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Events for the 4th week of October
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PhD Dissertation Defense - Han Zhang
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 09:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
Title: Speeding up Multi-Objective Search Algorithms
Date: Oct 21, 2024
Location: SAL- Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center 213
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 PM
Committee members: Satish Kumar, Sven Koenig, Bistra Dilkina, Satyandra Kumar Gupta, Ariel Felner
Abstract: The multi-objective search problem is the problem of finding paths from a start state to a goal state in a graph where each edge is annotated with multiple costs. A typical task of multi-objective search is to find the Pareto frontier, that is, the set of all undominated paths from the start state to the goal state. This problem is important for many applications, such as transporting hazardous materials, where travel distance and risk are two costs that need to be considered. While researchers have developed various techniques over the past years for speeding up single-objective searches on large graphs, many of them have not been investigated in the context of multi-objective search. In this thesis, I hypothesize that one can speed up multi-objective search algorithms by applying insights gained from single-objective search algorithms after proper generalization. Specifically, I consider the following four classes of techniques that have been used to speed up single-objective search algorithms, namely, (1) by trading off solution quality with efficiency, (2) by anytime search, (3) by preprocessing techniques, and (4) by efficient data structures for time-consuming operations. We validate this hypothesis by introducing various new multi-objective search algorithms and speed-up techniques.Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 213
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Ellecia Williams
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EiS Communications Hub - Tutoring for Engineering Ph.D. Students
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Come to the EiS Communications Hub for one-on-one tutoring from Viterbi faculty for Ph.D. writing and speaking projects!
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Viterbi Ph.D. Students
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
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2024 Kickoff Mixer USC-Amazon Center on Trustworthy AI
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 01:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Workshops & Infosessions
The USC + Amazon Center on Secure & Trusted Machine Leaning is hosting its 4th Kickoff Meeting on Monday, October 21, 2024, from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The event will take place in the Electrical Engineering Building, EEB132. There will be a keynote talk, research presentations from the projects that were selected for 2024-2025 and from the Amazon PhD fellows, and opportunities to speak with USC faculty and Amazon scientists. REGISTER HERE: https://forms.gle/qRaqtef1BHyNRCfB9
More Information: 2024 USC-Amazon Kickoff Meeting-2.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Ariana Perez
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PhD Thesis Proposal - Weizhao Jin
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
Title: Efficiency in Privacy-Preserving Computation Via Domain Knowledge
Date and Time: 10/21/24 - 2:00p - 3:00p
Location: DMC 103
Committee Members: Srivatsan Ravi, Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Harsha V. Madhyastha, Fred Morstatter
Abstract: In recent years, the importance of privacy has grown significantly due to the increasing reliance on user data for building server-side applications and services. To comply with expanding privacy regulations such as GDPR, service providers have adopted privacy-preserving primitives that maintain computational functionality while ensuring user privacy. However, a key challenge lies in integrating these privacy-preserving techniques, such as homomorphic encryption and multi-party computation, into application protocols in a way that balances the efficiency and feasibility of deployment. My thesis proposal investigates two distinct domains emphasizing privacy-preserving computation variants and proposes practical domain-knowledge-based solutions to address challenges related to overhead and protocol complexity for efficient privacy in machine learning and in networks/IoT.Location: DMC 103
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Felante' Charlemagne
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CSC/CommNetS-MHI Seminar: Murat Arcak
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Murat Arcak, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences | University of California, Berkeley
Talk Title: Data-Driven Approaches for Estimating Reachable Sets in Complex Dynamical Systems
Series: CSC/CommNetS-MHI Seminar Series
Abstract: The computation of reachable sets is essential for characterizing and verifying the behavior of safety-critical systems. However, many practical systems are high-dimensional and analytically intractable, making the exact computation of reachable sets difficult or impossible. We propose a data-driven approach that uses a finite ensemble of sample trajectories to estimate reachable sets with probabilistic accuracy guarantees. This method is broadly applicable and computationally advantageous, as the main cost comes from simulating a predetermined number of trajectories, which can be parallelized to reduce computation time. We first present a method that uses scenario optimization to construct reachable set estimates as approximate solutions to chance-constrained optimization problems. Next, we use a class of polynomials derived from empirical moment matrices, whose sublevel sets act as nonconvex estimates of the reachable set. These data-driven methods offer scalable solutions for estimating reachable sets in systems with complex dynamics.
Biography: Murat Arcak is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he holds the Robert M. Saunders Endowed Chair. He has a primary appointment in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, and a courtesy appointment in Mechanical Engineering. He earned his B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from BoÄaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1997 and 2000. His research focuses on dynamical systems and control theory, with applications in multi-agent systems and transportation. He received a CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation in 2003, the Donald P. Eckman Award from the American Automatic Control Council in 2006, the Control and Systems Theory Prize from the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) in 2007, and the Antonio Ruberti Young Researcher Prize from the IEEE Control Systems Society in 2014. He is a member of ACM and SIAM, and a fellow of both IEEE and the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC)
Host: Dr. Lars Lindemann, llindema@usc.edu
More Information: 2024.10.21 CSC Seminar - Murat Arcak.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - EEB 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Miki Arlen
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Apple: Careers In Hardware and Silicon Engineering
Mon, Oct 21, 2024 @ 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
This event is for Viterbi Engineering students only. You must register on Handshake to attend.
Majors: ECE, EE, and CS
Meet Mahdi Seddinghnezhad (Sr Director, CPU team) from Apple during this recruiting session!
You will get to know about different career paths in Hardware and Silicon Engineering in Apple. We will give a summary of various functions within Hardware Technology within Apple. We will also have a panel discussion where students can ask questions to experts from different fields in Apple
We will have a 1:1 interaction as time permits and collect resumes from students for intent / full time positions
Event Agenda:
Presentation on “Apple Engineering Careers in HW”
Panel Discussion
Hear from Apple engineers about their education and career journeys
Ask questions about your path and opportunities at Apple
Student / Apple 1:1 interaction (Resumes welcome)
IMPORTANT: Event check-in is first come, first serve and event capacity is 319 people. If you are signing up for the event, it is the expectation that you attend the event or cancel if you are no longer able to attend.Location: Mark Taper Hall Of Humanities (THH) -
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://usc.joinhandshake.com/
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Startup Stories- Alex Lee
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 12:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Workshops & Infosessions
Every startup has a story. Uncover the blueprint of success in the words of our very own Viterbi Alumni, Alex LEE and hear about resources available to you start a business while at USC.
Alex Lee, USC Viterbi School of Engineering alumnus, is the Co-founder and CEO of Truewind, an AI-powered accounting software startup. Launched in 2023, Truewind has raised $3 million in seed funding and aims to be the virtual CFO for startups by streamlining financial data with AI.Come and hear Alex’s story!
<a href="https://cglink.me/2nB/r397845">RSVP</a>Location: Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience (MCB) - 101
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Viterbi TIE
Event Link: https://cglink.me/2nB/r397845
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Computational Science Distinguished Seminar Series
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM
USC School of Advanced Computing
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Vikram Gavini, University of Michigan
Talk Title: Large-scale electronic structure calculations of extended defects in materials
Abstract: Defects play a crucial role in influencing the macroscopic properties of solids—examples include the role of dislocations in plastic deformation, dopants in semiconductor properties, and domain walls in ferroelectric properties. These defects are present in very small concentrations (few parts per million), yet, produce a significant macroscopic effect on the materials behavior through the long-ranged elastic and electrostatic fields they generate. Notably, the strength and nature of these fields, as well as other critical aspects of the defect-core are all determined by the electronic structure of the material at the quantum-mechanical length-scale. However, carefully converged electronic structure studies on extended defects, such as dislocations, have been out of reach due to the cell-size and periodicity limitations of the widely used electronic structure codes.
This talk will discuss the recent developments that have enabled large-scale density functional theory (DFT) calculations, paving the way for electronic structure studies of defects. The first part of the talk will discuss the development of computational methods and numerical algorithms for conducting fast and accurate large-scale DFT calculations using adaptive finite-element discretization, which form the basis for the recently released DFT-FE open-source code. The second part of the talk will focus on electronic structure studies of dislocations using the developed methods and the insights obtained into fundamental questions such as: What is the core size of a dislocation? Are forces on dislocations solely from elastic interactions? Recent studies on using DFT-FE to understand the energetics of <c+a> dislocations in Mg, and the energetics and nucleation kinetics of quasicrystals (ScZn7.33) will be discussed
Biography: Vikram Gavini is Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan. He received his Ph.D. from California Institute of Technology in 2007. His interests are in developing methods for large-scale and quantum-accurate electronic structure calculations, numerical analysis of PDEs and scientific computing. DFT-FE, a massively parallel open-source code for large-scale real-space DFT calculations, has been developed in his group. He is the recipient of NSF CAREER Award in 2011, AFOSR Young Investigator Award in 2013, Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers (2012-14), USACM Gallagher Award in 2015, among others. He led the team that received the 2023 ACM Gordon Bell Prize in high performance computing.
Host: The School of Advanced Computing
More Info: https://sac.usc.edu/events/
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 526
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://sac.usc.edu/events/
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ECE Seminar: A plug-and-play acceleration framework for generative AI models on the edge
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Yanzhi Wang, Associate Professor and Faculty Fellow, Dept. of ECE, Northeastern University
Talk Title: A plug-and-play acceleration framework for generative AI models on the edge
Abstract: In the generative AI era, general users need to apply different base models, fine tuned checkpoints, and LoRAs. Also the data privacy and real-time requirement will favor on-device, local deployment of large-scale generative AI models. It is desirable to develop a "plug-and-play" framework such that users can download any generative AI model, click and run on their own device. This poses significant challenge to the current AI deployment frameworks, which are typically time-consuming and requires human expertise of hardware and code generation. We present our effort of OminiX, which is a first step towards unified library and acceleration of generative AI models across various hardware platforms. Integrating our unique front-end library and back-end instantaneous acceleration techniques, which will be open-source soon, we show capability of plug-and-play deployment and state-of-the-art acceleration of various generative AI models, starting from image generation, large language models, multi-model language models, speech generation and voice cloning, real-time chatting engine, real-time translation, video generation, real-time avatar, to name a few. This can be achieved on everyone's own platform.
Biography: Yanzhi Wang is Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northeastern University, a senior member of IEEE. His research interests focus on real-time and energy-efficient deep learning and artificial intelligence systems, especially on efficient large language models and large-scale generative AI systems. His research works have been published broadly in (i) machine learning conferences such as AAAI, CVPR, NeurIPS, ICML, ICCV, ICLR, IJCAI, ECCV, KDD, ICRA, ACM MM, ICDM, etc., (ii) architecture and system conferences such as ASPLOS, ISCA, MICRO, HPCA, CCS, VLDB, PLDI, WWW, ICS, PACT, CGO, IPDPS, INFOCOM, ICDCS, DAC, ICCAD, FPGA, FCCM, ISSCC, CICC, RTAS, RTSS, etc., and (iii) IEEE and ACM transactions. His research works have been cited over 20,500 times. He has received six Best Paper Awards and another 12 Best Paper Nominations. He has received the U.S. Army Research Office Young Investigator Program Award (YIP), IEEE TC-SDM Early Career Award, Asia Pacific Signal and Information Processing Association Distinguished Leader Award, Massachusetts Acorn Innovation Award, design contest awards from multiple conferences, and other research awards from Google, MathWorks, etc. His research work has been reported and cited by around 500 media. He has 13 academic descendants as tenure-track faculty members at University of Minnesota, Michigan State University, University of Georgia, Clemson University, etc.
Host: Dr. Sandeep Gupta, sandeep@usc.edu
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/98817797740?pwd=OfzLgQ5S1Gbb7b7mxxXe9FgST9u99L.1 (USC NetID Login Required)Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/98817797740?pwd=OfzLgQ5S1Gbb7b7mxxXe9FgST9u99L.1 (USC NetID Login Required)
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mayumi Thrasher
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Generative Models and the Transport of Measure
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Gavin Kerrigan, PhD Candidate - Department of Computer Science, UC Irvine
Talk Title: Generative Models and the Transport of Measure
Abstract: A key theme in contemporary generative modeling is the continuous transport of measure, in which a simple reference distribution is gradually transformed into the data distribution. Many recent models, including diffusions and flows, can be viewed through this unifying lens. In this talk, we will first explore some geometric tools for studying dynamics in the space of probability measures. We will then leverage these tools to design generative models, with a focus on applications to inverse problems and complex data structures such as function-valued data.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium.
In-person ONLY; recording available post-presentation.
Biography: Gavin Kerrigan is a final year PhD candidate in the Department of Computer Science at UC Irvine, where he is advised by Padhraic Smyth. Prior to joining UCI, he obtained a BSc in mathematics from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State University. His research focuses on advancing the theory and practice of deep generative models, ranging from fundamental methodology to applications in climate science. His work has been recognized through a best paper award at AISTATS'23 for contributions to function-space generative modeling.
Host: USC Machine Learning Center
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
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The Algorithmic Abyss: Exploring Autonomy without Robotic Horror
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Juan Wachs , Professor & University Faculty Scholar, Industrial Engineering School - Purdue University
Talk Title: The Algorithmic Abyss: Exploring Autonomy without Robotic Horror
Abstract: Robots can already solve sophisticated problems ranging from playing games, autonomous driving, and dancing—given enough observational data for training. The core of such success resides in efficient algorithms, compliant hardware and robust computing, all implemented using carefully curated data collected before the training phase. Thus, robots learn in a “sterile” domain, under clean, controlled and to some extent supervised environments. As the target domain changes, however, moving to more quotidian scenarios, robots struggle to perform well. It is hard to think of an autonomous car trained in Silicon Valley being able to successfully navigate the crowded streets of New Delhi. – this is the “algorithm abyss”. Ideally, we would like to robots adapt to challenging settings while immersed in mundane settings, and learn from few observations. To address this hurdle, my work in the area of robotics and autonomous systems focuses on transferring skills and knowledge from controlled settings to the wild. In this talk, I emphasize strategies and techniques to address fundamental challenges in emergent, high-risk, high-stakes scenarios. Specifically, I will discuss work related to telesurgery, skill augmentation and bioinspired designs. While healthcare is one of the research domains discussed, the outcomes and findings are applicable to the range field of autonomous robotics. Progress in these directions will contribute to the public purpose of creating the knowledge for developing robots that are more accessible, effective and sensitive to social needs.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium.
Zoom Details: https://usc.zoom.us/j/99548396089
Biography: Dr. Juan Wachs is a Professor and University Faculty Scholar in the Industrial Engineering School at Purdue University, Professor of Biomedical Engineering (by courtesy), an Adjunct Associate Professor of Surgery at IU School of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor at Johns Hopkins University. He recently served at NSF as a Program Director for Robotics and AI programs at CISE. He is also the director of the Intelligent Systems and Assistive Technologies (ISAT) Lab at Purdue, and he is affiliated with the Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering. He completed postdoctoral training at the Naval Postgraduate School’s MOVES Institute under a National Research Council Fellowship from the National Academies of Sciences. Dr. Wachs received his B.Ed.Tech in Electrical Education in ORT Academic College, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem campus. His M.Sc and Ph.D in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. He is the recipient of the 2013 Air Force Young Investigator Award, and the 2015 Helmsley Senior Scientist Fellow, and 2016 Fulbright U.S. Scholar, the James A. and Sharon M. Tompkins Rising Star Associate Professor, 2017, and the ACM Distinguished Speaker 2018. Since 2020 he has been elected University Faculty Scholar. He is also the Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions in Human-Machine Systems, Frontiers in Robotics and AI.
Host: Prof. Stefanos Nikolaidis
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/99548396089Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 217
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/99548396089
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
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**No Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class - Due to INFORMS**
Tue, Oct 22, 2024 @ 03:30 PM - 04:50 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: NO CLASS- INFORMS, NO CLASS- INFORMS
Talk Title: NO CLASS-INFORMS
Host: NO CLASS- INFORMS
Location: Social Sciences Building (SOS) - B2
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Casi Jones/ ISE
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EiS Communications Hub - Tutoring for Engineering Ph.D. Students
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Come to the EiS Communications Hub for one-on-one tutoring from Viterbi faculty for Ph.D. writing and speaking projects!
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Viterbi Ph.D. Students
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
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The Critical Role of Cyber Infrastructure in City Innovation and Beyond
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Zhenhui (Jessie) Li , Chief Scientist - Yunqi Academy of Engineering
Talk Title: The Critical Role of Cyber Infrastructure in City Innovation and Beyond
Abstract: Cities, humanity’s greatest inventions, offer vast opportunities for innovation in science and technology. The increasing availability of big data paints a promising future for our cities. Over the past decade, my work has focused on applying AI to address real-world city challenges. Recent collaborations with city practitioners have deepened my understanding of these complexities and refined my vision for achieving city intelligence.
In this talk, I will present my work on advanced AI techniques for city transportation problems, e.g., reinforcement learning for traffic signal control. I will then expand on this to discuss the resource-centric concept of city intelligence, using real-world practices to showcase its practical applications. Finally, I will emphasize the urgent need for new cyber infrastructure, vital not only for city innovations but for all scientific disciplines driven by big data and intensive computing.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium.
**Lecture will be in-person ONLY
Biography: Dr. Zhenhui (Jessie) Li currently serves as the Chief Scientist at the Yunqi Academy of Engineering, a non-profit institution situated in Hangzhou, China. Prior to this role, she held a tenured associate professor position at Pennsylvania State University. She earned her doctoral degree in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research primarily focuses on advancing computing technologies to harness data for interdisciplinary studies, including those in smart city, environmental science, transportation, and ecology. For further information, you can visit her website at (https://jessielzh.com/).
Host: Machine Learning Center
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Machine Learning Center
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PhD Dissertation Defense - Navid Hashemi
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 01:30 PM - 02:50 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
Title: Scaling Control Synthesis and Verification in Autonomy Using Neurosymbolic Methods
Committee Members: Jyotirmoy Deshmukh (Chair), Bhaskar Krishnamachari, Chao Wang, Lars Lindemann, Georgios Fainekos
Date and Time: Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, 2024 - 1:30p - 2:50p
Location: DMC 111
Abstract: As the field of autonomy is embracing the use of neural networks for perception and control, Signal Temporal Logic (STL) has emerged as a popular formalism for specifying the task objectives and safety properties of such autonomous cyber-physical systems (ACPS). There are two important open problems in this research area: (1) how can we effectively train neural controllers in such ACPS applications, when the state dimensionality is higher and when the task objectives are specified over longer time horizons, and (2) how can we verify if the closed-loop system with a given neural controller satisfies given STL objectives. We review completed work in which we show how discrete-time STL (DT-STL) specifications lend themselves to a smooth neuro-symbolic encoding that enables the use of gradient-based methods for control design. We also show how a type of neuro-symbolic encoding of DT-STL specifications can be combined with neural network verification tools to provide deterministic guarantees. We also review how neural network encoding of the environment dynamics can help us combine statistical verification techniques with formal techniques for reachability analysis.Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Navid Hashemi
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AME Seminar
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Jian Cao, Northwestern
Talk Title: Physics-based AI-assisted Design and Control of Manufacturing Processes
Abstract: Current research efforts at my manufacturing group aim to advance the capability to co-design materials and manufacturing processes using hybrid physics-based and data-driven approaches. In this talk, I will demonstrate our work in the development of differentiable simulation tools, sensing, and process control to achieve effective and efficient predictions and control of a material’s mechanical behavior in metal additive manufacturing processes. Furthermore, I will show how we use machine learning to accelerate the physics-based simulations and to realize active sensing with the goal of effective in-situ local process control. Our solutions particularly target three notoriously challenging aspects of the process: long history-dependent properties, complex geometric features, and the high dimensionality of their design space. The approaches are applicable to other manufacturing processes as well, such as flexible incremental forming.
Biography: Cardiss Collins Professor Jian Cao (MIT’Ph.D, MIT’MS, SJTU’BS) specialized in innovative manufacturing processes and systems, particularly in the areas of deformation-based processes and laser additive manufacturing processes. She is the Founding Director of the research center on Manufacturing Science and Innovation at Northwestern, known as NIMSI.
Prof. Cao is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAA&S). She is a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), ASME, the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) and SME. Her major awards include DoD Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship, ASME Ted Belytschko Applied Mechanics Award, the inaugural ASME Devor-Kapoor Manufacturing Medal, Hideo Hanafusa Outstanding Investigator Award for Flexible Automation, ASME Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal, Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award from ASME and Pi Tau Sigma, SME Gold Medal, and SME Frederick W. Taylor Research Medal. Cao was the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Materials Processing Technology.
Prof. Cao now serves as an Associate Vice President for Research at Northwestern, a member of the National Materials and Manufacturing Board of the National Academies, a member of the Defense Materials, Manufacturing and its Infrastructure (DMMI) Standing Committee of the National Academies, Board of Directors of SME, and Board of mHUB – accelerator for hardtech innovation and manufacturing in Chicago.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 202
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/96060458816?pwd=8LmoG2q6vBCQubqqWpcizd2F1bxqsH.1
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
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ECE Pioneer Series: Ming Hsieh
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 03:30 PM - 05:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Ming Hsieh, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Talk Title: From Rural Northeastern China to the American National Academy of Engineering: The Transformative Journey of a Young Boy Empowered by Interdisciplinary Electrophysics & Electrical Systems Education
Series: ECE Pioneer Series
Abstract: This seminar traces the transformative journey of Ming Hsieh, from his early education in rural Northeastern China to becoming a distinguished member of the American National Academy of Engineering. Hsieh’s passion for engineering began at the age of 14 in 1970, deeply influenced by his father, an electrical engineer and scientist, who was dedicated to bringing electricity to rural villages in Northern China. Beginning his studies in Semiconductor Physics/Devices at Southern China University of Technology in 1978, Hsieh shifted his academic focus after transferring to the University of Southern California (USC) in 1981. Under the mentorship of Professor Kurt Lehovec in the Electrical Engineering (EE) Electrophysics group, Hsieh integrated the disciplines of electrophysics and electrical systems. This interdisciplinary education laid the foundation for his professional career, where he pioneered innovations at the intersection of physics and systems. His work, ranging from deploying large-scale biometric systems to accelerating breakthroughs in biomedical research and cancer therapeutics, demonstrates the transformative power of a unified approach to engineering and science. Through his story, Hsieh exemplifies how a robust, interdisciplinary education can lead to groundbreaking advancements with a global impact.
Biography: Ming Hsieh, BSEE ’83, MSEE ’84, is co-founder, president, CEO and chairman of the board of Cogent, Inc., one of the top providers of fingerprint identification systems in the United States. His generous gift of $35 million was the largest ever to name an engineering department in the United States. Ten years later, his endowment continues to set the course for electrical engineering’s expansion into new realms of human invention. As our field grows, so too does the quality of our academic standards and the ability of our graduates to meet the challenges of today's global community.
Below is a sampling of stories and events related to Dr. Hsieh:
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (2006-2016): The Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Read about some of our department's greatest achievements in the decade since Ming Hsieh's gift. https://magazine.viterbi.usc.edu/fall-2016/whats-next/greatest-hits-vol-1-2006-2016-the-ming-hsieh-department-of-electrical-engineering/
Q+A: Ming Hsieh - On the 10th anniversary of his naming gift to the USC Viterbi Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ming Hsieh spoke about the department, cancer research and his desire to give back. https://magazine.viterbi.usc.edu/fall-2016/whats-next/qa-ming-hsieh/
Putting a Fingerprint on Electrical Engineering - Cogent, Inc. co-founder and Viterbi School alumnus Ming Hsieh has given $35 million to name the School's oldest and most prominent department. Read this cover story about him from the Fall/Winter 2006 USC Viterbi Engineer magazine. https://viterbi.usc.edu/news/news/2006/putting-a-fingerprint.htm
Viterbi School Celebrates a Momentous Gift to Name the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - The Viterbi School celebrates a record-breaking gift and naming of the third department in its history at a red-carpet ceremony held in the Ronald Tutor Hall Courtyard. https://viterbi.usc.edu/news/news/2006/usc-alumnus-ming.htm
Host: Dr. Richard Leahy, leahy@usc.edu
More Information: Screenshot 2024-10-23 at 10.59.36 AM.png
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - EEB 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Cathy Huang
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Industry Talk with PlayWerks & WhizGirls Academy CEO
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
This event is for Viterbi engineering students only. Please register on Handshake.
Join this industry talk with Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia!
Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia will be sharing her journey on how she got her dream job through an informational interview with her future boss at Mattel, her work on Barbie in research and as the head of Research for the Bratz line and Brand Manager as well as having an existential crisis and meeting Deepak Chopra and Simon Sinek who gave her clues and her transition to becoming a tech entrepreneur as current founder and CEO of PlayWerks and WhizGirls Academy.Location: Virtual Event
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://usc.joinhandshake.com/
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WIE - Project Management Workshop
Wed, Oct 23, 2024 @ 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Workshops & Infosessions
Are you interested in being a project manager? Join our project management panel with professionals from Tiktok, Hyundai and MIGSO-PCUBED and learn more about their day-to-day. Dinner will be provided!
Location: Sign into EngageSC to View Location
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Thelma Federico Zaragoza
Event Link: https://engage.usc.edu/WIE/rsvp?id=400548
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NL Seminar-Mission: Impossible Language Models
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Julie Kallini, Stanford University
Talk Title: Mission: Impossible Language Models
Abstract: REMINDER: Meeting hosts only admit on-line guests that they know to the Zoom meeting. Hence, you’re highly encouraged to use your USC account to sign into Zoom. If you’re an outside visitor, please inform us at (nlg-seminar-host(at)isi.edu) to make us aware of your attendance so we can admit you. Specify if you will attend remotely or in person at least one business day prior to the event Provide your: full name, job title and professional affiliation and arrive at least 10 minutes before the seminar begins. If you do not have access to the 6th Floor for in-person attendance, please check in at the 10th floor main reception desk to register as a visitor and someone will escort you to the conference room location. ZOOM INFO: https://usc.zoom.us/j/97400245543?pwd=uo9TL9Ss4TA4Wa4TPtfDQnedE7Va8B.1 Meeting ID: 974 0024 5543 Passcode: 407395 Chomsky and others have very directly claimed that large language models (LLMs) are equally capable of learning languages that are possible and impossible for humans to learn. However, there is very little published experimental evidence to support such a claim. Here, we develop a set of synthetic impossible languages of differing complexity, each designed by systematically altering English data with unnatural word orders and grammar rules. These languages lie on an impossibility continuum: at one end are languages that are inherently impossible, such as random and irreversible shuffles of English words, and on the other, languages that may not be intuitively impossible but are often considered so in linguistics, particularly those with rules based on counting word positions. We report on a wide range of evaluations to assess the capacity of GPT-2 small models to learn these uncontroversially impossible languages, and crucially, we perform these assessments at various stages throughout training to compare the learning process for each language. Our core finding is that GPT-2 struggles to learn impossible languages when compared to English as a control, challenging the core claim. More importantly, we hope our approach opens up a productive line of inquiry in which different LLM architectures are tested on a variety of impossible languages in an effort to learn more about how LLMs can be used as tools for these cognitive and typological investigations.
Biography: Julie Kallini is a second-year Computer Science Ph.D. student at Stanford University advised by Christopher Potts and Dan Jurafsky. Her research spans several topics in natural language processing, including computational linguistics, cognitive science, interpretability, and model architecture. Julie's work is generously supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, the Stanford School of Engineering Graduate Fellowship, and the Stanford EDGE Fellowship. Before starting her Ph.D., Julie was a software engineer at Meta, where she worked on machine learning for advertisements. Julie graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University with a B.S.E. in Computer Science and a minor in Linguistics.
Host: Jonathan May and Katy Felkner
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/research-groups-nlg/nlg-seminars/
Webcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDMUu8rrgV8Location: Information Science Institute (ISI) - Conf Rm#689
WebCast Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDMUu8rrgV8
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Pete Zamar
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/research-groups-nlg/nlg-seminars/
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PhD Dissertation Defense - Neal Lawton
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 @ 01:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
Title: Learning at the Local Level
Date: Thursday, October 24, 2024
Time: @ 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: DMC 160
Committee: Aram Galstyan, Greg Ver Steeg, Bistra Dilkina, and Assad Oberai
Abstract
In this dissertation, I present a perspective of machine learning that views feature learning as the fundamental strategy by which deep machine learning models learn to solve complex problems: when trained to perform one specific task, deep machine learning models tend to learn generalizable features that are useful for solving many different tasks. In this way, deep machine learning models learn at a local level by automatically breaking down complex problems into simple relevant subproblems. I then present a diverse collection of works that put this perspective into action to design better machine learning algorithms. These works include efficient optimization algorithms, including an algorithm for block-free parallel inference in exponential families (Chapter 2) and a novel second-order algorithm for training neural networks (Chapter 3); algorithms for efficient neural architecture search (NAS), including a morphism-based NAS algorithm for growing neural networks (Chapter 4) and a pruning-based NAS algorithm for finding more parameter-efficient PEFT architectures (Chapter 5); and algorithms for efficient fine-tuning of large language models, including an algorithm for increasing the performance of fine-tuning quantized models (Chapter 6) and a joint fine-tuning algorithm for retrieval augmented generation (RAG) pipelines (Chapter 7).Location: DMC 160
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Ellecia Williams
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Viterbi - Interview Success: Turning Interviews into Offers
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
This event is for Viterbi engineering students only. Please register through Handshake.
Receiving an offer is exciting, but should you accept it right away? Learn an offer's ins and outs to ensure you get the best compensation package. Join Viterbi Career Connections for "Increase Your Salary: Evaluating & Negotiating Your Job Offer," an interactive workshop designed to help you evaluate and get the most out of your offer.
In this interactive session, you will:
Assess how well a job offer matches your expectations.
Understand the components of a job offer, including salary, benefits, bonuses, and more.
Discover how to assess the full value of a job offer, considering both financial and non-financial aspects.
Learn negotiation techniques to discuss better compensation and benefits.
Learn how to articulate your value and negotiate without compromising the job offer.
Participate in a role-playing exercise to practice your negotiation skills and receive feedback.
Walk away with action items and resources, making you confident in your offer negotiation skills.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://usc.joinhandshake.com/
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Whiting-Turner Contracting Information Session
Thu, Oct 24, 2024 @ 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
This event is for Viterbi engineering students only. Please register on Handshake in order to attend the event.
Come meet & greet with project managers from The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Dinner will be provided and opportunities for internships & full-time construction engineer positions discussed.
Degree Levels: Bachelors, Masters
Majors: Civil Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Material Science
Are you able to potentially sponsor or hire on CPT/OPT? Unfortunately, NoLocation: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 211
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://usc.joinhandshake.com/
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EiS Communications Hub - Tutoring for Engineering Ph.D. Students
Fri, Oct 25, 2024 @ 10:00 AM - 02:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Come to the EiS Communications Hub for one-on-one tutoring from Viterbi faculty for Ph.D. writing and speaking projects!
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Viterbi Ph.D. Students
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
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Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Oct 25, 2024 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Summer Decker and Dr. Jonathan Ford, Director Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization Grace Whisler Endowed Professor in Medicine Professor of Clinical Radiology, Surgery, and Pathology/ Dr. Ford, Associate Director of the Center and Associate Professor in Clinical Radiology, Surgery,
Talk Title: Personalized Medicine for a 3D Patient
Abstract: 3D medical technologies are revolutionizing healthcare and allowing for more personalized medicine and rapid innovation in the hospital setting. New USC faculty members, Dr. Summer Decker and Dr. Jonathan Ford, established one of the nation’s most recognized point-of- care 3D teams at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. They will present on their work in validating the technologies, their medical innovations, and clinical impact as well as discuss their new USC Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization in the Keck School of Medicine.
Biography: Dr. Summer Decker - Biography
Summer J. Decker, PhD, is the inaugural director of the Center for Innovation in Medical Visualization at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine as where she is the Grace Whisler Endowed Professor in Medicine and holds appointments in Clinical Radiology, Surgery and Pathology.
Dr. Decker graduated with her doctorate in medical sciences from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in 2010 specializing in Pathology and Medical Imaging (Clinical Radiology) and then spent 12 years as the founder and director of the 3D Clinical Applications Division in the USF Health Department of Radiology at Tampa General Hospital. She served as the department’s Vice Chair of Radiology for Research and Innovation and associate radiology residency program director. She also held appointments in the Departments of Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Pathology as well as in the USF College of Engineering’s Department of Medical Engineering. Their 3D team worked with physicians at Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, as well as the James A Haley VA and Bay Pine VA hospitals. Under her leadership, the USF/TGH 3D Clinical Applications lab gained world renown as one of the most innovative 3D medical labs globally.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Decker led a national team that designed and developed a 3D printed nasopharyngeal swab for COVID diagnostics to address the international crisis in testing due to global supply chain shortages, which has been used in more than 60 countries. It was recognized by Fast Company’s the 2021 World Changing Idea Award finalist. For her work, she has won several humanitarian awards including the United States Patent and Technology Office’s 2023 Patents for Humanity Award, the Arthur P. Gold Foundation 2021 National Champions of Healthcare award, as well as the International FormLabs Impact Award for her work’s impact on humanity and healthcare through 3D technologies.
Dr. Decker serves on the Board of the International Society of Forensic Radiology and Imaging where she is the senior associate editor for the journal Forensic Imaging and associate editor of the journal, 3D Printing in Medicine. She was appointed to the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)’s Science Council and serves as the co-chair of the RSNA’s Vice Chairs for Research Committee. She currently serves on the Board as Vice Chair of the RSNA’s 3D Special Interest Group where she leads also leads the Education Committee, as well as the president-elect for the Association of Academic Radiology (AAR)’s Radiology Research Alliance. She currently serves as a 3D Printing Advisor for the American College of Radiology’s Committee on Reimbursement.
Dr. Jonathan Ford - Biography
Dr. Jonathan Ford is the inaugural associate director of the Center for Advanced Visualization Technologies in Medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine He holds appointments in Clinical Radiology, Surgery and Pathology as an associate professor. He also holds appointments in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and USC School of Cinematic Arts.
Dr. Ford graduated with his doctorate in Engineering from the University of South Florida College of Engineering in 2013 specializing Biomedical Engineering. He then spent over 10 years as the technical director of the 3D Clinical Applications Division in the Department of Radiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine and Tampa General Hospital. He also held an associate professor appointment in the USF College of Engineering, Department of Medical Engineering. The team, led by Dr. Summer Decker, worked with physicians at Tampa General Hospital, Moffitt Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, as well as the James A. Haley VA and Bay Pine VA hospitals.
He holds multiple patents from his work in 3D modeling and printing. He also serves as an advisor for numerous industry and society committees such as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) where he helps lead the Healthcare Additive Manufacturing Advisory Group. His work has won international awards and recognitions including the International FormLabs Impact Award for his work’s impact on humanity and healthcare through 3D technologies
Working with Dr. Decker as a team for more than a decade, they have been able to build their 3D Clinical Applications lab into one of the most innovative 3D medical labs globally.
Host: Qifa Zhou
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 109
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
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Program Analysis for Block-Based Learners Programs
Fri, Oct 25, 2024 @ 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Prof. Gordon Fraser, PhD, Computer Science Professor - University of Passau, Germany
Talk Title: Program Analysis for Block-Based Learners Programs
Abstract: Programming is increasingly taught using dedicated block-based programming environments such as Scratch. While the use of blocks instead of text prevents syntax errors, learners can still make semantic mistakes implying a need for feedback and help. While professional programmers receive this support from efficient program analyses built into their IDEs, block-based programming environments offer no such support. In this talk I will describe some of our efforts to remedy this issue, ranging from static source code linting, search-based testing, interrogative debugging, automated program repair, to neural program analysis. The colourful and small nature of learners’ programs is deceiving, as the game-like, highly concurrent and event-driven nature of the programs poses unique challenges for these analyses.
This lecture satisfies the requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium.
IN-PERSON LECTURE ONLY
Biography: Gordon Fraser is a full professor in Computer Science at the University of Passau, Germany. He received a PhD in computer science from Graz University of Technology, Austria, in 2007, worked as a post-doc at Saarland University, and was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield, UK. The central theme of his research is improving software quality, and his recent research concerns the prevention, detection, and removal of defects in software.
Host: Prof. William GJ Halfond, PhD
Location: Corwin D. Denney Research Center (DRB) - 146
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
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ISSS - Dr. Hyun-Sik Kim, Friday, October 25th at 2pm in EEB 132 and Zoom
Fri, Oct 25, 2024 @ 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Hyun-Sik Kim, Associate Professor, KAIST
Talk Title: Exploring Ways to Maximize Efficiency and Performance in Low-Dropout (LDO) Regulators
Series: Integrated Systems
Abstract: Low-dropout (LDO) regulators are ideal off- and on-chip solutions for powering noise-sensitive loads due to their ripple-less output. LDOs also have many benefits over switch-mode dc-dc converters, such as rapid transient response, excellent power supply rejection (PSR), and compact footprint. Unfortunately, they suffer from an inescapable disadvantage: poor power efficiency; this is primarily caused by a considerable dropout voltage (VDO). Reducing VDO to improve efficiency often leads to a significant drop in LDO's regulation performance. Because of this, most LDOs are designed with a large VDO, making them perceived as energy-consuming components of power management systems. This talk will delve into effective ways to extremely minimize the dropout voltage without compromising performance, aiming for energy-efficient LDO regulators. We will begin with a thorough investigation of operational principles, analyses, and strategies, exploring trade-offs among key performance metrics. Next, several promising approaches to realizing energy-efficient LDO regulators will be investigated, including traditional digital LDOs, a dual-rail analog/digital-hybrid LDO, a triode-region LDO, and a voltage/current-hybrid (VIH) LDO. Finally, the technical merits and flaws of each high-efficiency LDO topology will be investigated by comparing them. In this talk, I will also share my insights from my experience developing the VIH LDO regulator that achieves 98.6% efficiency and a -75dB PSR at 30kHz.
Biography: Hyun-Sik Kim is currently an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea. He received his B.S. degree (Hons.) in electronic engineering from Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea, in 2009, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from KAIST, in 2011 and 2014, respectively. His research interests include the CMOS analog-integrated circuit designs, with an emphasis on display drivers, power managements, and sensory readout chips. Prof. Kim was a recipient of two Gold Prizes in the 18th and 19th Samsung Human-Tech Paper Awards in 2012 and 2013, respectively, the IEEE SSCS Pre-Doctoral Achievement Award in 2014, the IEEE SSCS Seoul Chapter Best Student JSSC Paper Award in 2014, and the KAIST Technology Innovation Award in 2022. He served as a Guest Editor for the IEEE SOLID-STATE CIRCUITS LETTERS (SSC-L) and was a member of the Technical Program Committee (TPC) for the IEEE Asian Solid-State Circuits Conference (A-SSCC) from 2016 to 2023. He is currently serving on the TPC for the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) and is the TPC Subcommittee Chair for the IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC). He has been appointed as a Distinguished Lecturer (DL) in the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS) for the term 2024-2026.
Host: MHI - ISSS, Hashemi, Chen and Sideris
More Info: https://usc.zoom.us/j/92995535728
More Information: MHI_Seminar_Flyer_Kim_Oct25_2024.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Marilyn Poplawski
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/92995535728