They call him a modern day Einstein, a computer genius, he is a professor at MIT and only at the age of 27 he solved the game theory Nash puzzle, an unsolved problem for decades problem of the Nobel Prize-winning economist John Nash whose life was made into a film a few years ago starring Russell Crowe and titled "A Wonderful Man".
Konstantinos Daskalakis, after graduating with honors from the National Technical University of Athens, went to America for postgraduate studies at Berkley, worked only 1 year at Microsoft and left to pursue an academic and research career at the most famous University in the field of Informatics, MIT.
We asked 31-year-old Konstantinos Daskalakis to answer some questions in view of the long-awaited speech the day after Wednesday in Athens, at The Hub Events - Science entitled: From information to Informatics.
Interview with Irini Nikolopoulou and at eirinika.gr
- When you solve Nas' puzzle before you turn 30, life becomes more interesting and what do you want to do next? You who have focused your research ever since?
The researcher's life is exciting. When you solve a problem you open a door that spreads a lot of new search paths in front of you. Life at MIT is intense, with many responsibilities and the privilege of interacting with the most intelligent people in the world. My previous research has found the inadequacy of the economic theory for studying the Internet. What burns me right now is to find the right theory.
- After Steve Jobs who left and Bill Gates who deals - says less of the internet, are there new 'heads' in the IT field and what are they?
Θεωρώ τον Jobs και τον Gates πολύ σημαντικούς businessmen. Ωστόσο το Internet είναι πιο «δημοκρατικό». Η καινοτομία έρχεται από χαμηλά. Για παράδειγμα δεν ξέρουμε ποιος έφτιαξε το Bitcoin, το καινούριο Ιντερνετικό currency.
What will you tell us on Wednesday? Do you know that your light path in itself creates optimism and gives wings to the young and old? What would you like to say to them in order to encourage them besides “special speech”? You know they will all hang on your lips ...
On Wednesday I will talk about the role of algorithms in the complex world that surrounds us: information storm, the Internet, global markets. Greece has talents. I do not mean those of TV shows. We need to discover our dynamism in the global environment that surrounds us and the Internet in part. But who are our doctors in this? Is it our politicians or academics?
- Like all the love ones, just like with the love of the internet, now that the time has passed, everyone is talking only about how their personal data is affected. How do you see the future in this sensitive field?
Alas, if one of the greatest discoveries of the last century did not involve risks. We have to see how to protect ourselves from them. Them solutions will give technology, education, and public debate. I will try to describe technological solutions in my talk. However, the future will be exciting.
- What do your foreign students ask you about Greece Mr. Daskalaki?
My students are asking me about Greek history, Greek ideals, the sun and the sea.
- When you talk about Crete what do you say and what is it that you miss from your beautiful, strange, special homeland? What do you take with you to America from the island?
Although I grew up in Athens, a large part of it ID cards includes Cretan characteristics. I miss Crete a lot: the place, the sea, the mountains, but mostly the people. I'll tell you just a mandinada: The lavender is a misery that all the blood flows, oh my god, how can the one who has it endure it.
- What are you dreaming about, Mr. Daskalaki? How do you see yourself in a few years? Do you love family? How would you kid a kid on the internet?
I feel a servant of science and my dream is the advancement of human knowledge. I do not feel the material dreams touch me. I want to make a family. Until then, the Internet will be connected with our lives to such an extent that children will not need to be initiated into it. Our clothes will be on the Internet, our cup of coffee will be on the Internet, our car will be on the Internet (if it's not already).
- When you're not reading math, you're not in your computer what do you do? What rests on such a complex, complex mind as yours?
My ideal relaxation is sunbathing with a literary book in the hand or a favorite song in the ear, a theatrical performance of a Saturday night, a movie, a walk in the sea at sunset.
- Why did you say no to Microsoft? How can you refuse a colossus? Was it self-confidence or another life project?
Where would I find a better environment for my scientific research than the academic one? and even that of MIT?
- The question of speech: We are stunned daily by news and data. But how can we compare the informational content of the data? Are there any news containing more 'information' than others? What is information and how is it measured? Please a very short answer.
Without going into technical matters, the informative content of a story is linked to how much the news was expected. For example, the announcement that "tomorrow is cold" brings less information than the announcement that "the minister was bribed". I will talk about the role of algorithms in processing information.
- I know you admire Cavafy. This year the whole of Greece worshiped him on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth. What poem would you honor him with?
On my website I have a compass of life in Satrapeia.
Hub Hub Events and Nicolas Protonotarios continue for the third year the series of scientific lectures entitled "Hub Science" to present in a fascinating and understandable way the natural and social sciences and to initiate the audience in their magical but possibly misunderstood people.
On Wednesday 8 January 2014, at 20: 00, we invite you to Hubou's fourth meeting this year, which will host the lecture of MIT Professor Konstantinos Daskalaki on "From Information to Information Technology".
From Information to Information Technology
Everyday we sink from news and data. But how can we compare the information content of the data? Are there news that contain more "information" than others? What is information and how is it measured? What is the role of Information Science and Algorithms in a world where our information is constantly bombarding?
Konstantinos Daskalakis
Konstantinos Daskalakis is Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Science at MIT and a CSAIL member of the same university. He studied at the School of Electrical Engineering of the NTUA and received his doctorate in Computer Science from Berkeley University under the supervision of Professor Christos Papadimitriou. Prior to teaching at MIT, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Microsoft.
K. Daskalakis became particularly well-known when 2009 received the award for the best doctoral thesis of the year by the International Association of Computer Science (ACM). In his dissertation, "The Complexity of Nash Equilibria," Daskalakis showed that for some complex systems finding a Nash equilibrium point is computationally impossible. With this work, he responded to an algorithmic question that remained unanswered by 1950, that is, since John Forbes Nash (Nobel Prize in Economics, 1994) put it up.
Admission is free
The Hub Events (Alkminis 5, K. Petralona, Metro Kerameikos)
Wednesday 8 January 2014, 20 time: 00
Informations
tel .: 210-3411009 e-mail: info@thehubevents.gr website: www.thehubevents.gr https://www.facebook.com/events/574560535947663/
