Workshop on Approximation Algorithms and their Limitations

Workshop on Approximation Algorithms and their Limitations

Chicago, Feb. 8-10, 2009.

The workshop will focus on both the design of approximation algorithms and on hardness of approximation results. The goal of the workshop is to bring together researchers in the fields of approximation algorithms and complexity theory, and to present diverse angles at studying approximability. In addition to being a forum for sharing new results in the area of approximation, the workshop aims at stimulating the exchange of ideas and techniques between the algorithms and the complexity communities, and promoting a greater synergy between these areas.

Workshop Program

Confirmed speakers:

• Matthew Andrews, Bell Labs
• Nikhil Bansal, IBM
• Avrim Blum, CMU
• Moses Charikar, Princeton
• Chandra Chekuri, UIUC
• Joseph Cheriyan, Waterloo
• Irit Dinur, Weizmann Institute
• Gagaan Goel, Georgia Tech
• Anupam Gupta, CMU
• Sanjeev Khanna, Penn
• Subhash Khot, NYU
• Samir Khuller, U. of Maryland
• Nitish Korula, UIUC
• James Lee, U. Washington
• Konstantin Makarychev, IBM
• Yury Makarychev, Microsoft
• Rajsekar Manokaran, Princeton
• Dana Moshkovitz, Princeton
• Seffi Naor, Technion
• Ryan O’Donnell, CMU
• Prasad Raghavendra, U. Washington
• David Steurer, Princeton
• Vijay Vazirani, Georgia Tech
• Nisheeth Vishnoi, CNRS, France

Hotel Information

We have reserved a block of rooms at Hilton Chicago in the downtown area (phone number 877-865-5320). Please call to reserve your room no later than Friday, January 9, 2009 and ask for the group rate for Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago. You will be asked to provide personal credit card information to make the reservation. TTIC will be billed directly for invited speakers.

Local information

TTIC is located on the University of Chicago campus, 6045 S. Kenwood Ave., floors 4 and 5. We will provide a shuttle from the hotel to TTIC in the mornings and back to the hotel in the afternoons (see workshop program for exact hours). Additional ways to reach TTIC from downtown via public transportation:

• Metra Rail trains from downtown to U. of Chicago campus. You need 59th St. or 55th-57th St. stations (not all trains stop at 59th St.)
• Buses: #2 (60th St. & Dorchester stop), #6 and X28 (60th St. and Stony Island). Maps and schedules can be found here

Parking

There is a parking lot adjacent to the TTIC building. Parking is free on weekends. If you need a parking permit for weekdays, please contact Julia MacGlashan at jam@ttic.edu. Street parking is available on 61st and along Dorchester, and a free parking lot is located on 60th & Stony Island, a 5 minutes walk from TTIC.

U. of Chicago page with directions to campus

Map of new building location

Map of U. of Chicago campus - TTIC is in the South-East corner