The Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT) will host the 16th International Conference on Emerging Technologies for a Smarter World (CEWIT2020) virtually on November 5, 2020. The conference will center on the four major fields which are penetrating our business and personal lives: Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Computational Medicine. For more info visit: https://www.cewit.org/.  

Abstract: Spectroscopy and imaging are two primary tools for probing material structures. However, the discovery of trends that guide the design of improved materials is often hindered by intertwined physical interactions or significant experimental noise. In this talk, I will present machine learning approaches that address both challenges. The first part focuses on the interpretation of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). We developed a controlled projection algorithm, RankAAE, which disentangles coupled structural descriptors in complex datasets and reveals analysis rules for inferring new structural information visually from spectra. The second part targets transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging of material structures. We developed a machine learning model capable of denoising extremely noisy images, while demonstrating strong out-of-distribution generalization. I will describe the construction of these models and demonstrate their effectiveness through representative scientific case studies.

Bio: Dr. Xiaohui Qu is a Staff Scientist in the Theory and Computation Group at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN), Brookhaven National Laboratory. His research focuses on developing interpretable machine learning and data analytics methods for materials science, with an emphasis on extracting structural insights from X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Dr. Qu earned his B.S. in Environmental Engineering and Ph.D. in Environmental Science from Shandong University, China, followed by postdoctoral research in Physics at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in Chemistry at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal, and in Materials at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Location: IACS Seminar Room


Event Details & Calendar Link (includes zoom info): https://calendar.stonybrook.edu/site/iacs/event/iacs-seminar-speaker--xiaohui-qu-brookhaven-national-lab/



Matthew Salzano (Stony Brook), AI and DEIA: Getting at the Roots

Link to the talk (no pre-registration required this time): https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/96209347479?pwd=Cs8fEfFdbXrGTC5cQgyHRb8Msh5vp8.1Meeting ID: 962 0934 7479 Passcode: 272489

Abstract: Conversations about AI and DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access) often unwittingly assume that social problems can and should have technical fixes. Left unaddressed, scholars, advocates, and technologists inevitably miss important consequences in our proposed solutions, and focus on surface-level problems rather than addressing the root causes of inequity. Drawing from scholarship in communication, rhetoric, and critical digital studies, this talk explains how we are often trimming branches when we need to pull out roots -- and introduces new terms and questions that can help reorient our conversations about AI and DEIA.

Speaker Bio: Matthew Salzano, Ph.D., is a communication scholar researching new media technologies, user practices, and cultural trends that threaten to limit possibilities for diverse engagement in public argument, debate, and protest. His scholarship has appeared in journals like The Quarterly Journal of Speech, Critical Studies in Media Communication, and Women's Studies in Communication, and his research on DEIA, AI, and advocacy communications has been funded by the Waterhouse Family Institute at Villanova University. He is currently an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access fellow in Ethical AI at Stony Brook University's School of Communication and Journalism and Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science.



New York Scientific Data Summit (NYSDS) is a premier annual conference that brings together researchers and thought leaders from academia, national labs and industry to exchange ideas and foster collaboration focused on data-driven science and technology. Co-hosted by Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS) at Stony Brook University, NYSDS 2025 will take place on September 11-12, 2025, in the SUNY Global Center in New York City.

NYSDS 2025 will spotlight artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and robotics - fields currently at a pivotal point with transformative impacts on science and technology. From accelerating computationally demanding simulations to discerning signals from noisy data, AI/ML has become an integral part of the scientific workflows. Despite many advances, challenges remain to ensure that AI/ML applications are reliable, explainable and trustworthy.

Robotics, a growing field that couples AI with physically actuated mechanical bodies, has seen increased interest in areas spanning science, technology and manufacturing. The need for real-time decision-making and control, along with the intricate morphology of robots, makes robotics an intriguing application of AI, advanced computing and optimization.


This NYSDS 2025 is open to the public. To be eligible to attend, all participants must register online by August 30, 2025. For questions or assistance with registering, please contact the Summit Coordinator.

Register here.




Abstract: The current approach to materials design, driven by strategic experimentation and supported by physics-based simulation across relevant scales, has been the standard for decades. While the theoretical component in this workflow provides valuable understanding of material behavior, it often fails to deliver actionable guidance for implementation. Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), together with high-performance computing (HPC), now offer a viable pathway to close this gap and accelerate both discovery and process optimization. This presentation will outline practical approaches for integrating AI/ML with HPC-enabled, high-throughput computation to explore high-dimensional search spaces. Examples will include the development of engineering alloys for extreme environments, the use of neural networks to rapidly improve computational thermodynamic models, and vapor processing optimization for the manufacturing of ultra-high-temperature ceramics. I will highlight how scientific insight and domain expertise remain essential for translating surrogate model predictions into impactful outcomes. Finally, I will conclude with current challenges and future opportunities for AI/HPC-driven materials research.

Speaker: Dongwon Shin
This seminar will be held in person and online

Join Zoom Meeting: https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/93730374357?pwd=YDLJ7ELqOQnTZEQhlN8Pa4TuhaiFK8.1

Join us to share your thoughts about teaching, learning, and AI!

The landscape of higher education is rapidly evolving with the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Through the Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum with AAC&U, we are exploring ways that we can better address AI in teaching and learning. We want to hear your experiences, your concerns, and your ideas.

This is an open discussion for all faculty and staff to share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges AI presents in our academic environment.

We'll be exploring critical questions like:

  • In the age of AI, what are the opportunities you see for enriching the classroom and curriculum? How can it enhance student learning or your professional practice?

  • What are the most significant challenges and concerns that AI raises for you regarding academics, student integrity, or your workload?

  • What resources (tools, training, technical support, policy guidance, etc.) do you need to feel confident and successful in the age of AI?

Dates/Times:

  • Tuesday, 2/3 at 2pm

  • Friday, 2/6 at 9:30am

Please register in advance for the Zoom link.

Can't Make It? Share Your Feedback!

We understand schedules are tight. If you cannot attend the live discussion, you can still share your thoughts! Join our AI Zoom Room to share your thoughts via video recording or email rose.tirotta-esposito@stonybrook.edu with your comments and ideas.

Videos will not be shared publicly and comments will only be shared in aggregate.

Your input is vital. From pedagogy to assessment, your insights will be critical. We look forward to a thoughtful and productive conversation!

  • Dr. Rose Tirotta-Esposito (Assistant Provost; Director of CELT)

  • Dr. Elizabeth Hewitt (Associate Professor in the Department of Technology and Society (DTS) in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences)

  • Chris Kretz (Associate Librarian and Head of Academic Engagement at SBU Libraries)

  • Prof. Rajiv Lajmi (Assistant Professor in the School of Health Professions and Chair of Applied Health Informatics)

  • Dr. Matthew Salzano (Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication in the School of Communication and Journalism)

Learn how to unlock the power of Image and visuals that will enhance your work by asking the experts questions in-person

No registration required - just stop by!

Location: Frank Melville Jr. Memorial Library Galleria (across from the Central Reading room)

The talk will be exclusively on zoom https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/7851507944 Speaker: Sooyeon Lee, Rochester Institute of Technology Title: Design and Evaluation of Accessible AI Technologies for Users with Disabilities Abstract: Over one billion people in the world live with some type of disability. Many of them experience barriers in accessing information or using technologies, which can limit social interactions in both physical and digital spaces. In my research, I focus on investigating and designing nonvisual interaction for the community of blind users and non-audio and non-speech interaction for the community of deaf and hard of hearing users. In this talk, I will first present my research investigating nonvisual interaction prototypes for supporting shopping activities for blind users, with an exploration of one-way instructional and two-way conversational interactions and with a variety of form factors and communication modalities through the use of human-computer interaction research methodologies. I will also discuss incorporation of AI technology and its impact on the nonvisual guidance experiences, and further meanings of independence and new ways for designing independence for people with visual impairments. This collaborative work included AI researchers, the community of the blind, and an industry research partner. Additionally, I will discuss my findings and further exciting research opportunities. Secondly, I will overview research projects investigating AI-based applications and tools that support deaf and hard of hearing people's equitable information access and societal participation. This work addresses engagement in online social media spaces, workplace communication, participation in gig work, and interaction with mainstream technology through American Sign Language (ASL) interaction. I will focus on a recent project on users' experiences with AI deep-fake face-transformation technologies to support anonymous participation of deaf and hard of hearing signers in online social media. Lastly, I will discuss my future research directions informed and inspired by this prior and current research. Bio: Sooyeon Lee is a postdoctoral research associate in the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology. She received her Ph.D., advised by Dr. John M. Carroll, in Information Sciences and Technology from the College of Information Sciences and Technology at The Pennsylvania State University, and she also conducted design research at Google and Uber. Her research is in the fields of Human-Computer Interaction and Human-AI Interaction with focus on accessibility. She designs, builds, and evaluates new systems and applications that address accessibility barriers. Her work investigates the diversity of users, explores and leverages emerging technologies, and adopts human-centered design and inclusive design approaches in an interdisciplinary research framework. She has multiple publications in top-tier human-computer interaction and computing accessibility journals and conferences, including ACM CHI, CSCW, ASSETS, and TACCESS, and she has received a Best Paper Award Nomination at ASSETS 2021. She has served on Associate Chair for the ACM CHI conference and will serve on Program Committee for ASSETS 2022.