Events for 11/20/2023 from all calendars

Mathematical Biology Seminar

Time: 4:00PM - 5:00PM

Location: BLOC 117

Speaker: Toryn Shafer, Texas A&M University

Title: Bayesian Inverse Reinforcement Learning For Collective Animal Movement

Abstract: Agent-based methods allow for defining simple rules that generate com- plex group behaviors. The governing rules of such models are typically set a priori and parameters are tuned from observed behavior trajectories. Instead of making simplifying assumptions across all anticipated scenarios, inverse reinforcement learning provides inference on the short-term (local) rules governing long term behavior policies by using properties of a Markov decision process. We use the computationally efficient linearly-solvable Markov decision process to learn the local rules governing collective movement for a simulation of the self propelled-particle (SPP) model and a data application for a captive guppy population. The estimation of the behavioral decision costs is done in a Bayesian framework with basis function smoothing. We recover the true costs in the SPP simulation and find the guppies value collective movement more than targeted movement toward shelter.