CTU Events

Prague Computer Science Seminar - Stochastic two-player games (Prof. Antonín Kučera)

27 Feb 2014   16:00

LECTURE ANNOTATION
Stochastic two-player games on directed graphs are widely used for modeling and analysis of discrete systems operating in an unknown (adversarial) environment. Possible configurations of a system and its environment are represented as vertices, and the transitions correspond to actions of the system, its environment, or "nature". A run of the system then corresponds to an infinite path in the graph. Thus, a system and its environment can be seen as two players with antagonistic objectives, where one player (the system) aims at maximizing the probability of "good" runs, while the other player (the environment) aims at the opposite.

In many cases, there exists an equilibrium value of this probability, but optimal strategies for both players may not exist.

We introduce basic concepts and algorithmic questions studied in this area, and we mention some long-standing open problems. Then, we mention selected recent results.

LECTURER
Prof. RNDr. Antonín Kučera, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized researcher in theoretical computer science. He works in the areas at the intersection of mathematical logic and theoretical computer science such as formal modelling and verification of infinite-state systems, questions of decidability and complexity of analysis of models over various classes of such systems, use of modal and temporal logics. He also studies stochastic systems, game theory and its applications in the areas above. He is a full professor and the head of the Institute for Theoretical Computer Science at Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, Brno. His group belongs among the top centers of Czech computer science, he advises a number of PhD. students; some of his past students are themselves recognized scientists.

ABOUT THE PRAGUE COMPUTER SCIENCE SEMINAR
The seminar will take place on the 4th Thursday of each month at 4:00pm (except June, July, August and December) alternately in the buildings of Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Czech Technical University, Karlovo nám. 13, Praha 2 and Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Malostranské nám. 25, Praha 1.
Its program will consist of a one-hour lecture followed by a discussion. The lecture should be based on an (internationally) exceptional or remarkable achievement of the lecturer, presented in a way which is comprehensible and interesting to a broad computer science community. The lectures will be in English.

Place

Auditorium S5, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Malostranské nám. 25, Praha 1

Contact person

Přípravný výbor PIS, info@praguecomputerscience.cz

More information

http://www.praguecomputerscience.cz/

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