#12 Conversation with Michael I. Jordan – Scaling Excellence in AI, Statistics, and Beyond

Dive into an extraordinary conversation with Michael I. Jordan, the Pehong Chen Distinguished Professor at UC Berkeley, whose contributions have shaped the worlds of machine learning, statistics, and cognitive science. This episode unpacks the journey, insights, and philosophies of one of the most influential minds in computer science and AI.
Episode Highlights:
1. Academic Journey & Research Excellence
• From a BS in Psychology (magna cum laude) at LSU to a PhD in Cognitive Science at UC San Diego.
• MIT Professor (1988–1998), now leading interdisciplinary research at UC Berkeley.
2. Scaling Body & Mind
• How Prof. Jordan balances mentoring, groundbreaking research, and community contributions.
• Strategies for staying productive amidst jet-lag, stress, and endless curiosity.
3. Bridging Disciplines
• The intersection of computer science and statistics: melding data modeling with algorithmic discovery.
• Insights on pioneering Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) with David Blei and Andrew Ng, cited over 50,000 times.
4. Machine Learning Meets Microeconomics
• How ML and microeconomics intersect to address societal challenges.
• Speculations on AI's potential to inform public policy at a societal scale.
5. Ethical AI & Bias
• Thoughts on the regulation of AI development and its implications for innovation and social good.
6. Leadership & Collaboration
• Prof. Jordan's principles for interdisciplinary teamwork and navigating academic competition.
• Reflections on leadership styles, managing time, and fostering excellence.
7. Advice for Aspiring Researchers
• Career strategies for newcomers, early, mid, and late-career academics.
• Building mastery in mathematics, statistics, and computer science while embracing creativity and lifelong learning.
8. Legacy, Motivation, and Vision
• What keeps Prof. Jordan striving for new heights.
• Reflections on success, legacy, and advice for the next generation of thinkers.
9. Beyond Academia
• Prof. Jordan’s musical pursuits with Errors in Bars, blending melodies with statistical flair.
Call to Action
Prepare to be inspired by Prof. Jordan’s groundbreaking insights and practical advice. Whether you're a student, researcher, or enthusiast, this episode has something for everyone.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe and share with others in your network!
#MachineLearning #AI #MichaelJordan #Statistics #UCberkeley #CognitiveScience #Podcast #InterdisciplinaryResearch

I hope you enjoy it!

Adel

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About me, the interviewer. At the time of producing this interview, I was an Associate Professor at the Institute for Analytical Sociology, Linköping University, and an
Affiliated Associate Professor in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence for the Social Sciences, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. Previously he held positions at Harvard University, University of Cambridge, Max Planck Institute for the Studies of Societies, and the Alan Turing Institute.

My research has both a social scientific and methodological orientation. For the social sciences, I research the effects of economic, political, and natural shocks on living standards and health, globally and locally. I implement and develop novel methodologies in machine learning and causal inference to analyze the causes and consequences of poverty and health. I have published in journals such as PNAS, Science Advances, World Development, International J of Epidemiology, American J of Epidemiology, and Ecological Economics, and in machine-learning conferences as Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and The North American Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics (NAACL). More information at www.adeldaoud.se.

I am leading The AI and Global Development Lab. The vision of the Lab is to “combine AI, earth observation, and social theory to analyze sustainable development globally and locally.” More information is provided at www.global-lab.ai )


Music by Vincent Rubinetti
Download the music on Bandcamp:
https://vincerubinetti.bandcamp.com/a...
Stream the music on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/1dVyjw...

Tags: Science, mentorship, leadership, coaching, academic growth, learning, building research environments, productivity, research, university, professor, doctoral studies, building your research program, computer science, statistics, machine learning, AI, innovation.