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Events for the 2nd week of March

  • Summer 2018 Registration

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018

    Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs

    University Calendar


    Registration for Summer 2018 begins.

    https://arr.usc.edu/calendar/

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Sheryl Koutsis

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  • Fall Schedule of Classes Released

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018

    Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs

    University Calendar


    The Fall schedule of classes is now available on WebReg and at classes.usc.edu

    Individual registration times (permits to register) are also available on WebReg.

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Taylor Relich

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  • Deadline to Apply to be a Freshmen Academy Coach

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018

    Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs

    Student Activity


    Last day to apply to be an Academy Coach for the fall 2018 semester.

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Taylor Relich

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  • Center for Systems and Control (CSC@USC) and Ming Hsieh Institute for Electrical Engineering

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Pramod Khargonekar, University of California, Irvine

    Talk Title: Electric Grid Integration of Renewable Generation and Distributed Control

    Abstract: The main goal of this presentation is to showcase the major challenges in integrating large amounts of solar and wind electric energy in power systems. I will begin with an overview of the key drivers for increased use of solar and wind electricity production: carbon emissions reduction for climate change mitigation, falling prices of wind and solar generation, and socio-economic policies and preferences. This will be followed by a description of the major obstacles and challenges in power systems operations and controls in using large amounts of wind and solar electricity while achieving reliability at low cost. I will next highlight some of the possible avenues to overcoming these obstacles where control systems technologies hold significant potential: harnessing demand side flexibility, energy storage and electric vehicles, and economic market operations. I will present some of our recent results along these directions. The talk will conclude with some thoughts on the evolutionary nature of electric energy system development and technological change, resilience of infrastructures and prospects for the future.

    Biography: Pramod Khargonekar received B. Tech. Degree in electrical engineering in 1977 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, and M.S. degree in mathematics in 1980 and Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering in 1981 from the University of Florida, respectively. He has been on faculty at the University of Florida, University of Minnesota, The University of Michigan, and the University of California, Irvine. He was Chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from 1997 to 2001 and also held the position of Claude E. Shannon Professor of Engineering Science at The University of Michigan. From 2001 to 2009, he was Dean of the College of Engineering and Eckis Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida till 2016. He also served briefly as Deputy Director of Technology at ARPA-E, US Department of Energy in 2012-13. He was appointed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to serve as Assistant Director for the Directorate of Engineering (ENG) in March 2013, a position he held till June 2016. In this position, Khargonekar led the ENG Directorate with an annual budget of more than $950 million. In addition, he served as a member of the NSF senior leadership and management team and participated in setting priorities and policies. In June 2016, he assumed his current position as Vice Chancellor for Research and Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine.

    Khargonekar's research and teaching interests are centered on theory and applications of systems and control. His early work was on mathematical control theory, specifically focusing on robust control analysis and design. During the 1990's, he was involved in a major multidisciplinary project on applications of control and estimation techniques to semiconductor manufacturing. His current research and teaching interests include systems and control theory, machine learning, and applications to smart electric grid and neural engineering. He has been recognized as a Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher. He is a recipient of the NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, the American Automatic Control Council's Donald Eckman Award, the Japan Society for Promotion of Science fellowships, the IEEE W. R. G. Baker Prize Award, the IEEE CSS George Axelby Best Paper Award, the Hugo Schuck ACC Best Paper Award, and the Distinguished Alumnus and Distinguished Service Awards from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He is a Fellow of IEEE and IFAC. At the University of Michigan, he received the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship. In the past, he has served as Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, SIAM Journal of Control, Systems and Control Letters, and International J. of Robust and Nonlinear Control. He has been a member of the IEEE Control Systems Theory and Robust Control technical committee. He has also served as Chair and Member of the American Automatic Control Council's Donald Eckman Award Committee. He has served as Program Co-Chair of the American Control Conference. Recently, he was a member of the IEEE Smart Grid 2030 Vision committee.


    Host: Mihailo Jovanovic, mihailo@usc.edu

    More Information: khargonekar.jpg (JPEG Image, 1886 × 2693 pixels) - Scaled (32%).pdf

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Gerrielyn Ramos

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  • Biomedical Engineering Seminars

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018 @ 12:30 PM - 01:50 PM

    Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Talk Title: TBA

    Host: Professor Qifa Zhou

    Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 122

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Mischalgrace Diasanta

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  • Epstein Institute Seminar, ISE 651

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

    Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Dr. Bodhisattva Sen, Associate Professor, Columbia University

    Talk Title: Nonparametric Convex Regression

    Host: Prof. Jong-Shi Pang

    More Information: March 5, 2018.pdf

    Location: Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center (GER) - 206

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Grace Owh

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  • Biomedical Engineering Department Guest Speaker

    Mon, Mar 05, 2018 @ 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM

    Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Henrik Jorntell, PhD,

    Talk Title: Brain microcircuitry analysis in vivo for novel solutions in neuroengineering and biorobotics

    Abstract: The talk will summarize findings and theories originating from in vivo intracellular recordings of a wide set of neocortical and subcortical neurons made in my lab during the last decade. Our focus has been to clarify the internal organization and physiology of brain microcircuitry, which we believe are important to explain and reverse-engineer multiple aspects of brain function. Our analysis started out with the cerebellum, whose role in motor control depends critically on the functions of the spinocerebellar systems and thereby the spinal cord circuitry, where we also made recordings. By combining this information, we also developed a theory for the circuitry-level organization of somatic motor control. A separate, but related, analysis was on the representation of haptic information in the cuneate nucleus of the brainstem. In contrast to classical reductionist approaches, where skin sensor information is considered represented in a pixel-wise fashion, our analysis focused on more natural forms of mechanical interactions and suggested a very different scheme of integration of haptic information. Our current work is focused on neocortical neurons, where we again move away from classical reductionist thinking and instead consider their role in forming the network and the functions that are made possible with that change of viewing angle. Altogether, these insights have made us steer away from the predominating sparse coding / grandmother neuron inspired theories of brain function. Instead, we believe brain operation is based on kernel- based representations residing across large populations of neurons -“ the advantages are that it allows for richer representation and generalization of learning to novel contexts, which together provides for more versatile system behavior. From this research stems multiple principles applicable to novel approaches in neuroengineering and biorobotics.

    Host: Francisco Valero-Cuevas, PhD

    Location: Corwin D. Denney Research Center (DRB) - 145/145A

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Mischalgrace Diasanta

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  • Successful Women Leaders in Sustainable Engineering and Business

    Tue, Mar 06, 2018 @ 09:00 AM - 02:00 PM

    Viterbi School of Engineering K-12 STEM Center

    Receptions & Special Events


    An educational day of how to integrate sustainability into daily life. The day will include a film screening and discussion, a panel of professionals in STEM and Business, hands-on activities and a tour of campus for high school students from Girls Academic Leadership Academy.

    Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) -

    Audiences: Middle and high school students

    Contact: Darin Gray/Viterbi STEM Educational Outreach

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  • CS Colloquium: TBA

    Tue, Mar 06, 2018 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: TBA, TBA

    Talk Title: TBA

    Series: CS Colloquium

    Abstract: TBA




    This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium. Please note, due to limited capacity, seats will be first come first serve.

    Biography: TBA

    Host: Muhammad Naveed / David Kempe

    Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 100D

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Assistant to CS chair

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  • Michelson Center for Convergent Biosciences Seminar

    Tue, Mar 06, 2018 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM

    Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Professor Ali Khademhosseini, UCLA

    Talk Title: Nano and Microfabricated Hydrogels for Regenerative Engineering

    Abstract: Engineered materials that integrate advances in polymer chemistry, nanotechnology, and biological sciences have the potential to create powerful medical therapies. Our group aims to engineer tissue regenerative therapies using water-containing polymer networks, called hydrogels, that can regulate cell behavior. Specifically, we have developed photocrosslinkable hybrid hydrogels that combine natural biomolecules with nanoparticles to regulate the chemical, biological, mechanical and electrical properties of gels. These functional scaffolds induce the differentiation of stem cells to desired cell types and direct the formation of vascularized heart or bone tissues. Since tissue function is highly dependent on architecture, we have also used microfabrication methods, such as microfluidics, photolithography, bioprinting, and molding, to regulate the architecture of these materials. We have employed these strategies to generate miniaturized tissues. To create tissue complexity, we have also developed directed assembly techniques to compile small tissue modules into larger constructs. It is anticipated that such approaches will lead to the development of next-generation regenerative therapeutics and biomedical devices.

    Biography: Ali Khademhosseini is Professor of Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering and Radiology at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the Founding Director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Therapeutics at UCLA as well as an Associate Director of the California NanoSystems Institute. He joined UCLA in Nov. 2017 from Harvard University where he was Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and where he directed the Biomaterials Innovation Research Center (BIRC), a leading initiative in making engineered biomedical materials. He is recognized as a leader in combining micro- and nano-engineering approaches with advanced biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. In particular, his laboratory has pioneered numerous technologies and materials for controlling the architecture and function of engineered vascularized tissues. He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the US government for early career investigators. In 2011, he received the Pioneers of Miniaturization Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for his contribution to microscale tissue engineering and microfluidics. In 2016, he received the Sr. Scientist Award of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Society -Americas Chapter (TERMIS-AM) and in 2017 he received the Clemson Award of the Society for Biomaterials. He is also a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Materials Research Society (MRS), Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Fellow of the Biomaterials Sciences and Engineering (FBSE) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He received his Ph.D. in bioengineering from MIT (2005), and MASc (2001) and BASc (1999) degrees from University of Toronto both in chemical engineering.

    Host: Prof. Andrea Armani

    Location: Michelson 102

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Andrea Armani

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  • CEE Alumni & Industry Spotlight

    Tue, Mar 06, 2018 @ 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

    Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections

    Workshops & Infosessions


    Students will hear from alumni and industry professionals regarding their academic/professional experiences.

    Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211

    Audiences: Undergrad

    Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections

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  • EE-EP Faculty Candidate - Sihong Wang, Wednesday, March 7th at 12pm in EEB 248

    Wed, Mar 07, 2018 @ 12:00 PM - 01:30 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Sihong Wang, Stanford University

    Talk Title: Merging Electronics with Living Systems: Intrinsically Stretchable and Self-Powered Electronics

    Abstract: The vast amount of biological mysteries and biomedical challenges faced by human provide a prominent drive for seamlessly merging electronics with biological living systems (e.g. human bodies) to achieve long-term stable functions. Towards this trend, the main bottlenecks are the huge mechanical mismatch between the current form of rigid electronics and the soft biological tissues, as well as the limited lifetimes of the battery-based power supplies.
    In this talk, I will first describe a new form of electronics with skin-like softness and stretchability, which is built upon a new class of intrinsically stretchable polymer materials and a new set of fabrication technology. As the core material basis, intrinsically stretchable polymer semiconductors have been developed through the physical engineering of polymer chain dynamics and crystallization based on the nanoconfinement effect. This fundamentally-new and universally-applicable methodology enables conjugated polymers to possess both high electrical-performance and extraordinary stretchability. Then, proceeding towards building electronics with this new class of polymer materials, the first polymer-applicable fabrication platform has been designed for large-scale intrinsically stretchable transistor arrays. As a whole, these renovations in the material basis and technology foundation have led to the realization of circuit-level functionalities for the processing of biological signals, with unprecedented mechanical deformability and skin conformability. In the second part of the talk, I will introduce the invention and development of triboelectric nanogenerators as a new technology for mechanical energy harvesting, which provides a solution for sustainably powering electronics. The discussion will span from the establishment of basic operation mechanisms, the design strategies of material and device structure towards high energy conversion efficiency, to the hybridization with Li-ion batteries for effective energy storage. Equipping electronics with human-compatible form-factors and biomechanically-driven power supplies has opened a new paradigm for wearable and implantable bio-electronic tools for biological studies, personal healthcare, medical diagnosis and therapeutics.

    Biography: Sihong Wang is a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, working with Prof. Zhenan Bao. He received his PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering (with Minor in Electrical Engineering) from the Georgia Institute of Technology under the supervision of Prof. Zhong Lin (Z.L.) Wang, and his Bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University. Currently, he is working on intrinsically stretchable polymer semiconductors and transistors for wearable and biomedical electronics. His PhD research had focused on nanogenerators for mechanical energy harvesting and their integrated energy storage systems. He was awarded MRS Graduate Student Award, Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Students Abroad, Top 10 Breakthroughs of 2012 by Physics World, etc.

    Host: EE_Electrophysics

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Marilyn Poplawski

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  • Koopman Operator Theory in Dynamical Systems and Applications

    Wed, Mar 07, 2018 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Igor Mezic, University of California Santa Barbara

    Talk Title: Koopman Operator Theory in Dynamical Systems and Applications

    Series: Joint Seminar Series on Cyber-Physical Systems and CommNetS-MHI

    Abstract: There is long history of use of mathematical decompositions to describe complex phenomena using simpler ingredients. One example is the decomposition of string vibrations into its primary, secondary, and higher modes. Recently, a spectral decomposition relying on Koopman operator theory has attracted interest in science and engineering communities. The spectral decomposition is based on an extension of the Koopman-von Neumann formalism to dissipative, possibly infinite-dimensional systems, including those describing flow of viscous fluids at the fundamental level, but also thermal flows in buildings, and power grid dynamics, at a more applied level. At its mathematical foundations, it is a spectral theory of composition operators. We will present the foundations of the theory, the numerical analysis approach, and its applications in the variety of applied contexts.


    Biography: Igor Mezic is currently a Professor and Director at the Center for Energy-Efficient Design and Head of Buildings and Design Solutions Group of the Institute for Energy Efficiency at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He received an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rijeka, Croatia in 1990 and a Ph.D. in Applied Mechanics from the California Institute of Technology in 1994. Before coming to UC Santa Barbara in 1995, he was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Mathematics Institute at the University of Warwick, UK. From 2000-2001, he also served as an Associate Professor in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science at Harvard University. Igor Mezic's current research interests include dynamical systems theory of complex systems, including large-scale social systems. He was awarded the National Science Foundation CAREER Award for research on Nonlinear Dynamics and Control from Microscale to Macroscale (1999), as well as a Sloan Foundation Fellowship in Mathematics (1999) and the Axelby Outstanding Paper Award (2000). For his technology contributions, he was awarded the United Technologies Senior Vice Presidents Special Award (2007), and gave a number of plenary lectures. In addition to contributing his time and expertise to a significant number journals, panels, workshops, and conferences, Mezic has over 150 journal publications, has edited or co-written three books and has received numerous grants and industrial contracts. Mezic is a Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and the American Physical Society.

    Host: Prof. Paul Bogdan

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Talyia White

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  • CAIS Seminar: Andrew Perrault (University of Toronto) – Developing and Coordinating Autonomous Agents for Efficient Electricity Markets

    Wed, Mar 07, 2018 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM

    Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Andrew Perrault, University of Toronto

    Talk Title: Developing and Coordinating Autonomous Agents for Efficient Electricity Markets

    Series: USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAIS) Seminar Series

    Abstract: Aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets will necessitate a transformation of energy use systems, with increasing emphasis on electricity, which can be decarbonized more efficiently than other energy sources. Mr. Perrault argues that deploying consumer-representing autonomous agents can make this transformation less expensive by allowing attention-limited consumers to respond to changes in market conditions. The talk has two parts: in Part I, he develops a cooperative game theoretic model that illustrates the value of such agents in electricity markets. In Part II, he focuses on the problem of training such an agent using a new variant of preference elicitation called experiential elicitation.

    This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium


    Biography: Andrew Perrault is a PhD student at University of Toronto, supervised by Craig Boutilier. His research focuses on the application of AI to electricity markets and electricity use. He is the co-founder and co-lead developer at theschoolfund.org, a non-profit that crowdfunds scholarships for secondary school students in developing countries.


    Host: Milind Tambe

    Location: Seeley Wintersmith Mudd Memorial Hall (of Philosophy) (MHP) - 101

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Computer Science Department

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  • ASBME GM 7: TPR+SWE joint MCAT prep

    Wed, Mar 07, 2018 @ 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM

    Viterbi School of Engineering Student Organizations

    Student Activity


    Are you BME+premed and anxious about the MCAT? Join us for a joint MCAT strategy session with SWE, sponsored by our new partner, The Princeton Review! Get test taking tips, studying strategies, and insightful information about the MCAT from one of the premier test-prep agencies in the industry. Best of all, pizza will be provided!

    Location: Ronald Tutor Campus Center (TCC) - 227

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Associated Students of Biomedical Engineering

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  • CS Colloquium: Jonas Mueller (MIT) – Learning Optimal Interventions under Uncertainty

    Thu, Mar 08, 2018 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Jonas Mueller, MIT

    Talk Title: Learning Optimal Interventions under Uncertainty

    Series: Computer Science Colloquium

    Abstract: A basic goal of data analysis is learning which actions (ie. interventions) are best for producing desired outcomes. While advances in reinforcement learning and bandit/Bayesian optimization have shown great promise, these sequential methods are primarily limited to digital environments where iterating between modeling and experimentation is easy. Although more widely applicable, learning from a fixed (observational) dataset will inherently involve substantial uncertainty due to limited samples, and it is undesirable to prescribe actions whose outcomes are unclear.

    In this talk, I will consider such settings from a Bayesian perspective and formalize the of role of uncertainty in data-driven actions. Adopting a Gaussian process framework, I will introduce a conservative definition of the optimal intervention which can be either tailored on an individual basis or globally enacted over a population. Subsequently, these ideas are extended to structured sequence data via a recurrent variational autoencoder model. In both cases, gradient methods are employed to identify the best intervention and a key theme of the approach is carefully constraining this optimization to avoid regions of high uncertainty. Various applications of this methodology will presented including gene expression manipulation, therapeutic antibody design, and revision of natural language.


    This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium. Please note, due to limited capacity in OHE 100D, seats will be first come first serve.


    Biography: Jonas Mueller is a Computer Science Ph.D. student at MIT working with Tommi Jaakkola and David Gifford. His research interests lie in developing machine learning methods to advance both statistical science and artificial intelligence applications. Integrating ideas from optimal transport, deep learning, Bayesian/bandit optimization, and interpretable modeling, much of his work has been motivated by applications in bioinformatics and natural language processing. Previously, Jonas studied Math and Statistics at UC Berkeley, where he was awarded the Departmental Citation, and he recently also spent some time at Microsoft Research.


    Host: Computer Science Department

    Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 100D

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Computer Science Department

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  • Biomedical Engineering Department Guest Speaker

    Thu, Mar 08, 2018 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

    Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Naveed Ejaz, PhD, SENIOR POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN CLINICAL AND HEALTHY HUMAN MOTOR CONTROL; BRAIN-MIND INSTITUTE, WESTERN UNIVERSITY, LONDON ONTARIO, CANADA

    Talk Title: How does the brain control dexterous hand function (and how does function recover after injury)

    Abstract: It is hard to over-state the importance of our hands in daily life; they are the primary means with which we manipulate the environment around us. Evidence from invasive studies in non-human primates has demonstrated that hand function is controlled by interactions between motor circuits in cortical and subcortical brain areas. Since such invasive investigations in humans are not possible, the question of how cortical brain areas organize to facilitate dexterous control, and the extent to which (if at all) subcortical pathways contribute to hand function in man is unknown. In this seminar, I will draw upon multiple studies from my research program to answer these two questions. First, I will use functional magnetic resonance imaging to characterize the population response of neurons in the neocortex that are critical for dexterous hand control. I will provide evidence that the population response appears to be shaped by experiential use of the hand, and will further demonstrate the nature of plasticity in the associated circuits by using individuals with hand amputation as a model of neocortical deafferentation. Next, I will discuss evidence for a new model of hand recovery after stroke, one that relies on the ability of subcortical brain structures to provide compensatory control of the hand after damage to the neocortex. Throughout the seminar, I will briefly highlight how my research program provides tools that can be used to investigate hand function as a function of development, ageing, and disease, as well as provide hints on how to recover dexterous control in patients after neural injuries (e.g. stroke, cervical spondylotic myelopathy).

    Host: Francisco Valero-Cuevas, PhD

    Location: DRB 145/145A

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Mischalgrace Diasanta

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  • EE Seminar - Bridging Control Theory and Machine Learning

    Thu, Mar 08, 2018 @ 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Dr. Bin Hu, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Talk Title: Bridging Control Theory and Machine Learning

    Abstract: The design of modern intelligent systems relies heavily on techniques developed in the control and machine learning communities. On one hand, control techniques are crucial for safety-critical systems; the robustness to uncertainty and disturbance is typically introduced by a model-based design equipped with sensing, actuation, and feedback. On the other hand, learning techniques have achieved the state-of-the-art performance for a variety of artificial intelligence tasks (computer vision, natural language processing, and Go). The developments of next-generation intelligent systems such as self-driving cars, advanced robotics, and smart buildings require leveraging these control and learning techniques in an efficient and safe manner.

    This talk will focus on fundamental connections between robust control and machine learning. Specifically, we will present a control perspective on the empirical risk minimization (ERM) problem in machine learning. ERM is a central topic in machine learning research, and is typically solved using first-order optimization methods which are developed in a case-by-case manner. First, we will discuss how to adapt robust control theory to automate the analysis of such optimization methods including the gradient descent method, Nesterov's accelerated method, stochastic gradient descent (SGD), stochastic average gradient (SAG), SAGA, Finito, stochastic dual coordinate ascent (SDCA), stochastic variance reduction gradient (SVRG), and Katyusha momentum. Next, we will show how to apply classical control design tools (Nyquist plots and multiplier theory) to develop new robust accelerated methods for ERM problems. Finally, we will conclude with some long-term research vision on the general connections between our proposed control-oriented tools and reinforcement learning methods.

    Biography: Bin Hu received the B.Sc. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2008, and received the M.S. in Computational Mechanics from Carnegie Mellon University in 2010. He received the Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Minnesota in 2016, advised by Peter Seiler. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the optimization group of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is interested in building fundamental connections between the techniques used in the control and machine learning communities. His current research focuses on tailoring robust control theory (integral quadratic constraints, dissipation inequalities, jump system theory, etc) to automate the analysis and design of stochastic optimization methods for large-scale learning tasks. He is also particularly interested in the connections between model-based control and model-free reinforcement learning.

    Host: Ashutosh Nayyar, ashutosn@usc.edu, x02353

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Mayumi Thrasher

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  • Viterbi Career Gateway Workshop

    Thu, Mar 08, 2018 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM

    Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections

    Workshops & Infosessions


    Take part in a live tutorial to help you navigate Viterbi Career Gateway, a powerful job & internship search tool available ONLY to Viterbi students.

    Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211

    Audiences: All Viterbi

    Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections

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  • W.V.T. RUSCH ENGINEERING HONORS COLLOQUIUM

    Fri, Mar 09, 2018 @ 01:00 PM - 01:50 PM

    USC Viterbi School of Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Mark Cranney, Chief Commercial Officer at SignalFx, Prior Operating Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (Silicon Valley VC Firm)

    Talk Title: Metrics that Matter to Venture Capitalists

    Host: Dr. Prata & EHP

    Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 101

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Su Stevens

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  • Yasser Khan, Friday, March 9th at 2pm in EEB 248

    Fri, Mar 09, 2018 @ 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Yasser Khan, University of California, Berkeley

    Talk Title: Integration of Printed Sensors to Flexible Hybrid Electronics for Wearable Health Monitoring

    Abstract: In the era of "electronic skin" and "human intranet", the potential of wearable sensors that can monitor vital signs, analytes in bodily fluids, and biosignals is immense. Fabrication of wearables to date heavily relies on conventional semiconductor processing, which is expensive and has limited large-area scalability. Taking advantage of the unique manufacturing capabilities of printed electronics, we can now design wearables that are soft, lightweight, and skin-like. In addition, using soft and conformable sensors, we can significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) due to the high fidelity sensor-skin interface. In this talk, I will first present printed and flexible all-organic optoelectronic oximeter sensors, which can measure pulse rate and oxygenation accurately both in the transmission and reflection mode. Then I will introduce the design and fabrication of flexible and printed gold electrode arrays that are ideal for bioimpedance tomography, electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG). Finally, a key enabling technology for wearables - flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) will be presented. The implementation of FHE in an integrated multi-sensor platform will be discussed, where sensors fabricated using solution processable functional inks are interfaced to rigid electronics for health and performance monitoring.

    Biography: Yasser Khan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, in Prof. Ana Claudia Arias' Group. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2010, and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2012. Yasser's research focuses mainly on wearable medical devices, with an emphasis on flexible bioelectronic and biophotonic sensors.
    Yasser received the EECS departmental fellowship at UC Berkeley, discovery scholarship and graduate fellowship at KAUST, and best presentation and poster awards at MRS meetings. He is a big proponent of flexible hybrid electronics, which brings together flexible sensors and silicon ICs under the same platform and utilizes these two different technologies to their strengths. His research vision is to implement a massive number of flexible and printed sensors for medical, structural, and industrial monitoring.


    Host: EE-Electrophysics

    Location: Estrella Housing Partners (EHP) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Marilyn Poplawski

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  • EE-EP Faculty Candidate - Yasser Khan, Friday, March 9th at 2pm in EEB 248

    Fri, Mar 09, 2018 @ 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM

    Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Yasser Khan, University of California, Berkeley

    Talk Title: Integration of Printed Sensors to Flexible Hybrid Electronics for Wearable Health Monitoring

    Abstract: In the era of "electronic skin" and "human intranet", the potential of wearable sensors that can monitor vital signs, analytes in bodily fluids, and biosignals is immense. Fabrication of wearables to date heavily relies on conventional semiconductor processing, which is expensive and has limited large-area scalability. Taking advantage of the unique manufacturing capabilities of printed electronics, we can now design wearables that are soft, lightweight, and skin-like. In addition, using soft and conformable sensors, we can significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) due to the high fidelity sensor-skin interface. In this talk, I will first present printed and flexible all-organic optoelectronic oximeter sensors, which can measure pulse rate and oxygenation accurately both in the transmission and reflection mode. Then I will introduce the design and fabrication of flexible and printed gold electrode arrays that are ideal for bioimpedance tomography, electrocardiography (ECG) and electromyography (EMG). Finally, a key enabling technology for wearables - flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) will be presented. The implementation of FHE in an integrated multi-sensor platform will be discussed, where sensors fabricated using solution processable functional inks are interfaced to rigid electronics for health and performance monitoring.

    Biography: Yasser Khan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, in Prof. Ana Claudia Arias' Group. He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2010, and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2012. Yasser's research focuses mainly on wearable medical devices, with an emphasis on flexible bioelectronic and biophotonic sensors.
    Yasser received the EECS departmental fellowship at UC Berkeley, discovery scholarship and graduate fellowship at KAUST, and best presentation and poster awards at MRS meetings. He is a big proponent of flexible hybrid electronics, which brings together flexible sensors and silicon ICs under the same platform and utilizes these two different technologies to their strengths. His research vision is to implement a massive number of flexible and printed sensors for medical, structural, and industrial monitoring.

    Host: EE-Electrophysics

    Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Marilyn Poplawski

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  • Astani Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar

    Fri, Mar 09, 2018 @ 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM

    Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

    Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars


    Speaker: Mohammad Hanifehzadeh and Evangelos Pantazis, Astani CEE Ph.D. Students

    Talk Title: Multi-Hazard Performance of Reinforced Concrete Dry Casks Subjected To Dynamic Mechanical Load

    Abstract: See Attachment

    More Information: M. Hanifehzadeh 392018.pdf

    Location: Ray R. Irani Hall (RRI) - 101

    Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

    Contact: Evangeline Reyes

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  • MESA Day

    Sat, Mar 10, 2018 @ 11:09 AM - 03:00 PM

    Viterbi School of Engineering K-12 STEM Center

    Receptions & Special Events


    MESA Day is an event that engages middle and high school students in STEM-based MESA competitions to test their design skills and math acuity. MESA projects provide the groundwork for the competitions that are offered during the event.

    Location: Epstein Family Engineering Plaza

    Audiences: Middle and high school students

    Contact: Darin Gray/Viterbi STEM Educational Outreach

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