Abstract: Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems empower large language models (LLMs) to access external knowledge during inference. Recent advances have enabled LLMs to act as search agents via reinforcement learning (RL), improving information acquisition through multi-turn interactions with retrieval engines. However, existing approaches either optimize retrieval using search-only metrics (e.g., NDCG) that ignore downstream utility or fine-tune the entire LLM to jointly reason and retrieve--entangling retrieval with generation and limiting the real search utility and compatibility with frozen or proprietary models. In this work, we propose s3, a lightweight, model-agnostic framework that decouples the searcher from the generator and trains the searcher using a Gain Beyond RAG reward: the improvement in generation accuracy over naïve RAG. s3 requires only 2.4k training samples to outperform baselines trained on over 70 × more data, consistently delivering stronger downstream performance across six general QA and five medical QA benchmarks.

Speaker: Peter Zeng

Location: CS2311

Description:

Curious about what AI image generation tools are out there and how they work? Come down to the library Galleria space (outside the Central Reading Room) to see some demonstrations and learn more about them.

Librarians Chris Kretz and Ahmad Pratama, along with David Ecker of DoIT, will be hosting Explore AI demos from Monday - Wednesday this week on different topics. Whether you're new to AI or an experienced user, stop by and take a look!

Location: Library Galleria

Abstract: In this talk, we take a step back and argue that many varied and seemingly unrelated attacks on the web are actually symptoms of one deeper problem that has existed since the web's inception. Whether it is attacks due to expired domain names, cloaking done by malicious websites, malvertising, or even our growing distrust of the news can be largely attributed back to the issue of stateless linking. Stateless linking refers to the absence of any integrity guarantees between the time that a link for a remote resource was created, to a future time when this link is resolved by web clients. We draw on 10+ years of research to demonstrate how stateless linking and the resulting lack of content integrity is the true culprit for many of our past, current, and likely future web problems. Successfully tackling this one really challenging problem, has the potential of solving many of our web woes.

Bio: Nick Nikiforakis is affiliated with the National Security Institute. He received his PhD in Computer Science from KU Leuven in Belgium. He received his MSc, in Parallel and Distributed Systems and BSc in Computer Science from the University of Crete, Greece. His research focuses on web security and privacy, software security, and intrusion detection.

Location: NCS 120
The SUNY Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development (ORIED) is hosting a webinar, Pathways to Innovation: Exclusive STEM Opportunities for Students at Premier Labs, with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Griffiss Institute and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL).

Please join us on October 30 from 12:30 - 2:00 pm to learn more about the labs and the wide variety of research, education, and workforce development programs they offer.

Register here: https://rfsuny.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fjWNU9l8Sr6WO_M3AoZ-Rw?mc_cid=50c2045945&mc_eid=357e15f9df#/registration
Join a faculty development program to support instructors across campus with navigating/integrating AI in their courses. We're inviting interested faculty to participate in the grant project called Fostering Writing-to-Learn Skills with Critical AI Literacy: A Faculty Development and Student Support Program (funded through the AI3 Institute).

Time commitment and completion requirements :

  • Attend four sessions and a final symposium on the following dates/times:

    • Friday, September 12 from 11am - 12:30pm over Zoom

    • Friday, September 26 from 11am - 12:30pm over Zoom

    • Friday, October 10 from 11am - 12:30pm over Zoom

    • Friday, October 24 from 11am - 12:30pm over Zoom

    • Friday, November 14 from 10am - 1pm in Wang 201 - please note that this is an in person session only

  • Engage with online materials in Brightspace prior to each of the sessions (mainly to update a syllabus, assignment, or teaching strategy that you can share and discuss at the workshop)

Contact: Shyam Sharma, Christine Fena, and Rose Tirotta-Esposito with questions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b51tvfK0HSOkCW7cwYq2nyyeeHtvBZYC7_XHv7Av8wQ/edit?tab=t.0

Join us at the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) for an engaging workshop on Generative AI. This Zoom workshop is designed for faculty and staff members seeking to enhance their teaching methods and assessment strategies, foster student engagement, and navigate the evolving landscape of AI tools. Recording and slides will be sent to you.

Register here: https://stonybrook.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qceisrjsrE9w1QtMkvSVw4lmr4h4x_Vqu