SIMON TONG
541 Del Medio Ave, Apt 319
Mountain View, CA 94040
Telephone: 650-941-9888
E-mail: simon.tong@cs.stanford.edu
OBJECTIVE: To obtain a research oriented position in an industry-leading startup company.
EDUCATION:
1997 - 2001
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
PhD, Computer Science. Specialization: Machine Learning
1999
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
M.S., Computer Science
1994 - 1997
University of Oxford, St. John's College, Oxford, UK.
B.A. Honours (Class I), Mathematics and Computation.
ACADEMIC HONORS:
1997
University of Oxford. Ranked joint first in year. Awarded British
Telecommunications Research and Technology Prize for Computer Science.
1995
University of Oxford. St. John's College, Casberd Scholarship.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
2001 – present Research Scientist, Google Inc., CA
Responsible for developing and applying sophisticated machine learning and statistical
techniques to augment and improve key components of the company’s system. Currently
involved with designing and implementing new algorithms to improve the quality and
relevance of search results.
1997 - 2001
Research Assistant, Stanford University, CA
Investigated and designed technology for extracting key patterns from data. Applications
included text classification, image retrieval and molecular biology. Published and presented in
numerous peer-reviewed international conferences.
Summer
2000
Lead Scientist, ContactDetails Ltd, London, UK
Primarily responsible for creating and developing advanced datamining technology.
Within three months performed research, development and implemented a functioning
machine learning system. Early stage startup required numerous other skills to be drawn
upon. Assisted with front-end web development and marketing.
Autumn,
Winter
1998
Teaching Assistant, Stanford University, CA
“Knowledge Representation and Reasoning under Uncertainty” and “Artificial
Intelligence: Principles and Techniques” graduate and advanced undergraduate level
courses.
Summers
1995, 1996
Research Assistant, Horticulture Research International, Maidstone, UK
Mathematical and computational techniques for genetic linkage analysis. Computer
models for strawberry inflorescences and growth models for fungal hyphae structures.
SKILLS:
 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Experience:
Includes Bayesian Networks, Support Vector Machines, Neural Networks, Decision Trees,
Information Retrieval, Decision Theory, Reinforcement Learning.
 Computer Experience:
Programming languages: include C++, C, Java, Fortran, Perl, HTML, WML, XML/XSL, Cascading Style
Sheets, Javascript and SQL.
SIMON TONG

Communication Experience:
Writing: Published technical papers in refereed journals and conferences. Appointed Chief sub-editor,
Oxford Student Newspaper (readership circa 15000).
Speaking: Experienced in presenting in front of international conference audiences. Delivered
university section lectures to graduate and undergraduate students.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
 Travel Experience: Lived and worked on three continents. Visited numerous countries in Europe,
Asia and North America.
 Interests: Piano, racquet sports, traveling, graphic design, reading.
 References: On request.
PUBLICATIONS:
Refereed Journal Publications:
 Support Vector Machine Active Learning with Applications to Text Classification. Simon Tong,
Daphne Koller. Journal of Machine Learning Research, 2001.
 Three-point linkage analysis in crosses of allogamous plant species. M.S Ridout, S. Tong, C. J.
Vowden and K. R. Tobutt. Genetical Research , (1998) 72, pp. 111-121.
Refereed Conference Publications:
 Support Vector Machine Active Learning for Image Retrieval. Simon Tong, Edward Chang. ACM
Multimedia. Ottawa, Canada, 2001.
 Active Learning for Structure in Bayesian Networks. Simon Tong, Daphne Koller. To appear in
Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Seattle, Washington, 2001.
 Active Learning for Parameter Estimation in Bayesian Networks. Simon Tong, Daphne Koller. To
appear in Neural Information Processing Systems. Denver, Colorado, 2001.
 Support Vector Machine Active Learning with Applications to Text Classification. Simon Tong,
Daphne Koller. Proceedings of the Seventeenth International Conference on Machine Learning. Stanford,
California, 2000.
 Restricted Bayes Optimal Classifiers. Simon Tong, Daphne Koller. Proceedings of the Seventeenth National
Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Austin, Texas, 2000.
Workshop Publications:
 Bayes Optimal Hyperplanes  Maximal Margin Hyperplanes. Simon Tong, Daphne Koller,
International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Workshop on Support Vector Machines, Stockholm,
Sweden 1999.