We are so happy to welcome the summer intern of MCL, Tiankai Yang. Here is an interview with Tiankai:

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your research interests?

I am Tiankai Yang, a second-year graduate student at USC. My research journey began five years ago. During undergraduate study, I focused on AI operation (AIOps). After one and a half years of hard work, I became a main member of the project in my fourth year. Despite the challenges, I found machine learning and deep learning fascinating then as well as now. However, I soon realized that my basic knowledge was insufficient, which led me to choose Machine Learning and Data Science as my major for graduate study. Currently, I am interested in exploring both practical and theoretical topics related to machine learning.

2. What is your impression about MCL and USC?

At USC, I met great professors and learned from the well-designed graduate courses . It helps me build a strong foundation in machine learning. The MCL group is outstanding and motivated. Professor Kuo and senior students set excellent role models for me with their passion for achieving research goals. Also, the MCL community feels like a big family where people share interesting experiences and learn from each other. It is my pleasure to be part of this group.

3. What is your future expectation and plan in MCL?

I expect to achieve good results on my edge detection project this summer. If possible, I would like to learn about generative AI in green learning, and explore interpretable and reliable machine learning solutions for real scenarios. I also look forward to building lasting relationships with the talented individuals in the lab.