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Events for the 2nd week of May
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Communications, Networks & Systems (CommNetS) Seminar
Mon, May 09, 2016 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Afonso Bandeira, MIT and NYU
Talk Title: On solving certain Semidefinite programs with low-rank solutions
Series: CommNetS
Abstract: Semidefinite programming has played an important role in mathematical signal processing, information theory, combinatorial optimization, etc. Although large Semidefinite programs are particularly challenging to solve, the solution one seeks is often low-rank. A now somehwat common approach is to constraint the search to low-rank solutions in the hope of reducing the computational cost. While such an approach can in general create new suboptimal local optima, it appears to work remarkably well in practice. We give the first (proof of concept) guarantee by showing that for a certain relevant semidefinite program this procedure indeed does not produce new local optima, and the global optima can be found.
Biography: Afonso is an Applied Mathematics Instructor at the MIT Math Department, with a half-time postdoctoral position sponsored by Philippe Rigollet. Starting in the Summer of 2016, he is going to join the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics with a joint appointment in the Center for Data Science at NYU.
Host: Prof. Mahdi Soltanolkotabi
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Annie Yu
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
EE 598 Cyber-Physical Systems Seminar Series
Mon, May 09, 2016 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mohammad Al Faruque, Assistant Professor, University of California, Irvine
Talk Title: Cyber-Physical System Forensics for Cross-Domain Attack Analysis
Abstract: A Cyber-Physical System (CPS) is a cross-domain system integrating sub-systems from multiple domains connected through communication networks. Today, CPSs can be found in security-sensitive areas such as aerospace, automotive, energy, healthcare, manufacturing transportation, entertainment, and consumer appliances. Compared to the traditional information and embedded systems, due to the tight interactions between cyber and physical domains in CPSs, new vulnerabilities emerge from the boundary between cyber and physical domains. This enables new types of "cross-domain attacks" which include the following two concepts: First, observable energy flows from physical domain such as the analog emissions from acoustics, power flow, electromagnetic (EM), thermal, etc. provide the attackers new ways to access the critical information in the cyber domain. We call this types of attack as "Side Channel Attacks." Second, the classic cyber domain attacks on CPS may cause direct physical damage on them. The second types of attack in the scope of this talk will be called "Kinetic Cyber Attack." In the first part of this talk, I will be presenting our recent work on additive manufacturing systems (3D-printers), where we have demonstrated the vulnerability of a 3D-printer to confidentiality attacks. An additive manufacturing system is attacked through observable acoustic analog emissions in this work. See recent articles at Science (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/352/6282/132) and at ACM Communications (http://cacm.acm.org/news/199406-bad-vibrations-uci-researchers-find-security-breach-in-3d-printing-process/fulltext) about our work.
In the second half of the talk, I will discuss the bright side of the tight integration between cyber and physical domains, which may bring about the potential of physics-centric defense mechanisms to shield CPS against attackers. I will present how my group has achieved physical-layer security for V2X communication for an automotive cyber-physical system.
Biography: Mohammad Al Faruque is currently with the University of California Irvine (UCI), where he is a tenure track assistant professor and directing the Cyber-Physical Systems Lab. Prof. Al Faruque served as an Emulex Career Development Chair during October 2012 till July 2015. Before, he was with Siemens Corporate Research and Technology in Princeton, NJ. His current research is focused on system-level design of embedded systems and Cyber-Physical-Systems (CPS) with special interest on model-based design of software-integrated (multi)-physics systems, multi-core systems, CPS security, etc.
Prof. Al Faruque received the 2016 DATE Best Paper Award, the 2015 DAC Best Paper Award, the 2009 ICCAD Best Paper Award, the 2016 NDSS Distinguished Poster Award, the 2008 HiPEAC Paper Award, the 2012 DATE Best IP Award Nomination, the 2005 DAC Best Paper Award Nomination, the EECS Professor of the year 2015-16 Award, the 2015 UCI Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Fostering Undergraduate Research, and the 2015 Hellman Fellow Award. Besides 50+ IEEE/ACM publications in the premier journals and conferences, Prof. Al Faruque holds 4 US patents.
Host: Paul Bogdan
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Estela Lopez
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
USC Stem Cell Seminar: Eun Ji Chung, University of Chicago
Tue, May 10, 2016 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Eun Ji Chung, University of Chicago
Talk Title: Biomaterial design for tissue regeneration and theranostic applications
Series: Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC Distinguished Speakers Series
Abstract: Nanomedicine and tissue engineering can harness biomaterial strategies to address limitations of clinical solutions. We will present how multivalent micelles are used as a tool for targeted detection and delivery of therapeutics to diseases, such as atherosclerosis and cancer. In addition, we will discuss how biodegradable, citric acid-based scaffolds can be combined with adult stem cells for complex regeneration of hierarchically-ordered tissues.
Host: Michael Bonaguidi
More Info: https://calendar.usc.edu/event/speaker_eun_ji_chung_university_of_chicago?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=widget&utm_source=USC+Event+Calendar%3A+Beta#.VvGYP3DFl04
Webcast: http://keckmedia.usc.edu/stem-cell-seminarWebCast Link: http://keckmedia.usc.edu/stem-cell-seminar
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Cristy Lytal/USC Stem Cell
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Understanding and Improving Graph Algorithm Performance
Wed, May 11, 2016 @ 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Mr. Scott Beamer, Computer Architecture PhD Candidate/UC Berkeley
Talk Title: Understanding and Improving Graph Algorithm Performance
Abstract: Graph processing is experiencing a renewed surge of interest as applications grow in importance in social networks analysis, recognition and the sciences. Unfortunately, graph algorithms often execute inefficiently on today's hardware platforms. In particular, graph algorithms are often able to simultaneously underutilize a platform's compute throughput and memory bandwidth.
In this talk, I will describe my work to identify these hardware bottlenecks and their causes. By understanding the main factors for graph algorithm performance, we can design hardware better suited for graph algorithms or improve graph algorithm software implementations. Through our characterization work, we find that contrary to the notion that graph algorithms have a random memory access pattern, we find well-tuned parallel graph codes exhibit substantial locality and thus experience a moderately high cache hit rate.
To understand these graph processing bottlenecks and the solutions to them requires a vertically integrated approach, ranging from algorithms with a novel breadth-first search algorithm to architecture with a detailed graph workload characterization. In between, this includes a graph domain-specific language, a performance model, and a benchmark suite. I will conclude the talk with our recent work on reducing memory communication via an algorithmic transformation.
Biography: Scott Beamer is a Computer Architecture PhD candidate at UC Berkeley advised by Krste Asanovic and David Patterson. He is currently investigating how to accelerate graph algorithms through software optimization and hardware specialization. In the past, he looked into how to best use monolithically integrated silicon photonics to create memory interconnects. He received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a M.S. in Computer Science, both from UC Berkeley.
Host: Professor Sandeep K. Gupta
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mayumi Thrasher
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
PhD Defense - Andrew Jones - Rendering for Automultiscopic Displays
Wed, May 11, 2016 @ 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Andrew Jones, PhD Candidate
Talk Title: Rendering for Automultiscopic Displays
Abstract: Title: Rendering for Automultiscopic Displays
Location: SAL 322
Time: 3:00pm - 5:00pm, May 11th, 2016
PhD Candidate: Andrew Jones
Committee Members:
Paul Debevec
Mark Bolas (outside member)
Jernej Barbiq
Abstract:
While a great deal of computer generated imagery is modelled and rendered in three dimensions, the vast majority of this 3D imagery is shown on two-dimensional displays. Various forms of 3D displays have been contemplated and constructed for at least one hundred years, but only recent advances in digital capture, computation, and display have made functional and practical 3D displays possible. In this thesis, I propose several designs that overcome some of the classic limitations of 3D displays. The displays are: autostereoscopic, requiring no special viewing glasses; omnidirectional, allowing viewers to be situated anywhere around it; and multiview, producing a correct rendition of the 3D objects with correct horizontal parallax and vertical perspective for any viewer around the display.
The first display prototype utilizes a spinning anisotropic mirror to distribute frames from a high-speed video projector to different viewers. Unfortunately, as the size and mass of the mirror increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a stable and rapid rotation speed. The second 3D display form has no moving mechanical parts, provides interactive content, and scales to large format displays. The key insight is that a large array of closely stacked projectors aimed at a stationary anisotropic screen is optically equivalent to a single high-speed projector aimed at a rotating anisotropic screen. Both types of display utilize new algorithms based on geometry and light filed based rendering. Applications for these displays include life-size interactive virtual characters, 3D teleconferencing, and time-offset conversations with 3D subjects.
Host: Andrew Jones
Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 322
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Ryan Rozan
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
Viterbi School of Engineering PhD Hooding and Awards Ceremony
Thu, May 12, 2016 @ 08:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Viterbi School of Engineering Doctoral Programs
Receptions & Special Events
The Viterbi PhD Hooding and Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 12, 2016, from 8:30-11:00am in Bovard Auditorium. Tickets are required. The ceremony will be followed by a reception in Associates Park.
Location: George Finley Bovard Administration Building (ADM) -
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Jennifer Gerson
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor. -
NL Seminar-Towards Multi-Agent Communication-Based Language Learning
Fri, May 13, 2016 @ 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Angeliki Lazaridou, University of Trento
Talk Title: Towards Multi-Agent Communication-Based Language Learning
Series: Natural Language Seminar
Abstract: One of the most ambitious goals of AI is to develop intelligent conversational agents able to communicate with humans and assist them in their tasks. Thus, communication and interaction should be at the core of the learning process of these agents; failure to integrate communication as their main building block raises concerns regarding their usability.
In this talk, I will propose an interactive multimodal framework for language learning. Instead of being passively exposed to large amounts of natural text, our learners (implemented as feed-forward neural networks) engage in cooperative referential games starting from a tabula rasa setup, and thus develop their own language from the need to communicate in order to succeed at the game. Preliminary experiments provide promising results, but also suggest that it is important to ensure that agents trained in this way do not develop an ad-hoc communication code only effective for the game they are playing.
Biography: Angeliki is a final year PhD student at the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences of the University of Trento. She received her MSc from the Saarland University, where she worked with Ivan Titov and Caroline Sporleder on Bayesian models for sentiment and discourse. She is currently working at the intersection between language and vision under the supervision of Marco Baroni.
Host: Xing Shi and Kevin Knight
More Info: http://nlg.isi.edu/nl-seminar/
Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - 11th Flr Conf Rm # 1135, Marina Del Rey
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Peter Zamar
Event Link: http://nlg.isi.edu/nl-seminar/
This event is open to all eligible individuals. USC Viterbi operates all of its activities consistent with the University's Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
