Curriculum Vitae
Hector focuses on AI problems that generate structured outputs based on data and/or business and contextual descriptions. He investigates AI algorithms that build upon existing solutions for simpler AI challenges. In applied projects, he leads the development of robust AI systems attuned to business contexts, ensuring they tackle the right problems while adapting to user contexts and preferences.
Basics
Name | Héctor Palacios |
Label | AI Research Scientist |
hectorpal@gmail.com | |
Phone | 438.496.LS66 |
Summary | Work in AI problems with structured outputs given data and/or description of business and context. Research in AI algorithms that use existing algorithms and components for simpler AI problems. Lead the development of robust AI aware of business contexts, engaging the right problem to solve. |
Work
- 2021.03 - 2023.08
Staff Research Scientist
ServiceNow Research
Fundamental research in AI reasoning and NeuroSymbolic methods. Support applied research within ServiceNow.
- 2018.09 - 2021.02
Applied Research Scientist
Element AI
Reasoning on top of a ML model. Achieved double-digit absolute improvement in hard cases of a vision-related task, without losing good performing cases of the pure ML-based model.
- 2016.11 - 2018.09
Senior Research Scientist
Nuance Communications
Intent similarity by Siamese Network using dense data. Question answering on domain-specific content and no training data.
Education
Volunteer
- 2008 - 2010
Coordinator
Online Activism
Stimulated, coordinated and enabled online activism for data crowdsourcing during natural disasters and elections.
Awards
- 2022
Winner of the ALFRED challenge -- Embodied AI workshop @CVPR 2022
CVPR
Joint work with Xiaotian Liu (University of Toronto) and Christian Muise (Queen's University)
- 2012
- 2010
Best Dissertation Awards
ICAPS -- International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling
- 2010
Artificial Intelligence Dissertation Award -- honourable mention
ECCAI -- European Coordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence
- 2006
Winner of the 5th International Planning Competition 2006, Conformant Track
ICAPS
Awarded for the number of problems solved given a time limit.
Skills
Programming | |
Python | |
Java | |
C/C++ | |
Functional languages | |
Linux | |
Computer clusters | |
Docker | |
Version control |
Research Coordination and Leadership | |
Defining problems and scope | |
Designing evaluations | |
Harnessing team skills and interests | |
Aligning strategically with research and business objectives |
Languages
English | |
Professional |
Spanish | |
Native |
French | |
Elementary |
Interests
Fundamental Research Problems | |
NeuroSymbolic approaches | |
Task-centric dialogue | |
Symbolic Planning | |
Preference fulfillment and optimization | |
Symbolic reasoning |
Properties of Methods | |
Robustness | |
Interpretability | |
Systematic generalization |