[WTI-trainee] FW: Tomorrow: Cengiz Pehlavan (Harvard), “Scaling Neural Networks: Laws and Limits”

Tue Mar 3 17:46:27 EST 2026

The following event may be of interest.

Best,

Giovanna

Giovanna Guerrero-Medina, PhD [A button for name playback in email signature] <https://www.name-coach.com/giovanna-guerrero-medina>
She/Her/Ella
Asst. Director for Professional Development & Community,
Wu Tsai Institute at Yale
giovanna.guerrero-medina at yale.edu<mailto:giovanna.guerrero-medina at yale.edu>
616.643.7666 (cell)
wti.yale.edu<https://wti.yale.edu/>

From: Yale Foundations of Data Science <message at message.yale.edu>
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 5:43 PM
To: Guerrero-Medina, Giovanna <giovanna.guerrero-medina at yale.edu>
Subject: Tomorrow: Cengiz Pehlavan (Harvard), “Scaling Neural Networks: Laws and Limits”

To view this email as a web page, go here.<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjYzN2EyMDdlLWE2ZTItNGJmOS1iNDY0LTkyMDlhMGUwNmYyYiIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiS0xUZXdJY3RyUThXQmhuaThnUldNdz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6IkRGdlo4MG9oWjVuMTU1dThxQTI1RldCNUF2UFZHbEZHVWE4Wk1BbXY3RENzTFhaNU85Q0Vrby9RZTFqWTRkdkppeEtSTVh6T2l2Qm1zUHFUdHkwNmtnSCtJcEkwS0xUZXdJY3RyUThXQmhuaThnUldNdz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6InpvcndackQ2azdjdE9wSUIvaUtTTkE9PSJ9>
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FDS Colloquium Series
Scaling Neural Networks: Laws and Limits
[https://fds.yale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Screenshot-2026-01-05-at-3.28.00-PM.png]

Speaker: Cengiz Pehlavan

Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics
Kempner Institute Associate Faculty

Harvard University

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

11:30AM - 1:00PM

Lunch at 11:30am in 1307
Talk 12:00-1:00pm in 1327

Location: Yale Institute for Foundations of Data Science & Webcast, 219 Prospect Street, 13th Floor, New Haven, CT 06511<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImU2YjAzODg4LWI2NzEtNDIwZS04ZTlkLTAwZGQ0MjhhMjZjMSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiUXp0d3VIdE5vN3lPdTZNNVdjREltUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6ImgvY0grZGlONDcxYm0xSEk4dEFWZnhhd2ZSd2V2NGV1anJ0VEw1MExuSlRGS0wydmZQZ25kenM5ZyttTTU1US9UZWhQeDRVb3JUL0lHc3ZkRTZGM0MvREdVUGdqUXp0d3VIdE5vN3lPdTZNNVdjREltUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6IktLMC95QnJMM1JPaGR3dnd4bEQ0SXc9PSJ9> and via Webcast: https://yale.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=cd4449de-8508-4184-aa35-b3ca01484881<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjNkOWQ0NTFjLTJkNTEtNGJiOC05NDhjLTNkOTllNTY4NWQxNyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiVkdRdS9QUVkycmxjZTM5VExlbHFRQT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6InUza212NExreGdsaFp1TDhWa0czYTR3SEpVK1VGeElFZHhFOHY4ZHJFdkVVc0VVVHJoV1FpbDlDOWJXYmE5dzFQTEtsNktGVWV2NmZPSGxDVlNCc0k3NXF3Q2FlVkdRdS9QUVkycmxjZTM5VExlbHFRQT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6IlZIcituemg1UWxVZ2JDTythc0Ftbmc9PSJ9>

________________________________

Abstract: Scaling up neural network models has enabled unprecedented capabilities through learning, but we still lack the first-principles understanding needed to ensure their safety, reliability, and efficiency. I will show how tools from statistical mechanics and random matrix theory allow us to analyze neural networks in appropriate infinite-size scaling limits, thereby mapping the learning regimes that govern observed scaling behavior. These results account for the main features of empirical neural scaling laws; enable transfer of near-optimal hyperparameters across model sizes, yielding significant computational benefits; and provide a framework for understanding emergent behaviors such as in-context learning.

Speaker Bio: Cengiz (pronounced “Jen·ghiz”) comes to Harvard SEAS from the Flatiron Institute’s Center for Computational Biology (CCB), where he was a a research scientist in the neuroscience group. Before CCB, Cengiz was a postdoctoral associate at Janelia Research Campus, and before that a Swartz Fellow<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjY4YjVlN2IzLWQ1MjktNDhmZC1iYzJiLTZlOWI2ZWRmMTdiOSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiL1IyTU1QbGFacFEvUUpTM3k3cEdUUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Im9pdGIvelRZN1lEL2hSUHZOSVRMcTdZSlAzdGI1SCtOVlNyaGlIbC9ZbzJZMkRmdXQxUTJmazdIaDZkeWg2UmZYYU8wbEh5WnlNMDNEenVsNEZLLzJRRWxiZjljL1IyTU1QbGFacFEvUUpTM3k3cEdUUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6Im1jak5Odzg3cGVCU3Y5a0JKVzMvWEE9PSJ9> at Harvard.

Cengiz received a doctorate in physics from Brown University and undergraduate degrees in physics and electrical engineering from Bogazici University. He is a native of Tosya, Turkey.

Add To: Google Calendar<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6ImFhMGU1ZmEzLTM3ZjYtNGU4Mi1iYjgyLTFjYzQ5OThhNWExOSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiL3NUbkRGeDFUSXpIbE52LzY4V2pxUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6InBsV1ArTEJoQlJsTDdseWJxc3hhT05ucWdpWWtIM1hkTVpHTXpML3hkMGpmSnM1YmRNQUNIRmIzU1R0cXVyNmVDYlFQOC8wNnVJRzFNNFRSQ3JCNnFyYmNHUXJML3NUbkRGeDFUSXpIbE52LzY4V2pxUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6Ik9yaUJ0VE9FMFFxd2VxcTIzQmtLeXc9PSJ9> | Outlook | iCal File<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjM4MWY0NTY1LWNhMTctNGNlOC1hZjU0LWE2ZDBhYTIxOWVhNyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiRTNwUHdvR2szbVdxNk9kb0Y4dGhBZz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6IkhLblQxTU1KUVQrMkQzeXJrSFJKeFBteGQyQ0l1RHZ4TjhzMEo1WFZNN3Z1Ym5nYllvdzIyU2Rqa0FnZHZXVlZuc3dKcGZTZE5uVWJJT0ZLV3FtUmhGK3VQV0NDRTNwUHdvR2szbVdxNk9kb0Y4dGhBZz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6Im5UWjFHeURoU2xxcGtZUmZyajFnZ2c9PSJ9>

Upcoming Events

Mar 04
FDS Colloquium: Cengiz Pehlavan (Harvard), “Scaling Neural Networks: Laws and Limits”<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjE2OGQwODQ4LTE2MTUtNDVhNi1hYWI2LTNiY2MxYTg0MGFiYyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoidGhhUmhuR3RTVTRibk02VC8vdk50Zz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Ik5rdlR2ZUcxMTlkK3V6VGw4NGRVdG1KWTE2VjVUVEhVby95RFRtc0xpS3RWaHJhcEdjY2dONUlKdTZjdHdzRHRFQjVmQnJ4UUQ2cGpyQXhVa1JBUm0vL3F3L0I1dGhhUmhuR3RTVTRibk02VC8vdk50Zz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6IlVBK3FZNndNVkpFUUVadi82c1B3ZVE9PSJ9>

Mar 23
S&DS Seminar: Ashwin Pananjady (Georgia Tech)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjM3OGMyOTY3LTczZDUtNGY0NS1iOGRkLWY3OTc3ZjE4NTczMyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiMUtOTW5kVi9BbktaYlNSdmNYUFpwUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6InAwUXdIOElYR0dIN3hmbGVSU0hlblFpU1ZzYUIvRHdFZzlmWlZ3ZWlYNis0OHl6ZXZkUEtnYXhHUDdCRFlHMlRvVGhUTnZTQmdYRHZDTGVXSnl4OUUrY1EyY0FBMUtOTW5kVi9BbktaYlNSdmNYUFpwUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6ImdZRnc3d2kzbGljc2ZSUG5FTm5BQUE9PSJ9>

Mar 25
FDS Colloquium: Cliff Stein (Columbia)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjgyOTVjNjQ4LWE5MmUtNGM0ZS05YzI4LThjOWQ4ZTIwYjExZSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiTU5hU2ZJZVY0WEhGS3cyUDdjZWVRQT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Im5HMS9adFA5SW9JdzhPVFRab050YkpUYThZc0M0UUpXRU1HT1QvUkRCUDdyZnhPdElHZkx2OThBQmtRek8zRHBzbzJBeVBDMFJIWmVTWjVhc1hxakdBTldwR3k4TU5hU2ZJZVY0WEhGS3cyUDdjZWVRQT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6InRFUjJYa21lV3JGNm94Z0RWcVJzdkE9PSJ9>

Mar 27
Yale Data Science Fellows Open House (in-person)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjY1N2MyZWY4LTk4MzYtNDBkNS04NWU5LWE5OGZjMzYzZWZiZSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoibHUxNnNNdHQ3MzJ1VytOOEYveDBjUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Ik5kV1JMNk9OUHd2WDVLTEZFUjlEdFExQUdtU3hYQkVXVXNxbjNjYmFZQ3Y2NFlxQWlxTFR3TVp1bjZHb2c1d2ZldDB0NHNzYkdnaCt6MEhHYlg2akhwNndHaUZybHUxNnNNdHQ3MzJ1VytOOEYveDBjUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6Ikd4b0lmczlCeG0xK294NmVzQm9oYXc9PSJ9>

Mar 30
S&DS Seminar: Daniel Hsu (Columbia)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjQ5NTA3YzAwLTMzOWEtNGI3Ny04YjA4LTFmZTNiY2NmZjc3ZCIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiVFlmWFNaR3kwdkZYOEtXeXFSZ3NSUT09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Ii9wWjFLdkgrcnNDdHZhOHcyQllLOTdlSHNvQlczZVZBNXFUNWFxbklXN1AwcnM2all1bTh5czZSQ0pLbUtYc203eS9KK1RhcXdFU3g5OUd0QUc3WWNEZ0ZCU1JyVFlmWFNaR3kwdkZYOEtXeXFSZ3NSUT09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6InFzQkVzZmZSclFCdTJIQTRCUVVrYXc9PSJ9>

Apr 01
FDS Colloquium: Bartolomeo Stellato (Princeton)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjExMTcxODNlLWE1MzAtNDIxMS04NTZiLTI5MDU0ZTYzZWM2MyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiNzAxOWZnaVVRVXRxRXBsT0ZmWVFGZz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Im4vZmZ0eGNxSXVMbm9mMmlEVVVVcFgwRHVmL25IT2JnYWxTWTdEcjIzZ1JGNWJsVjNKdkdiZHJxRGxIbHJmMG1PMHN0cnA5azVFQ2k2ZGNXeml2T3BJeXlGWkRnNzAxOWZnaVVRVXRxRXBsT0ZmWVFGZz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6IlpPUkFvdW5YRnM0cnpxU01zaFdRNEE9PSJ9>

Apr 08
FDS Colloquium: Nikhil Garg (Cornell)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjU0Yjg0ZDhhLWFjMTUtNDMxNi1hZjJlLTEwYzdjMWYwNDEyYiIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiMDdmOEhKS0lHdFRRWEtHZGVvSldlZz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6ImFLV2Z2eEpld0xQQ0Vsb3FTeDV6WTR6RkdFNkRiNERvcTBoL21wZm1veGNhWTNMa2VpTlJNVlROSlE0WHlLaG1YZ2RFVWtYOTk2M0FYT0JJQjd5MjBmZTJDOEZzMDdmOEhKS0lHdFRRWEtHZGVvSldlZz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6Ii9mZXR3RnpnU0FlOHR0SDN0Z3ZCYkE9PSJ9>

Apr 15
FDS Colloquium: Ellen Vitercik (Stanford)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjMwNjdjYjIyLWViZTItNDFjNi04ZjgwLWI2NmZmMjRlNDc1NSIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiNVVnckNQTHRaL21wQlMwVTdyTzFtdz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6IjBNUXRLZDFPRjFjVUJBMTE2Qjg1bFpKbEd2aFRjWS9ONzZqN0xjaENJVlBhdWRWUHpUcktyZmtNUlE1L3lFcE1UMzllN1l6aEd2Z3lXU1FVNm9OL1RUcHM2TjY3NVVnckNQTHRaL21wQlMwVTdyTzFtdz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6IjRScjRNbGtrRk9xRGYwMDZiT2pldXc9PSJ9>

Apr 22
FDS Colloquium: Avrim Blum (TTIC)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjMxOTBjMzNlLTQ0NzQtNDc5Mi1iOTUzLTM3NzQ2OWViMzJhNyIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiUFJ3YW9DWVYxWk0xbTEyT3hzdjVRZz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6Ims3K3RPYy85MWJlSzZQSEZ3YzBLdUFTdml6RE0xd0w1Tmtid2QzSUZQV1V5U05id0tvSzB6TjVpeGg2c3FzMWxvVXZwWElGd3diRkxsaUdNLzVqS0FvYk9IaDA5UFJ3YW9DWVYxWk0xbTEyT3hzdjVRZz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6ImNNR3hTNVloalArWXlnS0d6aDRkUFE9PSJ9>

Apr 29
FDS Colloquium: Jon Kleinberg (Cornell)<https://click.message.yale.edu/?qs=eyJkZWtJZCI6IjVlZjcyZThjLThiOTYtNGZiYy04MzZiLWFhNTVkMTMwYjkwZiIsImRla1ZlcnNpb24iOjEsIml2IjoiaHJVZFNZTC9GYzI2UEhkdnlpQ2liZz09IiwiY2lwaGVyVGV4dCI6IldicFhZdUZsbDEzR1QreHdpeGxtYm5rS2RNZlpJVnhPbElhV2xxQWJMMmFYazFqNmxaekNyVUF0SllKZFNyWThscUFDaVZOOWFpMTZDejN5dDR5dmhCUzhhWmJTaHJVZFNZTC9GYzI2UEhkdnlpQ2liZz09IiwiYXV0aFRhZyI6ImZXb3RlZ3M5OHJlTXI0UVV2R21XMGc9PSJ9>

Contact

Emily E. H. Hau | Associate Director
Yale Institute for Foundations of Data Science (FDS), Yale University
emily.hau at yale.edu<mailto:emily.hau at yale.edu?subject=>
P: 203-436-4732

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