Seminar

Past

Clusterpath Gaussian Graphical Modeling

Andreas Alfons

  • Date18 September 2025
  • Time 11h00 - 12h15
  • Room Auditorium 3

Résumé

Graphical models serve as effective tools for visualizing conditional dependencies between variables. However, as the number of variables grows, interpretation becomes increasingly difficult, and estimation uncertainty increases due to the large number of parameters relative to the number of observations. To address these challenges, we introduce the Clusterpath estimator of the Gaussian Graphical Model (CGGM) that encourages variable clustering in the graphical model in a data-driven way. Through the use of an aggregation penalty, we group variables together, which in turn results in a block-structured precision matrix whose block structure remains preserved in the covariance matrix. The CGGM estimator is formulated as the solution to a convex optimization problem, making it easy to incorporate other popular penalization schemes which we illustrate through the combination of an aggregation and sparsity penalty. We present a computationally efficient implementation of the CGGM estimator by using a cyclic block coordinate descent algorithm. In simulations, we show that CGGM not only matches, but oftentimes outperforms other state-of-the-art methods for variable clustering in graphical models. We also demonstrate CGGM's practical advantages and versatility on a diverse collection of empirical applications.

Related document(s)

Other seminars

To be announced

  • Seminar

  • MAD-Stat. Seminar

  • Date 4 March 2027

  • Place Auditorium JJ Laffont

  • Speaker or organiser Agnes Lagnoux (Ecole Normale Supérieure - Université Paris Sciences & Lettres)

Détails

Convergence Rates for Distribution Matching with Sliced Optimal Transport

  • Seminar

  • MAD-Stat. Seminar

  • Date 10 December 2026

  • Place Auditorium 6

  • Speaker or organiser Gauthier Louis Thurin (Université de Bordeaux)

Détails

Limits of uniform spanning trees and forests

  • Seminar

  • MAD-Stat. Seminar

  • Date 3 December 2026

  • Place Auditorium JJ Laffont

  • Speaker or organiser Eleanor Archer (Université Paris-Dauphine)

Détails