August 24, 2021
Ultimate Frisbee with Akshay
Description
Machine learning researcher Akshay Krishnamurthy teaches Jason and Kelcey about the ultimate form of Frisbee, the machinations of research authorship, and whether we should fear AI. Also, Kelcey shows off his math skills.
Episode
Bio
Akshay is a principal researcher at Microsoft Research with a PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Previously a professor in the College of Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst he is most known for chasing contextual bandits and giving them real good reinforcement learning. He has over 2000 citations on Google Scholar, an h-index of 28, and an i10-index of 45. Akshay is also a former member of Mr. Yuk, Carnegie Mellon’s ultimate frisbee A team, and is self-described as a quasi-hipster tech bro.
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What Jason Learned
When included on a group email, Jason will look to see where his email address is placed among the list of email addresses.
What Kelcey Learned
Coming up with original boy names is harder than thinking of girl names.
Top Five Tips for Throwing a Frisbee

  1. Snap your wrist

  2. Experiment with different ways to throw

  3. Pivot - step your one foot out to get further away from the mark

  4. Try out different angles (tip the edge up, down, tip the front up / down); they will make a difference in the wind

  5. Watch others and mimic how they throw

Fact or Fiction: Frisbee Edition

  1. Frisbee is said to have originated from Frisbie chicken pot pies’ metal pie tins - FICTION (originated from metal pie tins, not chicken pot pie tins)

  2. Modern frisbee stems from a redesign from Fred Morrison in 1955, which was later improved in 1964 to be more accurate and stable when thrown - FACT

  3. Frisbee derives its name from pie founder Ferdinand Frisbie, who was actually knighted as a Commander of the British Empire - FICTION (totally made-up name)

  4. Frisbees and flying discs are kept airborne by creating lift through the spinning caused by a throw combined with the shape of the disc - FACT

Won't You, Haiku?
Ultimate Frisbee

Spinning through the air
Unlike outside bouldering
The beautiful throw
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