Abstract: Many existing literature on bandits and reinforcement learning assume a linear reward/value function, but what happens if the reward is non-linear? Two curious phenomena arise for non-linear bandits: first, in addition to the "learning phase" with a standard \Theta(\sqrt(T)) regret, there is an "initialization phase" with a fixed cost determined by the reward function;…

ABSTRACT Recent advances in data collection have made sports an attractive testing ground for new analyses and algorithms, and a fascinating controlled microcosm in which to explore social interactions. In this talk I will describe two studies in this arena: one related to public health and the pandemic and one related to decision-making in basketball.…