Dongfang Zhao | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Dongfang Zhao | Machine Learning | Best Researcher Award

Prof. Dongfang Zhao at University of Washington, United States

🌟 Dongfang Zhao, Ph.D., is a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor at the University of Washington Tacoma and a Data Science Affiliate at the eScience Institute. With a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology (2015) and PostDoc from the University of Washington, Seattle (2017), Dr. Zhao’s career spans academic excellence and groundbreaking research in distributed systems, blockchain, and machine learning. His work, recognized with federal grants and best paper awards, has significantly impacted cloud computing, HPC systems, and AI-driven blockchain solutions. Dr. Zhao is an influential editor, reviewer, and committee member in prestigious venues. 📚💻✨

Professional Profile:

Google Scholar

Orcid

Education and Experience 

🎓 Education:

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, Computer Science, University of Washington, Seattle (2017)
  • Ph.D., Computer Science, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago (2015)
  • M.S., Computer Science, Emory University, Atlanta (2008)
  • Diploma in Statistics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium (2005)

💼 Experience:

  • Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, University of Washington Tacoma (2023–Present)
  • Visiting Professor, University of California, Davis (2018–2023)
  • Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Reno (2017–2023)
  • Visiting Scholar, University of California, Berkeley (2016)
  • Research Intern, IBM Almaden Research Center (2015), Argonne National Laboratory (2014), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (2013)

Professional Development

📊 Dr. Dongfang Zhao is a leading voice in distributed systems, blockchain technologies, and scalable machine learning. He contributes to academia as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Big Data and serves on the editorial board of IEEE Transactions on Distributed and Parallel Systems. A sought-after reviewer and conference organizer, Dr. Zhao actively shapes the future of AI and cloud computing. With a deep commitment to mentorship, he has guided doctoral students to successful careers in academia and industry. His collaborative initiatives reflect a passion for addressing real-world challenges through computational innovation. 🌐✨📖

Research Focus

🔬 Dr. Zhao’s research emphasizes cutting-edge developments in distributed systems, blockchain, machine learning, and HPC (high-performance computing). His work delves into creating energy-efficient, scalable blockchain platforms like HPChain and developing frameworks for efficient scientific data handling. His contributions include lightweight blockchain solutions for reproducible computing and innovations in AI-driven systems like HDK for deep-learning-based analyses. Dr. Zhao’s interdisciplinary approach fosters impactful collaborations, addressing pressing technological needs in cloud computing, scientific simulations, and data analytics. His research bridges the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications in modern computing ecosystems. 🚀📊🧠

Awards and Honors 

  • 🏆 2022 Federal Research Grant: NSF 2112345, $255,916 for a DLT Machine Learning Platform
  • 🌟 2020 Federal Research Grant: DOE SC0020455, $200,000 for HPChain blockchain research
  • 🏅 2019 Best Paper Award: International Conference on Cloud Computing
  • 🥇 2018 Best Student Paper Award: IEEE International Conference on Cloud Computing
  • 🎓 2015 Postdoctoral Fellowship: Sloan Foundation, $155,000
  • 🎖️ 2007 Graduate Fellowship: Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, $85,000

Publication Top Notes:

1. Regulated Charging of Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles for Minimizing Load Variance in Household Smart Microgrid

  • Authors: L. Jian, H. Xue, G. Xu, X. Zhu, D. Zhao, Z.Y. Shao
  • Published In: IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Volume 60, Issue 8, Pages 3218-3226
  • Citations: 280 (as of 2012)
  • Abstract:
    This paper proposes a regulated charging strategy for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to minimize load variance in household smart microgrids. The method ensures that the charging process aligns with household power demand patterns, improving grid stability and efficiency.

2. ZHT: A Lightweight, Reliable, Persistent, Dynamic, Scalable Zero-Hop Distributed Hash Table

  • Authors: T. Li, X. Zhou, K. Brandstatter, D. Zhao, K. Wang, A. Rajendran, Z. Zhang, …
  • Published In: IEEE International Symposium on Parallel & Distributed Processing (IPDPS)
  • Citations: 212 (as of 2013)
  • Abstract:
    This paper introduces ZHT, a zero-hop distributed hash table designed for high-performance computing systems. It is lightweight, scalable, and reliable, making it suitable for persistent data storage in distributed environments.

3. Optimizing Load Balancing and Data-Locality with Data-Aware Scheduling

  • Authors: K. Wang, X. Zhou, T. Li, D. Zhao, M. Lang, I. Raicu
  • Published In: 2014 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data), Pages 119-128
  • Citations: 171 (as of 2014)
  • Abstract:
    This paper addresses the challenges of load balancing and data locality in big data processing systems. A novel data-aware scheduling algorithm is proposed to improve efficiency and performance in high-performance computing environments.

4. FusionFS: Toward Supporting Data-Intensive Scientific Applications on Extreme-Scale High-Performance Computing Systems

  • Authors: D. Zhao, Z. Zhang, X. Zhou, T. Li, K. Wang, D. Kimpe, P. Carns, R. Ross, …
  • Published In: 2014 IEEE International Conference on Big Data (Big Data), Pages 61-70
  • Citations: 154 (as of 2014)
  • Abstract:
    FusionFS is a distributed file system tailored for extreme-scale high-performance computing systems. It provides efficient data storage and retrieval, supporting data-intensive scientific applications and overcoming the bottlenecks in traditional storage systems.

5. Enhanced Data-Driven Fault Diagnosis for Machines with Small and Unbalanced Data Based on Variational Auto-Encoder

  • Authors: D. Zhao, S. Liu, D. Gu, X. Sun, L. Wang, Y. Wei, H. Zhang
  • Published In: Measurement Science and Technology, Volume 31, Issue 3, Article 035004
  • Citations: 105 (as of 2019)
  • Abstract:
    This study enhances fault diagnosis for machines using a data-driven approach. By leveraging variational auto-encoders (VAEs), the method effectively handles small and unbalanced datasets, achieving high diagnostic accuracy for industrial applications.

Yanyan Liu | Topic model | Best Researcher Award

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Ms. Yanyan Liu | Topic model | Best Researcher Award

PHD Candidate at University of Macau, China📖

Yanyan Liu is a dedicated researcher specializing in Data Mining with expertise in neural topic modeling, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Macau, focusing on developing innovative machine-learning frameworks to enhance topic modeling and social influence learning. With a strong academic foundation and a passion for advancing knowledge in her field, she has published in esteemed journals and conferences, including Knowledge-Based Systems and ACM CIKM.

Profile

Scopus Profile

Education Background🎓

  • Doctorate in Computer Science
    University of Macau | Aug 2020 – Present
    Major Courses: Natural Language Processing, Web Mining, Computer Vision, and Pattern Recognition.
  • Bachelor of Computer Science and Technology
    Hunan University | Sep 2016 – Jun 2020
    GPA: 85.21/100
    Major Courses: Database (94/100), Computer Network, Advanced Programming, Data Structure, Computer System.

Professional Experience🌱

Yanyan Liu has been involved in cutting-edge research on neural topic modeling, where she proposed:

  • An efficient energy-based neural topic model integrating a learnable topic prior constraint.
  • A novel topic-guided debiased contrastive learning framework to enhance topic discrimination.
    She has also contributed to social influence learning models for recommendation systems, advancing the field of personalized recommendations.
Research Interests🔬

Her research focuses on Data Mining, Natural Language Processing, Web Mining, Computer Vision, and Pattern Recognition, with a particular interest in applying these technologies for real-world challenges.

Author Metrics

Yanyan Liu has established herself as an emerging researcher in the field of data mining and machine learning, with a growing portfolio of impactful publications in reputed venues. Her work has been featured in journals such as Knowledge-Based Systems and conferences like the ACM International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM), demonstrating her ability to address complex problems in neural topic modeling and recommendation systems. Through her innovative contributions, she has garnered recognition for proposing efficient frameworks and methodologies that advance understanding in these domains. Her publications reflect her commitment to high-quality research and her potential to make significant strides in the field.

Publications Top Notes 📄

1. Cycling Topic Graph Learning for Neural Topic Modeling

  • Authors: Liu, Y., Gong, Z.
  • Journal: Knowledge-Based Systems
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 310
  • DOI/Article ID: 112905
  • Citations: 0 (as of now).
  • Summary:
    This paper introduces a novel approach to neural topic modeling using cycling topic graph learning. The method enhances the interpretability and efficiency of topic models by incorporating graph-based structures to represent relationships among topics dynamically. This energy-efficient framework leverages embeddings to achieve improved coherence and relevance in extracted topics.

2. Social Influence Learning for Recommendation Systems

  • Authors: Chen, X., Lei, P.I., Sheng, Y., Liu, Y., Gong, Z.
  • Conference: 33rd ACM International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM)
  • Year: 2024
  • Pages: 312–322
  • Citations: 1 (as of now).
  • Summary:
    This conference paper proposes a social influence learning framework tailored for recommendation systems. It explores the role of social connections in shaping user preferences and integrates social influence modeling with machine learning techniques to enhance recommendation accuracy. The model accounts for dynamic social interactions, improving both predictive power and user satisfaction.

Conclusion

Ms. Yanyan Liu is a highly promising researcher with significant achievements in neural topic modeling and recommendation systems. Her innovative contributions, publications in esteemed venues, and dedication to advancing machine learning and data mining make her a strong candidate for the Best Researcher Award. While her citation metrics and collaborative efforts could benefit from further growth, her potential for impactful research and her current accomplishments position her as an excellent choice for this honor.

Her dedication to tackling complex problems and her innovative approach to addressing them not only align with the criteria for the award but also set a strong foundation for her future contributions to the academic and professional world.