Bio
| 2023.4 - current | Professor | Theory Group, Department of Computer Science and Technology, Nanjing University |
| 2020.9 - 2023.1 | Associate Professor | Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo |
| 2015.9 - 2020.8 | Assistant Professor | Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo |
| 2013.9 - 2015.8 | Research Assistant Professor | Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago |
Education
| 2008.9 - 2014.1 | Ph.D. | Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, advisor: Moses Charikar |
| 2004.9 - 2008.6 | BS | Department of Computer Science and Technology, Tsinghua University |
| 2005.9 - 2008.6 | Andrew Chih-Chi Yao's Special Pilot Class |
Research Interests
Theoretical Computer Science:
- design and analysis of algorithms on combinatorial optimization problems
- clustering, facility location, scheduling and network design
- online algorithms, learning augmented algorithms
Teaching
- Advanced Algorithms (Fall 2024) (Co-teaching with Yitong Yin and Jingcheng Liu)
- Design and Analysis of Algorithms (Spring 2024)
- Advanced Algorithms (Fall 2023) (Co-teaching with Yitong Yin and Jingcheng Liu)
Courses taught at University at Buffalo:
- CSE431/531: Analysis of Algorithms I (Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Spring 2020, Spring 2019, Spring 2018, Fall 2016, Spring 2016)
- CSE632: Analysis of Algorithms II (Topics Vary) (Fall 2017, Fall 2019, Fall 2020)
- CSE7xx Seminars (Topics Vary) (Fall 2015, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020)
Other courses:
- EECS336: Design and Analysis of Algorithms at Northwestern University (Winter 2015)
- co-taught Information and Coding Theory at TTIC with Madhur Tulsiani (Fall 2014)
Students
- PhD students: Yuda Feng (冯昱达）, Han Dai (代涵)
- Master students: Zihao Liang（梁梓豪）, Jia Ye（叶佳）
- Postdoc: Ruilong Zhang
- Past PhD students: Xiangyu Guo (Meta), Yunus Esencayi, Jiayi Xian
Selecated Sample Publications
Full List of Publications, Google Scholar Citations Page, DBLP Page
- Nairen Cao, S. Li and Jia Ye, Simultaneously Approximating All Norms for Massively Parallel Correlation Clustering, Manuscript
- S. Li, Approximating Unrelated Machine Weighted Completion Time Using Iterative Rounding and Computer Assisted Proofs, SODA 2025
- Michael Dinitz, Guy Kortsarz and S. Li, Degrees and Network Design: New Problems and Approximations, APPROX + RANDOM 2024
- Yuda Feng and S. Li, A Note on Approximating Weighted Nash Social Welfare with Additive Valuations, ICALP 2024, Best Paper Award of Track A
- S. Li, Chenyang Xu and Ruilong Zhang, Polylogarithmic Approximation for Robust s-t Path, ICALP 2024
- Sungjin Im, Ravi Kumar, S. Li, Aditya Petety and Manish Purohit, Online Load and Graph Balancing for Random Order Inputs, SPAA 2024, Outstanding Paper Award
- Nairen Cao, Vincent Cohen-Addad, Euiwoong Lee, S. Li, Alantha Newman and Lukas Vogl, Understanding the Cluster Linear Program for Correlation Clustering, STOC 2024
- Vincent Cohen-Addad, Euiwoong Lee, S. Li and Alantha Newman, Handling Correlated Rounding Error via Preclustering: A 1.73-approximation for Correlation Clustering, FOCS 2023
- S. Li, Nearly-Linear Time LP Solvers and Rounding Algorithms for Scheduling Problems, ICALP 2023
- Ravishankar Krishnaswamy, S. Li and Varun Suriyanarayana, Online Unrelated-Machine Load Balancing and Generalized Flow with Recourse, STOC 2023
- Sungjin Im and S. Li, Improved Approximations for Unrelated Machine Scheduling, SODA 2023
- Vincent Cohen-Addad, Yunus Esencayi, Chenglin Fan, Marco Gaboardi, S. Li and Di Wang, On Facility Location Problem in Local Differential Privacy Model, AISTATS 2022
- S. Li and Bundit Laekhanukit, Polynomial Integrality Gap of Flow LP for Directed Steiner Tree, SODA 2022
- S. Li and Jiayi Xian, Online Unrelated Machine Load Balancing with Predictions Revisited, ICML 2021, long presentation
- Xiangyu Guo, Janardhan Kulkarni, S. Li and Jiayi Xian, Consistent k-Median: Simpler, Better and Robust, AISTATS 2021
- S. Li, Towards PTAS for Precedence Constrained Scheduling via Combinatorial Algorithms, SODA 2021
- Xiangyu Guo, Janardhan Kulkarni, S. Li and Jiayi Xian, On the Facility Location Problem in Online and Dynamic Models, APPROX 2020
- Xiangyu Guo, Guy Kortsarz, Bundit Laekhanukit, S. Li, Daniel Vaz and Jiayi Xian, On Approximating Degree-Bounded Network Design Problems, APPROX 2020
- Di Wang, Xiangyu Guo, Chaowen Guan, S. Li and Jinhui Xu, Estimating Stochastic Linear Combination of Non-linear Regressions, AAAI 2020
- Janardhan Kulkarni, S. Li, Jakub Tarnawski and Minwei Ye, Hierarchy-Based Algorithms for Minimizing Makespan under Precedence and Communication Constraints, SODA 2020
- Yunus Esencayi, Marco Gaboardi, S. Li and Di Wang, Facility Location Problem in Differential Privacy Model Revisited, NeurIPS 2019
- Fabrizio Grandoni, Bundit Laekhanukit and S. Li, O(log2k/loglog k)-Approximation Algorithm for Directed Steiner Tree: A Tight Quasi-Polynomial-Time Algorithm, STOC 2019, invited to a special issue of SICOMP
- Michael Langberg, S. Li, Sai Vikneshwar Mani Jayaraman and Atri Rudra, Topology Dependent Bounds for (Some) FAQs, PODS 2019
- Shashwat Garg, Janardhan Kulkarni and S. Li, Lift and Project Algorithms for Precedence Constrained Scheduling to Minimize Completion Time, SODA 2019
- S. Li, On Facility Location with General Lower Bounds, SODA 2019
- Uri Feige, Janardhan Kulkarni and S. Li, A Polynomial Time Constant Approximation For Minimizing Total Weighted Flow-time, SODA 2019
- Xiangyu Guo and S. Li, Distributed k-Clustering for Data with Heavy Noise, NeurIPS 2018, Spotlight
- Ravishankar Krishnaswamy, S. Li and Sai Sandeep, Constant Approximation for k-Median and k-Means with Outliers via Iterative Rounding, STOC 2018
- S. Li, Scheduling to Minimize Total Weighted Completion Time via Time-Indexed Linear Programming Relaxations, FOCS 2017, invited to a special issue of SICOMP
- Deeparnab Chakrabarty, Sanjeev Khanna and S. Li, On (1,ε)-Restricted Asgsignment Makespan Minimization, SODA 2015
- S. Li and Ola Svensson, Approximating k-Median via Pseudo-Approximation, STOC 2013
- Julia Chuzhoy and S. Li, A Polylogarithmic Approximation for Edge-Disjoint-Paths with Congestion 2, FOCS 2012, co-winner of best paper award
- S. Li, A 1.488-Approximation Algorithm for the Uncapacitated Facility Location Problem, ICALP 2011, best student paper of Track A
Professional Activities
- PC member for APPROX+RANDOM 2017, SWAT 2018, MAPSP 2019, ISAAC 2019, TAMC 2020, ESA 2020, SODA 2021, ICALP 2021, APPROX 2021, STOC 2022, SODA 2023, IJTCS-FAW 2023, COCOON 2024, ISAAC 2024, WAOA 2024, STOC 2025, ICALP 2025
- Editorial Board Member of the ACM Transactions on Algorithms (since March 2019)
- Guest Editor of A Special Issue of Journal of Scheduling
- Local Committee Member of FWCG 2015