Title: Approximation algorithms and heuristics for some combinatorial problems with applications in pattern matching and distributed systems
 
Abstract: In this talk, I will focus on the design and analysis of approximation algorithms and heuristics for some pattern matching and resource allocation problems with applications in Computer Science, Operations Research and Bioinformatics/Computational Biology. In particular, my talk will focus on the design and analysis of approximation algorithms and heuristics for (1) Constrained Generalized Tree Alignment, (2) Exact String Matching and (3) List Update Problem.
 
Speaker: Dr Srikrishnan Divakaran
 
Brief Bio: Dr Divakaran completed his PhD in Computer Science in 2002 from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA. Then, he worked as an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Hofstra University, Long Island, NY, before joining DAIICT in 2009 as an Associate Professor. He has nearly 20 years of research and over 15 years of teaching experience and over five years of industry experience at leading multi-national companies in computing and finance. He has taught a wide range of courses in Computer Science as well as related disciplines like Bioinformatics and Operations Research and has a strong research background in designing algorithms for problems with applications in bioinformatics, operations research and distributed systems. In terms of research, over the past 7 years, his interests have broadly been in the area of design and analysis of online and approximation algorithms for problems in Bioinformatics, Machine Scheduling and Online Computation.  In Bioinformatics, his current research focus is on the design and analysis of approximation algorithms and heuristics for the following problems:

(1) Constrained Generalized Tree Alignment,
(2) Template-Based Methods for Sequence Alignment and
(3) Fast Heuristics for Exact String Matching. In Machine Scheduling, his research focus is on the design and analysis of online and offline approximation algorithms for problems in scheduling with set-ups. In Online Computation, his research interests have been in the design and analysis of online and approximation algorithms for the List Update Problem.