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Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Events for March
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Technology for Business LeadersTue, Mar 04, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
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Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class
Tue, Mar 04, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Abstract: **CANCELED**CANCELED**CANCELLED**
Host: Dr. Qiang Huang
More Information: Class is canceled.docx
Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - 206
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Casi Jones/ ISE
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Wed, Mar 05, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AME Seminar
Wed, Mar 05, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Huan Liu, Caltech
Talk Title: From folding to scaling: a tour through nonlinear mechanics
Abstract: Origami, the art of folding paper into intricate shapes, has growing practical applications across fields such as architectural design, therapeutics, deployable space structures, antenna design, and soft robotics. One promising yet largely unexplored area is curved tile origami, which can store elastic energy, offering opportunities to develop next-generation functional materials, structures, and actuators. In the first part of my talk I will present a general theory of curved origami and systematic design methods for constructing large-scale, complex curved origami structures. Additionally, I will present methods to accurately calculate the stored elastic energy and the folding motions of curved origami, and I will illustrate my theoretical results by presenting some complex structures I have folded. This theory has inspired applications of curved origami in fields ranging from medical devices to a vertical-axis wind turbine, to architected materials. These applications typically involve interacting fluids, highly deformable elastic solids and rigid bodies, and it would be useful in many situations to define dynamically similar surrogates. In the second part of this talk I will present an accepted macroscale system of partial differential equations including fully coupled incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid dynamics, quite general nonlinear elasticity, and rigid body mechanics for a complex mechanical system, and show by rigorous reasoning that there is a set of scaling laws where length, time, density, elastic modulus, viscosity, and gravitational constant undergo nontrivial scaling. I have applied these laws to a diverse range of systems in nature, including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, microorganisms, and plants. The uniform agreement of the scaling laws with the dynamics of fauna, flora, and microorganisms supports the dominating role of coupled nonlinear elasticity and fluid dynamics in evolutionary development. I will also present the predictions for some prehistoric cases for which observations are unavailable, as well as applications to space exploration.Overall, my talk illustrates that nonlinear mechanics is a powerful predictive tool to address the complexity of modern engineering problems.
Biography: Huan Liu is a Drinkward Postdoctoral Fellow at California Institute of Technology. Prior her postdoc, she received herPh.D. in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics from University of Minnesota in 2024. She is also a co-founder of WhirrlEnergy LLC, astartup focused on revolutionizing the wind energy industry by producing clean energy through a highly optimized vertical-axis windturbine. Her interests are focused on understanding the complex nonlinear mechanics in materials, structures, and coupled mechanicalsystems, discovering new materials and structures, and fostering sustainability.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 252
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Cofounder Matchmaking Workshop
Wed, Mar 05, 2025 @ 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM
Viterbi Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Join us for networking, pizza, and a round-robin session to connect and discover your potential next co-founder!
Location: Sign into EngageSC to View Location
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Jashan Dhami
Event Link: https://engage.usc.edu/Viterbitie/rsvp?id=403259
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Thu, Mar 06, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Thu, Mar 06, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
ECE Seminar: Future of Computer Architecture and Hardware Security
Thu, Mar 06, 2025 @ 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Onur Mutlu, Professor of Computer Science, Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Department, ETH Zürich
Talk Title: Future of Computer Architecture and Hardware Security
Abstract: Computer architecture has been undergoing a revolution with increasing prevalence of heterogeneous, specialized, and massively-parallel hardware systems, to accelerate major data-intensive workloads and enable better system scaling. Hardware for novel computing paradigms (e.g., processing in memory, quantum computing) is already being prototyped and commercialized, and system complexity is increasing. At the same time, hardware security issues at the very low levels have been causing great concern and threatening the benefits and future of even old computing paradigms like speculative execution and main memory (DRAM) scaling. We are at an exciting time when the tensions between low-level architecture/technology innovations and system security problems such innovations expose are being heavily examined, and such tensions are likely to increase for the foreseeable future.
In this talk, we will examine the interplay between computer architecture and system security in modern and emerging computing systems. We will cover major trends in computer architecture and discuss how they may impact hardware and system security. We will examine potential threats as we see them, especially in areas related to the memory hierarchy and data access. We will also examine the requirements security goals may demand from future hardware architectures and technologies. We aim to provide directions that we believe would be fruitful and important to study to proactively address security challenges of emerging hardware architectures and design fundamentally-secure computing systems.
Biography: Onur Mutlu is a Professor of Computer Science at ETH Zurich. He previously held the William D. and Nancy W. Strecker Early Career Professorship at Carnegie Mellon University. His current research interests are in computer architecture, computing systems, hardware security, memory & storage systems, and bioinformatics, with a major focus on designing fundamentally energy-efficient, high-performance, and robust computing systems. He obtained his PhD and MS in ECE from the University of Texas at Austin and BS degrees in Computer Engineering and Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He started the Computer Architecture Group at Microsoft Research (2006-2009), and held product, research and visiting positions at Intel Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, VMware, Google, and Stanford University. He received various honors for his research, including the 2025 IEEE Computer Society Harry H. Goode Memorial Award, 2024 IFIP WG10.4 Jean-Claude Laprie Award in Dependable Computing (for the original RowHammer work), 2022 Persistent Impact Prize of the Non-Volatile Memory Systems Workshop (for original architectural work on Phase Change Memory), 2021 IEEE High Performance Computer Architecture Conference Test of Time Award (for the Runahead Execution work), 2020 IEEE Computer Society Edward J. McCluskey Technical Achievement Award, 2019 ACM SIGARCH Maurice Wilkes Award and tens of best paper or “Top Pick” paper recognitions at various leading computer systems, architecture, and security venues. He is an ACM Fellow, IEEE Fellow, and an elected member of the Academy of Europe. He enjoys teaching, mentoring, and enabling & democratizing access to high-quality research and education. He has supervised 23 PhD graduates, multiple of whom received major dissertation awards, 15 postdoctoral trainees, and more than 60 Master’s and Bachelor’s students. His computer architecture and digital logic design course lectures and materials are freely available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/OnurMutluLectures & https://www.youtube.com/@CMUCompArch), and his research group (https://safari.ethz.ch/) makes a wide variety of software and hardware artifacts freely available online (https://github.com/CMU-SAFARI). For more information, please see his webpage at https://people.inf.ethz.ch/omutlu/.
Host: Dr. Murali Annavaram, annavara@usc.edu
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94376879372?pwd=YM8jfM0IB0fawzEFaaNU3bYNsftqaK.1Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94376879372?pwd=YM8jfM0IB0fawzEFaaNU3bYNsftqaK.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mayumi Thrasher
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Mar 07, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Aijun Wang, Ph.D. , ChancellorâÂÂs Fellow Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, Co-Director, Center for Surgical Bioengineering, Vice Chair for Translational Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Department of Surgery UC Davis School of Medicine
Talk Title: "Engineering Stem Cells and Extracellular Components for In Utero Treatment of Congenital Anomalies"
Abstract: Birth defects contribute significantly to pediatric morbidity and mortality, affecting 1 in 33 infants in the United States. As the leading cause of infant mortality, many congenital anomalies lack effective treatments or cures. Emerging prenatal interventions – such as fetal surgery, in utero stem cell therapy and genome editing – offer the potential to treat or even cure these conditions before birth. Dr. Aijun Wang Lab at UC Davis is at the forefront of fetal tissue engineering and gene editing, developing innovative translational technologies to modify the fetal environment and address congenital disorders. The Wang lab develops innovative technologies for stem cell transplantation, and integrates stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, biomaterial scaffolds mimicking the extracellular matrix, and non-viral gene editing techniques. A major focus of the lab has been pioneering stem cell therapy for in utero treatment of spina bifida. Their team successfully manufactured clinical-grade placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) at the UC Davis GMP facility, obtained FDA investigational new drug (IND) approval, and is currently conducting the world’s first stem cell clinical trial using PMSCs for prenatal spina bifida treatment. Additionally, the Wang Lab is advancing non-viral genome editing technologies using lipid nanoparticles to genetically correct developing stem cells, offering a potential prenatal treatment for genetic disorders. To enhance stem cell targeting and function, they have applied novel integrin-based ligands identified through One-Bead One-Compound (OBOC) combinatorial technology. These groundbreaking approaches mark a transformative step in prenatal medicine, with the potential to redefine the management of congenital anomalies.
Biography: Dr. Aijun Wang received his PhD in biology from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China and completed his postdoctoral training at University of California, Berkeley Bioengineering and Berkeley Stem Cell Center. He joined University of California, Davis (UC Davis) faculty in 2012, and is currently a Chancellor's Fellow Professor of Surgery and of Biomedical Engineering. He serves as Vice Chair for Translational Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Department of Surgery, Co-Director of the Center for Surgical Bioengineering, and inaugural Dean's Fellow in Entrepreneurship at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Additionally, he is a Principal Investigator at the Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine (IPRM) / Shriners Children's Pediatric Research Center, Northern California. Dr. Wang’s research focuses on developing innovative tools, technologies, and therapeutics that integrate molecular, cellular, tissue, and biomaterial engineering to drive tissue regeneration and restore function. Dr. Wang’s lab utilizes single cell spatial multi-omics to study disease mechanisms and developmental process and engineers and develops stem cell therapy/genome editing, extracellular vesicles/nanomedicine, and extracellular matrix/biomaterial scaffolds to treat a wide spectrum of congenital conditions and acquired diseases. Dr. Wang specializes in translating discoveries from bench to bedside through innovative research, translational and investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing, and clinical trials in both human and companion animal patients. Dr. Wang has published over 180 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier journals, such as Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, Advanced Functional Materials, Bioactive Materials, Biomaterials, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Stem Cells, and Theranostics. Since joining UC Davis, Dr. Wang has served as PI, MPI or Co-PI, on numerous major extramural and intramural grants, securing over $55 million in funding from agencies such as NIH/NINDS, NIH/NIBIB, NIH/NICHD, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program of California (TRDRP), Shriners Hospital for Children, and other foundations. Dr. Wang has received numerous awards, such as the UC Davis Health Dean’s Fellowship (2018), the UC Davis Chancellor's Fellowship (2020), the UC Davis Health Dean’s Team Award for Excellence in Research (2020), the UC Davis School of Medicine Cultivating Team Science Award (2022), the KidneyX Innovation award (2020), and the Sacramento Region Innovation Award (2021). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to regenerative medicine and translational bioengineering, Dr. Wang was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows in 2024.
Host: Eunji Chung
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - Room 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Mar 07, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Aijun Wang, Ph.D., ChancellorâÂÂs Fellow Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, Co-Director, Center for Surgical Bioengineering, Vice Chair for Translational Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Department of Surgery UC Davis School of Medicine
Talk Title: Engineering Stem Cells and Extracellular Components for In Utero Treatment of Congenital Anomalies"
Abstract: Birth defects contribute significantly to pediatric morbidity and mortality, affecting 1 in 33 infants in the United States. As the leading cause of infant mortality, many congenital anomalies lack effective treatments or cures. Emerging prenatal interventions – such as fetal surgery, in utero stem cell therapy and genome editing – offer the potential to treat or even cure these conditions before birth. Dr. Aijun Wang Lab at UC Davis is at the forefront of fetal tissue engineering and gene editing, developing innovative translational technologies to modify the fetal environment and address congenital disorders. The Wang lab develops innovative technologies for stem cell transplantation, and integrates stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, biomaterial scaffolds mimicking the extracellular matrix, and non-viral gene editing techniques. A major focus of the lab has been pioneering stem cell therapy for in utero treatment of spina bifida. Their team successfully manufactured clinical-grade placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs) at the UC Davis GMP facility, obtained FDA investigational new drug (IND) approval, and is currently conducting the world’s first stem cell clinical trial using PMSCs for prenatal spina bifida treatment. Additionally, the Wang Lab is advancing non-viral genome editing technologies using lipid nanoparticles to genetically correct developing stem cells, offering a potential prenatal treatment for genetic disorders. To enhance stem cell targeting and function, they have applied novel integrin-based ligands identified through One-Bead One-Compound (OBOC) combinatorial technology. These groundbreaking approaches mark a transformative step in prenatal medicine, with the potential to redefine the management of congenital anomalies.
Biography: Dr. Aijun Wang received his PhD in biology from Tsinghua University, Beijing, China and completed his postdoctoral training at University of California, Berkeley Bioengineering and Berkeley Stem Cell Center. He joined University of California, Davis (UC Davis) faculty in 2012, and is currently a Chancellor's Fellow Professor of Surgery and of Biomedical Engineering. He serves as Vice Chair for Translational Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Department of Surgery, Co-Director of the Center for Surgical Bioengineering, and inaugural Dean's Fellow in Entrepreneurship at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Additionally, he is a Principal Investigator at the Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine (IPRM) / Shriners Children's Pediatric Research Center, Northern California. Dr. Wang’s research focuses on developing innovative tools, technologies, and therapeutics that integrate molecular, cellular, tissue, and biomaterial engineering to drive tissue regeneration and restore function. Dr. Wang’s lab utilizes single cell spatial multi-omics to study disease mechanisms and developmental process and engineers and develops stem cell therapy/genome editing, extracellular vesicles/nanomedicine, and extracellular matrix/biomaterial scaffolds to treat a wide spectrum of congenital conditions and acquired diseases. Dr. Wang specializes in translating discoveries from bench to bedside through innovative research, translational and investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies, current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) manufacturing, and clinical trials in both human and companion animal patients. Dr. Wang has published over 180 peer-reviewed papers in top-tier journals, such as Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Communications, ACS Nano, Advanced Functional Materials, Bioactive Materials, Biomaterials, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, Stem Cells, and Theranostics. Since joining UC Davis, Dr. Wang has served as PI, MPI or Co-PI, on numerous major extramural and intramural grants, securing over $55 million in funding from agencies such as NIH/NINDS, NIH/NIBIB, NIH/NICHD, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program of California (TRDRP), Shriners Hospital for Children, and other foundations. Dr. Wang has received numerous awards, such as the UC Davis Health Dean’s Fellowship (2018), the UC Davis Chancellor's Fellowship (2020), the UC Davis Health Dean’s Team Award for Excellence in Research (2020), the UC Davis School of Medicine Cultivating Team Science Award (2022), the KidneyX Innovation award (2020), and the Sacramento Region Innovation Award (2021). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to regenerative medicine and translational bioengineering, Dr. Wang was inducted into the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows in 2024.
Host: Eunji Chung
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Fri, Mar 07, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CA DREAMS - Technical Seminar Series
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Fri, Mar 07, 2025 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Umesh K. Mishra, Dean, Richard A Auhll Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California Santa Barbara
Talk Title: A Brief History and the Promise of Gallium Nitride (GaN) Electronics; the Next Wave After GaN Photonics
Abstract: In this talk, we will recount the development of GaN electronics over its history of nearly 40 years to its widepsread deployment today in commercial and DoD systems.
Biography: Umesh K. Mishra is the Richard A Auhll Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California Santa Barbara and the Donald W. Whittier Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Santa Barbara. He received his B.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India, his M.S from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA., and his Ph.D. in 1984 from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. He has supervised 81 Ph.D theses to completion with 15 of them being women and 69 of them in the field of Gallium Nitride (GaN) materials and devices. 11 of his students are members of the faculty in prestigious universities, with 5 of them being women. His students have founded/co-founded 10 companies. He co-founded the first start-up in the world to commercialize RF GaN transistors and LEDs in 1996 (Nitres) which was acquired by CREE (now Wolfspeed) in 2000. Umesh co-founded Transphorm in 2007 which was honored as a Technology Pioneer at the World Economic Forum, 2013, to commercialize GaN-on-Si transistors for power conversion. Transphorm was acquired by Renesas in 2024. He has over 1000 papers (>70,000 citations; h-index 130) and over 100 patents. Umesh received several awards including the IEEE Jun-Ichi Nishizawa Medal for his contributions to the development and commercialization of GaN electronics. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, an International Fellow of the Japanese Society of Applied Physics, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kanpur.
Host: Dr. Steve Crago
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5356/a-brief-history-and-the-promise-of-gallium-nitride-gan-electronics-the-next-wave-after-gan-photonics/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addonWebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addon
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Amy Kasmir
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Mon, Mar 10, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Tue, Mar 11, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Feng Guo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering- Indiana University Bloomington
Talk Title: Brain Organoid computing for Sustainable AI and Medicine
Abstract: The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our daily lives. However, current silicon-based AI computing devices face growing sustainability challenges. Running generative AI models (e.g., ChatGPT) demands significant computational power, generates excessive heat—requiring substantial cooling resources, and contributes to tremendous carbon emissions. Moreover, the massive manufacturing of silico-based computing chips also costs significant non-renewable sources. To address these issues, neuromorphic devices and systems, inspired by the structure and function of the human brain, are under active development. One promising neuromorphic approach involves utilizing human brain organoids, 3D brain-like tissues derived from pluripotent stem cells. These organoids demonstrate remarkable potential to mimic human brain information processing for sustainable AI and medical applications. However, challenges remain in fully harnessing their capabilities. Our research group has been exploring this new research area—brain organoid computing. In this talk, we will present our latest advancements in developing brain organoid hardware for real-world computing tasks such as speech recognition, equation prediction, and robotic decision-making with unique features including low energy consumption, fast learning, and renewability. Additionally, we will highlight leveraging organoid neural networks for functional phenotyping of neural disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, reading disorders, substance use disorders, etc. We believe this innovative approach can provide new insights into AI computing, brain-machine interfaces, and translational medicine while fostering a deeper understanding of the synergy between AI and natural intelligence.
Biography: Dr. Feng Guo is an Associated Professor of Intelligent Systems Engineering at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB). Before joining IUB in 2017, he received his Ph.D. in Engineering Science and Mechanics at Penn State and his postdoc training at Stanford University School of Medicine. His group is developing intelligent medical devices, sensors, and systems with the support of multiple NIH and NSF awards. He is a recipient of the NIH Director's New Innovator Award, the Outstanding Junior Faculty Award at IU, Early Career Award at Penn State, the Dean Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford School of Medicine, etc.
Host: Qifa Zhou
Location: Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience (MCB) - 102
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Tue, Mar 11, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class
Tue, Mar 11, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. James Kong, Ralph H. Bogle Professor at Virginia Tech, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Host: Dr. Qiang Huang
More Information: FLYER 651 James Kong 3.11.25.png
Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - 206
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Casi Jones/ ISE
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CS Colloquium: Stephen Tu (USC / ECE) - On the Effectiveness of Generative Modeling for Planning and Control
Wed, Mar 12, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Stephen Tu, USC / ECE
Talk Title: On the Effectiveness of Generative Modeling for Planning and Control
Abstract: Recent work has demonstrated that modern generative models—including diffusion models and flow matching methods—are a powerful tool for both representing control policies and also designing planning and control algorithms. However, despite strong empirical results, there is a lack of rigorous understanding for why these models work so well in very high-dimensional, autoregressive settings, and surprisingly do not seem to suffer from classic “curse of dimensionality” sample complexity barriers. In this talk, we will shed some light on this phenomenon. First, we will show that shallow diffusion networks can be sample-efficiently learned in the presence of simple latent low-dimensional structures: the intrinsic dimension of the underlying distribution governs the sample complexity, rather than the ambient dimensionality of the problem. Second, we will show that diffusion/flow-matching models and losses are not necessary for learning performant policies in control tasks, and we can actually achieve similar performance using classic energy-based models trained with ranking noise-contrastive estimation—the latter which we prove is nearly asymptotically optimal. We will conclude with some exciting future directions for further investigation into the interplay between generative modeling, controls, and learning.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Stephen Tu is an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Southern California, where he leads the Statistical Learning for Dynamics and Control group. His research interests span statistical learning theory, safe and optimal control, and robot learning. More specifically, his work has focused on non-asymptotic guarantees for learning dynamical systems, rigorous analysis of distribution shift in feedback settings, safe control synthesis, and more recently foundations of generative modeling. Stephen Tu earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) from the University of California, Berkeley. Previous to joining USC, Stephen Tu was a research scientist at Google DeepMind Robotics where he focused on combining learning and control-theoretic approaches for robotics.
Host: CS Department
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 132
Audiences: Everyone (USC) is invited
Contact: CS Faculty Affairs
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Semiconductors and Microelectronics Technology Seminar - Omer Yaffe, Wednesday, March 12th at 10am in EEB 132
Wed, Mar 12, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Omer Yaffe, Department of Chemical and Biological Physics Weizmann Institute of Science
Talk Title: Anharmonic Vibrational Dynamics in Crystals: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How Raman Spectroscopy Uncovers It
Series: Semiconductors & Microelectronics Technology
Abstract: Anharmonic vibrational dynamics play a crucial role in determining the physical properties of crystalline materials, impacting thermal conductivity, phase transitions, ion transport, and optoelectronic behavior.In this talk, I will present an intuitive framework for understanding anharmonicity and demonstrate how Raman spectroscopy, combined with coupled mode models, provides a powerful tool for probing these dynamics. I will illustrate this approach through three case studies: (1) the temperature evolution of hydrogen-bond vibrations in glycine crystals, (2) soft modes and phase transitions in bismuth vanadate, and (3) electron-phonon coupling in heavily doped silicon.A key takeaway from this analysis is that modeling with coupled mode pairs, rather than a single damped oscillator, effectively captures material behavior, bridging equilibrium and non-equilibrium dynamics and providing deeper insight into complex vibrational interactions in crystals.
Biography: Omer Yaffe is an Associate Professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he leads a research group focused on anharmonic lattice dynamics. His work combines experimental techniques, particularly advanced Raman spectroscopy, with theoretical modeling to explore how lattice vibrations influence charge transport, phase transitions, and ion conduction.
Host: Jayakanth Ravichandran, Joshua Yang, Chongwu Zhou, Steve Cronin and Wei Wu
More Information: Omer Yaffe_2025-03-12.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Marilyn Poplawski
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Wed, Mar 12, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AME Seminar
Wed, Mar 12, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mohand Saed, University of Cambridge, UK
Talk Title: Liquid Crystalline Elastomers for Reversible Actuation and Energy Dissipation
Abstract: Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are a versatile class of functional materials exhibiting exceptional properties, including large-stroke reversible actuation, anomalous mechanical energy damping, and reversible pressure-sensitive adhesion. A defining feature of LCEs is their soft elasticity, characterized by a plateau of low, nearly constant stress during stretching, slow stress relaxation, and enhanced surface adhesion. This presentation explores the potential of LCEs in actuator applications and highlights their intrinsic energy dissipation mechanisms, particularly in reversible adhesion and vibration damping.
Biography: Dr. Saed is a University Royal Society Fellow and a group leader at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, specializing in smart, sustainable, and stimuli-responsive polymers. His research spans new material design, additive manufacturing, vitrimers, adhesives, and liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs).
Over a decade-long academic career, Dr. Saed has made pioneering contributions to polymer science. During his PhD at the University of Colorado, he played a crucial role in overcoming synthesis challenges in LCEs, introducing click chemistry for scalable production. His dissertation led to seven publications and a US patent, revolutionizing the field.
As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Texas, he expanded into 3D printing and microfabrication, developing a 4D printing technique for LCEs, now widely adopted. This work resulted in three papers and another US patent.
At Cambridge, Dr. Saed has published over 30 original papers, filed four patents, and secured over £2 million in research funding. He co-founded Cambridge Smart Plastics Ltd, serving as Chief Technical Officer, to commercialize vitrimer technologies developed during his tenure.
As of March 2025, he has 43 original papers, 6 patents (3 granted, 3 filed), 2,900 citations, and an H-index of 26. His research is featured in leading journals such as Chemical Reviews, Nature Communications, and Advanced Materials.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 252
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AME Seminar
Wed, Mar 12, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mohand Saed, University of Cambridge
Talk Title: TBD
Abstract: The talk will focus on Liquid Crystalline Elastomers, emphasizing their potential as energy-dissipative materials with promising applications in smart adhesion and vibration damping.
Biography: TBD
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 252
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
The USC Symposium on the Future of Computing: A 25-Year Vision
Thu, Mar 13, 2025 @ 08:00 AM - 04:30 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Various, Various
Talk Title: The USC Symposium on the Future of Computing: A 25-Year Vision
Abstract: Join us for the USC Symposium on the Future of Computing: A 25-Year Vision, presented by the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science, USC School of Advanced Computing.This two-day event will showcase groundbreaking fundamental and applied research shaping the future of computing over the next quarter century.Featuring leading minds from academia and industry, the symposium will offer keynote and technical sessions spanning a wide range of pivotal topics, including hardware, software, AI and machine learning, theory, and human-computer interaction.Registration is required includes access to the symposium, as well as a light breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks.RSVP LINK (coming soon)
Biography: DAY 1 & 2 | 8:00am – 4:30pm
- Registration/Check-in
- Keynote Address
- Session A
- Break
- Session B
- Lunch
- Session C
PRESENTATIONS
Day 1:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
- Amin Vahdat, Google – Engineering Fellow and Vice President for Machine Learning, Systems, and Cloud AI Team
SESSIONS
- AI/ML: Core AI, vision, graphics, robotics
- Hardware II: Processing, architecture, storage for cloud and edge
- Software: OS/networks, databases, programming languages
Day 2:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
- Doina Precup, McGill University – Professor and Canada Institute for Advanced Research AI Chair
SESSIONS
- Hardware I: Novel computing, quantum technologies, devices
- Human/Computer Interaction: Human in the loop, brain/computer interfaces, edge device interfaces
- Theory: Complexity, algorithms, ML theory, optimization, control, information
Host: Prof. Ramesh Govindan & Prof. Massoud Pedram
Location: Ginsburg Hall (GCS) - Auditorium (LL1)
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
NL Seminar: From "Democratization" to Personal Names: Reimagining NLP Practices Towards Justice
Thu, Mar 13, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Arjun Subramonian, UCLA, UCLA
Talk Title: From "Democratization" to Personal Names: Reimagining NLP Practices Towards Justice
Abstract: Meeting hosts only admit on-line guests that they know to the Zoom meeting. Hence, you’re highly encouraged to use your USC account to sign into Zoom. If you’re an outside visitor, please inform us at (nlg-seminar-host(at)isi.edu) to make us aware of your attendance so we can admit you. Specify if you will attend remotely or in person at least one business day prior to the event. Provide your: full name, job title and professional affiliation and arrive at least 10 minutes before the seminar begins. If you do not have access to the 6th Floor for in-person attendance, please check in at the 10th floor main reception desk to register as a visitor and someone will escort you to the conference room location Join Zoom Meetinghttps://usc.zoom.us/j/95338734726?pwd=FwdcZrr7tyjLLiuBgg2DVS6aZKOBf7.1 Meeting ID: 953 3873 4726 Passcode: 100604
Current natural language processing (NLP) practices operate within a set of logics which codify new, and entrench existing, social inequalities and power dynamics. In this talk, I will delve into two troubling NLP practices: the discussion of "democratizing" language technologies and the association of personal names with sociodemographic characteristics. I will reveal how current use of the term "democratization" in NLP can be inconsistent and irresponsible, which risks misrepresenting the distribution of power in and public control of AI; I will further provide recommendations to strengthen progress towards democratic technologies beyond just superficial access. Furthermore, I will survey the issues inherent to associating personal names with sociodemographic attributes, covering problems of validity (e.g., systematic error, construct validity) and ethical concerns (e.g., harms, differential impact, cultural insensitivity). Then, I will offer guiding questions along with normative recommendations to avoid these pitfalls. Ultimately, constructively examining NLP practices through a critical lens is important for advancing justice in the field.
Biography: Arjun Subramonian is a Computer Science PhD candidate at the University of California, Los Angeles. Their research focuses on the fairness and ethics of machine learning and natural language processing. They are further a core organizer of Queer in AI. They are a recipient of an Amazon Fellowship, NSF NRT Fellowship, Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship, and FAccT 2023 Best Paper Award.
If speaker approves to be recorded for this seminar, it will be posted on the USC/ISI YouTube page within 1-2 business days: https://www.youtube.com/user/USCISI Subscribe here to learn more about upcoming seminars: https://www.isi.edu/events/ For more information on the NL Seminar series and upcoming talks, please visit: https://www.isi.edu/research-groups-nlg/nlg-seminars/
Host: Jonathan May and Katy Felkner
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5500/from-democratization-to-personal-names-reimagining-nlp-practices-towards-justice/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/95338734726?pwd=FwdcZrr7tyjLLiuBgg2DVS6aZKOBf7.1Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - Conf Rm#689
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/95338734726?pwd=FwdcZrr7tyjLLiuBgg2DVS6aZKOBf7.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Pete Zamar
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Technology for Business Leaders
Thu, Mar 13, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Talk Title: Technology for Business Leaders
Abstract: Technology for Business Leaders provides a comprehensive exploration of digital transformation and its impact on contemporary business landscapes. Through a series of structured modules, participants will delve into the core concepts of Digital Technologies, Industry 4.0, Innovation, and Organizational Change management. By analyzing case studies and leveraging practical frameworks, learners will develop the necessary insights and skills to drive successful digital transitions within their organizations.
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Mar 14, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Sheng Li, Ph. D., Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. She also serves as the Program Co-Leader of Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer at the USC NCI-designated Norris Comprehensive Cancer Ce
Talk Title: From Aging to Leukemia: Computational Epigenomics of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Fate
Abstract: Aging and epigenetic reprogramming are deeply intertwined in hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. Our research investigates how genetic and epigenetic alterations shape hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) evolution, clonal expansion, and malignant transformation. First, using our next-generation and long-read sequencing pipelines, we demonstrated that somatic variations in DNA and histone methylation regulators disrupt the DNA methylome, promoting leukemogenesis. Second, we examined how aging alters HSC fate, clonal dynamics, and transcriptional states through genetic barcoding and single-cell RNA sequencing, revealing age-driven shifts in hematopoiesis via in vivo clonal tracing. We also explored how senolytic interventions reshape the aging hematopoietic transcriptome, potentially reversing age-related dysfunction. Finally, clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is an age-associated expansion of mutant hematopoietic stem cells, linked to leukemia and cardiovascular risk. We found that Tet2 deficiency mitigates epigenetic aging, preserving HSC function and assisting clonal expansion. By integrative mining of single-cell RNA sequencing and single-nucleus chromatin accessibility data, we investigated how Tet2 deficiency reprograms the aging epigenome and influences clonal fitness in CH. Together, these findings provide new insights into how aging and epigenetic dysregulation contribute to leukemogenesis and highlight potential therapeutic strategies for mitigating CH and malignant transformation in hematopoietic stem cells.
Biography: Sheng Li, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. She also serves as the Program Co-Leader of Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer at the USC NCI-designated Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Li received her PhD in Computational Biology from Cornell University in 2014, where she focused on the computational transcriptomics and epigenomics of leukemia relapse. She then served as an Instructor of Bioinformatics at Weill Cornell Medicine in 2014. In 2016, Dr. Li joined the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. In 2024, her lab moved to the USC Keck School of Medicine. The Li lab focuses on algorithm development and integrative mining of long-read, single-cell, and spatial multi-omics data to understand the impact of cell-to-cell variations – in epigenome and transcriptome – and aged microenvironment in driving cancer evolution. The Li Lab has been embedded in a network of NIH consortia, e.g., NCI-NIA jointly funded OncoAging Consortium, NIH Common Fund Cellular Senescence Network (SetNet) Consortium, and NHGRI funded The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Consortium. She co-chairs the Omics and Image-Mapping Working Group in SetNet Consortium since 2022. Dr. Li is a recipient of the NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (2019), the American Association for Cancer Research's "NextGen Star" Award (2020), and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar (2024).
Host: Peter Wang
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Mar 14, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Sheng Li, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology Program Co-Leader of Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer NCI-designated Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California
Talk Title: From Aging to Leukemia: Computational Epigenomics of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Fate
Abstract: Aging and epigenetic reprogramming are deeply intertwined in hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. Our research investigates how genetic and epigenetic alterations shape hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) evolution, clonal expansion, and malignant transformation. First, using our next-generation and long-read sequencing pipelines, we demonstrated that somatic variations in DNA and histone methylation regulators disrupt the DNA methylome, promoting leukemogenesis. Second, we examined how aging alters HSC fate, clonal dynamics, and transcriptional states through genetic barcoding and single-cell RNA sequencing, revealing age-driven shifts in hematopoiesis via in vivo clonal tracing. We also explored how senolytic interventions reshape the aging hematopoietic transcriptome, potentially reversing age-related dysfunction. Finally, clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is an age-associated expansion of mutant hematopoietic stem cells, linked to leukemia and cardiovascular risk. We found that Tet2 deficiency mitigates epigenetic aging, preserving HSC function and assisting clonal expansion. By integrative mining of single-cell RNA sequencing and single-nucleus chromatin accessibility data, we investigated how Tet2 deficiency reprograms the aging epigenome and influences clonal fitness in CH. Together, these findings provide new insights into how aging and epigenetic dysregulation contribute to leukemogenesis and highlight potential therapeutic strategies for mitigating CH and malignant transformation in hematopoietic stem cells.
Biography: Sheng Li, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. She also serves as the Program Co-Leader of Epigenetic Regulation in Cancer at the USC NCI-designated Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Li received her PhD in Computational Biology from Cornell University in 2014, where she focused on the computational transcriptomics and epigenomics of leukemia relapse. She then served as an Instructor of Bioinformatics at Weill Cornell Medicine in 2014. In 2016, Dr. Li joined the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2022. In 2024, her lab moved to the USC Keck School of Medicine. The Li lab focuses on algorithm development and integrative mining of long-read, single-cell, and spatial multi-omics data to understand the impact of cell-to-cell variations – in epigenome and transcriptome – and aged microenvironment in driving cancer evolution. The Li Lab has been embedded in a network of NIH consortia, e.g., NCI-NIA jointly funded OncoAging Consortium, NIH Common Fund Cellular Senescence Network (SetNet) Consortium, and NHGRI funded The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Consortium. She co-chairs the Omics and Image-Mapping Working Group in SetNet Consortium since 2022. Dr. Li is a recipient of the NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (2019), the American Association for Cancer Research's "NextGen Star" Award (2020), and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Scholar (2024).
Host: Peter Wang
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CA DREAMS - Technical Seminar Series
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Fri, Mar 14, 2025 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Azita Emami, Professor, Caltech
Talk Title: Electronic-Photonic Co-Design for High-Speed Data Communication and Beyond
Abstract: Data centers continue to demand interconnect solutions with higher bandwidth densities and improved energy efficiency. Furthermore, applications such as chip-to-chip interconnects in switches, high-performance FPGAs and GPUs call for compact form-factors, high-volume production and low cost. Silicon Photonics (SiP)-based transceivers, when co-packaged with CMOS electronics, offer a promising avenue to meet these demands with speeds exceeding 100 Gb/s per wavelength. In this talk we focus on architectural and circuit-level techniques for both PICs and EICs to improve the energy-efficiency at high data rates. We will discuss how various types of optical modulators and optical architectures can be employed to achieve higher-order modulation schemes. We will first present a 100Gb/s 3D integrated Sip-CMOS PAM4 optical transmitter system. The photonic chip includes a push-pull segmented MZM structure using highly capacitive, yet optically efficient MOSCAP phase modulators. Co-design and optimum bandwidth enhancement techniques are employed to achieve high data rates and energy efficiency. Next a 100Gb/s DAC-less PAM-4 transmitter and a 200Gb/s QAM-16 transmitter in a multi-micron silicon photonics platform using binary-driven SiGe EAMs will be presented. In the second part of this talk, we will briefly show another example of co-designed electronics and photonics for sensing applications. We present a fully integrated fluorescence (FL) sensor in 65nm standard CMOS comprising on-chip bandpass optical filters, photodiodes (PDs), and processing circuitry. The metal/dielectric layers in CMOS are employed to implement low-loss cavity-type optical filters achieving a bandpass response at 600nm to 700nm range suitable to work with fluorescent proteins (FPs), which are the widely used bio-reporters for biomedical and environmental sensing.
Biography: Azita Emami is the Andrew and Peggy Cherng Professor of Electrical Engineering and Medical Engineering, and the Director of Center for Sensing to Intelligence (S2I) at Caltech. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 1999 and 2004 respectively, and her B.S. degree from Sharif University of Technology in 1996. From 2004 to 2006 she was with IBM T. J. Watson Research Center before joining Caltech in 2007. She served as the Executive Officer (Department Head) for Electrical Engineering from 2018 to 2024. Her current research interests include integrated circuits and systems, integrated photonics, high-speed data communication systems, wearable and implantable devices for neural recording, neural stimulation, sensing and drug delivery.
Host: Dr. Steve Crago
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5480/electronic-photonic-co-design-for-high-speed-data-communication-and-beyond/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addonWebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addon
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Amy Kasmir
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/events/5480/electronic-photonic-co-design-for-high-speed-data-communication-and-beyond/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
MHI/Physics Joint Seminar, Mark Eriksson, Friday, March 14th at 2pm in EEB 132 & Zoom
Fri, Mar 14, 2025 @ 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mark Eriksson, Wisconsin Quantum Institute and Department of Physics University of Wisconsin-Madison
Talk Title: Quantum computing using electron spins in silicon
Series: MHI Physics Joint Seminar Series
Abstract: Remarkably, the techniques used to make classical silicon CMOS devices can be used to make qubits with excellent performance. The operation of these devices, on the other hand - from the required temperatures to the number of electrons comprising a typical qubit - is very different from what is found in even the most advanced classical integrated circuits. In this talk I will present both a short historical overview of how quantum computing in silicon has developed, as well as the latest results from both our group at Wisconsin and from around the world. I will emphasize the role of integration, including 3D integration, which enables readout of qubits formed in a Si/SiGe by measuring the microwave transmission of a superconducting resonator on a separate substrate, flip-chip bonded to the first. And I will discuss very recent results demonstrating the remarkable properties of silicon quantum wells containing short wavelength oscillations in the concentration of added germanium atoms. Advances like these have, in just the last few years, demonstrated that a future quantum computing technology in silicon will likely integrate sophisticated techniques and knowledge cutting across many different academic departments, from electrical engineering to materials science, computer science, and physics - a feature that makes it an incredibly dynamic (and fun!) field of science and technology.
Biography: Mark A. Eriksson is the John Bardeen Professor of Physics and the Steenbock Professor of Physical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the University of Wisconsin in 1999 he received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1997 and was a postdoctoral member of technical staff at Bell Labs for two years from 1997-1999. Eriksson leads a team studying semiconductor-based quantum computing and focusing on the development of spin qubits in silicon/silicon-germanium gate-defined quantum dots. He also leads the Materials & Integration science and technology thrust area within the DOE-funded Q-NEXT center led by Argonne National Laboratory. Eriksson is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Host: Quntao Zhuang, Eli Levinson-Falk, Jonathan Habif, Daniel Lidar, Kelly Luo,k Todd Brun, Tony Levi, Stephan Haas
More Info: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94210354265?pwd=SAYc7H3kA9JiRV7Ktrm2dgelJOCmbV.1
More Information: Mark Eriksson Flyer.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Marilyn Poplawski
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94210354265?pwd=SAYc7H3kA9JiRV7Ktrm2dgelJOCmbV.1
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
USC-ISI Networking and Cybersecurity Seminar Talk
Mon, Mar 17, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham, University of Texas at Dallas
Talk Title: Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence for Securing Transportation Systems
Series: Networking and Cybersecurity
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are being applied to numerous applications from Healthcare to Cyber Security to Finance. For example, Machine Learning (ML) algorithms are being applied to solve security problems such as malware analysis and insider threat detection. However, there are many challenges in applying ML algorithms for various applications. For example, (i) the ML algorithms may violate the privacy of individuals. This is because we can gather massive amounts of data and apply ML algorithms on the data to extract highly sensitive information. (ii) ML algorithms may show bias and be unfair to various segments of the population. (iii) ML algorithms themselves may be attacked possibly resulting in catastrophic errors including in cyber physical systems such as transportation systems. In this presentation, we discuss our research we are conducting as part of the USDOT National University Technology Center TraCR (Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency) led by Clemson University. In particular, we describe (i) the application of federated machine learning techniques for detecting attacks in transportation systems; (ii) publishing synthetic transportation data sets that preserves privacy, (iii) fairness algorithms for transportation systems, and (iv) examining how GenAI systems are being integrated with transportation systems to provide security. Finally, we discuss resiliency issues with respect to transportation systems where such systems and applications must continue to operate in the midst of attacks and failures.
Biography: Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham is the Founders Chair Professor of Computer Science and the Founding Executive Director of the Cyber Security Research and Education Institute at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). She is an elected Fellow of the ACM, IEEE, the AAAS, and the NAI. Her research interests are on integrating cyber security and artificial intelligence/data science including as they relate to the cloud, social media, and Transportation Systems. She has received several technical, education and leadership awards including the IEEE CS 1997 Edward J. McCluskey Technical Achievement Award, the IEEE CS 2023 Taylor L. Booth Education Award, ACM SIGSAC 2010 Outstanding Contributions Award, the IEEE Comsoc Communications and Information Security 2019 Technical Recognition Award, the IEEE CS Services Computing 2017 Research Innovation Award, the ACM CODASPY 2017 Lasting Research Award, and the ACM SACMAT 10 Year Test of Time Awards for 2018 and 2019 (for papers published in 2008 and 2009). Her 44+ year career includes industry (Honeywell), federal research laboratory (MITRE), US government (NSF) and US Academia. Her work has resulted in 140+ journal articles, 300+ conference papers, 200+ keynote and featured addresses, seven US patents, sixteen books, and over 120 panel presentations including at Fortune Media, Lloyds of London Insurance, Dell Technologies World, United Nations, and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has also written opinion columns for popular venues such as the New York Times, Inc. Magazine, Womensday.com and the Legal 500. She received her PhD from the University of Wales, Swansea, UK, and the prestigious earned higher doctorate (D. Eng) from the University of Bristol, UK. She also has a Certificate in Public Policy Analysis from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has been featured in the book by the ACM in 2024 titled: “Rendering History: The Women of ACM-W” as one of the 30+ “Women that Changed the Face of World Wide Computing Forever.”
Host: David Balenson and Jelena Mirkovic
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5645/trustworthy-artificial-intelligence-for-securing-transportation-systems/
Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - 1135/37
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Matt Binkley / Information Sciences Institute
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/events/5645/trustworthy-artificial-intelligence-for-securing-transportation-systems/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Tue, Mar 18, 2025 @ 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: IISE Faculty, IISE Faculty
Talk Title: Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Abstract: USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement, offered in partnership with the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, allows professionals to learn how to integrate principles of business, statistics, and engineering to achieve tangible results. Master the use of Six Sigma to quantify the critical quality issues in your company. Once the issues have been quantified, statistics can be applied to provide probabilities of success and failure. Six Sigma methods increase productivity and enhance quality. As a USC Six Sigma Green Belt, you will be equipped to support and champion a Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the USC Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
More Info: https://viterbiexeced.usc.edu/engineering-program-areas/six-sigma-lean-certification/six-sigma-green-belt-process-improvement/
Audiences: Six Sigma Green Belt Students
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class
Tue, Mar 18, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: NO CLASS-SPRING BREAK,
Talk Title: NO CLASS- SPRING BREAK
Abstract: NO CLASS- SPRING BREAK
Host: Dr. Qiang Huang
Location: Social Sciences Building (SOS) - B2
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Casi Jones/ ISE
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Wed, Mar 19, 2025 @ 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: IISE Faculty, IISE Faculty
Talk Title: Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Abstract: USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement, offered in partnership with the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, allows professionals to learn how to integrate principles of business, statistics, and engineering to achieve tangible results. Master the use of Six Sigma to quantify the critical quality issues in your company. Once the issues have been quantified, statistics can be applied to provide probabilities of success and failure. Six Sigma methods increase productivity and enhance quality. As a USC Six Sigma Green Belt, you will be equipped to support and champion a Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the USC Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
More Info: https://viterbiexeced.usc.edu/engineering-program-areas/six-sigma-lean-certification/six-sigma-green-belt-process-improvement/
Audiences: Six Sigma Green Belt Students
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Supporting Research Infrastructure Communities Through LUMI AI and AI Factories, Nordic and European Perspective
Wed, Mar 19, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Tomasz Malkiewicz, CSC - IT Center for Science in Finland
Talk Title: Supporting Research Infrastructure Communities Through LUMI AI and AI Factories, Nordic and European Perspective
Series: Scientific Computing at Large
Abstract: AI applications like large language models require significant computing resources. LUMI, Europe’s third most powerful supercomputer, is already one of the world’s most powerful AI platforms for science, playing important role in supporting European RI community. The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (JU) has selected the hosting sites of the next EuroHPC supercomputers and AI Factories. One of the chosen hosting sites is Finland, led by CSC – IT Center for Science, together with a LUMI AI Factory consortium of five other countries: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Norway and Poland. An AI Factory is an ecosystem that enables AI researchers and developers to have one-stop access to the high-performance computing (HPC), data sets and skills they need. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for both scientific researchers and industrial innovators to adopt AI methods on a large scale. In this talk, I will present the architecture of the LUMI infrastructure and its status, together with plans and ambitions for the near future. Then, an overview of how LUMI AI supports RI communities based on the scientific showcases and achievements will be presented. These include, for example, contributions to the Destination Earth initiative, work on large language models and breakthroughs from extreme-scale computing capabilities in many fields of science.
Biography: Malkiewicz is employed at CSC - IT Center for Science in Finland, has worked for CSC in managerial and specialist positions since 2011, and is a member of the Management Group since 2016. In 2025 he has been appointed as the Interim Director of NeIC - Nordic e-Infrastructure Collaboraiton for the year 2025. Malkiewicz has worked with NeIC as executive manager and been a part of the executive team since January 2017. Throughout the years, he has acted as project owner for several projects, Puhuri, CodeRefinery and NordIQuEst being the most recent ones. Malkiewicz holds a PhD in nuclear physics from University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Before joining CSC, he had worked as a CNRS postdoctoral researcher at the LPSC Grenoble, France.
Host: Ewa Deelman and Ciji Davis
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5616/supporting-research-infrastructure-communities-through-lumi-ai-and-ai-factories-nordic-and-european-perspective/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/95306363929Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - Conf Rm#1137
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/95306363929
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Pete Zamar
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
No AME Seminar - Spring Break
Wed, Mar 19, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Talk Title: We will resume next week on March 26th
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Thu, Mar 20, 2025 @ 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: IISE Faculty, IISE Faculty
Talk Title: Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Abstract: USC Viterbi School of Engineering's Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement, offered in partnership with the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, allows professionals to learn how to integrate principles of business, statistics, and engineering to achieve tangible results. Master the use of Six Sigma to quantify the critical quality issues in your company. Once the issues have been quantified, statistics can be applied to provide probabilities of success and failure. Six Sigma methods increase productivity and enhance quality. As a USC Six Sigma Green Belt, you will be equipped to support and champion a Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the USC Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
Host: USC Viterbi Corporate and Professional Programs
More Info: https://viterbiexeced.usc.edu/engineering-program-areas/six-sigma-lean-certification/six-sigma-green-belt-process-improvement/
Audiences: Six Sigma Green Belt Students
Contact: VASE Executive Education
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CA DREAMS - Technical Seminar Series
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Fri, Mar 21, 2025 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mike Shuo-Wei Chen, Professor, USC
Talk Title: High-Speed DACs towards High Performance and Efficiency
Series: CA DREAMS - Technical Seminar Series
Abstract: There are increasing interests in wideband and flexible waveform synthesis in modern communication systems. The key enabler in such applications is a high performance digital-to-analog converter (DAC). This has motivated the design community to push the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) towards higher sampling rate (>GS/s) while achieving high dynamic range. Moreover, there is an emerging trend to design a DAC with high output power, i.e. a power DAC or digital power amplifier (PA). In this talk, I will overview various digital-to-analog architectures and filtering techniques that push the envelope of DAC bandwidth, linearity and/or noise floor. A dual-rate hybrid DAC architecture has been shown to enhance dynamic range while a time-approximation filter can be applied to suppress out-of-band emission. In addition, I will introduce an emerging digital PA architecture that aims for high power backoff efficiency, namely sub-harmonic switching (SHS) PA. Validated by a series of silicon prototypes, the proposed DAC architectures when used individually or jointly show a promising path towards high performance and efficiency.
Biography: Mike Shuo-Wei Chen is a Professor in Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of Southern California. As a graduate student, he proposed and demonstrated the asynchronous SAR ADC architecture, which has been adopted in industry today for low-power high-speed analog-to-digital conversion products. After joining USC in 2011, he leads an analog mixed-signal circuit group, focusing on data converters, frequency synthesizers, RF/mm-wave transceiver designs, AI-assisted analog circuit design automation, bio-inspired computing, non-uniformly sampled circuits and systems. Dr. Chen was the recipient of Qualcomm Faculty Award in 2019, NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA) both in 2014. His research team received ISSCC Jack Kilby Award and RFIC best student paper award in 2022. Dr. Chen has been serving as an associate or guest editor of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuit (JSSC). IEEE Open Journal of the Solid-State Circuits Society (OJ-SSCS), IEEE Solid-State Circuits Letters (SSC-L), IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs (TCAS-II), as well as a TPC member in IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society conferences, including the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), IEEE Symposium on VLSI Circuits (VLSIC), and IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC). He served as Distinguished Lecturer for IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS). He is an IEEE Fellow.
Host: Dr. Steve Crago
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5642/high-speed-dacs-towards-high-performance-and-efficiency/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addonWebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addon
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Amy Kasmir
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/events/5642/high-speed-dacs-towards-high-performance-and-efficiency/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CS Colloquium: Yingying (Samara) Ren (ISTA) - Computational Homogenization for Inverse Design of Surface-based Inflatables
Mon, Mar 24, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Yingying (Samara) Ren, ISTA
Talk Title: Computational Homogenization for Inverse Design of Surface-based Inflatables
Abstract: Surface-based inflatables consist of two nearly inextensible sheets joined along carefully chosen fusing curves, restricting expansion and inducing in-plane contraction and metric frustration. When inflated, these structures settle into a 3D equilibrium that balances elastic and pressure potential energy. In this talk, I will present our computational framework for analyzing and designing such inflatables to approximate a wide range of freeform surfaces while maintaining structural stability. Using numerical homogenization, we characterize periodic inflatable patches with arbitrary fusing patterns and seamlessly combine them through custom nonlinear surface parametrization methods. I will also discuss exciting future research directions in this space.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Yingying Ren (Samara) is an Assitant Professor at ISTA and leads the Geometric Computing and Digital Fabrication group. Her group focuses on research in physics-based simulation, digital fabrication, and computational inverse design. By developing geometric abstractions and efficient numerical methods, her group aims to create new structures and materials with applications in medical devices, architecture, soft robotics, and more.
Host: Oded Stein
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 132
Audiences: Everyone (USC) is invited
Contact: CS Faculty Affairs
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
ECE Seminar: Speech-Based Biomarkers for Human Health
Mon, Mar 24, 2025 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Sudarsana Reddy Kadiri, Research Scientist, Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab (SAIL), Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California
Talk Title: Speech-Based Biomarkers for Human Health
Abstract: Speech is the most natural form of communication between humans, and it carries a wealth of information, including the message, language, speaker's age, gender, emotion, and health status. This talk focuses on the intersection of machine learning and signal processing applied to the field of speech-based biomarkers for human health. Biomarking of human health is a relatively new and promising approach for screening, diagnosis, and monitoring. Speech-based health analytics can provide valuable insights into an individual's health, allowing for early detection of various conditions such as respiratory disorders, voice disorders, cardiovascular disorders, neurological disorders, and mental health disorders. This technology is also convenient, as it enables remote monitoring of health that can be conducted continuously over time, and it requires no physical intervention. In this talk, I will present my recent research on interpretable speech-based biomarkers for laryngeal disorders, Parkinson's disease and heart failure.
Biography: Sudarsana Reddy Kadiri is a Research Scientist at the Signal Analysis and Interpretation Lab (SAIL), University of Southern California, hosted by Prof. Shrikanth Narayanan. Previously, he was a Research Fellow and Postdoctoral Researcher in the Dept. of Information and Communications Engineering at Aalto University, Finland. He earned his Ph.D. in Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) from IIIT-Hyderabad, India, in 2018, and his B.Tech. in ECE from JNTU-Hyderabad in 2011. He has been actively involved in teaching and supervision, serving as a Teaching Assistant at IIIT-Hyderabad and a co-teacher at Aalto University. He has co-supervised one Ph.D. student and four master’s thesis students, and is currently co-supervising two Ph.D. students at Aalto University. His research interests include signal processing for biomedical signals, speech science, computational paralinguistics, speech- and multimodal-based health biomarkers, machine/deep learning, and auditory neuroscience. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed research papers and serves as a reviewer for leading journals and conferences, including IEEE, Elsevier, Springer, Frontiers, and PLOS. He was awarded the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Fellowship for his Ph.D. His achievements also include winning two sub-challenges (Vocalizations and Stuttering) in the ACM-MM ComParE Challenge 2022.
Host: Dr. Richard Leahy, leahy@usc.edu
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96359120124?pwd=u5k7bHTJoWgp4lt1pLiXdbO0437Uyy.1Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96359120124?pwd=u5k7bHTJoWgp4lt1pLiXdbO0437Uyy.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mayumi Thrasher
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
ECE Seminar: Integrated Quantum Photonics: Engineering Entanglement for Quantum Computing, Networking, and Sensing
Tue, Mar 25, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Galan Moody, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of California Santa Barbara
Talk Title: Integrated Quantum Photonics: Engineering Entanglement for Quantum Computing, Networking, and Sensing
Abstract: Integrated photonics is revolutionizing how we generate, manipulate, and transmit quantum information. While the scalability and manufacturability of silicon photonics has been a driver of many quantum photonic technologies over the past two decades, future progress will require hybrid and heterogeneous integration strategies that can take advantage of different materials. In this presentation, I’ll focus on AlGaAs and InGaP—two III-V semiconductor platforms that combine mature fabrication, a direct bandgap for electrical injection, low-loss operation, and large optical nonlinearities for efficient quantum light generation and conversion. After a brief introduction to the field, I’ll discuss how we fabricate III-V photonic devices at wafer-scale, which we have utilized for high-rate entangled-photon pair generation and squeezing with performance that rivals bulk optics but with orders-of-magnitude smaller footprint and power requirements. I’ll highlight some emerging applications, including: (1) multiplexing arrays of quantum sources for reconfigurable multi-user quantum networking, cryptography, and clock synchronization, (2) development and integration of tunable chip-scale lasers for turnkey and compact quantum modules, and (3) chip-scale squeezed microcombs for quantum-enhanced detectors and sensors. Throughout the talk, I’ll discuss exciting future directions envisioned for engineering quantum photonic systems in the next 5-10 years.
Biography: Galan Moody is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of California Santa Barbara. Prior to this, he was a Research Scientist (2015-2019) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado, and a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow at NIST (2013-2015). He received a PhD in Physics (2013) and a BSc in Engineering Physics (2008) from the University of Colorado Boulder. He is a recipient of a US Air Force Young Investigator Program award (2020), an NSF CAREER award (2021), an ACS Rising Star in Photonics Award (2024), and the UCSB College of Engineering outstanding faculty award (2024). He serves as a thrust co-lead and on the executive committee for UCSB’s NSF Quantum Foundry, chairs program committees for several conferences including FiOLS and CLEO, and he is on the editorial board for PRX Quantum and IOP’s Journal of Physics: Photonics.
Host: Dr. Michelle Povinelli, povinell@usc.edu
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/99201515535?pwd=JMsy7VGL8V3MlksSlLid9h4ttXJlXi.1Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/99201515535?pwd=JMsy7VGL8V3MlksSlLid9h4ttXJlXi.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mayumi Thrasher
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class
Tue, Mar 25, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Brandon Augustino,
Host: Dr. Qiang Huang
Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - 206
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Casi Jones/ ISE
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AME Seminar
Wed, Mar 26, 2025 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Manan Arya, Stanford University
Talk Title: Origami Wrapping Patterns: Out of the Plane and towards Spacecraft Applications
Abstract: Origami wrapping patterns take flat sheets of material and wrap them around a central hub. Structures based on such origami patterns have been advanced for deployable spacecraft elements, such as antennas and starshades. In this talk, we will explore two extensions of this idea to unfolded forms that are inherently non-planar: (1) corrugated polyhedral surfaces with non-zero angular defects at each vertex, and (2) smooth doubly-curved surfaces with curved creases. Structures based on these forms have applications as deployable spacecraft solar arrays and radio-frequency reflectors. We will discuss the design of algorithms to generate the forms and fold patterns, numerical models of structural performance, and physical realizations and testing. Finally, we will briefly assess their performance as spacecraft components.
Biography: Manan Arya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University. There, he directs the Morphing Space Structures Lab, which develops and matures novel high-performance lightweight shape-changing spacecraft structures. Prior to joining Stanford, Manan was a Technologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. He received his PhD from the California Institute of Technology.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 252
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
USC CAIS Seminar
Wed, Mar 26, 2025 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science, USC School of Advanced Computing
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Lily Xu, Oxford and Columbia University
Talk Title: Sequential planning with messy data: RL and restless bandits for planetary health
Abstract: Our planet faces growing crises including biodiversity loss, with animal population sizes declining by 70% since 1970, and maternal mortality, with 1 in 49 girls in low-income countries dying from complications in pregnancy or birth. Underlying these global challenges is the urgent need to effectively allocate scarce resources, often in dynamic environments with limited data. Many of these challenges can be modeled as restless bandits, which traditionally require a perfect model of the environment and relatively small problem sizes. We’ll explore how online learning, deep reinforcement learning, and mixed-integer programming can help overcome these challenges of missing data and complexity.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Lily Xu develops methods across machine learning, optimization, and causal inference for planetary health challenges, with a focus on biodiversity conservation. She aims to enable practitioners to make effective decisions in the face of limited data, taking actions that are robust to uncertainty, effective at scale, and future-looking. In her work, Lily partners closely with NGOs to bridge research and practice, serving as AI Lead for the SMART Partnership. Since 2020, she has co-organized the EAAMO research initiative, committed to advancing Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization. Lily is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford, with the Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, and will join Columbia IEOR as an Assistant Professor in July 2025. Her research has been recognized with best paper runner-up at AAAI, the INFORMS Doing Good with Good OR award, a Google PhD Fellowship, a Siebel Scholarship, and AAMAS dissertation award runner-up.
Host: Bistra Dilkina
More Info: https://cais.usc.edu/events/sequential-planning-with-messy-data-rl-and-restless-bandits-for-planetary-health/
Location: Ginsburg Hall (GCS) - 107
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Hailey Nadel/USC CAIS
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AME Special Seminar
Thu, Mar 27, 2025 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Vickie Webster-Wood, Carnegie Mellon University
Talk Title: Biomimetic, Biohybrid, and Biodegradable: Robots for a sustainable future
Abstract: In the last century it was common to envision robots of the future as shining metal structures with rigid and halting motion. This imagery is in sharp contrast to the fluid and organic motion of living organisms that inhabit our natural world. As robotics has advanced, animals are often turned to for inspiration. However, the adaptability, complex control, and advanced learning capabilities observed in animals are not yet fully understood, and therefore have not been fully captured by current robotic systems. Furthermore, many of the mechanical properties and physical capabilities seen in animals have yet to be achieved in robotic platforms. In this talk, I will share efforts from my group in Biomimetic, Biohybrid, and Biodegradable robotics. By using neuromechanical models and bioinspired robots as tools for basic research we are developing new models of how animals achieve multifunctional, adaptable behaviors. Building on our understanding of animal systems and living tissues, our research in biohybrid robotics is enabling new approaches toward the creation of autonomous biodegradable living robots. Finally, by using farmable plant-based materials, we can now create robotic components that are fully degradable in natural environments. These robotic systems have future applications as sustainable platforms for medicine, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring of sensitive environments.
Biography: Vickie Webster-Wood is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University with courtesy appointments in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, and the Robotics Institute. She is the director of the C.M.U. Biohybrid and Organic Robotics Group and has a long-term research goal to develop completely organic, biodegradable, autonomous robots. Research in the C.M.U. B.O.R.G. brings together bio-inspired robotics, tissue engineering, and computational neuroscience to study and model neuromuscular control and translate findings to the creation of renewable robotic devices. Dr. Webster-Wood completed her postdoc at Case Western Reserve University in the Tissue Fabrication and Mechanobiology Lab under the direction of Dr. Ozan Akkus. During her postdoc, Dr. Webster-Wood was supported by the T32 Training Grant in Musculoskeletal Research. She received her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the same institution as an N.S.F. Graduate Research Fellow in the Biologically Inspired Robotics Lab, during which time she was co-advised by Drs. Roger Quinn, Ozan Akkus, and Hillel Chiel. She received the NSF CAREER Award in 2021 and leads the SSymBioTIC MURI on Integrated Biohybrid Actuators team. She is also a co-PI of the N.S.F. NeuroNex Network on Communication, Coordination, and Control in Neuromechanical Systems (C3NS), and has received additional funding from the NSF Foundational Research in Robotics Program, a PITA grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development, as well as funding from the PA Manufacturing Initiative, and the Manufacturing Futures Initiative.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 406
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Mar 28, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Ning Wang, Ph.D., Founding Director of Institute for Mechanobiology at Northeastern University, Professor of Bioengineering in Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering, affiliate professor at Bouve College of Health Sciences , Northeastern University,
Talk Title: Cytoskeletal Prestress Homeostasis Is A Biological Principle of Living Cells
Abstract: What are the biological principles of living cells is a fundamental question in biology and life sciences. A biological principle is a governing rule that guides structures, functions, and behaviors of living cells. Biological principles are built upon laws of physics and chemistry but go beyond these laws and are unique for living matter. Here we discuss what differentiates a biological principle from a physical principle and discuss candidates for biological principles. We propose the idea of limiting maximum strain on the cell by regulating cytoskeletal prestress (pre-existing tensile stress) and cell modulus (i.e., stiffness). We provide experimental evidence that cytoskeletal prestress homeostasis is a fundamental biological principle of bacteria, single-celled protists, plant cells, and animal cells. We provide strong experimental evidence that regulation of myosin II-mediated cytoskeletal prestress homeostasis is essential for biological structures, functions, and behaviors of animal cells. We reveal that mechanomemory (a biological response long after mechanical perturbations are released) in the cell nucleus is a key in chromatin-stretching dependent rapid gene upregulation. We show evidence that cell softness (the inverse of stiffness) plays a key role in malignant tumor-repopulating cell progression. Leveraging biological principles of the cells (the fire of life-metabolism and the force of life-cytoskeletal prestress homeostasis) may have far-reaching implications in understanding the essence of cell life and designing effective interventions for therapeutics to enhance human health and medicine.
Biography: Professor Ning Wang is the Founding Director of Institute for Mechanobiology at Northeastern University, Professor of Bioengineering in Department of Bioengineering in the College of Engineering, affiliate professor at Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University. Dr. Wang was the Leonard C and Mary Lou Hoeft Endowed Professor in Engineering from 2014 to 2023 and Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering from 2006 to 2023 at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to that, Dr. Wang was on the faculty at Harvard-Chan School of Public Health (HCSPH) from 1994 to 2006 and a research fellow and then a research associate at HCSPH and Harvard Medical School/Children’s Hospital from 1990 to 1994. Dr. Wang received American Physiological Society Scholander Award in 1991 for his contribution to comparative physiology. Wang received Doctor of Science degree in Physiology from Harvard University in 1990 and M.S. in biomedical engineering in 1984 and B.S. in biomechanics in 1982 from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China.Wang and colleagues invented the Magnetic Twisting Cytometry (MTC) technology for probing a single cell’s mechanical properties and discovered in 1993 that the cell-matrix adhesion molecules-integrins are mechanosensors, spurring the emergence of cellular mechanobiology. Wang and colleagues revealed that E-selectins are mechanosensors in 1996 and E-cadherins are mechanosensors in 2010. Wang lab developed the 3D-MTC that applies mechanical stresses in any direction with varying frequencies in early 2000’s and perfected the technology for anisotropic mechanostimulation, quantification of rheological properties of the cells, and mechanotransduction. He provided first experimental evidence that endogenous cytoskeletal prestress regulates cell shear stiffness and controls gene expression in early 2000’s. Wang’s laboratory discovered stress focusing and the long-distance force propagation in live cells and demonstrated fundamental differences between mechanical force-based signaling and soluble growth factor-based signaling. Professor Wang discovered that an embryonic stem cell differentiates in response to applied forces of physiological magnitudes. Wang’s lab has developed a novel mechanical method that selects and isolates from the general population a small subpopulation of malignant tumor cells (called tumor-repopulating cells) that are highly efficient in metastasis. In recent years Wang’s lab discovered that gene expression can be directly upregulated by stretching the chromatin via applying forces to integrins in a living cell and revealed that the force-induced gene activation depends on histone modifications of the chromatin. Wang lab, working with collaborators, provided experimental evidence that malignant tumor cell softness is critical in cancer malignancy and dormancy. Wang and colleagues developed a rigidified small molecule of synthetic retinoid (a US patent was issued) that efficiently inhibits malignant tumor-repopulating cell metastasis to the lungs in mice models with little toxicity. Wang and colleagues developed a magnetic microrobot probe that can quantify 3D tractions and stiffness in the same location of an embryo or the tumor tissue. Most recently Wang lab revealed chromatin-stretching dependent nuclear basis of mechanomemory (long-term effects after force cessation) in the chromatin and in the nucleoplasm in living cells.
Host: Peter Wang
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
AI Seminar- Designing Priors for Bayesian Neural Networks to Enhance Probabilistic Predictive Modeling in Engineering Applications
Fri, Mar 28, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Audrey Olivier, USC
Talk Title: Designing Priors for Bayesian Neural Networks to Enhance Probabilistic Predictive Modeling in Engineering Applications
Series: AI Seminar
Abstract: The conjuncton of data mining and physics-based modeling holds great potential to help design, monitor and optimize engineering systems. Efficient ML algorithms can uncover patterns from data to learn missing physics, detect abnormal behaviors and identify damaged systems, or serve as surrogates of complex mechanistic models, enabling real-time analysis or integration within optimization frameworks. However, the use of ML for engineering applications and high-consequence decision-making presents unique challenges. Engineering datasets are often noisy, sparse and imbalanced, due to the inherent randomness of the underlying physical processes and constraints on data collection. Whenever possible, ML predictors must assimilate physics-based knowledge and intuitions to improve accuracy and generalization away from training data. Most importantly, ML models must embed robust and reliable prediction of uncertainties to improve trustworthiness for high-consequence decision-making. Framing ML training within a Bayesian inference framework allows for a robust quantification of both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties that arise from data inadequacies, integration of physics intuitions through prior design, and assessment of the model’s confidence in its predictions. However, due to the high-dimensionality and non-physicality of parameters that characterize typical ML models such as neural networks, application of Bayesian methods in this context raises several technical challenges, from prior and likelihood design to posterior inference. This talk will introduce enhanced algorithms based on ensembling with anchoring for approximate Bayesian learning of neural networks. We will demonstrate the importance of carefully designing the prior, integrating knowledge from low-fidelity models via ensemble pre-training and designing parameter-space prior densities that account for low-rank correlations between neural network weights. The talk will illustrate the benefits of these methods through a variety of example applications in civil engineering, from surrogate training to accelerate materials and structural modeling, contingency analysis in power grid systems, or ambulance travel time prediction in a dense urban network to help optimize emergency medical services.
Biography: Dr. Olivier holds a Diplôme d’Ingénieur from École Centrale de Nantes, France, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from Columbia University, USA. She held a postdoctoral appointment at Johns Hopkins University before joining the Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2021. Dr. Olivier’s research aims to predict and monitor civil infrastructure systems behavior under uncertainty, by combining innovations in probabilistic data analytics and mechanistic modeling. Applications span various scales, from systems to structures to materials, and include development of adaptive Bayesian filters for identification of dynamical structural systems, probabilistic surrogate models to accelerate multi-scale materials simulations or Bayesian graph neural networks for contingency analysis of power grids.
Host: Eric Boxer and Justina Gilleland
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5453/designing-priors-for-bayesian-neural-networks-to-enhance-probabilistic-predictive-modeling-in-engineering-applications/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94409584905?pwd=Sm5LVkd0bndUdEluM3piK0NWTUQrUT09Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - Conf Rm#1135 and Virtual
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/94409584905?pwd=Sm5LVkd0bndUdEluM3piK0NWTUQrUT09
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Pete Zamar
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
CA DREAMS - Technical Seminar Series
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Fri, Mar 28, 2025 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mark Rodwell, Professor, University of California at Santa Barbara
Talk Title: The Role of InP Technologies in Next-Generation 50-300 GHz Systems
Abstract: Present InP bipolar transistors attain 1.1 THz fmax; InP field-effect transistors attain 1.5 THz. These can support emerging applications in 100-300 GHz wireless communications and imaging radar, 400-1000 Gb/s wireline and optical communications, and high-frequency instruments. After summarizing the applications and the required circuit and transistor performance, I will review transistor design, present transistor performance, and the design of next-generation THz bipolar and field-effect transistors.
Biography: Mark J. W. Rodwell (Fellow, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree from Stanford University 1988. He holds the Doluca Family Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering with the University of California at Santa Barbara. During 2017-2023, he directed the SRC/DARPA ComSenTer Wireless Research Center. His research group develops high-frequency transistors, ICs, and communication systems. Dr. Rodwell was a recipient of the 1997 IEEE Microwave Prize, the 1998 European Microwave Conference Microwave Prize, the 2009 IEEE IPRM Conference Award, the 2010 IEEE Sarnoff Award, the 2012 Marconi Prize Paper Award, and the 2022 SIA/SRC University Research Award. For 2024-2025, he is serving as an IEEE-MTT-S Distinguished Microwave Lecturer.
Host: Dr. Steve Crago
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/5442/the-role-of-inp-technologies-in-next-generation-50-300-ghz-systems/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addonWebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97017422125?pwd=Dbrt8MNMrmBV3xalKQJcAiNsggFJjJ.1&from=addon
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Amy Kasmir
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/events/5442/the-role-of-inp-technologies-in-next-generation-50-300-ghz-systems/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Controls Seminar: Jim Misener
Mon, Mar 31, 2025 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Jim Misener, Senior Director, Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
Talk Title: En Route to the Intersection of V2X and Automated Vehicles
Abstract: This talk will cover the long journey to vehicle to all ( V2X) communications, focusing on the United States but referencing other global regions as well. It will begin with the safety-focused origins for ad hoc short-range communications, then progress to how the underlying radio access technology works, and the C-V2X vs DSRC comparison where ultimately C-V2X emerged as the protocol of choice in North America. The talk will also cover application profiles for a so-called Day 1 deployment and will end with a prognosis. It will progress to the thesis of the talk, that there is still a journey ahead whereby V2X messages could be used for a dream that many academics, policy makers and some OEMs have, a connected and automated vehicle or CAV with real-time V2X communication the link between vehicles and the nearby infrastructure.
Biography: Jim Misener is Senior Director, Product Management and Global V2X Ecosystem Lead for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. He develops and executes C-V2X deployment strategies across all global regions, working with automotive, road owner-operator and telecommunications partners to accomplish broad C-V2X deployment. Jim also develops IoT solutions for transportation markets. Previously at Qualcomm Technologies, Jim led the automotive standards team. Jim was a pioneer in vehicle-highway automation and vehicle safety communication at the California Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH) at UC Berkeley. He served as the PATH Executive Director, Executive Advisor to Booz Allen Hamilton, and as an independent consultant. In these roles Jim has experience and reputation from delivering dozens of technology projects with large scale safety impact. In addition to his roles at Qualcomm Technologies, Jim serves as a 5GAA Board member, ITS America Board member and ITS California senior advisor. He also serves on the IEEE ITS Society Board of Governors and is co-chair of the TRB Roadway Digital Infrastructure Joint Working Group. He established and is the immediate past chair of the SAE C-V2X Technical Committee. Jim is an Advisory Council member to Mobility 21-Traffic 21 University Transportation Center led by Carnegie Melon University and on the Technical Advisory Board to the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation at the University of Michigan. Jim is also a member SAE WCX Technical Advisory Committee. Jim holds BS and MS degrees from UCLA and USC and is an IEEE Fellow.
Host: Dr. Petros Ioannou, ioannou@usc.edu | Dr. Mihailo Jovanovic, mihailo@usc.edu
More Info: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96670292602
More Information: 2025.03.31 ECE Seminar - Jim Misener.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - EEB 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Miki Arlen
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96670292602
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
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