Title: Cyberinfrastructure for forward prediction and inversion estimation with uncertainty quantification

Seminar Speaker: Dr. Mengyang Gu, Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, University of California, Santa Barbara

Abstract: In this talk, we introduce four useful tools for forward prediction and inversion estimation. The first tool is the parallel partial Gaussian process surrogate model for emulating expensive computer simulations with massive coordinates. The tool is implemented in the RobustGaSP package available in R, MATLAB, and Python, for predicting both scalar- and vector-valued outputs with uncertainty assessment. The second tool is implemented in the RobustCalibration package, which handles Bayesian data inversion or model calibration by one or multiple types of experimental observations. A unique feature of the package is the inclusion of fast surrogate models of both scalar- and vector-valued computer simulations that bypass the expensive simulation in one line of code. The third tool is implemented in the AIUQ package, available in both R and MATLAB. In this approach, we show that differential dynamic microscopy, a scattering-based analysis tool that extracts dynamical information from microscopy videos, is equivalent to fitting the temporal auto-covariance in Fourier space, based on a latent factor model we construct. We develop a more efficient estimator and reduce the computational cost to pseudolinear order with respect to the number of observations without approximation, by utilizing the generalized Schur algorithm for the Toeplitz covariance. In the last tool, we developed a new method called the inverse Kalman filter, which enables fast matrix-vector multiplication between a covariance matrix from a dynamic linear model and any real-valued vector with a linear computational cost. These new approaches outline a wide range of applications that include emulating expensive simulation at molecular-, meso- and macro-scales, active learning with error control, nonparametric estimation of particle interaction functions, and data inversion from microscopy and velocity fields.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://bnl.zoomgov.com/j/1606285496?pwd=2yJYSG6lx8gMPiibzgAIBQtKHIjuHV.1
Meeting ID: 160 628 5496
Passcode: 472506

The Art Department is hosting a guest artist exhibition, featuring the work of Young Maeng.

The Opening Reception will be held on October 10th at 5 PM.

Additionally, Young Maeng will be giving a talk on 'AI and Painting' on Oct 9 at 4:30 PM at the Future Histories Studio.

Exhibition Location: Gallery Unbound, 3rd Floor, Staller Center, Stony Brook University

Abstract:

What is the nature of linguistic knowledge, and how is it acquired from limited data? In recent years, the program of subregular linguistics has identified formal language classes expressive enough to account for most phenomena in natural language but also sufficiently limited to be efficiently learned from positive data. An advantage to these formal learning algorithms is that they come with mathematically proven guarantees about their performance, and it is easy to reason about how and why they behave the way they do.

In this talk, I discuss the Multi Tier-based 2-Strictly Local Inference Algorithm (MT2SLIA), which probably learns the syntactically relevant class of 2-Factor Muti Tier-based Strictly Local (2FMSTL) tree languages. This algorithm efficiently learns from a polynomially-sized sample of positive data by identifying missing substructures and generalizing these as constraints over tiers in a principled manner.

I will introduce a working prototype implementation of this algorithm and demonstrate its behavior on a curated sample of natural language data to show how it can learn relevant syntactic patterns.

Bio:

Logan Swanson is a third year PhD student in the Department of Linguistics at Stony Brook University. He is advised by Dr. Jefferey Heinz and Dr. Thomas Graf. His interests include learning theory, computational syntax, and language change. His current research focuses on understanding the learning-theoretic elements of natural language by designing, implementing, and testing learning algorithms for linguistically relevant formal language classes.

*Please note: this seminar will be held in person (IACS Seminar Room w/ food provided) and online.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/95707958315?pwd=6ITUJ0ffCXjRJb4wpt0KMDTApfSLZ0.1

Meeting ID: 957 0795 8315
Passcode: 920473

University Libraries Present: AI as Author? New Considerations When Evaluating Sources.
In this workshop, librarian Christine Fena will review some ways AI is being integrated into published work within the worlds of news and scholarly publication, and discuss how this might impact how to evaluate and understand sources during the research process.
10/2 12:30-1:30 pm on Zoom.
Register via link: https://stonybrook.campuslabs.com/engage/event/10460202

Zoom Link: https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/98533029054?pwd=5FXO6lWGTJssCADEYkYbA7sjaacPRX.1

Meeting ID: 985 3302 9054

Passcode: 436997

Abstract:

Semantic segmentation, the task of assigning a semantic label to each pixel in an image, is a fundamental problem in the field of Computer Vision. with crucial applications in domains like autonomous driving, drone imagery and medical image analysis. Despite advancements in deep learning architectures, state-of-the-art models still heavily depend on large-scale pixel-level annotations, which are costly and time-consuming to acquire. To address this issue, Semi-Supervised Segmentation (SSS) has emerged as a promising solution, leveraging a small set of labeled images alongside a larger corpus of unlabeled data to reduce the annotation burden. In this proposal, I aim to investigate the challenges of SSS and propose approaches to address them. Existing SSS methods rely on a teacher-student framework to generate pseudo-labels for unlabeled images, which are then used for model training. However, this approach presents two major challenges. Pixel-level consistency fails to effectively capture contextual information, and pseudo-labels are noisy, especially in the early stages of training. To address the challenge of noisy pseudo-labels, existing methods rely on confidence-based thresholding to identify reliable pseudo-labels. However, during early training phases, when the model is poorly calibrated, this approach can select high-confidence but noisy pseudo-labels. To address this, we propose a novel approach that reduces reliance on model confidence to select reliable pseudo-labels. Our method employs an ensemble of a segmentation model and an object detection model to select more reliable pseudo-labels, which are then used to weight pseudo-labels using rank statistics, reducing the influence of noisy labels in training. Next, to address both the challenge of capturing contextual information and noisy pseudo-labels I introduce a novel Multi-scale Patch-based Multi-label Classifier (MPMC), which incorporates patch-level contextual information and reduces the impact of noisy pixel pseudo-labels by using the predictions of the patch-level Multi-label classifier to detect noisy labels, enhancing overall segmentation performance. While my work so far has focused on effectively utilizing unlabeled data to improve segmentation performance, as part of our future work, I will explore the use of textual information, such as category descriptions, for segmentation tasks. In limited labeled data scenarios it is more challenging to align visual features with textual features from large language models (LLMs).

Are you tired of drowning in a sea of resumes and losing top talent in the hiring whirlwind? Transform your hiring process through a different lens and learn about AI in the Workplace and the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Whether you're a recent graduate seeking your first job or an undergraduate student looking to delve into more career-oriented opportunities, this workshop by SBU Career Center is designed to equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to succeed.

Register here: https://stonybrook.joinhandshake.com/stu/events/1568133?

As generative AI tools become increasingly prevalent in education, their impact on collegiate writing raises important questions about creativity, academic integrity, and effective teaching practices. This panel brings together faculty and students to share perspectives on the opportunities and challenges that AI presents in an academic setting. Through an open dialogue, participants will engage in meaningful conversations, allowing for a deeper understanding of each other's viewpoints and fostering collaboration. Students and faculty will explore diverse ways AI can be used in teaching and learning and seek solutions to utilize AI writing tools ethically. This exchange aims to build a community of trust and shared knowledge, ensuring that AI's role in education is both innovative and responsible.

Register here: https://stonybrook.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAqdOitpjIpHtDGAsGBfEb3ah0YIzhIJolN


Join University Libraries for an engaging panel discussion where we delve in and learn about the impacts of artificial intelligence on the 2024 US elections! Panelists are Paige Lord, Tom Costello, and Musa al-Gharbi. The discussion will be moderated by Library Dean, Karim Boughida. Co-sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Initiatives.

Please RSVP for Democracy in the Digital Age: AI's Influence on 2024 Elections here.

Abstract:

It is known that models like large language models (LLMs) can often suggest colloquial plans given verbal descriptions of tasks, yet they are unable to reliably provide executable and verifiable plans given formally specified environments. In this talk, I will discuss a strand of efforts to have LLMs generate accurate and explainable plans in textual simulations. Instead of directly generating the plan or actions, LLMs are prompted to generate Planning Domain Definition Language (PDDL) that specifies the environment (domain file) and the task (problem file), which can then be deterministically solved with an off-the-shelf planner. In a 3-phase study, my collaborators and I first observed that it is possible but very challenging for LLMs to generate long-form code such as PDDL domain and problem files given textual specifications. Next, we devise methodologies for LLMs to iteratively generate and refine problem files while exploring a partially-observed, simulated, textual environment. Finally, we show that domain files are even more difficult to generate correctly, even on well-established planning tasks such as BlocksWorld. Finally, I will discuss ongoing efforts to improve said ability of structured generation and promising frontiers to explore.

Bio:
Li Harry Zhang is an assistant professor at Drexel University, focusing on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI). He obtained his PhD degree from the University of Pennsylvania advised by Prof. Chris Callison-Burch. Prior, he obtained his Bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan mentored by Prof. Rada Mihalcea and Prof. Dragomir Radev. His current research uses large language models (LLMs) to reason and plan via symbolic and structured representations. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers in NLP and AI conferences, such as ACL, EMNLP, and AACL, that have been cited more than 1,000 times. He also consistently serves as Area Chair, Session Chair, and reviewer in those venues. Being a musician, producer, and content creator having over 50,000 subscribers, he is also passionate in the research of AI music and creativity.

Launching a University-Wide AI Innovation Institute:

Last spring, the Office of the Provost led a group of over 30 faculty, staff, and administrators to consider how we can expand and leverage our strengths in AI research and discovery. The resulting recommendation was to launch a university-wide AI Innovation Institute (AI3), which would expand the Institute for AI-driven Discovery and Innovation established in 2018 from a department-level institute within the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) to the university-wide AI Innovation Institute reporting to the provost.

As a university-wide enterprise, the AI Innovation Institute (AI3) is intended to accelerate, coordinate, and organize AI innovation and education across Stony Brook. The institute will serve to empower the entire university community and beyond, catalyzing core AI research, curriculum innovation, and societal change in the ever-evolving landscape of knowledge work.

The AI Town Hall, led by AI3 Interim Director Skiena, is an open house event that will provide an overview of the major AI initiatives on campus, including the new AI Seed Grant program and Stony Brook's role in New York State's Empire AI program. The session will include time for questions and discussion about the future of AI at Stony Brook.