/* This is the template for project details pages */ /* The database entry: "type" is one of the following: phd theses, phd semester, master thesis, master semester, bachelor semester "state" is one of the following: available, taken, completed (please upgrade accordingly!!!!!!!!!!) "by" should be filled as soon as the project is taken/completed "completed_dt" is the date when the project was completed (YYYY-MM-DD). "output_media" is the link to the pdf of the project (wiki syntax) "table" must be "projects" => don't touch it! */ ---- dataentry project ---- title : Spectral graph theory and its applications in algorithms contactname: Ola Svensson contactmail_mail: ola.svensson@epfl.ch contacttel: 31204 contactroom: BC128 type : master semester state : unavailable created_dt : 2011-09-26 taken_dt : YYYY-MM-DD completed_dt : YYYY-MM-DD by : the full name of the student output_media : en:projects:mahdi_thesis.pdf|Download Mahdi's Thesis table : projects ====== template:datatemplates:project ---- /* Description of the project */ Spectral graph theory is a rich and powerful theory that relates various graph properties with the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrices associated to the graph, such as its adjacency matrix. One of the most famous results is Cheeger's inequality that relates the expansion of a graph with the second largest eigenvalue of its adjacency matrix. In addition to being an interesting theoretical result, Cheeger's inequality has found numerous algorithmic applications in clustering, image analysis, etc.. After reviewing the basics of spectral graph theory, the aim of this project is to understand its various algorithmic applications in theory. The study would aim towards understanding recent developments where better (theoretical) algorithms have been given for fundamental problems by the use of spectral methods (often combined with the use of semidefinite programs). The prerequisite is being comfortable with the basics of graph theory and discrete mathematics.