Student Alumni Highlight: Omar Montasser

Student Alumni Highlight: Omar Montasser

Omar Montasser, Ph.D. graduate from TTIC’s Class of 2023, has embarked on an exciting academic career. After completing his Ph.D., he spent a year as a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley before transitioning to his current role as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics and Data Science at Yale University. His research focuses on statistical learning theory and online learning, areas that examine the theoretical foundations of machine learning.

Montasser’s academic journey began at Penn State, where he completed an integrated undergraduate and graduate program and developed a fascination with theoretical computer science.

“I was very interested in the questions studied in complexity theory—what can be computed efficiently and what cannot,” Montasser said.

This curiosity ultimately led him to pursue a Ph.D. at TTIC, an environment he describes as both enriching and instrumental in shaping his research.

“I learned a lot from the experts at TTIC, and I felt this is where I was meant to be,” he said. “It was an amazing place to grow as a researcher, with many world-renowned faculty. It was a very enriching experience and further reinforced my interest in research and machine learning. TTIC is a really great environment to pursue a Ph.D. and learn how to do research.”

After earning his Ph.D., Montasser pursued a postdoc at UC Berkeley, where he worked on multi-distribution learning alongside leading researchers in statistical learning theory.

“I reached out to a few faculty who shared my research interests, and I found an exciting problem in multi-distribution learning,” he explained.

Now at Yale, his work continues to push the boundaries of online learning models, exploring ways to bypass classical limitations and drive new theoretical progress. Although research had always been a passion, Montasser wasn’t initially set on an academic career.

“I knew I wanted to continue doing research, whether in academia or industry,” Montasser said. “But as I went through the job market process, I realized how much I valued the freedom to choose research topics and the rewarding experience of teaching.”

Since joining Yale, he has fully embraced his role as an educator. “Teaching is incredibly enriching—it challenges me to think about material from different perspectives and communicate it effectively.”

Looking back, Montasser fondly recalls his time at TTIC, from attending machine learning reading groups to biking along Lake Michigan.

“I really enjoyed tea time at TTIC, where students and faculty would get together and chat about various research,” Montasser said. “I also really enjoyed the reading groups, and in particular the machine learning reading group where we’d get together and discuss recent research advances.”

One of his favorite memories was organizing a documentary screening on Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win the Fields Medal.

“We watched the film, had a discussion with a professor from the University of Chicago, and enjoyed Persian food,” he said. “It was a special moment to honor a brilliant mathematician.”

For those considering a Ph.D. in computer science and machine learning, Montasser emphasizes the importance of exploration.

“A Ph.D. is a unique time where you have the freedom to dive deep into research and explore different directions,” he said. “It’s important to find a problem that excites you. There’s a lot of uncertainty, but learning to navigate that is part of the process. If you’re motivated and curious, it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Montasser’s journey from TTIC to Yale highlights the impact of a strong research foundation and a passion for discovery. “I’m grateful for the experiences that shaped my path, and I look forward to continuing to explore new ideas in learning theory,” Montasser said.