USC - Viterbi School of Engineering

Sep
16

Meet USC: Admission Presentation, Campus Tour, & Engineering Talk
Wed, Sep 16, 2009
Viterbi School of Engineering Undergraduate Admission
Workshops & Infosessions

This half day program is designed for prospective freshmen and family members. Meet USC includes an information session on the University and the Admission process; a student led walking tour of campus and a meeting with us in the Viterbi School. Meet USC is designed to answer all of your questions about USC, the application process and financial aid.Reservations are required for Meet USC. This program occurs twice, once at 9:00 a.m. and again at 1:00 p.m. Please visit http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/visit/meet_usc.html to check availability and make an appointment. Be sure to list an Engineering major as your "intended major" on the webform!
Location: USC Admission Center
Audiences: Prospective Freshmen and Family Members - RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Contact: Viterbi Admission
Sep
16

A Class of Restless Bandit Problems: Indexability and Optimality of Whittles Index
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars

Dr. Qing Zhao
Assoc. Professor
U.C. Davis
Abstract:
The long‐standing multi‐armed bandit problem (MAB), propounded in early 1930's, was
solved by Gittins almost 40 years later in late 1960's when he established the simple
index structure of the optimal policy. In 1988, Whittle generalized MAB to the so‐called
restless multi‐armed bandit problem (RMAB) to take into account system dynamics that
cannot be directly controlled. Gittin's index policy is no longer optimal, and RMAB has
been shown to be PSPACE‐hard in general.
In this talk, we present a brief history of bandit problems and some recent results on a
special class of RMAB. We show that this class of RMAB is indexable, and Whittle's index
policy has a simple semi‐universal structure and achieves optimality.
This class of RMAB is particularly relevant to cognitive radio, user/server scheduling,
and optimal activation in multi‐agent systems.
Bio:
http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/~qzhao/
Qing Zhao received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering in 2001 from Cornell
University, Ithaca, NY. In August 2004, she joined the Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering at UC Davis where she is currently an Associate Professor.
Her research interests are in the general area of dynamic systems and communication
networks. She received the 2000 Young Author Best Paper Award from IEEE Signal Processing
Society and the 2008 Outstanding Junior Faculty Award from the UC Davis College of
Engineering.
Host: Bhaskar Krishnamachari
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Shane Goodoff
Sep
16

Ocean Modeling, Prediction and Energy Harvesting
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars

Speaker: Dr. Yi Chao, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of TechnologyAbstractOcean circulation and variability involve multi-scales in both space and time. To correctly model the ocean therefore requires a multi-scale (or nested) modeling approach so that both the local fine-scale features and the global large-scale patterns are simultaneously resolved. This talk will describe a hierarchy of nested models resolving both the Pacific Ocean climate variability with a relatively coarse resolution (on the order of 10-km) and several coastal regions off the U.S. west coast with a spatial resolution as fine as 1-km. Advanced data assimilation algorithms have been developed to integrate the available observations from different sensors and platforms in a statistical optimal but dynamically consistent manner. Results from several field experiments will be described to test and validate the developed ocean prediction system. Preliminary results to integrate the physics/dynamics with biogeochemistry, marine ecosystem and fish will be described. Possibilities to extend this ocean forecast system to the climate time scale (e.g., El Nino) will be discussed.
The ocean prediction skill is limited by how well ocean can be measured on the routine basis. While ships are expensive to operate, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) have to be frequently recovered for battery change/recharging. Prototyping a fundamentally new platform that can be deployed underwater over a long period of time is described. The idea is to extract the local renewable thermal energy in the ocean to power both the vehicle including navigation/communication and scientific sensors. A Phase Change Material (PCM) has been identified. It can be melted in warm waters at sea level and frozen in cold waters at deeper ocean depths. This melting/frozen process will generate a significant volume change and therefore a high-pressure fluid that can drive a hydraulic motor for power generation. The potential for this robotic vehicle in monitoring long-term ocean and climate change will be presented. Commercial applications to harvest ocean energy will also be discussed.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - rielian 209/ on WEBEX
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes
Sep
16

Meet the Chair: U.G.
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 03:30 PM - 05:00 PM
Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars

If you are a new, current, or prospective student in CSCI, CECS, CSBA, or CSGM, please join us for our annual New Student Welcome/Meet the Chair - an afternoon of food and conversation with our new Chairman, Dr. Shang-Hua Teng.This event is designed to be both an introduction to the department for our new students and an open forum for all to ask questions, express concerns, and make suggestions to your Chair and academic advisors.This is a great opportunity for you to help shape the future of our program!Hope to see you all there. PLEASE RSVP by Monday, September 14 athttp://www.cs.usc.edu/MeetTheChair/Pizza and drinks will be served!
Location: James H. Zumberge Hall Of Science (ZHS) - 159
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: CS Front Desk
Sep
16

Global Health: Back to the Future
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
University Calendar

LECTURE SERIES - VISIONS FOR CHANGE - USC GLOBAL HEALTH"Global Health: Back to the Future"Alfred Sommer, MD, MHSDean Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthSeptember 16: UPC Town and Gown BallroomThe lecture will be held from 5:00pm-6:30pm and followed by a reception. To RSVP and for further information call 323-865-0419 or email global.health@usc.eduSPEAKER BIO:Alfred Sommer, MD, MHS - World-renowned for his research in child survival, blindness prevention, and
the interface between public health and clinical medicine, Dr. Al Sommer will share his experiences in the field and present his perspective on the future of global public health. Dr. Sommer's discovery that a low-cost, high dose of vitamin A increases child survival is estimated to have saved over
six million lives worldwide. Dr. Sommer is Dean Emeritus and Professor of Epidemiology, Ophthalmology, and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Sommer received his MD from Harvard Medical School (1967) and his Master of Health Science in Epidemiology from
the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (1973). He has published 5 books and over 300 scientific articles; has received numerous awards including the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Research, the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize, and the Duke Elder International Gold Medal for Contributions to
Ophthalmology.
Location: UPC Town & Gown Ballroom
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Georgia Lum
Sep
16

Global Health: Back to the Future
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
University Calendar

Lecture Series - Visions for Change - USC Global Health"Global Health: Back to the Future"Alfred Sommer, MD, MHSDean Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthSeptember 16: UPC Town and Gown BallroomThe lecture will be held from 5:00pm-6:30pm and followed by a reception. To RSVP and for further information call 323-865-0419 or email global.health@usc.eduSPEAKER BIO:Alfred Sommer, MD, MHS - World-renowned for his research in child survival, blindness prevention, and
the interface between public health and clinical medicine, Dr. Al Sommer will share his experiences in the field and present his perspective on the future of global public health. Dr. Sommer's discovery that a low-cost, high dose of vitamin A increases child survival is estimated to have saved over
six million lives worldwide. Dr. Sommer is Dean Emeritus and Professor of Epidemiology, Ophthalmology, and International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Sommer received his MD from Harvard Medical School (1967) and his Master of Health Science in Epidemiology from
the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health (1973). He has published 5 books and over 300 scientific articles; has received numerous awards including the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Research, the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize, and the Duke Elder International Gold Medal for Contributions to
Ophthalmology.
Location: UPC Town & Gown Ballroom
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Georgia Lum
Sep
16

SWE Meet and Mingle - Cisco Systems
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Organizations
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars

Location: TBA
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Society of Women Engineers
Sep
16

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) General Body Meeting
Wed, Sep 16, 2009 @ 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Organizations
Student Activity

All of you are welcome to attend NSBE's next bi-weekly General Body Meeting on Wednesday, September 16, at 6:30 P.M., in Kaprielian Hall (KAP) room 144.
Thank you to those who attended the First General Body Meeting back on September 2nd. It was lots of fun.This week at our meeting, there will be free Pasta Roma and drinks! The topic of our meeting will be about professional development. Since the Viterbi Career Services is hosting Technical Résumé Workshops on today (2:00-2:30, RTH 211) and Thursday (4:00-4:30, RTH 211), we ask that you bring your résumé (if you have one) to Wednesday's General Body Meeting for peer review. Also, we will be discussing the upcoming Viterbi Career Conference.From November 20 to November 22, NSBE Region Six is having the Fall Regional Conference in Long Beach. We will discuss planning for this conference Wednesday and future meetings. Please visit NSBE Online or this website for more information.This year, the NSBE chapter dues will be a one-time payment of $30. It must be paid by Friday, October 2. You can pay either at a General Body meeting, or on weekdays, pay Maggie at the Center for Engineering Diversity front desk at Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH) room 210. If you write a check, make it out to USC NSBE.Also, if you want to register online and get official NSBE national membership (this is optional), it is an annual membership fee of $10, and you can register and pay at this website. Microsoft offers lots of free software to all NSBE members who register online, so registering online is a pretty good deal.
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 144
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: NSBE National Society of Black Engineers