Ari K. Jónsson

In a nutshell, I am a research scientist at the Computational Sciences Division at NASA Ames. I have recently received my Ph.D. from the Computer Science Department at Stanford University. During my studies I spent two very productive years as a research assistant at CIRL.

Index

Resume

Education

September 1997
Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, with Artificial Intelligence as specialty area. Thesis subject: Procedural Reasoning in Constraint Satisfaction.
January 1995
M.S. degree in Computer Science from Stanford University.
June 1991
B.S. degree in Computer Science from University of Iceland.
June 1990
B.S. degree in Mathematics from University of Iceland.

Papers

Procedural Reasoning in Constraint Satisfaction
For most constraint satisfaction problems there are well known functions and algorithms that quickly solve certain subproblems. Needless to say, using these procedural methods directly to solve the subproblems significantly speeds up the solving process. In this article we define a framework allowing any search engine to use any set of external procedures. More importantly, the framework allows us to prove that easily satisfied conditions are sufficient to guarantee correctness, completness and systematicity for a search engine using procedures. Written with Matthew L. Ginsberg. Will appear in KR96. Postscript document.
Unsolved Problems in Planning as Constraint Satisfaction
In this extended abstract we describe how a certain class of planning problems can be translated into constraint satisfaction problems. A number of such translations have been proposed, but they all have significant drawbacks. We describe each translation, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages. Written with Tania Bedrax-Weiss and Matthew L. Ginsberg. Rejected for KR96, but it is quotable as unpublished. Postscript document.
Experimenting with New Systematic and Nonsystematic Search Techniques
In this paper we compare the (then) newly developed search methods, dynamic backtracking, GSAT and min-conflict on a variety of problems, finding their strengths and weaknesses. Written with Matthew L. Ginsberg, appeared in the Proceedings of AAAI Spring Symposium, 1993. Postscript file.

Employment

October 1997 - present
Research Scientist at RIACS, NASA Ames Research Center. Working on the development of new techniques for automated planning/scheduling capabilities for autonomous spacecraft and ground-based support.
July 1996 - June 1997
Research Assistant at Stanford University, working with Yoav Shoham and Matt Ginsberg (CIRL) on constraint satisfaction.
September 1996 - December 1996
Teaching assistant for a compiler course at Stanford University.
October 1995 - July 1996
Research Assistant at the Computational Intelligence Research Laboratory, working on constrainst sastisfaction with Matt Ginsberg.
September 1991 - September 1995
Research Assistant at Stanford University, working with Matt Ginsberg on constraint satisfaction. As of January 1994, working with the Computational Intelligence Research Laboratory in Eugene, Oregon.
July 1991 - January 1993
Part time Software Engineer at Softis Inc., working on a platform independent user interface development system. Designed and implemented a graphical, interactive user interface builder, in addition to various programming in C++.
September 1993 - December 1993
Teaching assistant for a formal languages and theory of computations course at Stanford University.
July 1991 - September 1991
Organized and wrote the course material for a C++ programming course at the University of Iceland.
September 1990 - June 1991
Half time teacher at a junior college, teaching Computers.
September 1990 - January 1991
Teaching assistant for a linear algebra course at the University of Iceland.
June 1990 - September 1990
Manager for Iceland's second largest computer exhibition, Computers in the Age of Technology.
Summers 1985 - 1989
Computer operator at the Science Institute, University of Iceland.

Contacting me

To contact me, send e-mail to jonsson@cs.stanford.edu.

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