Category Archives: Computer Science
MIT scientists have just worked out how to make the most popular AI image generators 30 times faster – Livescience.com
Popular artificial intelligence (AI) powered image generators can run up to 30 times faster thanks to a technique that condenses an entire 100-stage process into one step, new research shows.
Scientists have devised a technique called "distribution matching distillation" (DMD) that teaches new AI models to mimic established image generators, known as diffusion models, such as DALLE 3, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion.
This framework results in smaller and leaner AI models that can generate images much more quickly while retaining the same quality of the final image. The scientists detailed their findings in a study uploaded Dec. 5, 2023, to the preprint server arXiv.
"Our work is a novel method that accelerates current diffusion models such as Stable Diffusion and DALLE-3 by 30 times," study co-lead author Tianwei Yin, a doctoral student in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, said in a statement. "This advancement not only significantly reduces computational time but also retains, if not surpasses, the quality of the generated visual content.
Diffusion models generate images via a multi-stage process. Using images with descriptive text captions and other metadata as the training data, the AI is trained to better understand the context and meaning behind the images so it can respond to text prompts accurately.
Related: New AI image generator is 8 times faster than OpenAI's best tool and can run on cheap computers
In practice, these models work by taking a random image and encoding it with a field of random noise so it is destroyed, explained AI scientist Jay Alammar in a blog post. This is called "forward diffusion," and is a key step in the training process. Next, the image undergoes up to 100 steps to clear up the noise, known as "reverse diffusion" to produce a clear image based on the text prompt.
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By applying their new framework to a new model and cutting these "reverse diffusion" steps down to one the scientists cut the average time it took to generate an image. In one test, their model slashed the image-generation time from approximately 2,590 milliseconds (or 2.59 seconds) using Stable Diffusion v1.5 to 90 ms 28.8 times faster.
DMD has two components that work together to reduce the number of iterations required of the model before it spits out a usable image. The first, called "regression loss," organizes images based on similarity during training, which makes the AI learn faster. The second is called "distribution matching loss," which means the odds of depicting, say, an apple with a bite taken out of it corresponds with how often you're likely to encounter one in the real world. Together these techniques minimize how outlandish the images generated by the new AI model will look.
"Decreasing the number of iterations has been the Holy Grail in diffusion models since their inception," co-lead author Fredo Durand, professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, said in the statement. "We are very excited to finally enable single-step image generation, which will dramatically reduce compute costs and accelerate the process."
The new approach dramatically reduces the computational power required to generate images because only one step is required as opposed to "the hundred steps of iterative refinement" in original diffusion models, Yin said. The model can also offer advantages in industries where lightning-fast and efficient generation is crucial, the scientists said, leading to much quicker content creation.
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SLU, TGI Researcher Part of Team Using Remote Sensing to Study Permafrost : SLU – Saint Louis University
ST. LOUIS Saint Louis University is one of five universities working together to study permafrost using hyperspectral remote sensing, as part of a grant funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) as part of its Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program.
Vasit Sagan, Ph.D. is a professor of geospatial science and computer science, associate vice president for geospatial science at Saint Louis University and chief scientist for food security and digital agriculture for Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI). Photo by Sarah Conroy.
Vasit Sagan, Ph.D., professor of geospatial science and computer science, associate vice president for geospatial science at Saint Louis University and chief scientist for food security and digital agriculture for Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI), is SLUs principal investigator on the project.
The project, Interdisciplinary Material Science for the Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Permafrost (IM SHARP), will explore the physical and chemical properties of permafrost using remote sensing. The permafrost properties will be reviewed under current and potential environmental conditions.
The DoD awarded the highly competitive five-year, $7.5 million overall MURI grants to 30 teams at 73 academic institutions earlier this month after the Army Research Office, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and Office of Naval Research solicited proposals in areas of strategic importance to the Department.
The multidisciplinary IM SHARP research team is led by Tugce Baser, Ph.D., assistant professor of geotechnical engineering at the University of Illinois and a TGI associate. The team also includes Go Iwahana of the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks; Michael Lanagan, The Pennsylvania State University; Joel Johnson, Ohio State University; and Sahin Ozdemir, The Pennsylvania State University.
The team will explore the fundamental physical, chemical, electromagnetic, thermodynamic, hydraulic and mechanical properties of permafrost under current and changing environmental conditions that govern the remote sensing of permafrost at various wavelengths.
The project seeks to understand hyperspectral fingerprints of permafrost material chemistry and its dynamics in the context of climate change. To do this, the team will use simulations, remote sensing from multiple scales (drones, crewed aircraft, and satellite imaging), light polarization, and electromagnetic (EM) theory guided by knowledge of permafrost physical processes.
SLU will receive $1.3 million to study hyperspectral signatures and light polarization associated with the physical, chemical, electromagnetic, thermodynamic properties of permafrost under current and future climate conditions.
Specifically, Sagan will lead hyperspectral data collection at permafrost test sites; scan simulated permafrost samples created in the lab with various what if scenarios with benchtop scanning systems, and develop novel spectral algorithms for characterizing permafrost from multiple scales, wavelengths, and polarizations.
Since launching in 1985, DODs MURI program has allowed teams of investigators from multiple disciplines to generate collective insights, facilitating the growth of cutting-edge technologies to address unique challenges for the Department of Defense.
Permafrost plays a pivotal role in regulating Earths climate and offers a living laboratory to accurately characterize the rate and magnitude of a warming climate, Sagan said. This is truly an interdisciplinary science team representing expertise in remote sensing, material chemistry, theoretical modeling, physics, and geotechnical engineering, uniquely positioned to lead this project.
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nations oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the Universitys diverse community of scholars is SLUs service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place. For more information, visit slu.edu.
TGI is passionate about fueling geospatial science and technology to create the next generation of solutions and policies that the whole world will depend on for sustainability and growth.
The TGI consortium is led by Saint Louis University and includes the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Harris-Stowe State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Missouri University of Science & Technology, University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and Washington University in St. Louis. Collectively, these institutions encompass more than 5,000 faculty and 100,000 students.
For more information, visit taylorgeospatial.org.
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Is a Computer Science Degree Worth It? – Southern New Hampshire University
If working with software, technology and a systems mindset interests you, computer science can be a great fit. Its a field that offers many opportunities to work in cutting-edge technology and can lead to a variety of rewarding career paths.
Computer science is a diverse field grounded in technology, combining elements of project planning, software development, data analysis and more, said Dr. Gary Savard, an associate dean of computer science at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).
In addition to work at SNHU, Savard has extensive experience working in the computer science field in other ways. He served in the United States Air Force as an officer, both active and reserve, for more than 30 years. He also worked as a software engineer for many companies and owned a software company himself.
His experience in the field ranges from classified Department of Defense projects to maintenance workflow software, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, large-scale database systems, web development and many other types of software development.
At SNHU, Savard oversees the team responsible for computer science course development and management, among many other responsibilities with both faculty and students.
Computer science is highly in demand across all types of industry, Savard said.* In fact, the field is enjoying exponential growth, both with traditional companies and with cutting-edge start-ups, he said.*
Earning a degree in computer science demonstrates your ability to work in a team as well as your aptitude for learning new technological skills and programming languages. You will also gain a lot of experience with hands-on learning and collaboration, according to Nick LeBoeuf '23.
Since earning his bachelor's degree in computer science from SNHU, LeBoeuf has put his own technological skills to work at his job in web development. To be successful in this role, he needs strong design skills coupled with the ability to put himself in the end-user's shoes.
LeBoeuf enjoys working in a profession that challenges him to keep his skills sharp. What I love most about the computer science field is that you are constantly learning, he said. Technology is ever-evolving, and in computer science, we are (on) the front lines of this ever-changing field, trying to ... adapt our existing applications to new standards.
Any degree can be hard if its the wrong fit. While computer science is no doubt a challenging major for many due to its highly technical and mathematical nature, its a field that can be very rewarding for the right person, said Savard.
It takes some time to develop the skills required (to be successful), but grit and persistence pays off, he said.
As a recent graduate, LeBoeuf said, I do think computer science (may) require more effort than other degrees ... but if you put in that effort and really enjoy what you do, it doesnt seem hard."
Several skills that can be helpful for success in the computer science field, per Savard, are:
There are likely some individual classes you might not want to take, just like with any degree program, but these classes may help you later on in your schooling and career.
For LeBoeuf, "Data Structures and Algorithms" was a challenge. When I was taking the class my sophomore year, it was definitely not my favorite class ... but I stuck with it because I knew it was important, he said.
Two years later, LeBoeuf was able to apply what he learned in this class by serving as a Lead Peer Educator at SNHU for the computer science program. Through this role, he was able to teach other computer science majors the material and help them along in their own schooling. Today, working in the field as a front-end developer, LeBoeuf continues to apply the concepts he learned in that class every day.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows positive job outlooks for a number of professions suitable for people with a bachelor's degree in computer science.* These professions include:
Median incomes for these jobs range from $80,730 for web developers and digital designers to $126,900 for computer network architects, BLS reported.* Job outlooks for each are predicted to increase between 4% (the national average for job growth) for computer network architects and by as much as 32% for information security analysts over the next 10 years, according to BLS.*
According to BLS, you may engage in the following types of work, depending on your specific career choice:
While many computer science jobs require only a bachelor's degree to get started, if you go on to earn a master's degree, you may have even more career opportunities (SNHU does not currently offer a master's degree in computer science).
Working as a computer and information research scientist in software, research and development and computer systems design tends to be among the higher-earning computer science careers, as reported by BLS.* There are also many opportunities to work in the federal government, including the military, as well as academia. While these latter roles may not be as lucrative as more technological jobs, they still pay between $84,440 and $115,400, according to BLS.*
Understandably, it may sound as though artificial intelligence, commonly known as AI, could take over the industry and result in computer scientists losing their jobs.
Its important to remember that AI was originally developed by computer scientists. Because of this, Savard said he feels confident that computer science as a discipline isnt going anywhere. Instead, "AI will help us to progress more quickly in developing new technologies as well as automate some of the more tedious tasks that can consume part of our day, he said.
LeBoeuf agrees that AI is a good thing. People think that AI is going to take jobs, he said. (But) you still need that human aspect to every single job to make sure AI is producing what it's meant to (produce).
After all, computer scientists are the ones who implement AI into websites and applications for people to use, LeBoeuf said.
AI can revolutionize various industries by improving efficiency and decision-making, he said. Through the tons of data you give it, (AI) also might discover new patterns or insights that humans might overlook because of the amount of data (they have before them).
Everyone has their own motivation for choosing a careerfield. If you have an interest in one or more of the following areas, you may find computer science a good path for you, said Savard:
Savard recognizes the unique skill set of computer scientists. He said that the ability to do things that seem like magic to those not in the field is very rewarding. Working first in the military and now in academia, he enjoys being able to put his skills to use educating others.
LeBoeuf's work is with a civil engineering firm. He enjoys the public involvement aspect of the field in particular.
Putting yourself in the users shoes, and understanding where they would look for certain items on a website," is important and useful, LeBoeuf said.
The quickly expanding nature of the computer science field and the many avenues for learning and applying your skills are top benefits to a career in computer science.
Taking advantage of opportunities for collaboration and learning while in school can help prepare you for the rewarding computer science career of your choice.
*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.
A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelliis a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus whether teaching or writing is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
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Is a Computer Science Degree Worth It? - Southern New Hampshire University
Q&A: How refusal can be an act of design – MIT News
This month in the ACM Journal on Responsible Computing, MIT graduate student Jonathan ZongSM 20 and co-author J. Nathan Matias SM 13, PhD 17 of theCornell Citizens and Technology Lab examine how the notion of refusal can open new avenues in the field of data ethics. In their open-access report,Data Refusal From Below: A Framework for Understanding, Evaluating, and Envisioning Refusal as Design, the pair proposes a framework in four dimensions to map how individuals can say no to technology misuses. At the same time, the researchers argue that just like design, refusal is generative, and has the potential to create alternate futures.
Zong, a PhD candidate in electrical engineering and computer science,2022-23 MIT Morningside Academy for Design Design Fellow, and member of the MIT Visualization Group, describes his latest work in this Q&A.
Q: How do you define the concept of refusal, and where does it come from?
A: Refusal was developed in feminist and Indigenous studies. Its this idea of saying no, without being given permission to say no. Scholars like Ruha Benjamin write about refusal in the context of surveillance, race, and bioethics, and talk about it as a necessary counterpart to consent. Others, like the authors of the Feminist Data Manifest-No, think of refusal as something that can help us commit to building better futures.
Benjamin illustrates cases where the choice to refuse is not equally possible for everyone, citing examples involving genetic data and refugee screenings in the U.K. The imbalance of power in these situations underscores the broader concept of refusal, extending beyond rejecting specific options to challenging the entire set of choices presented.
Q: What inspired you to work on the notion of refusal as an act of design?
A: In my work on data ethics, Ive been thinking about how to incorporate processes into research data collection, particularly around consent and opt-out, with a focus on individual autonomy and the idea of giving people choices about the way that their data is used. But when it comes to data privacy, simply making choices available is not enough. Choices can be unequally available, or create no-win situations where all options are bad. This led me to the concept of refusal: questioning the authority of data collectors and challenging their legitimacy.
The key idea of my work is that refusal is an act of design. I think of refusal as deliberate actions to redesign our socio-technical landscape by exerting some sort of influence. Like design, refusal is generative. Like design, it's oriented towards creating alternate possibilities and alternate futures. Design is a process of exploring or traversing a space of possibility. Applying a design framework to cases of refusal drawn from scholarly and journalistic sources allowed me to establish a common language for talking about refusal and to imagine refusals that havent been explored yet.
Q: What are the stakes around data privacy and data collection?
A: The use of data for facial recognition surveillance in the U.S. is a big example we use in the paper. When people do everyday things like post on social media or walk past cameras in public spaces, they might be contributing their data to training facial recognition systems. For instance, a tech company may take photos from a social media site and build facial recognition that they then sell to the government. In the U.S., these systems are disproportionately used by police to surveil communities of color. It is difficult to apply concepts like consent and opt out of these processes, because they happen over time and involve multiple kinds of institutions. Its also not clear that individual opt-out would do anything to change the overall situation. Refusal then becomes a crucial avenue, at both individual and community levels, to think more broadly of how affected people still exert some kind of voice or agency, without necessarily having an official channel to do so.
Q: Why do you think these issues are more particularly affecting disempowered communities?
A: People who are affected by technologies are not always included in the design process for those technologies. Refusal then becomes a meaningful expression of values and priorities for those who were not part of the early design conversations. Actions taken against technologies like face surveillance be it legal battles against companies, advocacy for stricter regulations, or even direct action like disabling security cameras may not fit the conventional notion of participating in a design process. And yet, these are the actions available to refusers who may be excluded from other forms of participation.
Im particularly inspired by the movement around Indigenous data sovereignty. Organizations like the First Nations Information Governance Centre work towards prioritizing Indigenous communities' perspectives in data collection, and refuse inadequate representation in official health data from the Canadian government. I think this is a movement that exemplifies the potential of refusal, not only as a way to reject whats being offered, but also as a means to propose a constructive alternative, very much like design. Refusal is not merely a negation, but a pathway to different futures.
Q: Can you elaborate on the design framework you propose?
A: Refusals vary widely across contexts and scales. Developing a framework for refusal is about helping people see actions that are seemingly very different as instances of the same broader idea. Our framework consists of four facets: autonomy, time, power, and cost.
Consider the case of IBM creating a facial recognition dataset using people's photos without consent. We saw multiple forms of refusal emerge in response. IBM allowed individuals to opt out by withdrawing their photos. People collectively refused by creating a class-action lawsuit against IBM. Around the same time, many U.S. cities started passing local legislation banning the government use of facial recognition. Evaluating these cases through the framework highlights commonalities and differences. The framework highlights varied approaches to autonomy, like individual opt-out and collective action. Regarding time, opt-outs and lawsuits react to past harm, while legislation might proactively prevent future harm. Power dynamics differ; withdrawing individual photos minimally influences IBM, while legislation could potentially cause longer-term change. And as for cost, individual opt-out seems less demanding, while other approaches require more time and effort, balanced against potential benefits.
The framework facilitates case description and comparison across these dimensions. I think its generative nature encourages exploration of novel forms of refusal as well. By identifying the characteristics we want to see in future refusal strategies collective, proactive, powerful, low-cost we can aspire to shape future approaches and change the behavior of data collectors. We may not always be able to combine all these criteria, but the framework provides a means to articulate our aspirational goals in this context.
Q: What impact do you hope this research will have?
A: I hope to expand the notion of who can participate in design, and whose actions are seen as legitimate expressions of design input. I think a lot of work so far in the conversation around data ethics prioritizes the perspective of computer scientists who are trying to design better systems, at the expense of the perspective of people for whom the systems are not currently working. So, I hope designers and computer scientists can embrace the concept of refusal as a legitimate form of design, and a source of inspiration. There's a vital conversation happening, one that should influence the design of future systems, even if expressed through unconventional means.
One of the things I want to underscore in the paper is that design extends beyond software. Taking a socio-technical perspective, the act of designing encompasses software, institutions, relationships, and governance structures surrounding data use. I want people who arent software engineers, like policymakers or activists, to view themselves as integral to the technology design process.
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Doctoral students reflect on their journeys to becoming Ph.D. candidates and chosen paths of study – Virginia Tech
Nicholas Corline is investigating how some of the smallest creatures can have a big impact.
Our research is really saying that when you have these high populations of tadpoles, you create biogeochemical hotspots on the landscape, and these are your sites of elevated nutrient cycling and elevated carbon cycling, said Corline, a fourth-year Ph.D. student studying forest resources and environment conservation.
Corline is one of 38 students in Virginia Techs Doctoral Scholars program who will be presenting their research during a poster symposium. The programs annual event will be March 29 from 1-4 p.m. in Kelly Hall on the Blacksburg campus.
Led by the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS), the program honors exceptional Ph.D. candidates interested in science and engineering with a competitive graduate fellowship. It currently has 38 students representing the College of Engineering, College of Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and the College of Natural Resources and the Environment. The program is supported by significant contributions from the Virginia Tech Graduate Schoolas well as various Virginia Tech colleges and faculty advisors.
Leading up to the event, Corline and two other scholars Cecelia Wood, a third year Ph.D. student studying geosciences, andWesley Woo, a second year student studying computer science shared their insights about the program, their research, and what they hope to convey on March 29.
Why did you accept the offer to join the Doctoral Scholars program?
Corline: The main thing that made me partial to the fellowship is the idea that I have a lot of flexibility and freedom to explore my own research. I feel like theres a lot of flexibility for me to go off on tangents and explore things, which are relevant to the project but still out there, without feeling bad about it. Theres also all the support that ICTAS gives the professional development and a community of scholars which is cool because its really diverse.
Wood: I think that ICTAS, especially within the Doctoral Scholars program, focuses on the intersection between basic scientific research and how we can apply that to society and todays technology. I think that it was lucky because I see that in my research, and I came to Tech because I was a chemistry major and now Im in geosciences; I wanted to switch from a basic science to a more applied science. I think it all comes back to that intersection.
Woo: Its cool to be part of a public institution which has different research goals and funders than a private research institution. Its really a privilege to not have to worry about funding for a couple years, to have access to ICTASs resources, so I can get a travel grant that Ive used to go to conferences and share my work.
What do you enjoy most about the program?
Corline: Everyone has a lot of pride in the school in Virginia Tech itself and their work. That makes it a fun place to work because everyones excited about what theyre doing. Thats the main thing I picked up.
Wood: I think its the camaraderie. All of us have a passion in making sure that our research means something for the world. I talk to some of the scholars who are studying water availability and some who are looking at animal health and resources, and while all of that is different from my research, I think we connect with the passion of wanting to impact the world. What I also really appreciate about the program is the freedom to take risks in my research and pursue leadership opportunities that I wouldnt have been able to because I dont have to teach with the fellowship. Im actually co-leading my own research symposium in my department, so I get to have the hands-on experience planning everything and coordinating committees.
Woo: Its honestly the freedom. Im constantly reminding myself that its great not to have to worry about funding either through TAing [being a teaching assistant] or research assistant positions. Theres freedom to define my own path and work on problems that I think are important [and explore] work between disciplines and how people are approaching the same problem from different disciplinary backgrounds or angles.
What is the most challenging part of the program?
Corline: The toughest part about the program is that a Ph.D. is such a huge investment in time, and its easy to get bogged down in what youre doing and not feel like youre going anywhere because youre accumulating all this knowledge and putting experiments together. Thats the biggest challenge to not just keep motivated but just to keep going and know that youre still making progress even when everything seems to be really slow.
Wood: I dont know if challenging is the right word, but there are a lot of high expectations for us in the program because we were picked to be the best of the best. Its nice to have high expectations because I like to strive and meet those expectations. We are also encouraged to not just be a good graduate student but to be a good citizen and to get involved. I would say its a challenge in the way that you want to receive it and meet it.
Woo: Just learning how to do a Ph.D. in general is challenging, especially because there are so many ways to do good, valid research so many ways of working or thinking about arguments you want to make. It seems like an individual endeavor of finding your identity as a researcher, figuring out what problems you care about and how to make convincing arguments about these problems and what tools youre going to use to make these arguments. With the freedom that comes with not having to worry about funding, is also, OK, how should I be spending my time? I feel like theres a lot of great ways to serve the community and learn broadly. A personal outlook I have on pursuing a Ph.D. is that, yes, there are tangible career benefits or technical growth that can come from doing a Ph.D. but also growing as a person, having new experiences, and learning new ways of thinking are all tied up in the process of becoming an independent researcher.
How would you describe your current research?
Corline: Im on one large project which is an interdisciplinary shared project between Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, and its out on the Delmarva Peninsula. The overall goal of the project is to understand wetland carbon cycling and nutrient cycling. So like water level in these wetlands, how that changes through time, seasons, or years, or how that might change carbon storage, carbon release, nutrient storage, etc. I also have a strong interest in animal ecology, so I was able to bring how animals affect nutrient carbon cycling within the wetlands in conjunction with hydrology. So I have the hydrology project going on looking at these wetlands, and then I was able to do more of an ecology project coming in there looking at how tadpoles affect nutrient cycling in wetlands and how theyre an important contributor to carbon cycling.
Wood: My research is on heavy metal contamination in fresh water drinking reservoirs. It's close to home because I work with the Western Virginia Water Authority on reservoirs that are in Roanoke. These reservoirs serve as a backup water supply for Roanoke City and Roanoke County. We have the system that we know removes it, but we dont know a lot about that process of how it gets removed and how much gets removed. So we look at those particles in the water and say, okay, this is the type of mineral which means it has these properties.We try to examine those particles to make our system better so that way we can remove even more from the water column and tell other people about it.
Woo:My main area of research looks at different barriers to internet use and high quality internet infrastructure. These barriers might not always be purely technological. One concept that I've been thinking about recently is social internet use - what are the ways people might rely on others to access the internet? This idea appears a lot in work on internet use in the Global South. But even in the U.S., once we leave home, we dont have access to our home internet, so we might be using Starbucks' Wi-Fi or Virginia Tech Wi-Fi. Even if were at home, we may have bad internet and need to interact with our service provider or rely on other people's networks or cell phone hotspots to reestablish connectivity. I'm wondering how we can take the social nature of internet infrastructure use into account when designing the internet itself.
What are you presenting at the poster symposium?
Corline: Im going to be presenting my research on the tadpoles. In that landscape, we have all these different wetlands. There are thousands of these small ponds and some of them host frogs as breeding sites and they have tons of tadpoles in there. Our research is really saying that when you have these high populations of tadpoles, you create biogeochemical hotspots on the landscape and these are your sites of elevated nutrient cycling and elevated carbon cycling. So imagine that you have all these wetlands out there and theyre doing their [own] things. Theyre breaking down leaves. Theyre storing organic matter. Theyre processing nutrients. But then, when you have these tadpole populations in there, it supercharges them, so you have much more breakdown. You have faster nutrient cycling and various effects on microbial activities.
Wood: I have five years worth of data I pulled together. With that data, we can look at how much iron and manganese gets removed every year. We have a test reservoir and a controlled reservoir. The test reservoir has the system, and the control doesnt, so we have five years worth of data that shows our system is effective. It speeds up iron and manganese removal and overall, does what we want it to do which I think is a great response everyone wants to see.
Woo:At the poster session, I'll be presenting ongoing work on the design of future cellular networks. In traditional cellular networks, your phone has one IP address and needs to keep this IP address as you connect to different cell towers. This design makes it difficult to move from one cellular network to another without seeing a significant disruption to your cell phones performance, which impedes the spread of smaller, community-owned and operated cellular networks. The work Im doing now explores how the modern internet no longer needs to rely on this traditional cellular network design, as internet-connected devices can manage their own changing IP addresses more efficiently. If devices can indeed handle mobility by themselves, it will be easier for future internet infrastructure to be owned and operated by the communities it serves.
Some answers were edited and condensed for clarity.
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Bulgarian Institute Achieves Landmark Success with Breakthrough in AI Research – Novinite.com
Bulgaria's Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT) has achieved a historic milestone, with an unprecedented 16 articles accepted for the prestigious Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR), the world's foremost forum for AI and computer vision. This groundbreaking success not only marks a significant achievement for Bulgaria but also positions the country among Europe's top ten in the field of AI research, announced the Ministry of Education and Science on Tuesday.
The Ministry highlighted that Bulgaria's success at CVPR surpasses that of all Eastern European countries combined, underscoring the magnitude of the achievement. INSAIT, in collaboration with St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, has spearheaded this remarkable feat, marking the first time in 40 years that Bulgarian scientists have contributed articles to CVPR.
CVPR is renowned as the premier global platform for AI research, ranking alongside esteemed scientific journals such as Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, and Science. INSAIT's groundbreaking articles cover six strategic fields, including Generative AI, AI motion caption, AI for understanding video, photos, and text simultaneously, autonomous driving, quantum computing for AI, and end-device AI.
The Ministry further emphasized that INSAIT's achievement places Bulgaria's academic research on par with leading institutions worldwide, surpassing renowned universities in countries such as Israel, the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Norway, Sweden, Spain, and Italy.
The forthcoming edition of CVPR, scheduled to take place in Seattle, USA, from June 17 to 21, will serve as a platform for presenting and discussing INSAIT's groundbreaking research findings. As Bulgaria continues to make strides in AI and technology, this achievement serves as a testament to the country's growing prominence on the global stage of scientific innovation.
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Bulgarian Institute Achieves Landmark Success with Breakthrough in AI Research - Novinite.com
Scientists explore complex pattern of tipping points in the Atlantic’s current system – EurekAlert
image:
Professor Valerio Lucarini from the University of Leicester School of Mathematical and Computer Science
Credit: University of Leicester
An international team of scientists have warned against relying on nature providing straightforward early warning indicators of a climate disaster, as new mathematical modelling shows new fascinating aspects of the complexity of the dynamics of climate.
It suggests that the climate system could be more unpredictable than previously thought.
By modelling the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, one of the main ocean current systems, the team which included mathematicians from the University of Leicester have found that the stability of the system is much more complex than simple on-off states as previously assumed. Switches between these states might lead to major changes in the regional climate of the North Atlantic region, yet a far cry from the massive impacts of a transition between the qualitatively different states.
But some of these minor transitions might eventually upscale to cause a major changeover between the qualitatively different states, with massive global climatic impacts. Early warning signals might be unable to distinguish the degree of severity of the ensuing tipping points. Like a tower of Jenga blocks, removing some blocks may affect the stability of the system, but we cannot be certain which block will bring the whole system tumbling down.
Their findings are published in Science Advances today (22 March) in a paper led by the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen.
The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is one of the most important fundamental features of the climate system. It transports heat from low to high latitudes in the northern Atlantic, so it helps create positive thermal anomalies in northern and western Europe and in the North Atlantic region downwind. A slowdown of the circulation would result in a relative cooling in this region.
Predicting the behaviour of our climate, as in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, is challenging due to its incredible complexity. Scientists either need a model of the highest possible resolution, or try to understand its behaviour using a less resource intensive model that allows for rigorous statistical analysis.
Professor Valerio Lucarini from the University of Leicester School of Mathematical and Computer Science said: Within each state there is a multiplicity of nearby states. Depending on where or what you are observing, you might find some indicators of nearing collapse. But it is not obvious whether this collapse will be contained to nearby states or lead to a major upheaval, because the indicators only reflect the local properties of the system.
These states are the different ways that the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation organises itself at large scales, with key implications for the global climate and especially regionally in the North Atlantic. Under some scenarios, the circulation could reach a tipping point where the system is no longer stable and will collapse. Early warning indicators tell us that the system might be jumping to another state, but we do not know how different it will be.
In a separate investigation we have seen something similar occurring in paleoclimatic records: when you change your timescale of interest just like a magnification lens - you can discover smaller and smaller scale distinct features that are indicative of competing modes of operation of the global climate. Paleoclimatic records of the last 65 million years allowed us to provide a new interpretation of the climate evolution over that time period, and reveal these multiple competing states.
This study paves the way to looking at the climate through the lens of statistical mechanics and complexity theory. It really stimulates a new outlook of climate, in which you have to put together complex numerical simulations, observational evidence and theory in an unavoidable mixture. You have to appreciate and endorse this complexity. There is no shortcut, no free lunch in our understanding of climate, but we are learning a lot from it.
Multistability and Intermediate Tipping of the Atlantic Ocean Circulation
22-Mar-2024
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Scientists explore complex pattern of tipping points in the Atlantic's current system - EurekAlert
Machines use AI to test new materials so we don’t have to | ASU News – ASU News Now
We are living in a material world.
In the face of an intense period of global evolution, including climate change, aging populations and an increased need to conserve resources such as food and water, the fate of the future may depend on the development of innovative materials.
Yanjie Fu, an associate professor of computer science in theSchool of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of theIra A. Fulton Schools of Engineeringat Arizona State University, and his colleague,Alix Schmidt, a senior data scientist atDow(NYSE: DOW), were recently awarded a Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Grant by theNational Academy of Engineering, or NAE, to use artificial intelligence to help engineer new materials.
Though we may rarely notice it, materials science has an enormous impact on our daily lives, Schmidt says. By the time I get to work in the morning, I have already interacted with hundreds of materials innovations. My daily sunscreen lotion doesnt leave me feeling oily, my car doesnt rust despite the salty Michigan winter roads and my phone forgives me for dropping it in the parking lot.
The grant is designed to help the researchers increase the speed and decrease the cost of developing polymers or inorganic materials by tapping the power of artificial intelligence, or AI. New materials discovered by AI can be developed to have unique properties and have the potential to make airplanes safer, food storage better and military technology more affordable.
Right now, the process of making new materials often involves, well, physically making new materials. Engineers must typically produce new types of stretchy rubber, heat-resistant plastic or more durable forms of glass, testing each, sometimes by trial and error, until they find something that can be mass-produced.
For this project, Fu and Schmidt will employ a type of AI called deep machine learning in which computers run software programs that enable them to learn by example in a way that models the human mind. The researchers will use large libraries of historical data from the field of material science to essentially train machines to make virtual models of new materials, run simulated tests and provide key information to scientists.
The artificial intelligence system will use historical data to learn about patterns in material compositions, which will eliminate the need to test each material one by one, Fu says.
The teams efforts will also create a more environmentally friendly, sustainable manufacturing pipeline, as it will become less necessary to consume resources testing formulations that will likely never be utilized.
Fu says, The result will be that only the promising options will be made and labs can spend their money on the materials most likely to work.
The pair of researchers initially connected at the U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium last year. They began to discuss ways to collaborate. As Fu described his background in computer science, Schmidt theorized that her work at Dow especially the companys manufacturing expertise and massive material science library could be helpful. They decided to team up to develop an effective machine learning system.
Founded in 1897 by Herbert Henry Dow following his discovery of a new method of extracting bromine from brine, Dow now produces materials that support a wide range of applications, from food packaging to athletic shoes to beauty products. Their breadth of knowledge makes the company ideal to work with for this type of research project.
Thanks to these machine learning systems, well be in the kitchen with only the ingredients likely to make tasty dishes.
Yanjie FuAssociate professor of computer science, School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence
Its a challenge to keep pace with ever-increasing performance requirements as our customers develop these beneficial products, Schmidt says. With AI materials design tools, our researchers can more easily leverage Dows long history of materials science expertise to quickly respond to new design requirements, whether that is advanced performance, improved sustainability or cost. We envision a future with data-driven tools in our labs, and Im excited to see how this project can accelerate the AI journey.
Ross Maciejewski, director of the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, agrees. This grant is an interesting example of the type of collaboration between enterprise and academia that can really propel innovation, he says. Tackling the worlds big problems will require both research and manufacturing solutions.
The Grainger Foundation Frontiers of Engineering Grants are designed to foster exactly this kind of interdisciplinary approach. The foundation gives away only two awards after each symposium that provide the seed money to drive important research forward. Its the next lap on an already promising track for Fu, who was named an Early Career Engineer by the NAE in 2020.
Fu is looking forward to developing the new AI technology with Schmidt. He compares the process to cooking.
He says, Thanks to these machine learning systems, well be in the kitchen with only the ingredients likely to make tasty dishes.
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Machines use AI to test new materials so we don't have to | ASU News - ASU News Now
Special education, reading, computer science and other bills advance from Nebraska committee Nebraska Examiner – Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN A Nebraska lawmaker is hailing the advancement of an Education Committee legislative package that she says is solution-oriented and provides support from all sides.
The assortment of nine bills, with the possibility for a tenth, is tied with a bow under Legislative Bill 1284, introduced by State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont. The bills relate to training teachers in reading instruction and computer science and technology; dyslexia research; special education; and more.
We, as the Education Committee, just put together a package of bills that will really provide good solutions for kiddos, for families, for people who may be going into the teaching profession, Walz told the Nebraska Examiner.
The State Board of Education is in favor of nearly every bill in the package and neutral on one (LB 985). Board President Elizabeth Tegtmeier said Friday she appreciates that lawmakers recognize the need to support and fund education.
Its great to partner with our lawmakers to improve education, Tegtmeier said.
Here is a breakdown of the Walz package:
Walzs LB 1284 would put $1.5 million into a Computer Science and Technology Education Fund for training and support. Public and private entities may also donate to the fund.
The Legislature could annually add $500,000 to the fund upon receipt of matching donations.
This years proposal builds off a 2022 law by State Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha that requires students to graduate with education in computer science and technology. Walz said her bill would address the needs of schools that lack teachers or need staff training.
This is a step in the right direction, Walz said.
LB 1254, introduced by State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, would set aside $10 million annually to create reading improvement mentorship programs and employ regional coaches. These would help provide sustained training to teachers in kindergarten through third grade to teach reading.
If you cant read, youre not going to survive in todays world, Linehan said.
She described a cycle in which young students who havent been taught reading get in trouble because they dont want to be embarrassed, andsome may avoid school. Linehan said the Nebraska Department of Education brought the bill to her.
A second bill on reading improvement is LB 1253, which would establish the Dyslexia Research Grant Program.
It is a one-time $1 million investment that would support Nebraska companies researching artificial-intelligence-based writing assistance for individuals with dyslexia. Linehan prepared the legislation with a group of University of Nebraska-Lincoln students.
Two bills aim to bring more special education teachers to Nebraska after lawmakers sparred last fall with officials from Omaha Public Schools over such shortages.
LB 1238, the Special Educators of Tomorrow Act, from Walz, would provide scholarships and loans to individuals who work with disabilities as direct support professionals to become special education teachers.
Individuals would need at least two years of experience as a direct support professional.
Scholarship recipients would also need to enroll or plan to enroll at an eligible institution to pursue a teaching career in special education. Loan recipients would agree to complete a special education program and a related major and commit to teach in Nebraska.
A recipient could receive an annual scholarship of up to $2,500 for up to two years and an annual loan up to $4,000 for up to three consecutive years.
Each year of full-time teaching after two years would shave $4,000 off such loans.
The bill includes an initial $1.5 million investment for a Special Educators of Tomorrow Fund and a $250,000 appropriation for each fiscal year after that, ending after the 2029-30 school year.
LB 964, from State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, would allow the Nebraska Department of Education to award up to 25 forgivable loans per eligible institution per academic year. This means the Nebraska State College System and the University of Nebraska system.
Each year, 20% of loans would be forgiven as the graduate, with a special education endorsement, teaches in Nebraska.
The graduate must begin teaching at a Nebraska K-12 school within one year of graduation.
It just seemed like something we could do to get more people into the field, Dungan said.
The Dungan and Walz proposals require loan recipients to repay loans if they do not satisfy their related bill requirements.
Dungans bill would also extend eligibility for Nebraska Career Scholarships to include teaching in special education.
LB 986, from Linehan, would rework the Teach in Nebraska Today Act as a grant program, doubling its impact from $5 million to $10 million. Teachers would qualify if they are within their first five years of teaching and have an annual income of less than $55,000.
Also included in the package is LB 1014, from Walz, which would enable school districts to employ school psychologists who work for a service agency.
Two other bills are considered cleanup for recent legislation:
A tenth bill, LB 1050 from State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, would require schools to provide access to menstrual products, including pads and tampons, in school bathrooms. The committee voted 4-1, one vote short of advancing the bill in the package. State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha has not taken a position on LB 1050 and could still add his vote.
The committee did successfully adopt an amendment to Conrads bill, narrowing its impact last week to a one-year pilot program capped at $250,000. As amended, school districts classified as needs improvement or those in which 40% of students are poverty stricken would have funding priority.
Local school boards could adopt policies related to the bill.
I think its really thrilling that we have a good opportunity to move the bill forward in some fashion this year, Conrad said last week. I think that speaks volumes to the power of student organizing and young voices being involved in the process.
The State Board of Education is in support of Conrads bill, as is Linehan, who said a woman she knows has shoplifted just once for tampons, becauseshe couldnt get them any other way.
Sometimes people just need a little push to do the right thing, Linehan said of school districts.
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Dancing robots and STEM skills on display at annual Robotics and Computer Science Festival Team Duval News – Team Duval News
March 11, 2024 Doing dance offs with limber, four-legged robots was just one of the many STEM-related joys students enjoyed at the districts annual Robotics and Computer Science Festival held this month.
More than 500 Team Duval students got a chance to showcase their work from their computer science courses and afterschool Robotics teams, as well as interact with technology brought to the event by community partners.
Keelan Burke, a ninth grader at Raines High School, said this was an eye-opening experience.
Its been fun here with a lot of cool technology, said Burke. I learned that technology can do a lot of crazy stuff, and its really fascinating how humans are able to control all of this and create more stuff in the future.
The eye-popping exhibits, like the robot dogs and 3-D printing, were thanks to the districts partnerships in the community.
Weve just been really fortunate to have such great business partners, said Dr. Yvonne Spinner, Duval County Public Schools Director of Science. When you walk around, youll see CSX, JEA, Haskell, hand2mind, Stem2Hub and all of these partners that come out here. Were just fortunate that those organizations have volunteered their time and funding to come out here to support our Duval County students.
Students said they learned a lot by visiting the interactive exhibits.
Im learning how to make household things, said Ishika Patel, a fourth grader at R.V. Daniels Elementary School. Its really exciting because this could help me in the future, like if I dont have something, I can just take some supplies and make a flashlight if the lights go out.
Dr. Spinner said this event along with the computer science courses and Robotics clubs help stimulate a love of STEM in students early, which is the districts goal.
If you dont touch students in elementary school with STEM education, by the time they get to middle and high schooleither they dont like science, they dont like technology, or they dont have enough skills to engage in those programs, said Dr. Spinner. Then we dont get kids in our important fields.
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