Tom Goldstein: Can transformers solve harder problems than they were trained on? Scaling up test-time computation via recurrence

My research lies at the intersection of machine learning and optimization, and targets applications in computer vision and signal processing. I work at the boundary between theory and practice, leveraging mathematical foundations, complex models, and efficient hardware to build practical, high-performance systems. I design optimization methods for a wide range of platforms ranging from powerful cluster/cloud computing environments to resource limited integrated circuits and FPGAs. Before joining the faculty at Maryland, I completed my PhD in Mathematics at UCLA, and was a research scientist at Rice University and Stanford University. I have been the recipient of several awards, including SIAM’s DiPrima Prize, a DARPA Young Faculty Award, and a Sloan Fellowship.