#148 – Charles Isbell and Michael Littman: Machine Learning and Education

About this episode

<p>Charles Isbell is the Dean of the College of Computing at Georgia Tech. Michael Littman is a computer scientist at Brown University. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:<br /> &#8211; <b>Athletic Greens</b>: <a href="https://athleticgreens.com/lex">https://athleticgreens.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get 1 month of fish oil<br /> &#8211; <b>Eight Sleep</b>: <a href="https://www.eightsleep.com/lex">https://www.eightsleep.com/lex</a> and use code LEX to get special savings<br /> &#8211; <b>MasterClass</b>: <a href="https://masterclass.com/lex">https://masterclass.com/lex</a> to get 2 for price of 1<br /> &#8211; <b>Cash App</b>: <a href="https://cash.app/">https://cash.app/</a> and use code LexPodcast to get $10</p> <p><b>EPISODE LINKS:</b><br /> Charles&#8217;s Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/isbellHFh">https://twitter.com/isbellHFh</a><br /> Charles&#8217;s Website: <a href="https://www.cc.gatech.edu/~isbell/">https://www.cc.gatech.edu/~isbell/</a><br /> Michael&#8217;s Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mlittmancs">https://twitter.com/mlittmancs</a><br /> Michael&#8217;s Website: <a href="https://www.littmania.com/">https://www.littmania.com/</a><br /> Michael&#8217;s YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/mlittman">https://www.youtube.com/user/mlittman</a></p> <p><b>PODCAST INFO:</b><br /> Podcast website: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/podcast">https://lexfridman.com/podcast</a><br /> Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://apple.co/2lwqZIr">https://apple.co/2lwqZIr</a><br /> Spotify: <a href="https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8">https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8</a><br /> RSS: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/">https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/</a><br /> YouTube Full Episodes: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexfridman">https://youtube.com/lexfridman</a><br /> YouTube Clips: <a href="https://youtube.com/lexclips">https://youtube.com/lexclips</a></p> <p><b>SUPPORT &#38; CONNECT:</b><br /> &#8211; Check out the sponsors above, it&#8217;s the best way to support this podcast<br /> &#8211; Support on Patreon: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman">https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lexfridman">https://twitter.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman">https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman">https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman</a><br /> &#8211; Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage">https://www.facebook.com/LexFridmanPage</a><br /> &#8211; Medium: <a href="https://medium.com/@lexfridman">https://medium.com/@lexfridman</a></p> <p><b>OUTLINE:</b><br /> Here&#8217;s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.<br /> (00:00) &#8211; Introduction<br /> (07:51) &#8211; Is machine learning just statistics?<br /> (12:14) &#8211; NeurIPS vs ICML<br /> (14:30) &#8211; Data is more important than algorithm<br /> (20:14) &#8211; The role of hardship in education<br /> (28:57) &#8211; How Charles and Michael met<br /> (33:30) &#8211; Key to success: never be satisfied<br /> (36:47) &#8211; Bell Labs<br /> (48:15) &#8211; Teaching machine learning<br /> (58:25) &#8211; Westworld and Ex Machina<br /> (1:06:24) &#8211; Simulation<br /> (1:13:14) &#8211; The college experience in the times of COVID<br /> (1:41:52) &#8211; Advice for young people<br /> (1:48:44) &#8211; How to learn to program<br /> (2:00:07) &#8211; Friendship</p>