodness-of-fit and two-sample testing…
We introduce a novel Entropy-driven Monte Carlo (EdMC) strategy to efficiently sample solutions of random Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs). First, we extend a recent result that, using a large-deviation analysis, shows that the…