“My research interests are in the areas of machine learning, data science, signal processing, and communications. I work on fundamental problems that rely heavily on mathematical deviations. I enjoy how theoretical rigor can guide algorithm design in practice.” -Dr. Qin Lu, Assistant Professor
We welcome Dr. Qin Lu as one of our newly hired Assistant Professors in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering! Dr. Lu joined the University of Georgia on July 3rd and will focus her research on predictive modeling for autonomous and networked systems. Dr. Lu’s office and lab are housed on the seventh floor of Boyd Graduate Research Studies.
Hometown:
Xiaogan, Hubei, China
What did you study in college and where did you earn your degrees?
I obtained my PhD and BS degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Connecticut and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in 2018 and 2013, respectively.
What brought you to UGA?
Its vibrant and growing engineering programs, the warm weather, close proximity to Atlanta, and most importantly the nice people here at UGA.
What are your research interests and what motivated you to pursue this area of study?
My research interests are in the areas of machine learning, data science, signal processing, and communications. I work on fundamental problems that rely heavily on mathematical deviations. I enjoy how theoretical rigor can guide algorithm design in practice.
What current or new research projects do you currently have happening in your lab?
My current focus is on robust and adaptive Bayesian methods for uncertainty-aware decision-making using sequential and/or networked data, including but not limited to i) online Gaussian process based prediction, ii) Bayesian optimization and active learning, iii) Bayesian reinforcement learning, and iv) spatio-temporal inference over graphs, which find exciting applications in autonomous and networked systems.
How long have you been an instructor in engineering and what inspires you to teach or do research in your field?
I started to get involved in teaching as a teaching assistant back in 2015. I have also consistently acted as a guest lecturer for my PhD and post-doc advisors. What inspires me go further in teaching and research is the desire to understand how things work and how theory can guide design in practice.
What research accomplishment are you most proud of and why?
I developed a fundamental uncertainty-aware function learning module that has an impact on a number of practical tasks. My contributions lie in both the algorithm development and theoretical analysis.
What skills do you think are most important for students to succeed in engineering and what methods do you use to ensure the students you engage with learning the skills they need?
I think it is important for students to develop critical thinking and master hands-on skills. To make sure that the students acquire the required skills, it is important to evaluate and record the progresses of the students in time. The evaluations can be taken in various forms, including quizzes, projects, and presentations. Being adaptive to the students’ feedback will be my guidance towards effective instruction.
What encouraged you to become a professor in engineering?
The freedom to work on the topics I like, and the lifelong learning to keep up with the latest technology.
Who in your life has been mentor and what did they do that inspired you?
My post-doc and PhD advisors. They are not only outstanding scholars that show me how to navigate through the academic world, but also inspiring mentors that encourage me to become a lifetime learner through day-to-day interactions.
What is one of your favorite places in Athens?
I haven’t explored much in Athens and the campus. I am most impressed by the Tate student center so far. It has a lot of functionalities in one place, including food, entertainment, parking service, and one card office.
Dr. Qin Lu is located on the seventh floor of the Boyd Graduate Studies Research Center in Room 712H. Welcome Dr. Lu!
