Select a calendar:
Filter October Events by Event Type:
SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT
Events for the 4th week of October
-
Min Family Challenge Application Closes!
Sun, Oct 22, 2023 @ 11:59 PM - 11:59 PM
Viterbi Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Student Activity
MFC is accepting applications! The 2023-2024 Min Family Challenge season has officially begun. We are currently accepting applications until Sunday, October 22, 2023 @ 11:59pm. All USC students are invited to participate, although each team must have at least one current Viterbi student (undergrad or grad). The maximum number of team members is 5. Each team will participate in educational sessions, workshops, and meetings with mentors throughout the academic year. This year's Min Family Challenge begin with a Kickoff on November 8, 2023 and culminate with a Finals Showcase on April 17, 2024.
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Jason Ordonez
Event Link: https://airtable.com/appBsKwv6nCjaKrSd/shrFKqU2hWWhXbO6t
-
Welcome to Gartner Consulting - "Ace the Case" Bootcamp (Day 1)
Mon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 09:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Day 1 - Oct. 23, 9-10 AM, 12-1 PM PST
Day 2 - Oct. 27, 9-10 AM, 10-11 AM, 12-1 PM PST
Virtual, RSVP HERE: https://flows.beamery.com/gartner/gartner-consulting--ace-the-case--bootcamp-rvffgwzdeg
Representatives from Gartner Consulting will host an "Ace the Case Bootcamp" for Graduate students. This will be a two-part virtual event series where students will first learn how to best approach a case study interview and discuss ways to be successful. Following these presentations, students will be given a take-home case to put theory into practice.
Session 2 will consist of breakout rooms where students will work through their prepared case study presentation to receive feedback from a Gartner consultant.
Monday, October 23rd - Part 1 overview presentation (choose 1 session to attend)
Option 1: 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern
Option 2: 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern
Friday, October 27th - Part 2 small group breakout sessions (choose 1 session to attend)
Option 1: 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern
Option 2: 1:00-2:00 pm Eastern
Option 3: 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern
Due to high levels of interest, registration will be limited. Completing this form indicates your interest in participating but is not a confirmation. On October 18th, you will receive an update on your status.
Once confirmed, you are expected to attend both parts live. After confirmation if you are unable to attend both parts, please contact us so we can move a student from the waitlist forward.
External employer-hosted events and activities are not affiliated with the USC Viterbi Career Connections Office. They are posted on Viterbi Career Connections because they may be of interest to members of the Viterbi community. Inclusion of any activity does not indicate USC sponsorship or endorsement of that activity or event. It is the participant’s responsibility to apply due diligence, exercise caution when participating, and report concerns to vcareers@usc.edu">vcareers@usc.eduLocation: Virtual Event
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://flows.beamery.com/gartner/gartner-consulting--ace-the-case--bootcamp-rvffgwzdeg
-
Communications Hub: Writing and Speaking for PhD Students - Drop In HoursMon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Viterbi Ph.D. Students!
Need help with academic and professional writing and speaking tasks? Viterbi faculty at the Hub provide one-on-one help with journal and conference articles, dissertations, fellowship applications, and career communications!
Drop by RTH 222A on MWF 10am-1pm or make an online appointment via email at eishub@usc.edu.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Graduate
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
-
AI4Health Center: Cyrus Shahabi (USC) - Privacy-preserving Release of Location Data for Health Applications
Mon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Cyrus Shahabi, USC
Talk Title: Privacy-preserving Release of Location Data for Health Applications
Series: AI4Health Center
Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss how location data is crucial for various health applications, such as preparing for pandemics, finding early signs of Alzheimer's disease, and measuring human performance. At the same time, I will underscore the sensitivity of this data, exacerbated by growing privacy concerns, potentially hindering its accessibility. Therefore, I will survey various strategies aimed at protecting location privacy, all the while preserving the utility of these applications.
Of particular focus will be our utilization of advanced deep neural network techniques for the release of private aggregated location data and the generation of synthetic location visit sequences. Finally, I'll wrap up by discussing new ways to use location data in the future, along with the open challenges and questions we need to address.
Biography: Cyrus Shahabi is a Professor of Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, and Spatial Sciences; Helen N. and Emmett H. Jones Professor of Engineering; and the director of the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) at USC. He was also the chair of the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science at USC from 2017 to 2022. He was co-founder of two USC spin-offs, Geosemble Technologies and Tallygo. He authored two books and more than three hundred research papers in databases, GIS, and multimedia with 14 US Patents. Dr. Shahabi chaired the founding nomination committee of ACM SIGSPATIAL for its first term (2008-2011 term) and served as the chair of ACM SIGSPATIAL for the 2017-2020 term. He was an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems, IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, and VLDB Journal. He is currently Editor in Chief of PVLDB Vol. 17 (PC Chair of VLDB 2024) and on the editorial board of the ACM Transactions on Spatial Algorithms and Systems and ACM Computers in Entertainment. Dr. Shahabi is a recipient of the ACM Distinguished Scientist award, the U.S. Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the NSF CAREER award. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) and IEEE.
Host: Michael Pazzani (ISI)
More Info: https://www.isi.edu/events/4218/privacy-preserving-release-of-location-data-for-health-applications/
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: CS Faculty Affairs
Event Link: https://www.isi.edu/events/4218/privacy-preserving-release-of-location-data-for-health-applications/
-
CS Teaching Faculty Meeting
Mon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
Meeting for invited full-time Computer Science teaching faculty only. Event details emailed directly to attendees.
Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 322
Audiences: Invited Faculty Only
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
-
ZooX information Session
Mon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. Zoox is hosting an information session for both undergraduate and graduate students who are looking for an internship. We are looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team. Come learn about what we are doing in the autonomous vehicle industry! About our hiring interest:
-We are hiring for undergrad, grad, and PhD students
-We are open to hiring international students
External employer-hosted events and activities are not affiliated with the USC Viterbi Career Connections Office. They are posted on Viterbi Career Connections because they may be of interest to members of the Viterbi community. The inclusion of any activity does not indicate USC sponsorship or endorsement of that activity or event. It is the responsibility of the participant to apply due diligence, exercise caution when participating, and report concerns to vcareers@usc.edu
Location: Zoom
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvc-iuqT0tHdTRFMPerg7eWzDfCwNfkQkt
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
-
PhD Thesis Proposal - Pei Zhou
Mon, Oct 23, 2023 @ 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Proposal - Pei Zhou
Committee Members: Xiang Ren (Chair), Jay Pujara, Toby Mintz, Jesse Thomason, Jieyu Zhao
Title: Common Ground Reasoning for Communicative Agents
Abstract: Conversational AIs have received much attention due to the advent of large language model-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT. Recent studies have also focused on the potential of building AI agents that can interact with humans and the world. However, challenges remain unsolved for AI models to become capable communicative agents including understanding implicit intents and reaching goals. This thesis proposal outlines my research aiming to tackle these challenges by teaching models to reason to build common ground to become better communicators. Specifically, I focus on 1) enhancing conversational models with common ground knowledge; 2) modeling theory-of-mind capabilities to build goal-driven dialogue agents; and 3) augmenting planning capabilities in multi-round interactions. I will also discuss future directions including can we teach models to self-discover reasoning structures to adapt to unseen scenarios and can models benefit from memory modules to store and generate new insights from prior experienceAudiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/2065614640
-
Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition
Tue, Oct 24, 2023
Viterbi Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Student Activity
MEPC is accepting applications!
The 2023-2024 Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition (MEPC) season has officially begun.
We are currently accepting applications until Monday, November 6, 2023 @ 11:59pm.
All USC students are invited to participate, although each team must have at least one current Viterbi student (undergrad or grad). The maximum number of team members is 5.
Each team will participate in educational sessions, workshops, and meetings with mentors throughout the academic year. This year's MEPC programming will begin with a Kickoff on December 7, 2023.
https://viterbiinnovation.usc.edu/competitions-and-programs/mepc/Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Viterbi TIE
Event Link: https://viterbiinnovation.usc.edu/competitions-and-programs/mepc/
-
PhD Thesis Proposal - Xisen Jin
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Proposal - Xisen Jin
Committee Members: Xiang Ren (advisor), Jesse Thomason, Robin Jia, Mahdi Soltanolkotabi, Jieyu Zhao
Title: Building Updatable Language Model Systems in the Wild
Abstract: Building updatable language model systems has become a crucial challenge alongside the progress of large language models. In this thesis proposal, I will present my efforts on creating resources, developing efficient methods, and analyzing learning dynamics in updating language models. I will introduce two of my past works, focused on lifelong pretraining of language models and fusing knowledge of multiple models by merging their weights. I will then introduce my on-going study of analyzing and forecasting examples that will be forgotten by model updates to reduce forgetting that happens during the process of model updates.Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/92405014194?pwd=RlpqYzNKejZEQ1J1alhQYjBqN3dNZz09
-
CAIS Webinar: Beyond Datasets – How the Small Decisions We Make Affect The Tools We Build
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Nyalleng Moorosi, Senior Researcher at DAIR
Talk Title: Beyond Datasets -“ How the Small Decisions We Make Affect The Tools We Build
Series: CS Colloquium
Abstract: Data and our understanding of correctness and ground truth are a function of our history, culture and our position in society. In this talk, I wish to share with you some of the often nondocumented decisions we make as builders of machine learning tools and how they challenge the theory of building for all
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Nyalleng Moorosi is a senior researcher at DAIR, and her research interests are in understanding how we can build models which center populations often regarded as peripheral.
Register for the Zoom webinar here: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_evMt4EB7S9SVoq0XVzJ1yw
Host: CAIS
More Info: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_evMt4EB7S9SVoq0XVzJ1yw
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_evMt4EB7S9SVoq0XVzJ1yw
-
DREAM Industry Mentorship speaker series
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
USC Viterbi School of Engineering
University Calendar
DREAM (Direct Response to Engineers Aspirations from Mentors) connects students with high profile industry professionals from a variety of tech and destination companies who help them create a vision for their futures, align their careers around purpose, and build character in the context of growth, reinvention, and constant change. Industry mentors discuss how professional challenges present opportunities for character and leadership development. This event will feature global creative, marketing, and tech leader Tom Gilmartin, sharing insights from the evolution of his remarkable career as a creative director working with some of the most valuable brands in the world, including Meta, and his recent co-founding of Verses and Valleys advisory council for non-profits.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 105
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Elisabeth Arnold Weiss
Event Link: https://cglink.me/2nB/r392960
-
PhD Thesis Proposal - Ang Li
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Proposal - Ang Li
Committee Members: T. K. Satish Kumar (chair), Sven Koenig, Aiichiro Nakano, Emilio Ferrara, and John Carlsson
Title: Revisiting FastMap: New Applications
Abstract: FastMap was first introduced in the Data Mining community for generating Euclidean embeddings of complex objects. In this talk, I will first generalize FastMap to generate Euclidean embeddings of graphs in near-linear time: The pairwise Euclidean distances approximate a desired graph-based distance function on the vertices. I will then apply the graph version of FastMap to efficiently solve various graph-theoretic problems of significant interest in AI: including shortest-path computations, facility location, top-K centrality computations, and community detection and block modeling. I will also present a novel learning framework, called FastMapSVM, by combining FastMap and Support Vector Machines. I will then apply FastMapSVM to predict the satisfiability of Constraint Satisfaction Problems and to classify seismograms in Earthquake ScienceLocation: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 110
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/92891703811?pwd=MmhNQXJCY3ZhMTRlOGp0aWpBZkRsZz09
-
The 2nd Annual A.V. Balakrishnan Awards
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 02:30 PM - 04:15 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Receptions & Special Events
The A.V. 'Bal' Balakrishnan Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in the Mathematics of Systems was established by the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC) through a generous gift from Mrs. Sophia Balakrishnan honoring the memory of her late husband Professor A. V. 'Bal' Balakrishnan, a well-known researcher and Professor in the area of the Mathematics of Systems.
More information on the award can be found at https://sites.usc.edu/balakrishnan-library/awards/
______________________________
Please join us in celebrating this year's award recipient, Dr. Xudong Chen, Associate Professor of Electrical and Systems Engineering at the Washington University in St. Louis.
More info on this year's award recipient can be found at https://sites.usc.edu/balakrishnan-library/2023-a-v-balakrishnan-early-career-award-winner/
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
University Park Campus
Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH)
Ming Hsieh Boardroom, Room 526
Reception 2:00PM - 2:30PM
Remarks 2:35PM - 3:15PM
Awardee Lecture 3:15PM - 4:00PM
Award Presentation 4:00PM - 4:15PM
RSVP HERE: https://forms.gle/Lg97hSReznusEizN9
This event will be live-streamed and recorded over Zoom.More Information: 2023.10.24 Balakrishnan Awards - Invitation.pdf
Location: RTH 526
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Miki Arlen
-
Epstein Institute, ISE 651 Seminar Class
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 03:30 PM - 04:50 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Stefan Wild, Division Director, Applied Mathematics & Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
Talk Title: Optimization and Learning with Zeroth-Order Stochastic Oracles
Host: Dr. Giacomo Nannicini/Dr. Meisam Razaviyayn
More Information: October 24, 2023.pdf
Location: Social Sciences Building (SOS) - SOS Building, B2
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Grace Owh
-
CS Colloquium: Feng Qian (USC / ECE) - Towards Robust and Resource-efficient Immersive Content Streaming
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Feng Qian, USC / ECE
Talk Title: Towards Robust and Resource-efficient Immersive Content Streaming
Series: Computer Science Colloquium
Abstract: Compared to delivering regular 2D videos, streaming immersive content such as 360-degree panoramic videos, volumetric videos, and virtual/mixed reality (VR/MR) content presents distinct challenges due to their intensive network and compute resource consumption. In this talk, I will detail our team's journey over the past five years to boost the robustness, resource efficiency, and user experience of immersive content streaming. Our high-level design principles include adapting to the network & compute resources, integrating viewers' motion patterns, and harnessing the power of AI through edge computing. Backed up with real prototype implementation and field trials, our efforts make it feasible to stream high-quality immersive content to commodity mobile devices such as untethered smartphones and entry-level VR/MR headsets.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Feng Qian is an associate professor in the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California. His research interests cover the broad areas of intelligent mobile systems (including 5G/6G), virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) systems, cross-layer system design & analysis, application & transport layer protocols, and real-world system measurement. He obtained his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan. He received multiple awards including the AT&T Key Contributor Award, the Google Faculty Award, two ACM CoNEXT best paper awards (2016, 2018), the NSF CAREER Award, the Trustees Teaching Award, the DASH-IF Excellence Award, the Cisco Research Award, the ACM SIGCOMM Best Student Paper Award (2021), the Google Research Scholar Award, two ACM MobiCom best community paper awards (2022, 2023), and the Okawa Research Grant.
Host: CS Department
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 136
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: CS Faculty Affairs
-
Communications Hub: Writing and Speaking for PhD Students - Drop In Hours
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Viterbi Ph.D. Students!
Need help with academic and professional writing and speaking tasks? Viterbi faculty at the Hub provide one-on-one help with journal and conference articles, dissertations, fellowship applications, and career communications!
Drop by RTH 222A on MWF 10am-1pm or make an online appointment via email at eishub@usc.edu.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Graduate
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
-
PhD Thesis Defense - John Francis
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Proposal - John Francis
Committee Members: Mike Zyda, Carl Kesselman, Jernej Barbic, Scott Fraser, Kate White
Title: Neural Network Integration of Multiscale and Multimodal Cell Imaging Using Semantic Parts
Abstract: The structural modeling of cells can be accomplished by integrating images of cellular morphology from multiple scales and modalities using a parts based approach. In this thesis, we demonstrate a method for combining the statistical distribution of structures from x-ray tomography and fluorescence microscopy using neural networks to predict the localization of high resolution components in low resolution modalities by using the single cell as a shared unit of transferLocation: Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience (MCB) - 102
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/5585232420?pwd=QmZSRXI4NkdiMWtXWnp2Q2Q3N1pSdz09
-
PhD Thesis Defense - Georgios Papadimitriou
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Defense - Georgios Papadimitriou
Committee Members: Ewa Deelman (chair), Viktor Prasanna, Aiichiro Nakano
Title: Cyberinfrastructure Management For Dynamic Data Driven Applications
Abstract: Computational science today depends on complex, data intensive applications operating on datasets from a variety of scientific instruments. These datasets may be huge in volume, may have high velocity or both, raising a major challenge of how scientists can analyze these datasets. On the other hand, workflows processing these datasets might need to respond to changes in the processing load e.g, increases in data flow, in order to maintain a steady and predictable turnaround time.
In this thesis we present our efforts to improve the performance of these data intensive application systems. We develop new tools that extend the functionality offered by the CI, and we provide a methodology to capture end to end performance statistics of the data intensive workflows. Additionally, we evaluate how the choices during the acquisition and configuration of resources affect the performance of the data intensive workflows. Finally, we answer the fundamental question of how scientists can manage the CI and apply policies that can help their applications meet their constraints .e.g, turn around time, by avoiding network degradation. We develop methodologies that take place during the planning phase of the workflows, and can reduce their peak network requirements. We also develop active approaches that can be applied and reduce the per workflow network requirements during their execution, using a workflow ensemble manager and application aware software defined flows.
Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 213
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
-
Computer Science General Faculty Meeting
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Receptions & Special Events
Bi-Weekly regular faculty meeting for invited full-time Computer Science faculty only. Event details emailed directly to attendees.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 526
Audiences: Invited Faculty Only
Contact: Assistant to CS Chair
-
ZooX Information Session
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of artificial intelligence, robotics, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments.
Zoox is hosting an information session for both undergraduate and graduate students who are looking for an internship. We are looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team. Come learn about what we are doing in the autonomous vehicle industry!
Zoom Link: https://usc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvc-iuqT0tHdTRFMPerg7eWzDfCwNfkQkt#/registration
About our hiring interest: We are hiring for undergrad, grad, and Ph.D. students. We are also open to hiring international students
External employer-hosted events and activities are not affiliated with the USC Viterbi Career Connections Office. They are posted on Viterbi Career Connections because they may be of interest to members of the Viterbi community. Inclusion of any activity does not indicate USC sponsorship or endorsement of that activity or event. It is the participant’s responsibility to apply due diligence, exercise caution when participating, and report concerns to vcareers@usc.edu">vcareers@usc.eduLocation: Virtual Event
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvc-iuqT0tHdTRFMPerg7eWzDfCwNfkQkt#/registration
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
-
Photonics Seminar - Julia Gorsch & Andrea Steinfurth, Wednesday, October 25th at 2:30pm in EEB 132
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 02:30 PM - 04:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Julia Gorsch and Andrea Steinfurth, University of Rostock, Institute for Physics
Talk Title: Emulating photonic mesh lattices in coupled optical fiber loops
Series: Photonics Seminar Series
Abstract: The advancements in technology in the field of photonics allow for a precise control over the properties of light and its propagation. This makes experimental photonic platforms highly attractive not only for studying optical phenomena, but also for emulating effects from different fields of physics. By doing so, the underlying physical effect is isolated and transferred to a highly controllable but simplified environment. To make such photonic platforms even more versatile, the concept of synthetic dimensionality has been used as powerful tool to replace spatial dimensions with other degrees of freedom of the system. One of such experimental optical platforms is the coupled optical fiber loop setup, which encodes the spatial dimensions in time to emulate an optical mesh lattice. In this talk we will introduce this particular platform, its working principle, and how it can be adapted to support a large variety of different mesh lattices. The phenomena accessible for investigation on such lattices include topics such as non-Hermitian systems, topological effects, disordered systems, and nonlinear behavior, just to name a few. In the second part of this talk, two examples of recent research are presented in more detail. Firstly, non-Hermitian tailoring was used to observe constant-intensity waves as well as non-Hermitian induced transparency. Secondly, the non-Hermitian skin effect enabled the creation of a topological funnel for light. We will conclude with a brief overview of other topics that have been experimentally realized with the coupled optical fiber loop setup.
Biography: Julia Görsch:
- Master's degree in 2023 at University of Rostock, Institute of Physics
- PhD student since 2023 at University of Rostock, Institute of Physics, Experimental Solid-State Optics, Supervisor: Prof. Alexander Szameit
Andrea Steinfurth:
- Master's degree in 2020 at University of Rostock, Institute of Physics
- PhD student since 2020 at University of Rostock, Institute of Physics, Experimental Solid-State Optics, Supervisor: Prof. Alexander Szameit
Host: Mercedeh Khajavikhan, Michelle Povinelli, Constantine Sideris; Hossein Hashemi; Wade Hsu; Mengjie Yu; Wei Wu; Tony Levi; Alan E. Willner; Andrea Martin Armani
More Information: Gorsch and Steinfurth Flyer.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 132
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Marilyn Poplawski
-
AME Seminar
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Binil Starly, Arizona State University
Talk Title: Cyber-Manufacturing: Delivering Manufacturing Services Over Web 3.0
Abstract: Cybermanufacturing enables the shared use of networked manufacturing infrastructure to deliver manufacturing resources on-demand while maximizing capacity utilization, reducing consumption of natural and material resources, and reducing costs to product design and manufacturing. This talk will highlight three areas where our group has contributed to the understanding of Cybermanufacturing systems -“ 1) With the explosive growth of 3D product models, the data contained in them may be used to democratize access and broaden those who are able to engage in product design and manufacturing; 2) Understanding of manufacturing capability available over the entire US through Natural Language Processing (NLP), and its interface with Large Language Models (like BERT & GPT-4); 3) Identification and Verification of Machines in the context of a Distributed Web of machines. In the future, the digital connection across factories will also lead to Manufacturing Networks that are highly agile, distributed, and resilient while considering the long-term consequences of sustainable industrial performance. Emerging digital technologies such as Pervasive Sensing, Computational Intelligence, Edge-Fog-Cloud Computing, Digital Twins, Smart Automation, Intelligent Collaborative Robots etc., open new possibilities in the design of smart collaborative physical and digital networks of factories.
Biography: Binil Starly serves as the Founding School Director and Professor in the School of Manufacturing Systems & Networks, one of 8 Schools within the Ira. A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. He has over 20 years of experience in Digital manufacturing. His laboratory is working on technologies that merge the digital and the physical world towards advancing both discrete and continuous manufacturing. His work is supported by the US National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the Department of Defense. He has received the NSF CAREER award, SME 20 Most Influential Professors in Smart Manufacturing, SME Young Manufacturing Engineering Award (2011) and numerous teaching awards at the University of Oklahoma and North Carolina State University. His lab website is at: https://www.dimelab.org.
Host: AME Department
More Info: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
Webcast: https://usc.zoom.us/j/98121141178?pwd=VGEyaXVWYnRaazFYWUVhbVAycGVWQT09 Meeting ID: 981 2114 1178 Passcode: NhXrDOqQU8Location: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 202
WebCast Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/98121141178?pwd=VGEyaXVWYnRaazFYWUVhbVAycGVWQT09 Meeting ID: 981 2114 1178 Passcode: NhXrDOqQU8
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Tessa Yao
Event Link: https://ame.usc.edu/seminars/
-
DEN@Viterbi: How to Apply Virtual Info Session
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM
DEN@Viterbi, Viterbi School of Engineering Graduate Admission
Workshops & Infosessions
Join USC Viterbi representatives for a step-by-step guide and tips for how to apply for formal admission into a Master's degree or Graduate Certificate program. The session is intended for individuals who wish to pursue a graduate degree program completely online via USC Viterbi's flexible online DEN@Viterbi delivery method.
Attendees will have the opportunity to connect directly with USC Viterbi representatives and ask questions about the admission process throughout the session.
Register Now!WebCast Link: https://uscviterbi.webex.com/weblink/register/r30a3f47fe6a6728a62e6f64f57206ca6
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Corporate & Professional Programs
Event Link: https://uscviterbi.webex.com/weblink/register/r30a3f47fe6a6728a62e6f64f57206ca6
-
Computer Science Trivia Night
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 @ 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Student Activity
How much do you REALLY know about Computer Science? Join the Viterbi Learning Program for a fun CS Trivia Night -go head to head with fellow Computer Science students to prove you're #1! Winners will walk away with amazing prizes and everyone can enjoy FREE snacks!
Wednesday, October 25
5PM - 7PM @ RTH 222
RSVP Now: https://cglink.me/2nB/r392851Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Alex Bronz
Event Link: https://cglink.me/2nB/r392851
-
Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition
Thu, Oct 26, 2023
Viterbi Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Student Activity
MEPC is accepting applications!
The 2023-2024 Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition (MEPC) season has officially begun.
We are currently accepting applications until Monday, November 6, 2023 @ 11:59pm.
All USC students are invited to participate, although each team must have at least one current Viterbi student (undergrad or grad). The maximum number of team members is 5.
Each team will participate in educational sessions, workshops, and meetings with mentors throughout the academic year. This year's MEPC programming will begin with a Kickoff on December 7, 2023.
https://viterbiinnovation.usc.edu/competitions-and-programs/mepc/Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Viterbi TIE
Event Link: https://viterbiinnovation.usc.edu/competitions-and-programs/mepc/
-
Design Criteria for Human-Centered Natural Language Generation
Thu, Oct 26, 2023 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Information Sciences Institute
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Kaitlyn Zhou, Stanford University
Talk Title: Design Criteria for Human-Centered Natural Language Generation
Series: NL Seminar
Abstract: Abstract: REMINDER: Meeting hosts only admit guests that they know to the Zoom meeting. Hence, you are highly encouraged to use your USC account to sign into Zoom. If you are an outside visitor, please inform us at nlg DASH seminar DASH host AT isi DOT edu beforehand so we will be aware of your attendance and let you in. In-person attendance will be permitted for USC/ISI faculty, staff, students only. Open to the public virtually via the zoom link. Large language models have made substantial steps towards generating human-like language. However, this endeavor to mimic human language comes with potential drawbacks. By mimicking and appropriating human language, the systems produce language that inherits the harms and cognitive biases of humans while failing to ensure features like clarity and transparency. My research asks: how can generated language avoid the harms of natural language while supporting safe and collaborative human-AI collaboration? Starting with the researchers, I study the quality criteria of natural language generation, using mixed methods approaches to reveal design decisions made consciously and subconsciously by natural language generation by practitioners. Looking through datasets of natural language, I identify the origins of language appropriation and illustrate the safety risks mimicry has via the linguistic miscalibration of language models. Lastly, I study how humans perceive the appropriation of social behaviors such as politeness and refusal and the risks they may pose in chat settings. What I find throughout my research is that language models inappropriately appropriate the style, the use of linguistic cues, and the prosocial language of the human text they are trained on. My future work seeks to develop design criteria for generated language, centered on user-needs, to build training methods to achieve this goal.
Biography: Kaitlyn Zhou is currently pursuing her PhD in computer science at Stanford University, advised by Dan Jurafsky. Her research focuses on investigating the unintended consequences that stem from the appropriation of natural language by language models. Her work delves into various aspects, including the fairness implications associated with the evaluation of natural language generation, the linguistic miscalibration displayed by language models, and the misplaced overconfidence of publicly deployed chatbots. Kaitlyn has previously spent summers at Microsoft Research and the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence. She is funded by the Stanford Graduate Fellowship and her visualization techniques have gained recognition in prominent publications like The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In 2018, Kaitlyn was appointed by Washington State Governor Jay Inslee to the University of Washington Board of Regents.
Host: Jon May and Justin Cho
More Info: https://nlg.isi.edu/nl-seminar/
Webcast: https://youtu.be/bJC6PFxU99sLocation: Information Science Institute (ISI) - Virtual and ISI-Conf Rm#689
WebCast Link: https://youtu.be/bJC6PFxU99s
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Pete Zamar
Event Link: https://nlg.isi.edu/nl-seminar/
-
PhD Thesis Proposal - Jared Coleman
Thu, Oct 26, 2023 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
University Calendar
PhD Thesis Proposal - Jared Coleman
Committee Members: Dr. Bhaskar Krishnamachari (Chair), Dr. Rafael Ferreira da Silva, Dr. Jyotirmoy Deshmukh, Dr. Konstantinos Psounis, Dr. Murali Annavaram
Title: Dispersed Computing in Dynamic Environments
Abstract: Task scheduling is a fundamental problem in distributed computing and thus has received substantial scholarly attention. Most existing solutions, however, fall short of accommodating the dynamic and stochastic nature of modern dispersed computing systems (e.g., IoT, edge, and robotic systems). In this proposal, we present our existing work to address this gap and identify theoretical and practical research directions that would build upon our previous work to advance the current state-of-the-art in task scheduling for dynamic environmentsLocation: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Melissa Ochoa
Event Link: https://usc.zoom.us/j/92645861253?pwd=NmRaaE5IeXM0b3VHbEpXRUZzT1Yrdz09
-
CS Colloquium: Luca Luceri (ISI/USC) - AI-Driven Approaches for Countering Influence Campaigns in Socio-Technical Systems
Thu, Oct 26, 2023 @ 04:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Luca Luceri, ISI / USC
Talk Title: AI-Driven Approaches for Countering Influence Campaigns in Socio-Technical Systems
Abstract: The proliferation of online platforms and social media has sparked a surge in information operations designed to manipulate public opinion on a massive scale, posing significant harm at both the individual and societal levels. In this talk, I will outline a research agenda focused on identifying, investigating, and mitigating orchestrated influence campaigns and deceptive activities within socio-technical systems. I will start by detailing my research efforts in designing AI-based approaches for detecting state-backed troll accounts on social media. Modeling human decision-making as a Markov Decision Process and using an Inverse Reinforcement Learning framework, I will illustrate how we can extract the incentives that social media users respond to and differentiate genuine users from state-sponsored operators. Next, I will delve into a set of innovative approaches I developed to uncover signals of inauthentic, coordinated behaviors. By combining embedding techniques to unveil unexpected similarities in the activity patterns of social media users, along with graph decomposition methods, I will show how we can reveal network structures that pinpoint coordinated groups orchestrating information operations. Through these approaches, I will provide actionable insights to inform regulators in shaping strategies to tame harm, discussing challenges and opportunities to improve the resilience of the information ecosystem, including the potential for interdisciplinary collaborations to address these complex issues.
This lecture satisfies requirements for CSCI 591: Research Colloquium
Biography: Luca Luceri is a Research Scientist at the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) at the University of Southern California (USC). His research incorporates machine learning, data and network science, with a primary focus on detecting and mitigating online harms in socio-technical systems. He investigates deceptive and malicious behaviors on social media, with a particular emphasis on problems such as social media manipulation, (mis-)information campaigns, and Internet-mediated radicalization processes. His research advances AI/ML/NLP for social good, computational social science, and human-machine interaction. In his role as a Research Scientist at ISI, Luca Luceri serves as a co-PI of the DARPA-funded program INCAS, aiming to develop techniques to detect, characterize, and track geopolitical influence campaigns. Additionally, he is the PI of a Swiss NSF-sponsored project called CARISMA, which develops network models to simulate the effects of moderation policies to combat online harms.
Host: CS Department
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 136
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: CS Faculty Affairs
-
Roblox Trojan Talk
Thu, Oct 26, 2023 @ 06:15 PM - 08:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Working at Roblox: Early Careers, Product, and Generative AI
This workshop will cover the recruiting process at Roblox, the firsthand intern experience, the exciting happenings within the company, and a keynote from the director of our Generative AI product. There will also be time for Q&A, networking, and food!
Thurs, October 26th, 6:15-8 pm
Stauffer Science Lecture Hall (SHL) Room 101
Agenda:
6:00-6:30: Set up
6:30-6:45: Intro by Louis and Nnaemeka
6:45-7:10: Gen AI Presentation by Josh Anon
7:10-7:30: Q&A
7:30-8:00: Network
Target student majors: All degrees under Thomas Lord CS dept, including but not limited to:
CS (all, including CS games & CSBA)
DS (all, including comm DS)
Target student degree levels:
Bachelor's
Master's
PHDLocation: John Stauffer Science Lecture Hall (SLH) - 100
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
-
Welcome to Gartner Consulting - "Ace the Case" Bootcamp (Day 2)
Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ 09:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Career Connections
Workshops & Infosessions
Day 1 - Oct. 23, 9-10 AM, 12-1 PM PST
Day 2 - Oct. 27, 9-10 AM, 10-11 AM, 12-1 PM PST
Virtual, RSVP HERE: https://flows.beamery.com/gartner/gartner-consulting--ace-the-case--bootcamp-rvffgwzdeg
Representatives from Gartner Consulting will host an "Ace the Case Bootcamp" for Graduate students. This will be a two-part virtual event series where students will first learn how to best approach a case study interview and discuss ways to be successful. Following these presentations, students will be given a take-home case to put theory into practice.
Session 2 will consist of breakout rooms where students will work through their prepared case study presentation to receive feedback from a Gartner consultant.
Monday, October 23rd - Part 1 overview presentation (choose 1 session to attend)
Option 1: 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern
Option 2: 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern
Friday, October 27th - Part 2 small group breakout sessions (choose 1 session to attend)
Option 1: 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern
Option 2: 1:00-2:00 pm Eastern
Option 3: 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern
Due to high levels of interest, registration will be limited. Completing this form indicates your interest in participating but is not a confirmation. On October 18th, you will receive an update on your status.
Once confirmed, you are expected to attend both parts live. After confirmation if you are unable to attend both parts, please contact us so we can move a student from the waitlist forward.
External employer-hosted events and activities are not affiliated with the USC Viterbi Career Connections Office. They are posted on Viterbi Career Connections because they may be of interest to members of the Viterbi community. Inclusion of any activity does not indicate USC sponsorship or endorsement of that activity or event. It is the participant’s responsibility to apply due diligence, exercise caution when participating, and report concerns to vcareers@usc.edu">vcareers@usc.eduLocation: Virtual Event
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: RTH 218 Viterbi Career Connections
Event Link: https://flows.beamery.com/gartner/gartner-consulting--ace-the-case--bootcamp-rvffgwzdeg
-
Communications Hub: Writing and Speaking for PhD Students - Drop In Hours
Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ 10:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Workshops & Infosessions
Viterbi Ph.D. Students!
Need help with academic and professional writing and speaking tasks? Viterbi faculty at the Hub provide one-on-one help with journal and conference articles, dissertations, fellowship applications, and career communications!
Drop by RTH 222A on MWF 10am-1pm or make an online appointment via email at eishub@usc.edu.
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222A
Audiences: Graduate
Contact: Helen Choi
Event Link: https://sites.google.com/usc.edu/eishub/home
-
Lessons Learned from the past 30 Years of Research in Mental Health
Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Steven Siegel, Franz Alexander Chair in Psychiatry, Professor and Chair, Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
Talk Title: Lessons Learned from the past 30 Years of Research in Mental Health
Abstract: Dr. Steven Siegel, Franz Alexander Chair in Psychiatry, Professor and Chair, Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Talk Title: Lessons Learned from the past 30 Years of Research in Mental Health Abstract: Siegel will describe work he has done over the past 30 years. Topics will range from biodegradable polymer-based implants developed in his lab at Penn and now being used clinically under the auspices of Teva Uzedy. Additionally, he will discuss studies measuring signal processing of brain activity bridging the pathophysiology and etiology of psychosis using EEG and ECog in mice. He will also address collaborations both at Penn and USC in engineering, spanning biomedical engineering and material science, as well as his work as chief wellness officer for USCs health system, including a randomized control trial to understand healthcare professional wellness. Lastly, he will describe work in his department leading a massive proactive adaptive technology mental health screening tool for USC students including its impact on trainees in engineering.
Biography: Steven Siegel, is currently professor and chair of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences. He holds secondary appointments in neurological surgery as well as population and public health sciences. Prior to coming to USC, he was professor of psychiatry and bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania from 1996-2016.Steven Siegel earned his MD/PhD in Neurobiology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and completed residency and fellowship at UPenn, specializing in the treatment of psychosis. He is Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Chief Mental Health/Wellness Officer for Keck Medicine of USC. He has been involved in medical, undergraduate, and graduate education and mentored more than 160 trainees in neuroscience and bioengineering. His research has been supported by federal, state, foundation, and industry sources for more than 25 years. He has published over 175 manuscripts, book chapters and books related to drug abuse, schizophrenia and autism.
Host: Maral Mousavi
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 136
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Stephanie Perales
-
Alfred E.Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering - Seminar series
Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Meltzer, Dean, KSOM, Professor of Radiology
Talk Title: "T1.5: Keck School - Past, Present and Future"
Biography: Dr.Carolyn Meltzer is the Dean of the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the May S. and John H. Hooval Deans Chair in Medicine. Dean Meltzer is an expert in neuroradiology and nuclear medicine, and her research has focused on the brains structure and function during normal aging, dementia, Alzheimers disease, and psychiatric disorders in later life. She has received numerous recognitions for her work, including election as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the distinguished service award from the American Medical Association, and gold medal award from the American College of Radiology. She serves on the Council of Deans Administrative Board for the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Board of Directors for the Radiological Society of North America. Prior to her appointment at the Keck School, Dean Meltzer was the William P. Timmie Professor and Chair in the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the Emory School of Medicine, where she also served as Executive Associate Dean of Faculty Academic Advancement, Leadership and Inclusion; the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer; and the Associate Dean for Research. Dean Meltzer earned a bachelors in neurobiology with honors from Cornell University; a medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University; and completed residency and several fellowships at The Johns Hopkins University.
Host: Peter Yingxiao Wang- Chair of Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
More Info: zoom link available upon request
Location: Corwin D. Denney Research Center (DRB) - 145
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Carla Stanard
Event Link: zoom link available upon request
-
AME & ASTE - Study & Social
Fri, Oct 27, 2023 @ 03:00 PM - 05:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Affairs
Student Activity
Calling all Aerospace, Mechanical and Astronautical Grad & Undergrad students for a fun mixer at the Viterbi Learning Program study space!Meet people from your classes, socialize, study, and play games together. FREE FOOD will be provided! RSVP Here: https://cglink.me/2nB/r392895
Location: Ronald Tutor Hall of Engineering (RTH) - 222
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Alex Bronz
Event Link: https://cglink.me/2nB/r392895
