The picture of a young Italian mathematician.

Erasmo Tani

Computer Scientist

Mathematician

About

I am a computer scientist and mathematician working on solving algorithmic challenges arising in data science. I am interested in several aspects of mathematical computer science and theoretical machine learning.

I have recently joined the department of computer science at Cornell University as an assistant teaching professor.

Previously, I obtained my PhD in computer science from the University of Chicago, and spent some time at the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago and at Sapienza University of Rome.

Interested in my research work? Check out the research tab above.

Research

My research explores various algorithmic aspects of modern machine learning and data science. I have been particularly interested in obtaining formal guarantess on the fundamental capabilities and limitation of algorithms.

You can find my work below.

Preprints

Sketching Intersection Profiles: A Simple Proof and Three Applications [arxiv] New!

Publications

9. On the LSH Distortion of Ulam and Cayley Similarities [arxiv]
RANDOM 2026
8. Learning Multinomial Logits in \(O(n \log n)\) time [arxiv]
ICALP 2026
7. Man, these New York Times games are hard! A computational perspective [FUN | arxiv]
with A.G. Alberti, F. Chierichetti, M. Giacchini, D. Muscillo, and A. Panconesi
FUN 2026
6. Submodular Hypergraph Partitioning: Metric Relaxations and Fast Algorithms via an Improved Cut-Matching Game [ICALP | arxiv]
ICALP 2025
5. Non-adaptive Learning of Random Hypergraphs with Queries [ISIT | arxiv]
ISIT 2025
4. Optimal Algorithms for Learning Partitions with Faulty Oracles [NeurIPS]
NeurIPS 2024
3. Fast Algorithms for Hypergraph PageRank with Applications to Semi-Supervised Learning [ICML]
ICML 2024
2. Approximation Algorithms for \(\ell_p\)-Shortest Path and \(\ell_p\)-Group Steiner Tree [ICALP | arxiv]
ICALP 2024
1. Learning-Based Algorithms for Graph Searching Problems [AISTATS | arxiv]
AISTATS 2024
🥇 Selected for Student Paper Highlight Award

Teaching

The most important part of my job is my role as a teacher and educator. Over the past decade, I have had the opportunity to teach a variety of different subjects in mathematics and computer science to hundreds of students around the world.

In the fall of 2026, I am co-teaching CS2800 - Mathematical Foundations of Computing with Professor Anke van Zuylen.

Previously Taught Classes

1032750 : Informatica Generale (Introduction to Computer Science) | Lecturer and Course Designer (Fall 2025)
at Sapienza University of Rome
1031446 : Teoria degli Algoritmi (Theory of Algorithms) | Lecturer and Course Designer (Spring 2025)
at Sapienza University of Rome
CS-27200 : Theory of Algorithms | Teaching Assistant (Winter 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2022, Winter 2024, Spring 2024)
at the University of Chicago
MPCS 53112 : Advanced Data Analytics | Teaching Assistant (Fall 2023)
at the University of Chicago
TTIC 31100/CMSC 39010-1 : Computational and Metric Geometry | Teaching Assistant (Spring 2023)
at the Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago
CS237 : Probability in Computing | Teaching Fellow (Spring 2019, Summer 2019)
at Boston University
CS591 E1 : Advanced Optimization Algorithms | Teaching Assistant (Fall 2018)
at Boston University
CS537 : Randomness in Computing | Teaching Assistant (Spring 2018)
at Boston University
COMS11700 : Theory of Computation | Teaching Assistant (Spring 2016, Spring 2017)
at the University of Bristol
MATH33300 : Group Theory 3 | Teaching Assistant (Fall 2016)
at the University of Bristol
MATH20002 : Combinatorics 2 | Teaching Assistant (Spring 2016)
at the University of Bristol
COMS10001 : Programming and Algorithms II | Teaching Assistant (Spring 2015)
at the University of Bristol
COMS10002 : Programming and Algorithms I | Teaching Assistant (Fall 2014, Fall 2015)
at the University of Bristol