Time: May 5, 2022, Thursday, 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Place: New Computer Science (NCS) Room 220, and Zoom

Zoom link: https://stonybrook.zoom.us/j/95948672934?pwd=d3ZDcUJkK3VweFBDVWhIVDhtaFU2Zz09
Meeting ID:  959 4867 2934
Passcode:  082036

Title:  Generative Adversarial Learning using Optimal Transport

Abstract: 

Generative Adversarial Learning (GAL) aims to learn a target distribution in an adversarial manner. A Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) is a concrete implementation of GAL using a discriminator and a generator that play a min-max game. GANs have been used in many machine learning and computer vision applications. However, GANs are known to be hard to train, mainly because a min-max saddle point optimization problem needs to be solved in GAL. In this thesis, I investigate several methods to improve generative adversarial learning using Optimal Transport (OT). 

Previous Wasserstein GANs (WGANs) do not compute the correct Wasserstein distance to train the discriminator. To address this problem, I propose WGAN-TS that uses the L1 transport cost and computes the correct Wasserstein distance to train the discriminator. To ensure the local convergence of WGANs, I propose WGAN-QC that adopts the quadratic transport cost. I prove that WGAN-QC not only computes the correct Wasserstein distance but also converges to a local equilibrium point. To compute the Wasserstein distance over the whole dataset, I propose to use Semi-Discrete Optimal Transport (SDOT) to match noise points and the real images during GAN training. To measure the quality of an SDOT map, I use the Maximum Relative Error (MRE) and the L_1 distance between the target distribution and the transported distribution obtained by an OT map. I propose statistical methods to estimate the MRE and the L_1 distance. I propose an efficient Epoch Gradient Descent algorithm for SDOT (SDOT-EGD). To deal with the 2D special case of GAL, I propose to use OT to learn 2D distributions. In particular, I adopt OT to match persistent diagrams in training a topology-aware GAN and learn density maps in the crowd counting task. Finally, I use OT and the topological maps of the crowd to improve the crowd counting performance and propose a topology-based metric to measure the quality of the crowd density maps.
IACS and the Dept of Ecology and Evolution invite you to a PRODiG+ Fellowship Seminar.

Computational solutions for reconstructing the drivers of macroevolutionary change

Summary: Why do living things evolve along the precise trajectories they do? In this talk, I describe how we can use emerging computational approaches to reconstruct major evolutionary transitions and the ecological, developmental, and functional factors that helped to shape them.

Speaker: Dr. Caleb M. Gordon, a postdoctoral researcher at the Florida Museum of Natural History, integrates paleontology, machine learning, and 3D modeling to study how ancient mammals and reptiles evolved new behaviors.

Location: IACS Seminar Room, and via Zoom.

Zoom: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85466330601?pwd=umexDI9TQahaA9SNbL3BdJrllSZLD0.1
Meeting ID: 854 6633 0601
Passcode: 7cVSZd
Hosted by the College of Business faculty and staff, this virtual session will explore how our MS in Business Analytics & Intelligence program can enable you to become a future leader with AI expertise. This session will also cover the program's benefits, curriculum, cost, and admission requirements.

Register here.

You are cordially invited to attend the biweekly Brookhaven AI Mixer (BAM). BAM includes one short talk on AI research happening at BNL, followed by an open mixer over coffee and snacks for everyone to network and discuss all things AI. The first half hour will consist of presentations that will be available via ZOOM, and the second half hour will be for in person only networking.

Join us every other Tuesday at noon in CDSD's Training Room (building 725, 2nd floor) to learn about interesting AI methods and applications, engage with potential collaborators, prepare for pending FASST funding calls, and build a community of AI for Science at BNL.

Uncertainty-Aware Adaptation of LLMs for Protein-Protein Interaction Analysis

Abstract: Identification of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) helps derive cellular mechanistic understanding, particularly in the context of complex conditions such as neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndromes, and cancer. Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated remarkable potential in predicting protein structures and interactions via automated mining of vast biomedical literature; yet their inherent uncertainty remains a key challenge for deriving reproducible findings, critical for biomedical applications. In this study, we present an uncertainty-aware adaptation of LLMs for PPI analysis, leveraging fine-tuned LLaMA-3 and BioMedGPT models. To enhance prediction reliability, we integrate LoRA ensembles and Bayesian LoRA models for uncertainty quantification (UQ), ensuring confidence- calibrated insights into protein behavior. Our approach achieves competitive performance in PPI identification across diverse disease contexts while addressing model uncertainty, thereby enhancing trustworthiness and reproducibility in computational biology. These findings underscore the potential of uncertainty-aware LLM adaptation for advancing precision medicine and biomedical research.

Biography: Sanket is a research staff member in the Applied Mathematics department within the Computing and Data Sciences Directorate at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Previously, he was the Amalie Emmy Noether Postdoctoral Fellow in the same department. He earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from Michigan State University.. Sanket's research interests span Bayesian statistics, uncertainty quantification (UQ), deep learning, Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), variational inference, and sparsity methods. He also focuses on dimensionality reduction, surrogate modeling, hybrid physical-data driven models, and active learning, with applications across climate science, materials science, and life sciences.

Location: CDS, Bldg. 725, Training Room

Join ZoomGov Meeting: https://bnl.zoomgov.com/j/1605691898?pwd=xC7GebG7Kvzxa4AjPSIxJw7e9IZtoY.1

Meeting ID: 160 569 1898
Passcode: 303888

You are cordially invited to attend the biweekly Brookhaven AI Mixer (BAM). BAM includes three short talks on AI research happening at BNL, followed by an open mixer over coffee and snacks for everyone to network and discuss all things AI. The first half hour will consist of presentations that will be available via ZOOM, and the second half hour will be for in person only networking.

Join us every other Tuesday at noon in CDSD's Training Room (building 725, 2nd floor) to learn about interesting AI methods and applications, engage with potential collaborators, prepare for pending FASST funding calls, and build a community of AI for Science at BNL.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025, 12:00 pm -- CDS, Bldg. 725, Training Room

Speakers

Maria Zawadowicz, EBNN--ML for Atmospheric Aerosol Research

Mohammad Atif, CDS--An Extensible Digital Twin Framework

Guang Zhao, CDS--Pareto Prompt Optimization

Join ZoomGov Meeting: https://bnl.zoomgov.com/j/1615289117?pwd=Hqkbj9itxWrFnkhZ8rQXHPInO2gxdF.1

Meeting ID: 161 528 9117
Passcode: 991382

Abstract: Formalization of mathematics is the process by which pen-and-paper mathematics is translated into a strict chain of logical deductions down to the axioms of mathematics. The subject has seen renewed interest in the last decades thanks to the development of computer systems called proof assistants, which make this feasible in practice.
There have now been several examples of high-profile mathematical results which have been formalized. In principle, any mathematical domain is accessible. However, existing projects are skewed towards algebra instead of analysis. Notable exceptions are a project which formalized enough of Gromov's convex integration theory to deduce Smale's sphere eversion theorem and the ongoing project to formalize Carleson's convergence theorem for Fourier series.
This workshop will bring together formalization experts and interested mathematicians to give a new impulse to formalization of analysis (in a very broad sense), and to develop abstractions and tools to deduplicate effort.

Application Information: ICERM welcomes applications from faculty, postdocs, graduate students, industry scientists, and other researchers who wish to participate. Some funding may be available for travel and lodging. Graduate students who apply must have their advisor submit a statement of support in order to be considered.

The deadline to apply for this workshop is January 24, 2026.

https://icerm.brown.edu/program/topical_workshop/tw-26-ttfa

Abstract: In this talk, we will discuss what a CS PhD entails and the traits and habits that are important for success in PhD programs and future careers. While the talk is targeted to first-year PhD students, PhD students at all levels should derive from it.

Bio: Samir Das is a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Stony Brook
University. He is currently serving as the department chair. He is well recognized in the
community for his research in wireless networks and systems.

Location: NCS120