Hello, I am an applied math student and I have the opportunity to do machine learning research this semester. The reason I am posting is that I don't know what sort of problems will be accessible for me, given my background.
I have some experience in programming (Python, C), and I've taken Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calc, and studied probability/statistics on my own. But I have no background in data structures and algorithms (I recently picked up Aho's 'The Design and Analysis of Algorithms' from the library to teach myself).
Natural language processing and machine learning applied to games (Chess, Go) seem like interesting and somewhat accessible areas to me. But the professor I'll be working with is more interested in theoretical research. (He said I'd do better in theoretical research because of my math background.)
I've looked up papers on arxiv and elsewhere, and a lot of the work is over my head. I don't know what's right for me. By the way, I'm meeting with my professor today to ask him these questions, but I'm posting now because I want to have some ideas going in.
So what do you think would be a suitable problem or project for me to work on? Thanks in advance for your help -- I appreciate it.
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