Abstract
In many problems at the intersection of economics and computation, there are strategic agents whose interests may not align with those of an algorithm designer. This misalignment of interests may increase the complexity of otherwise simpler algorithmic questions. More generally, understanding the complex behaviors and interactions of strategic agents is crucial to design better algorithms (or mechanisms). In this talk I will briefly highlight my work in 1) designing simple mechanisms that are approximately optimal, and 2) understanding the effects of simple "anecdotal" communication between strategic agents.