On December 1, the Department of Systems Science at the Business School hosted the 40th session of its Frontiers in Systems Science Lecture Series, featuring Professor Teng Shanghua from the University of Southern California (USC). A leading authority in theoretical computer science and two-time Gödel Prize laureate, Prof. Teng delivered a lecture titled Understanding and Characterizing Regularization in Machine Learning Algorithms. Attendees included Professor Zhao Laijun (Dean of the Business School), Professor Fang Zhiming (Vice Dean), Professor Gu Changgui (Director of the Systems Science Department), faculty members Gai Ling, Zheng Yu, and Lu Ke, as well as over 50 students and staff. The event was presided over by Dr. Gai Ling.
Dean Zhao warmly welcomed Prof. Teng and emphasized the critical role of international academic exchanges in elevating the School's research capabilities and global impact. He highlighted Prof. Teng's pioneering contributions to theoretical computing and machine learning, urging attendees to engage deeply with the insights shared.
Prof. Teng traced his team's decade-long exploration of regularization—a cornerstone concept in machine learning. Starting from a simple question—How to mathematically characterize the role of regularization in learning algorithms?—they embarked on iterative cycles of hypothesis formulation, experimentation, and refinement.
“Research, like life, thrives on correcting errors,” Prof. Teng remarked. He candidly shared how initial hypotheses, such as “all learnable problems can be mastered through regularization,” were later disproven, yet these “missteps” guided the team toward deeper theoretical breakthroughs.
During the Q&A session, Prof. Teng addressed questions on bridging theory and practice, distinguishing regularization from transfer learning, and future challenges in algorithmic optimization. He advised young researchers, “Cherish the questions that truly puzzle you—they are seeds of innovation.”
This event marks a milestone in fostering global academic collaboration and advancing research innovation. The Business School will reaffirm its commitment to attracting world-class scholars and providing platforms for intellectual exchange.
Translated by Wei Xin
Reviewed by Liu Weiwei
