About
I am an M.S. student in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science at KAUST, advised by Prof. Peter Richtárik. My research focuses on optimization for machine learning.
Previously, I studied Mathematics at Nazarbayev University, where I worked on numerical methods for linear programming with Prof. Adilet Otemissov.
Education
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
M.S. in Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Data Science Track
August 2025 – Present · Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
Advisor: Prof. Peter Richtárik, Optimization and Machine Learning Lab
GPA: 3.81/4.00
Nazarbayev University
B.S. in Mathematics
August 2021 – June 2025 · Astana, Kazakhstan
Dean’s List recognition for four semesters · GPA: 3.71/4.00
Capstone: Coordinate Descent for Solving Linear Programs
Advisor: Prof. Adilet Otemissov
Research Experience
Summer Research Intern — CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security
June 2026 – August 2026 · Saarbrücken, Germany
- Conducted research on adaptive optimization methods for machine learning under the supervision of Prof. Sebastian Stich and Dr. Slavomír Hanzely.
- Studied Shampoo and related matrix-preconditioned gradient methods, with emphasis on how adaptive preconditioning uses gradient structure to improve optimization.
Undergraduate Research Assistant — Nazarbayev University
September 2023 – June 2025 · Astana, Kazakhstan
- Conducted research in linear programming under the supervision of Prof. Adilet Otemissov.
- Studied interior-point methods, coordinate descent, randomized numerical linear algebra, matrix sketching, and iterative solvers for large-scale linear programs.
- Conducted numerical experiments for an unconstrained merit-function approach, analyzed accuracy and convergence across problem dimensions, and produced the plots and numerical results reported in the resulting preprint.
Publications
- Adilet Otemissov and Alina Abdikarimova. “Solving a Linear Program via a Single Unconstrained Minimization.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.21232, 2025.