Einstein Challenge:

Hamidou is working on the fundamental limitations of deep learning and mean-field-type game theory to explain complex multi-agent interactive systems found in natural, societal infrastructures and the environment.

Hamidou was born in Orsongo, Dogon Country, Mali. He was initially interested in music in elementary school. His interest in science and engineering started when his tutor offered him a music book that explained the form, rhythm, harmony of the notes with elementary mathematics.

From there, Hamidou obtained a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Grenoble, France. Hamidou then completed a Master in Science in Applied Mathematics and Economics at Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France. His thesis on learning and optimization problems under uncertainty inspired him to switch tracks from stochastic optimization to multi-agent strategic decision-making problems. Hamidou completed the PhD in Computer Science at the University of Avignon, France. Subsequently, he accepted the position of Assistant Professor at CentraleSupelec, France’s Institute of research and higher education in engineering and science, where he
taught until 2013.

Since 2014, he has been Global Network Assistant Professor with New York University. Hamidou’s research investigates game theory and aims to contribute significantly to existing knowledge on the interactive decision-making problems with incomplete information, and in the presence of self-regarding, other-regarding, altruistic, spiteful, risk-sensitive, and irrational agents. Game theory is an interdisciplinary area. Hamidou is working with economists, engineers, psychologists, biologists and computer scientists.

He applied for the NEF Fellowship to exchange ideas around science and innovation in Africa. Hamidou has won many awards including the Outstanding Young Researcher Award by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Communications Society in 2014. He has also won seven best article awards, all in the application of strategic learning and game theory to wireless communication networks, internet-of-everything, smart energy systems and intelligent transportation
systems.

He is the author of the book “Distributed Strategic Learning for Wireless Engineers”, published by CRC Press, Taylor & Francis in 2012. He also co-authored the book “Game Theory and Learning for Wireless Networks”, published by Elsevier Academic press, 2011. Hamidou has more than 150 peer-reviewed publications including books, magazines, journals, letters, and conferences that have been cited more than two thousand times. He was recently awarded by the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research for investigating foundations of mean-field-type game theory. He is an Associate Editor of IEEE Access journal, the Open Access Game Theory Journal, and the AIMS Electronics and Electrical Engineering journal. He is a senior member of IEEE.