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Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Events for May
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Oral Defense Dissertation: Vision-Based Studies for Structural Health Monitoring and Condition Assessment of Structures
Mon, May 02, 2011 @ 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mohammad Jahanshahi, Civil Engineering Ph.D. Candidate
Abstract: Automated health monitoring and maintenance of civil infrastructure systems is an active yet challenging area of research. Current structure inspection standards require an inspector to visually assess structure conditions. Visual inspection of structures is a highly qualitative method. If a region is inaccessible, binoculars must be used to detect and characterize defects. A less time-consuming and inexpensive alternative to current monitoring methods is to use a robotic system that can inspect structures more frequently, and perform autonomous damage detection. Nondestructive evaluation techniques (NDE) are innovative approaches for structural health monitoring. Among several possible techniques, the use of optical instrumentation (e.g., digital cameras), image processing and computer vision are promising approaches as nondestructive testing methods for structural health monitoring to complement sensor-based approaches. The feasibility of using image processing techniques to detect deterioration in structures has been acknowledged by leading researches in the field. This study represents the efforts that have been taken place by the author to form, implement, and evaluate several vision-based approaches that are promising for robust condition assessment of structures. Several illustrative examples are presented to demonstrate the capabilities, as well as the limitations, of the proposed vision-based inspection procedures.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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USC Water Institute Seminar
Mon, May 02, 2011 @ 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Christina Tague , Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, UC Santa Barbara
Talk Title: Forest Eco-hydrology in a Changing Climate: Integrating modelling and measurements
Abstract: Forests are a key provider of ecosystems services throughout the globe. Understanding and ultimately predicting how forest are likely to respond to a changing climate is an active area of interest and research. While some model and empirical studies show increased in forest growth, particularly in temperature limited environments, several recent monitoring studies suggest that forest mortality may be increasing in response to greater or more frequent drought stress. Given the importance of water-limitation and drought stress as a control on how forests will respond to a changing climate, models that explicitly link forest productivity with hydrology are essential tools. In this talk I will provide an overview of RHESSys, a coupled model of ecosystem biogeochemical cycling and spatially distributed hydrology. RHESSys is an open-source tool that integrates state-of-the art science based understanding of forest structure and function with observational data from multiple sources, including point measures such as streamflow and carbon flux tower data and spatial data from remote sensing products. I will present a number of case studies including forests in both natural and urban environments where we have used RHESSys to examine forest response to both historic and projected future climate variability and change. These case studies focus
explicitly on eco-hydrologic interactions and demonstrate critical linkages among forest water use, carbon cycling, drought stress mortality, soil moisture and streamflow. I
conclude by summarizing future directions for RHESSys as a tool for investigating the vulnerability of forest health and water resources to changing climate and land management scenarios.
Biography: Dr. Christina Tague (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at University of California , Santa Barbara). Dr. Tague investigates climate and landuse/land cover change impacts on streamflow regimes and watershed biogeochemical cycling , emphasizing the interactions between hydrology and ecosystem processes. She specializes in the development and application of spatial models. Her work seeks to design models as a flexible, adaptive framework for integrating conceptual understanding with data from a variety of sources, including intensive field-based monitoring and experimentation and remote sensing. Dr. Tague is
one of the principle developers of RHESSys, Regional hydro-ecologic simulation system, a modeling framework that provides science-based information on the spatial patterns of vulnerability in water quantity and quality, and ecosystem health. Current projects include modeling climate change impacts on snowpack and summer streamflow patterns in the mountains of the Western US, and examinin how urbanization alters drainage patterns and associated biogeochemical cycling at part of the Baltimore Long Term Ecological Research Site and in selected Southern California watersheds. Dr. Tague received her Ph.D. from the Department of Geography at the University of Toronto,
Canada and has an undergraduate degree from the Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, Canada.
Host: Prof. Gaurav Sukhatme
Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 150
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Kanak Agrawal
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Demystifying Ultra-Low Power VLSI Design: from Basic Misconceptions to Advanced Techniques
Tue, May 03, 2011 @ 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Massimo Alioto, University of Siena (Italy), UC Berkeley
Talk Title: Demystifying Ultra-Low Power VLSI Design: from Basic Misconceptions to Advanced Techniques
Abstract: In this seminar, basic concepts and advanced techniques for ultra-low power (ULP) VLSI digital circuits and systems are presented, with emphasis on the related opportunities and challenges. Common misconceptions and incorrect beliefs are thoroughly discussed based on a coherent and fresh perspective. Variation-aware design strategies to reduce the minimum operating voltage and enable robust ULV operation are discussed. The dependence of the minimum energy point on design knobs is discussed at various levels of abstraction (from physical to the micro-architecture level), and yield is explicitly considered as further dimension in the design space. The important (and often overlooked) role played by the minimum operating voltage is clarified, along with its relation with the optimal voltage minimizing energy, which is currently the subject of a controversial debate within the scientific community.
New directions and on-going work to address various issues in extreme ULP systems will be presented. In particular, innovative highly-efficient âsmartâ on-chip DC-DC converters will be presented, and alternative logic styles will be introduced to demonstrate pW/gate operation.
Biography: Massimo Alioto (Mâ01âSMâ07) is with the Department of Information Engineering of the University of Siena since 2002, where he became Associate Professor in 2005. In 2007, he was a Visiting Professor at EPFL - Lausanne (Switzerland). In 2009-2011, he is Visiting Professor at BWRC â UCBerkeley, investigating on next-generation ultra-low power circuits and wireless nodes. He has authored or co-authored more than 160 publications on journals (55+, mostly IEEE Transactions) and conference proceedings. He is an IEEE Senior Member, Chair of the âVLSI Systems and Applicationsâ Technical Committee of the IEEE CASS, and he was IEEE CASS Distinguished Lecturer in 2009-2010. He serves as Track Chair for several conferences (ISCAS, ICCD, ICECS, ICM) and as Associate Editor of several journals (including the IEEE Transactions on VLSI Systems). He was Technical Program Chair for the conference ICM 2010.
Host: Massoud Pedram
Location: Grace Ford Salvatori Hall Of Letters, Arts & Sciences (GFS) - 118
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Annie Yu
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Epstein ISE Research Seminar
Tue, May 03, 2011 @ 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Harriet Black Nembhard, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, Director, Center for Integrated Healthcare Delivery Systems (CIHDS), The Pennsylvania State University
Talk Title: "Experimental Designs for Multiple Stage Manufacturing of Nano-Enabled Medical Instruments"
Abstract: Surgical procedures have been trending toward minimally invasive approaches often using an endoscope inserted into the body via a natural orifice (e.g., the mouth). The use of nano-particulates has held promise in the development of smaller devices that can be accommodated in an endoscope. A challenge, however, is to increase the device yield and quality. This seminar will address the work of an interdisciplinary team to develop a novel lost mold rapid infiltration forming (LMRIF) fabrication process for these devices and specifically focus on new experimental designs suited for the required fabrication.
In particular, the multiple-stage LMRIF process has restrictions on the randomization, meaning that the allocation of the experimental material and the order in which the individual trials of the experiment are to be performed are not randomly determined because certain process variables are âhard to change" or âexpensive to changeâ. Accordingly, we use design of experiments (DOE) principles to develop the multistage fractional factorial split-plot (MSFFSP) design with the combination of both split-plot and split-block structure. Several statistical properties are derived and its application is demonstrated in the yield improvement of the prototype devices fabricated with the LMRIF process. Furthermore, we develop a framework of DOE and robust parameter design (RPD) to expedite the transition of the technology into robust products that can be produced with minimum variability and defects.
This work has had a significant broader impact on the collaborative work in healthcare delivery development. The opportunities future work on the project related to DOE, accelerated testing, and reliability, will be briefly discussed.
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - Room 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Georgia Lum
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Epstein ISE Research Seminar
Wed, May 04, 2011 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Enrique del Castillo, Distinguished Professor of Industrial Engineering and Professor of Statistics, Penn State University
Talk Title: "Statistical Analysis of Shape and Profile Data in Manufacturing and Engineering Design"
Abstract: In this presentation I will summarize work performed during the last 3 years in the field of Statistical Analysis and Optimization of processes that generate complicated data. In the first part of the talk I will describe Statistical Shape Analysis (SSA) techniques and their use in Manufacturing. SSA has been used mainly to model 2 and 3-dimensional shapes of biological interest in the natural sciences. In manufacturing applications, the data is instead a cloud of points or âlandmarksâ, the locations of the measured points typically acquired with a CMM. After giving a brief review of SSA techniques, I will discuss new methods for the analysis of experiments where the responses are the shapes of manufactured parts. In practice, the usual approach to determine how controllable factors affect the shape of a part is to estimate the âform errorâ of the part and conduct an ANOVA on these errors. This, however, neglects the geometrical features of the data. Instead, I will present new ANOVA tests on the shapes themselves and I will contrast them with previously proposed alternatives. In the second part of this talk I will discuss the analysis and optimization of processes where the response is instead a one-dimensional curve or âprofileâ, a type of data of considerable relevance in Engineering Design and in certain computer experiments. I will discuss Bayesian modeling methods and the subsequent optimization of the profile responses via Spatio-Temporal Gaussian processes. These methods are illustrated with various Engineering Design examples.
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - Room 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Georgia Lum
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Process Improvement in Health Care
Fri, May 06, 2011 @ 09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: David Belson, PhD, USC Viterbi School of Engineering Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Talk Title: Process Improvement in Health Care
Abstract: Course Overview
The Process Improvement in Healthcare short course combines the field of Industrial and Systems Engineering with the needs of the healthcare industry. The National Academy of Engineering found that an inefficient American healthcare system causes 100,000 preventable deaths and the unnecessary loss of $500 billion each year.* In order to reduce costs and improve patient care, course participants will learn methods to improve efficiency in healthcare processes.
* Grose, T. (2008, October). Life support systems: Engineers offer ways to get American healthcare off the âcriticalâ list. ASEE PRISM.
Course Topics
Useful, practical and popular process improvement methods will be explained and students will have an opportunity to implement many of them, including:
* Process Mapping - how to understand a process with the use of diagrams and graphics
* Queuing - understanding models of processes and their analysis
* Materials management - inventory, its control and optimizing
* Six Sigma basics - how this popular approach is used to reduce unwanted variability and improve quality
* Lean thinking basics - how this popular approach is used to eliminate waste
* Facility layout - why do some arrangements harm productivity and others help it
* Computer simulation - how to make use of this valuable tool
* Focus Groups - how to organize them and how to make them effective
* Change management - once the necessary improvements are identified, how to implement
Benefits
* Reduce hospital costs and improve patient care by identifying and correcting bottlenecks, delays and other patient flow problems
* Learn to independently implement Six-Sigma, Lean thinking, Total Quality Management and additional process improvement methods
* Hands-on learning can be tailored to your organizational needs
Audience
Healthcare Practitioners and Administrators:
* Clinical Staff
* Healthcare Administrators and Executives
* Healthcare Engineers
* Nurses
* Physicians
Biography: David Belson, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He currently teaches graduate level engineering courses at USC in improving healthcare operations. Belson brings over 25 years of Industrial Engineering experience to this Professional Programs short course and has worked with over a dozen hospitals in improving their processes and teaching process improvement methods. Process implemented in over a dozen hospitals utilizing a wide range of methods and research in healthcare operations include surgery scheduling, ER queuing, radiology throughput and other patient flow improvements. Belson has previously held management positions at IBM and Ernst & Young and has extensive experience as an independent consultant.
Host: Professional Programs
More Info: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/ProcessImprovementinHealthCare.htm#Course_DeliveryAudiences: RSVP Only
Contact: Viterbi Professional Programs
Event Link: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/ProcessImprovementinHealthCare.htm#Course_Delivery
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ENH Seminar Series
Mon, May 09, 2011 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Ganesh Kumar Venayagamoorthy, Associate Professor/Missouri University of Science and Technology
Talk Title: Nueroscience and Neural Networks for Engineering the Future Intelligence Electric Power Grid
Abstract: The objective of this multi-disciplinary collaborative research is to infuse more neurobiology into control systems, to make them more brain-like and better able to carry out real-time control of complex systems. This project has two research thrusts: neuro-biology and neuro-engineering. On the neuro-biology side, a novel in vitro neural system is used to explore new learning mechanisms that may underlie the massively parallel real-time control capabilities of the brain. Brains are exquisitely good at adaptive real-time interaction with the world. This requires spatially and temporally coordinated activity of many neurons to accomplish. The neuro-engineering activity takes advantage of advances in the neurobiology thrust to develop technologies for real-time control and decision making, aimed at revolutionizing nonlinear adaptive optimal control of large complex critical infrastructures such as, but not limited to, the smart electric power grid. This presentation will focus on the neuro-engineering aspects with emphasis on the application of advanced neural networks in addressing some of the smart grid challenges.
Keywords â computational methods, intelligent systems, neurocontrol, situational awareness.
Host: Francisco Valero-Cuevas
More Info: http://bbdl.usc.edu/ENH-Schedule_1011.phpLocation: Hedco Neurosciences Building (HNB) - 100
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Adriana Cisneros
Event Link: http://bbdl.usc.edu/ENH-Schedule_1011.php
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Six Sigma Green Belt for Process ImprovementTue, May 10, 2011
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Abstract: 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 Six Sigma green belt, you will be equipped to support and champion Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
During this course you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned to an actual issue you face in your organization. Prior seminar participants have reported significant savings from implementing their projects.
More Info: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htmAudiences: Registered Attendees
Contact: Viterbi Professional Programs
Event Link: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htm
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Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Wed, May 11, 2011
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Abstract: 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 Six Sigma green belt, you will be equipped to support and champion Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
During this course you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned to an actual issue you face in your organization. Prior seminar participants have reported significant savings from implementing their projects.
More Info: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htmAudiences: Registered Attendees
Contact: Viterbi Professional Programs
Event Link: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htm
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National Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE) Monthly Lunch Seminar
Wed, May 11, 2011 @ 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Daniel Salazar, Postdoctoral Research Associate - CREATE, USC
Talk Title: Risk Analysis of Terrorist Attacks to the Electrical Grid
Series: CREATE Monthly Seminar Series
Abstract: The electrical power grids are a critical infrastructures that sustain the operation and welfare of current societies in most of the world. Such infrastructures are vulnerable to natural and man-made events. Although great damage can come from events in both categories, only the latter comprises situations when intelligent agents play deliberately to disrupt the electrical service. In this framework, decision-makers and stakeholders are concerned about determining what elements of the electricity grid should be protected and what is the best way to do it. With those questions in mind, in this seminar we are going to review theoretical and practical methodological issues related to the risk assessment of electrical power disruption from terrorist events and the cost-benefit analysis of preventative measures to reduce such risk. The seminar will emphasize problems risen during a recent CREATE study related to the Southern California power grid.
Keywords: electrical grid, graph theory, vulnerability analysis, economic impact, portfolios of countermeasures, risk analysis, uncertainty, imprecise probabilities, p-boxes, expert elicitation, cost-benefit analysis.
Biography: Daniel Salazar is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at CREATE since January 2011. Previously he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at G2I-3MI, Ecole des Mines de Saint Etienne, France. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Operations Research Master program of the Universidad Central de Venezuela (since 2009) and Cofounder, Academic Coordinator and Professor (since 2006) of the online Master in Reliability and Risk Engineering at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. His main research areas include Reliability and Risk Engineering, Evolutionary Optimization, Decision-Making, Robustness and Uncertainty Handling. He has published more than 40 contributions in scientific international journals, conferences and book chapters.
Daniel bears a PhD in Intelligent Systems (2008, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain), a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics (2009, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia, Spain) and a MSc. in Operations Research (2003) and a BSc. in Chemical Engineering (2001) from Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Host: CREATE
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 306
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Erin Calicchio
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Network Modulation: Simultaneous Optimality in Multi-User Communication
Wed, May 11, 2011 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Yuval Kochman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Talk Title: Network Modulation: Simultaneous Optimality in Multi-User Communication
Abstract: The choice of modulation domain plays a major role in communications, both in deriving performance limits and in the design of practical schemes which decouple the signal processing task of channel equalization from coding. Thus, choosing the "right" basis is of central importance. For example, the capacity of the Gaussian inter-symbol interference (ISI) channel is given by the water-filling solution, applied in the frequency domain; the same transformation also allows to use popular schemes such as Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) which employs the discrete Fourier transform. The singular-value decomposition (SVD) plays a similar role for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) channels. Common to both cases is diagonalization: they yield parallel independent equivalent channels. But do we really need such orthogonality? Capacity can be achieved for both the ISI and MIMO channels using non-orthogonal equivalent channels, by a receiver which performs triagularlization of the channel (rather than diagonalization) and then decision-feedback equalization or successive interference cancellation (SIC). This is done without performing any transformation at the encoder. It is therefore natural to ask, what can be achieved by allowing (in addition to linear processing at the receiver) both an encoder transformation (linear unitary processing) and SIC.
In this work we show that in various communication scenarios, such a combination is indeed advantageous. In particular, the degrees of freedom earned by allowing SIC may be used for obtaining a domain which is simultaneously optimal for two users. We demonstrate this advantage by applying the network modulation approach to several problems. For some cases of joint source-channel coding over MIMO broadcast channels, we are able to derive the optimal distortion region by applying a hybrid digital-analog scheme over the equivalent triangular channels. For the two-way MIMO relay channel we find the capacity in the high signal-to-noise ratio limit by using physical-layer modulo-lattice arithmetics over these equivalent channels. For the Gaussian common-message MIMO broadcast channel, as well as for Gaussian rateless coding, we get schemes which allow to achieve the known optimal performance using standard scalar codes.
Joint work with Anatoly Khina, Uri Erez and Gregory W. Wornell.
Biography: Yuval Kochman received his B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Tel Aviv University in 1993, 2003 and 2010, respectively. He is a postdoctoral associate at the at the Signals, Information and Algorithms Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), since 2009. Outside academia, he has worked in the areas of radar and digital communications. His research interests include information theory, communications and signal processing.
Host: Giuseppe Caire, caire@usc.edu, EEB 540, x04683
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Gerrielyn Ramos
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Algorithmic Aspects of Sensor Networking and Green Buildings of the Future Internet
Wed, May 11, 2011 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Sotiris Nikoletseas, Professor, Computer Engineering and Informatics Department of Patras University, and Greece Director, SensorsLab at the Computer Technology Institute (CTI)
Talk Title: Algorithmic Aspects of Sensor Networking and Green Buildings of the Future Internet
Abstract: The talk is structured into three parts. We first present representative algorithms for important problems in wireless sensor networks, such as data propagation, energy optimization and mobility management. We examine key protocol design techniques as well as performance evaluation aspects by both analytic means and large scale algorithmic engineering, including actual implementation in experimental test-beds.
We then discuss characteristic research challenges of energy efficient buildings of the Future Internet, focusing on smart service provision in the context of IPv6 sensor technologies. In particular, we focus on the objectives, approach and services of the on-going EU-funded project HOBNET (HOlistic Platform Design for Smart Buildings of the Future InterNET, www.hobnet-project.eu); we discuss the complementarity of smart automation to other components of energy informatics, such as cognitive, user-aware energy management and smart grid technologies.
We conclude with some relevant work in progress, mainly related to the new paradigm of radiation aware wireless networking.
Biography: Sotiris Nikoletseas is a Professor at the Computer Engineering and Informatics Department of Patras University, Greece and Director of the SensorsLab at the Computer Technology Institute (CTI). He has been a Visiting Professor at the Universities of Geneva and Ottawa. His research interests include algorithmic aspects of wireless sensor networks and ad-hoc mobile computing, fundamental aspects of modern networking (focus on efficiency and reliability), probabilistic techniques and random graphs, average case analysis and probabilistic algorithms, computational complexity and approximation algorithms, algorithmic engineering and large scale simulation. He has coauthored over 150 publications in international Journals and refereed Conferences, 18 Invited Chapters in Books by major publishers and two Books, one on the Probabilistic Method and another one on theoretical aspects of sensor networks (Springer Verlag). He has served as the Program Committee Chair of several Conferences (including ALGOSENSORS 2011, MOBIWAC 2011, SEA 2005, MSWiM 2007 and DCOSS 2008), and as Associate Editor, Editor of Special Issues and Member of the Editorial Board of major Journals (like TCS, IEEE TC, COMNET, IJDSN, JEA). He has co-initiated international events related to sensor networks (ALGOSENSORS, DCOSS). He has coordinated several externally funded European Union R&D Projects related to fundamental aspects of modern networks.
Host: Professor Viktor K. Prasanna
Location: 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Janice Thompson
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Six Sigma Green Belt for Process Improvement
Thu, May 12, 2011
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Abstract: 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 Six Sigma green belt, you will be equipped to support and champion Six Sigma implementation in your organization. To earn the Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate, you will be required to pass the Institute of Industrial Engineer's green belt exam (administered on the final day of the course).
During this course you will have the opportunity to apply what you have learned to an actual issue you face in your organization. Prior seminar participants have reported significant savings from implementing their projects.
More Info: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htmAudiences: Registered Attendees
Contact: Viterbi Professional Programs
Event Link: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/SixSigmaGreenBeltforProcessImprovement.htm
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AME Department Seminar
Mon, May 16, 2011 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Anthony M. Waas, Felix Pawlowski Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering (courtesy), University of Michigan
Talk Title: Integrated Computational Materials Science, Manufacturing and Engineering of Textile Polymer Composites
Abstract: Composite materials and structures made of textile architecture are a rapidly emerging, cost-effective technology for the manufacturing of large aerospace structures. At the Composite Structures Laboratory at UM, an integrated computational framework for textile polymer composites that includes a novel polymer curing model, has been developed and used in connection with modeling the manufacturing process of textile composites. The model is based on the notion of polymer networks that are continuously formed in a body of changing shape due to changes in temperature, chemistry, and external loads. Nonlinear material behavior is incorporated through nonlocal continuum damage mechanics that preserves mesh objectivity in finite element based calculations that go beyond maximum loads. The integrated model is applied to the curing of a textile composite made from carbon fiber tows and a thermoset polymer. The mechanical and chemical properties are measured during curing using concurrent Brillouin and Raman light scattering. It is shown that significant internal stresses can develop during cure. The effect of these stresses on the manufactured part performance, when subsequent service loads are applied, is evaluated and found to be in agreement with experimental observations. Subsequently, an engineering approach to evaluating the compressive strength of braided textile composites, while accounting for the manufacturing induced stresses, is developed and validated against experiments.
Host: Prof. L. Redekopp
More Info: http://ame-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcomingLocation: Hedco Neurosciences Building (HNB) - 100
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: April Mundy
Event Link: http://ame-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcoming
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USC PSOC Seminar Series - Dr. Steven Henikoff
Fri, May 20, 2011 @ 11:45 AM - 01:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Steven Henikoff, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Talk Title: Histone Variants, Nucleosome Dynamics, and Epigenetics
Abstract: Variants of histone H3 and H2A are found in all eukaryotes and play fundamental roles in epigenetic processes. The replacement variant, H3.3, becomes enriched at actively transcribed genes and regulatory elements and provides a glimpse into nucleosome dynamics. H2A.Z is enriched around gene promoters, antagonizes DNA methylation, and is profoundly altered during oncogenic transformation. CenH3 forms centromere-specific nucleosomes that organize and maintain the kinetochore at a unique position on the chromosome. We have found that CenH3 nucleosomes are very different from bulk nucleosomes, both in histone core structure and in DNA topology, with likely implications for centromere function and inheritance.
NRT â Harlyne J. Norris Research Tower, Lower Ground Level
1450 Biggy Street, Los Angeles, CA
Host: Center for Applied Molecular Medicine. IGM, 2250 Alcazar Street, CSC-250, Los Angeles, CA. Information - contact Kristina Gerber at 323-442-3849. Pizza and beverages served for attendees at 11:45 a.m.
Location: Harlyne J. Norris Research Tower (NRT) -
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Yvonne Suarez
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TSUBAME2.0 - Hybrid Petascale Computing in Practice
Mon, May 23, 2011 @ 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Prof. Satoshi Matsuoka, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Talk Title: TSUBAME2.0 - Hybrid Petascale Computing in Practice
Series: CEI Distinguished Lecture Series in Energy Informatics
Abstract: TSUBAME2.0 is the latest incarnation of the series of clusters that have been built at Tokyo Institute of Technology, and has become the first supercomputer in Japan to reach the Petaflops plateau. TSUBAME 2.0 embodies many unique features derived from years of research into HPC, especially keeping in mind retaining or improving bandwidth scalability, fault tolerance, green, using the latest hardware components such as GPUs and SSDs, as well as employing some of the latest software research results from labs at Tokyo Tech. Prof. Matsuoka will also touch upon its possible use to simulations of natural disasters that have hit Japan recently, demonstrating that despite its relatively small size as well as adoption of hybrid architectures it scales well to the use of thousands of GPUs as well as demonstrates performance topping the largest machines such as the ORNL Jaguar.
Biography: Satoshi Matsuoka is a full Professor at the Global Scientific Information and Computing Center of Tokyo Institute of Technology. He is the leader of TSUBAME series of supercomputers, which became the 4th fastest in the world on the Top500 list and was awarded the "Greenest Production Supercomputer in the World" prize on the Green 500 in Nov, 2010.
Prof. Matsuoka has also co-lead the Japanese national grid project NAREGI between 2003-2007, and is currently leading various projects such as the JST-CREST Ultra Low Power HPC. He has authored over 500 papers according to Google Scholar, and has chaired many ACM/IEEE international conferences, including the Technical Papers Chair for SCâ09, Community Chair for SC11, and Program Chair planned for SCâ13. He has won many awards including the JSPS Prize from the Japan Society for Promotion of Science in 2006, awarded by his Highness Prince Akishinomiya.
Host: Prof. Viktor K. Prasanna
More Info: http://cei.usc.edu/news/lecturesLocation: Grace Ford Salvatori Hall Of Letters, Arts & Sciences (GFS) - 106
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Yogesh Simmhan
Event Link: http://cei.usc.edu/news/lectures
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Market-Oriented Cloud Computing and the Aneka Platform
Fri, May 27, 2011 @ 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Rajkumar Buyya, Professor/The University of Melbourne and Manjrasoft, Australia
Talk Title: Market-Oriented Cloud Computing and the Aneka Platform
Abstract: Computing is being transformed to a model consisting of services that are commoditised and delivered in a manner similar to utilities such as water, electricity, gas, and telephony. In such a model, users access services based on their requirements without regard to where the services are hosted. Several computing paradigms have promised to deliver this utility computing vision. Cloud computing is the most recent emerging paradigm promising to turn the vision of "computing utilities" into a reality.
Cloud computing has emerged as one of the buzzwords in the ICT industry. Several IT vendors are promising to offer storage, computation and application hosting services, and provide coverage in several continents, offering Service-Level Agreements (SLA) backed performance and uptime promises for their services. It delivers infrastructure, platform, and software (application) as services, which are made available as subscription-based services in a pay-as-you-go model to consumers. The price that Cloud Service Providers charge can vary with time and the quality of service (QoS) expectations of consumers.
This talk (1) presents the 21st century vision of computing and identifies various IT paradigms promising to deliver the vision of computing utilities; (2) defines the architecture for creating market-oriented Clouds by leveraging technologies such as VMs; (3) provides thoughts on market-based resource management strategies that encompass both customer-driven service management and computational risk management to sustain SLA-oriented resource allocation; (4) presents Aneka, a software system for rapid development of Cloud applications and their deployment on private/public Clouds with resource provisioning driven by SLAs and user QoS requirements, (5) reports experimental results on deploying Cloud applications in engineering, gaming, and health care domains on private or public Clouds, and (6) concludes with the need for convergence of competing IT paradigms for delivering our 21st century vision along with pathways for future research.
Biography: Dr. Rajkumar Buyya is Professor of Computer Science and Software Engineering; and Director of the Cloud Computing and Distributed Systems (CLOUDS) Laboratory at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He is also serving as the founding CEO of Manjrasoft., a spin-off company of the University, commercializing its innovations in Cloud Computing. He has authored 350 publications and four text books. He also edited several books including "Cloud Computing: Principles and Paradigms" recently published by Wiley Press, USA.
Software technologies for Grid and Cloud computing developed under Dr. Buyya's leadership have gained rapid acceptance and are in use at several academic institutions and commercial enterprises in 40 countries around the world. Dr. Buyya has led the establishment and development of key community activities, including serving as foundation Chair of the IEEE Technical Committee on Scalable Computing and five IEEE/ACM conferences. These contributions and international research leadership of Dr. Buyya are recognized through the award of "2009 IEEE Medal for Excellence in Scalable Computing" from the IEEE Computer Society, USA. Manjrasoftâs Aneka Cloud technology developed under his leadership has received "2010 Asia Pacific Frost & Sullivan New Product Innovation Award".Board of major Journals (like TCS, IEEE TC, COMNET, IJDSN, JEA). He has co-initiated international events related to sensor networks (ALGOSENSORS, DCOSS). He has coordinated several externally funded European Union R&D Projects related to fundamental aspects of modern networks.
Host: Professor Viktor K. Prasanna
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 324
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Janice Thompson
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Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Seminar
Fri, May 27, 2011 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Suvrajeet Sen, Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering & Director, Data-Driven Decisions Lab, Ohio State University
Talk Title: "Multi-scale Stochastic Optimization for Energy Systems Planning and Operations"
Abstract: Many energy systems planning models require that they be integrated with simulators. The latter are designed to operate at certain levels of granularity, whereas, operations planning may require a different time-scale. These types of multi-scale models are important for the integration of renewable resources (facing fine-grain uncertainty) into power grid operations (facing coarse-grain uncertainty). After introducing models for these emerging applications, we will discuss a multi-stage version of the Stochastic Decomposition (SD) algorithm. This algorithm, which works with sample paths, allows the integration of controllers based on Dynamic Programming (and ADP) for fine-grain simulation and control. Concurrently, SD produces operations plans that hedge against coarse-grain uncertainty.
Biography: Suvrajeet Sen is Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Director of the Data-Driven Decisions Lab at the Ohio State University. Until recently, he also served as the Director of the College's Center for Energy, Sustainability, and the Environment. Prior to joining OSU, he served on the faculty at the University of Arizona, and he also served as a program director at NSF where he was responsible for the Operations Research, and the Service Enterprise Engineering programs. Professor Sen is a Fellow of INFORMS. He has served on the editorial board of several journals, including Operations Research as Area Editor for Optimization, and as Associate Editor in INFORMS Journal on Computing, Operations Research, and Journal of Telecommunications Systems. Professor Sen is the past-Chair of the INFORMS Telecommunications Section and founded the INFORMS Optimization Section.
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Georgia Lum
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"Readying Machine Learning for Quantum Computing"
Fri, May 27, 2011 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Hartmut Neven, Google
Talk Title: "Readying Machine Learning for Quantum Computing"
Abstract: Modern approaches to machine learning formulate training of a classifier as an optimization problem in which simultaneously the training error as well as the classifier complexity is minimized. For computational efficiency typically a convex objective is constructed. But it is well known that such a choice comes at a cost. For instance, convex loss functions designed to measure training performance are not as robust to noise as their non-convex counter parts and convex regularization does
not achieve as high levels of sparsity as versions involving the L0-norm. Non-convex losses also figure prominently in recent attempts to derive tighter bounds for the generalization error. Here we report on experiments to train with non-convex objectives using discrete optimization in a formulation adapted to take advantage of emerging hardware for quantum optimization. A key finding is that the resulting
classifiers are already competitive when using as temporary stand-in a classical heuristic solver. We will give an overview of the state of the quantum hardware development as well as what advantages in terms of quality of the solution we can hope to attain from a theoretical point of view.
Host: Daniel Lidar
Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 150
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Daniel Lidar
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SAP TERP 10 Student Certification Academy
Tue, May 31, 2011 @ 08:30 AM - 05:00 PM
Executive Education
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Richard Vawter, Professor
Talk Title: SAP TERP 10 Student Certification Academy
Abstract: Course Overview
The University of Southern California, being an active member of SAPâs Global University Alliances program since its inception in 1996, has been chosen to offer the TERP10 Academy to its students in early Summer 2011. The TERP10 Academy, and its certification, is a direct response to the global forecast of needed SAP skills in the market, estimated at between 30,000 and 40,000, in the next several years.
Students completing the TERP10 Academy and passing SAPâs certification exam will have the advantage of being equipped with a good understanding of business processes adopted by companies around the world. They will also get insights into best business practices and how SAP can be used to optimize business processes. Students will find that the TERP10 Certification will open internship opportunities as well as full time jobs with consulting firms such as Deloitte, Ernst and Young, KPMG, Hitachi, and other SAP partner companies.
The Academy will begin on Tuesday, May 31st and end Friday, June 10th (excluding weekends). The certification examination will be given on Monday morning, June 13th.
Course Topics
The two week TERP10 course topics on ERP Basics, ERP Netweaver, Business Warehousing, and Customer Relations Management will be covered. The course will also present an overview of integrated logistics scenarios for:
* Sales order processing,
* Material planning and manufacturing execution,
* External procurement process,
* Inventory and warehouse management,
* Customer service processing,
* Enterprise asset management, and
* Project management.
Integration of Financial Accounting with the logistics scenarios, including general ledger accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and asset accounting will also be covered.
Benefits
* Distinguish yourself in the current marketplace by becoming an SAP Certified Associate
* Gain access to SAP's private website which contains important news items, help documents, patches and other software
* Execute tasks with confidence and skill
Audience
Current students and professionals who meet the following pre-requisites:
* A thorough knowledge on how to navigate the SAP ERP system and have an understanding of intercompany business processes in enterprise planning and management.
* Completed and passed three courses with 30% of the content related to SAP/ERP or the equivalent from an Academic Alliance University
If you are interested in attending, but are not a current USC student, please email professional@mapp.usc.edu with the following information:
* The University in which you are or were a student
o Note: University must be part of the SAP University Alliance.
* The related SAP/ERP courses you have taken
You will be notified once your coursework has been approved and may then proceed with the registration process.
Certification Information
Upon successfully completion of the exam, participants will become an SAP Certified Associate which is recognized by partners and companies across the SAP ecosystem.
Biography: Although Prof. Richard Vawter hasn't flown for over a decade, he's had plenty of experience in the cockpitâespecially as a college student! His undergraduate degrees at both Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona and UCLA were accomplished by literally flying between classes.
Upon completing his Engineering degree at UCLA, Richard Vawter started work at Rockwell International analyzing the dynamic loads placed upon the Space Shuttle during the launch and entry phases of a mission. After the Challenger incident, Richard Vawter was chosen to be part of NASAâs Crew Egress Team and assigned the task to design a system and method for the crew to escape the shuttle during a controlled emergency descent.
Following the resumption of the Space Shuttle flights, Prof. Vawter began taking graduate classes at the School of Engineering. After only one graduate class, Prof. Vawter became hooked on USC, completing Masters degrees in both Aerospace Engineering and Business Administration. After two years as a computer consultant, Prof. Vawter returned to USC and worked for the Marshall School of Business as a Computer Systems and Applications Specialist. During that time, he had the opportunity to fill in for a week teaching an ITP class and discovered his teaching talents when the students started clamoring for him to come back. Prof. Vawter began teaching officially at ITP in 1996 and currently focuses on SAP.
Host: Professional Programs
More Info: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/TERP10.htmLocation: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 540
Audiences: RSVP Only
Contact: Viterbi Professional Programs
Event Link: http://mapp.usc.edu/professionalprograms/ShortCourses/TERP10.htm
