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Events for the 1st week of December
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Meet USC: Admission Presentation, Campus Tour, & Engineering Talk
Mon, Nov 28, 2011
Viterbi School of Engineering Undergraduate Admission
Receptions & Special Events
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 8:30 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. Please visit https://esdweb.esd.usc.edu/unresrsvp/MeetUSC.aspx to check availability and make an appointment. Be sure to list an Engineering major as your "intended major" on the webform!
Location: Ronald Tutor Campus Center (TCC) - USC Admission Office
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Viterbi Admission
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On Campus Freshmen Admission Interviews continue...
Mon, Nov 28, 2011
Viterbi School of Engineering Undergraduate Admission
Receptions & Special Events
Personal Admission Interviews are available to freshmen applicants throughout the Fall practically every weekday until December 9, 2011. Freshman applicant interviews are not required as part of the admission process, however we would like to meet as many of our applicants as possible. All interview appointments are scheduled online. http://viterbi.usc.edu/admission/freshman/interviews/
Audiences: Freshmen Applicants for Fall 2012
Contact: Viterbi Admission
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Human Error Analysis for System Safety (HEASS)
Mon, Nov 28, 2011 @ 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Aviation Safety and Security Program
University Calendar
System safety analysis of engineered systems must often deal with the possibility of human error leading to adverse conditions. Hence human error probability evaluation is an important part of system safety. This course presents a summary of the methods and underlying theory for estimating human error probabilities.
Location: Aviation Safety & Security Campus
Audiences: Aviation Professionals
Contact: Harrison Wolf
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Seminars in Biomedical Engineering
Mon, Nov 28, 2011 @ 12:30 PM - 01:50 PM
Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Eun Jin Lee, BME, Neuroscience
Talk Title: Principles for the Re-engineering of Photoreceptor Mosaics in Retinal-degeneration Disorders
Host: BME Department
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 122
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Mischalgrace Diasanta
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Epstein Institute Seminar Series / ISE 651 Seminar
Tue, Nov 29, 2011 @ 04:00 PM - 05:20 PM
Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Daniel D. Frey, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Talk Title: "Detecting Mistakes in Engineering Models: The Effects of Experimental Design"
Series: Epstein Institute Seminar Series
Abstract: This seminar will focus on the results of an experiment with human subjects to explore their ability to discover a mistake in a model used for engineering design. For the purpose of this study, a known mistake was intentionally placed into a model that was to be used by engineers in a design process. The treatment condition was the experimental design that the subjects were asked to use to explore the design alternatives available to them. The engineers in the study were asked to improve the performance of the engineering system and were not informed that there was a mistake intentionally placed in the model. Fourteen of the twenty seven engineers who pursued the design by varying one factor at a time independently identified the mistake during debriefing after the design process. Only one of the twenty seven engineers who used a factional factorial experimental design independently identified the mistake during debriefing. Regression analysis shows that relevant domain knowledge improved the ability of subjects to discover mistakes in models, but experimental design had a larger effect than domain knowledge in this study. Analysis of video tapes provided additional information about the likelihood of subjects to appear surprised by data from a model. This experiment suggests that the complexity of factor changes during the design process is a major consideration influencing the ability of engineers to critically assess models.
Biography: Daniel D. Frey is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Systems, He currently serves as a Co-director of the Singapore-MIT International Design Center, a large-scale ($100M) effort to undertake significant design projects and simultaneously to learn from them how to improve the design process. Freyâs main research thrust concerns robust design of engineering systems. Robust design is a set of engineering practices whose aim is to ensure that engineering systems function despite variations due to manufacture, wear, deterioration, and environmental conditions. Frey is also actively involved in design of engineering devices for the developing world.
Professor Frey has received an NSF CAREER award, best paper awards from ASME, INCOSE, and IEEE, two R&D 100 Awards, and several teaching awards. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado, and a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Host: Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
More Information: Seminar-Frey.doc
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - Room 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Georgia Lum
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Seminar with AME Chair Geoffrey Spedding
Tue, Nov 29, 2011 @ 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Viterbi School of Engineering Student Organizations
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Geoffrey Spedding , AME department chair
Talk Title: Bird Design and Aircraft Evolution
Abstract: Alternative flying machines (in the sense that they differ from our usual designs) can be invented, or studied. In all cases, it is reasonable to wonder whether a particular design is optimal, or perhaps what it is optimal for. Definitions of optimality quickly become complex: âminimum drag:lift ratio for n passengers that allows our company to outcompete our rival(s)â or âsomething that can be grown fast, still works when 50% of
the aft surfaces are missing, and that fits in a nestâ. We will consider two examples of flying devices, one evolved and one invented, and we will look for parallels that exist
between them, or perhaps ought to. The talk will also attempt to make specific connections with basic classes we teach/learn from at USC.
Biography: Education:
1981 Ph.D. in Zoology (with Civil Engineering Department) from the Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, Bristol, England.
1978 B.Sc.(Hons, 1st class) in Zoology from the Department of Zoology, University of Bristol, Bristol, England.
USC Academic Positions:
2010-: Professor and Chairman, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
2005-2008: Professor, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
1998-2005: Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
1994-1998: Research Associate Professor, Departments of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
1988-1994: Research Assistant Professor, Departments of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering; Member of Center for Neural Engineering
1981-1988: Research Associate, Departments of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Other Professional Positions:
2008-2009: Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
1998-: Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Sweden.
1997: Stagiaire, Coriolis Research Laboratories, Institute de Mécanique Grenoble, France.
Host: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics with co-host Sigma Gamma Tau
More Information: USC_AIAA_GRS_Abstract_Nov29.pdf
Location: SAL 101
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: -- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Damage Assessment for System Safety (DASS)
Wed, Nov 30, 2011 @ 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Aviation Safety and Security Program
University Calendar
Sophisticated mathematical models and methods have been developed to estimate the level of impact of a hazardous condition. This course is intended to provide an overall understanding of these methods to help managers and system safety analysis reviewers understand the analysis conducted and results obtained by the experts in the field.
Location: Aviation Safety & Security Campus
Audiences: Aviation Professionals
Contact: Harrison Wolf
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Seminar in Astronautical Engineering
Wed, Nov 30, 2011 @ 12:00 PM - 01:50 PM
Astronautical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: De. William M. Owen, Jr., Member of JPL;s Optical Navigation Group
Talk Title: How to Give Presentations and Write Papers
Abstract: This seminar will describe and demonstrate important communication skills for every engineer or anyone:
⢠Tactics for coping with stage fright
⢠Mastering the 3 Bs of presentation (be clear, be concise and be seated)
⢠Organization of your ideas
⢠Tips for writing professional-looking papers
Biography: Dr. Owen is a member of JPLâs Optical Navigation Group since 1979. He has navigated missions from Voyager and Galileo through NEAR Shoemaker, Cassini and Deep Impact to EPOXI and Stardust/NExT when he was not busy obtaining his own astrometric observations of âanything up there that moves.â He holds a B.S. from Caltech, M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Florida, all in astronomy, and likes to say that he has one leg on either side of the razor blade which divides science from engineering.
Host: Department of Astronautical Engineering
More Information: ASTE Seminar (Dr. Owen) 11.30.pdf
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 122
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Ana Olivares
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Astani CEE Department Seminar
Wed, Nov 30, 2011 @ 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Jose C. Borrero, Ph.D., ASR Marine Consulting and Research, Raglan, New Zealand; Adjunct Assistant Professor, USC -Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Talk Title: Modelling âPollution Pathwaysâ From Seashore Litter to Oceanic Garbage Gyres:
Abstract:
Transforming Scientific Investigations into Tools for Education and Raising Awareness
This presentation will discuss a recent project designed to convert technical output from scientific investigations into education and outreach materials aimed at raising public awareness of the environmental hazards associated with oceanic plastic pollution and floating debris.
The project began with our participation on a research cruise across the South Atlantic Ocean, one of several recent and ongoing research voyages aimed at documenting and quantifying the distribution and concentration of plastic pollution within the five subtropical convergence zones (also known as gyres or âgarbage patchesâ) of the World Ocean. Samples of floating debris were collected along the route from Rio de Janeiro to Ascension Island using both standard and high-speed tow trawls along the shipâs path.
Following the voyage, we began an investigation into existing literature describing marine debris, plastic pollution and the formation of the oceanic garbage gyres. Noting a gap in existing models, we focused on developing a model linking realistic representations of debris released in to the oceanic environment and the formation of the accumulation zones. To accomplish this, a global oceanic circulation model was coupled to a Lagrangian particle-tracking model to simulate the input, transport and accumulation of floating debris. The volume of material introduced into the model is based on factors such as coastal population density and watershed area and is assumed to increase with time.
Using hindcast data sets of global oceanic currents to drive the circulation, the modeling results clearly show the formation of five accumulation zones in the subtropical latitudes of the major ocean basins. The relative size and concentration of each clearly illustrate the dominance of the accumulation zones in the northern hemisphere, while smaller seas surrounded by densely populated areas are also shown to have a high concentration of floating debris. We also determine the relative contribution of different source regions to the total amount of material in a particular accumulation zone.
This study provides a framework for describing the transport, distribution and accumulation of floating marine debris which can be scaled to focus on regional effects and can be continuously updated and adapted to assess scenarios reflecting changes in the production and disposal of debris worldwide. The output from our study is currently being used to develop unique interactive tools and web-based âexperiencesâ designed to raise public awareness of this issue.
Biography: Dr. Borrero has earned his Ph.D. in civil (coastal)engineering from the University of Southern California in 2002. Since 2006 he has worked with ASR Ltd., a consulting firm based in Raglan New Zealand, specializing in hydrodynamic modelling of aquatic systems, the design and implementation of innovative shore protection schemes and the design and construction of artificial surfing reefs.
Host: Dr. Patrick Lynett
Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209 Conference Room
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Evangeline Reyes
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AME Department Seminar
Wed, Nov 30, 2011 @ 03:30 PM - 04:30 PM
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Barnaby Wainfan, Technical Fellow, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. Redondo Beach, CA 90278.
Talk Title: The Very Light Car
Abstract: The Edison2 Very Light Car is the most efficient highway-capable 4-seat car in history. In 2010, the Very Light Car won the Mainstream Class of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize. The 4-seat VLC achieved over 100 MPG combined, while demonstrating highway-capable performance. Mr .Wainfan will discuss the design and development of the car, and the future of the VLC project and efficient road transport.
Host: Dr. Geoff Spedding
More Info: http://ae-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcomingLocation: Seaver Science Library (SSL) - 150
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: April Mundy
Event Link: http://ae-www.usc.edu/seminars/index.shtml#upcoming
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Real-Time Brain-Machine Interface Architectures: Neural Decoding from Plan to Movement
Thu, Dec 01, 2011 @ 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Maryam M. Shanechi, Harvard Medical School, MIT EECS, Massachusetts General Hospital
Talk Title: Real-Time Brain-Machine Interface Architectures: Neural Decoding from Plan to Movement
Abstract: Developing brain-machine interfaces (BMI) that aim to enable motor function in patients with movement disabilities is an active area of research in computational neuroscience and neuroengineering. BMIs work by recording the neural activity, mapping or decoding it into a motor command, and then controlling a device such as a robotic arm. Research in this area has largely focused on the problem of restoring the original motor function. However, performance of such BMIs needs to be significantly improved before they become clinically viable. Moreover, while developing high-performance BMIs with the goal of matching the original motor function is indeed valuable, a compelling goal is that of designing BMIs that can surpass original motor function. In this work, I first develop a novel real-time BMI for restoration of natural motor function and then introduce a BMI architecture aimed at enhancing original motor function. I demonstrate the successful implementation of both these designs in rhesus monkeys.
To facilitate the restoration of lost motor function, I develop a two-stage decoder to decode jointly the target and trajectory of a reaching movement.
First, the decoder predicts the intended target from the spiking activity prior to movement. Second, it combines the decoded target with the spiking activity during movement to estimate the trajectory. The second stage uses an optimal feedback-control design that emulates the sensorimotor processing underlying actual motor control and directly processes the spiking activity using point process modeling in real time. I show that the two stages of the BMI result in a significantly more robust and accurate estimation of movement than is possible by using either stage alone or by using common regression approaches.
To enable enhancement of the original motor function, I introduce a real-time concurrent BMI architecture for performing complex tasks that involve a sequence of planned movements. In contrast to a traditional BMI, in this architecture, the BMI decodes all the elements of the sequential motor plan concurrently from working memory prior to movement. This in turn allows the BMI to analyze the complete sequence before action and find potential ways to perform the task more effectively, such as more quickly, than is possible by natural movement. I demonstrate the feasibility of such a concurrent architecture and that indeed sequential motor plans can be decoded simultaneously, accurately, robustly, and in advance of movement.
Biography: Maryam M. Shanechi received the B.A.Sc. degree with honors in
Engineering Science from the University of Toronto in 2004 and the S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2006 and 2011, respectively. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow with joint appointments at Harvard Medical School, MIT EECS, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Her research interests are at the interface of computational neuroscience, statistical signal processing, and
information and control theories. She has received various awards for academic achievement including the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) gold medal and the Wilson Medal. She is the recipient of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) doctoral fellowship and the Hewlett-Packard (HP) doctoral scholarship.
Host: Alice C. Parker
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Annie Yu
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Meet USC: Admission Presentation, Campus Tour, & Engineering Talk
Fri, Dec 02, 2011
Viterbi School of Engineering Undergraduate Admission
Receptions & Special Events
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 8:30 a.m. and again at 12:30 p.m. Please visit https://esdweb.esd.usc.edu/unresrsvp/MeetUSC.aspx to check availability and make an appointment. Be sure to list an Engineering major as your "intended major" on the webform!
Location: Ronald Tutor Campus Center (TCC) - USC Admission Office
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Viterbi Admission
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Integrated Systems Seminar Series
Fri, Dec 02, 2011 @ 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Dr. Reid Harrison, Intan Technologies, LLC
Talk Title: Designing Low-Power Integrated Circuits for Neural Sensing Applications
Host: Hossein Hashemi
More Information: Seminar_Speaker_Harrison_2011_12_2.pdf
Location: Hughes Aircraft Electrical Engineering Center (EEB) - 248
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Hossein Hashemi