Suppose we are given an oracle that claims to approximate the permanent for most matrices $X$, where $X$ is chosen from the Gaussian ensemble (the matrix entries are i.i.d. univariate complex Gaussians). Can we test that the oracle satisfies this claim? This paper gives a polynomial-time algorithm for the task.

In the {\em learning parities with noise} problem ---well-studied in learning theory and cryptography--- we
have access to an oracle that, each time we press a button,
returns a random vector $ a \in \GF(2)^n$ together with a bit $b \in \GF(2)$ that was computed as
$a\cdot u +\eta$, where ... more >>>

We present two new approximation algorithms for Unique Games. The first generalizes the results of Arora, Khot, Kolla, Steurer, Tulsiani, and Vishnoi who give polynomial time approximation algorithms for graphs with high conductance. We give a polynomial time algorithm assuming only good local conductance, i.e. high conductance for small subgraphs. ... more >>>

This paper studies the computational complexity of the following type of
quadratic programs: given an arbitrary matrix whose diagonal elements are zero, find $x \in \{-1,+1\}^n$ that maximizes $x^TA x$. This problem recently attracted attention due to its application in various clustering settings (Charikar and Wirth, 2004) as well as ... more >>>

Lovasz and Schrijver described a generic method of tightening the LP and SDP relaxation for any 0-1 optimization problem. These tightened relaxations were the basis of several celebrated approximation algorithms (such as for MAX-CUT, MAX-3SAT, and SPARSEST CUT).

We prove strong nonapproximability results in this model for well-known problems such ... more >>>

We show that every language in NP has a probablistic verifier
that checks membership proofs for it using
logarithmic number of random bits and by examining a
<em> constant </em> number of bits in the proof.
If a string is in the language, then there exists a proof ... more >>>

NP = PCP(log n, 1) and related results crucially depend upon
the close connection between the probability with which a
function passes a ``low degree test'' and the distance of
this function to the nearest degree d polynomial. In this
paper we study a test ... more >>>