Northeastern University College of Engineering

Baolin Li PhD Proposal Review
2023-10-24 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | MA
Title:
Making Machine Learning on HPC Systems Cost-Effective and Carbon-Friendly
Date:
10/24/2023
Time:
1:00:00 PM
Committee Members:
Prof. Devesh Tiwari (Advisor)
Prof. Ningfang Mi
Dr. Vijay Gadepally
Abstract:
The end users want the machine learning (ML) training/inference services to be lightning-fast. However, the cost, incurred by service providers, to support these lighting-fast ML services is often prohibitively high. Large-scale HPC and data centers are struggling to keep their cost low as they provide faster ML services, while the excessive demand for these services is already negatively impacting our environment due to the large carbon footprint of ML services. Therefore, this dissertation focuses on better understanding the complex trade-off among performance, cost, and environmental footprint of ML models.
This dissertation asks three simple questions: (1) Is slower hardware always worse? (2) Is more expensive hardware always better? (3) Should we always strive to design and train ML models with the highest possible accuracy? As this dissertation reveals, the answers to these questions are more complex than what the conventional wisdom suggests. In fact, simplistic answers — based on first-order intuitions — can lead to missed opportunities in terms of performance efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and carbon footprint.
In this dissertation, we build multiple novel frameworks to demonstrate that mixing slower-and-cheaper hardware with faster-and-expensive hardware can unlock much higher performance- and cost-effectiveness than using only faster-and-expensive hardware configurations. But, unlocking this potential requires a careful design — a design that carefully exploits the diversity in ML inference workload characteristics and adapts to varying ML inference request loads. Next, this dissertation demonstrates that while the highest-possible-accuracy ML models are desirable, using such models can have a severe negative environmental impact. To mitigate this challenge, this dissertation builds an experimental framework to reduce the carbon footprint of ML inference services. The key idea, behind this framework, is to mix the lower-quality ML models with higher-quality ML models intelligently and share the hardware resources during inference query execution to reduce the excessive carbon footprint of high-quality ML model inference, esp. during the periods when a data center’s energy source has high carbon intensity. The extensive experimental evaluation confirms that significant carbon emission reductions can be achieved with transient, very minimal, and configurable loss in accuracy.
As we make rapid advances in the era of large-language models (LLMs) and foundation models, the novel methods and open-source tools presented in this dissertation will enable us to build ML services faster but cheaper and in an environmentally sustainable manner

Mentor Mix & Mingle
2023-10-23 15:00 - 16:30 | MA
Whether you and your mentee(s)/mentor(s) have already connected this year, or still need to do so, this is a great moment to connect over snacks and drinks. Please join us on October 23, 2023 from 3-4:30pm. Please check your email for the location.

PlusOne Information Session
2023-10-19 18:00 - 19:00 | MA
Learn about the PlusOne Accelerated Master’s Degree Program
A master’s degree can provide you an additional level of expertise in an area aligned with your career goals. As a currently enrolled Bachelor of Science (BS) student in the College of Engineering at Northeastern, you have the opportunity to earn a Master of Science degree (MS) in an accelerated time period with the PlusOne program. Once accepted into the program in an approved PlusOne pathway, which is a BS and MS PlusOne combination, you can earn an MS degree with, in most cases, just one extra year of study beyond your undergraduate degree program.
In this virtual information session, College of Engineering undergraduate and graduate academic advisors will provide an overview of the PlusOne program to give you the knowledge and next steps to take advantage of the program if you choose.
What you will learn:

What is PlusOne
Benefits of the program
Eligibility
Co-op considerations
Financial considerations
Selecting your pathway
Academic advising resources
Timeline to apply
The application process
Course registration
Transitioning to graduate school

Annual AI Career Fair
2023-10-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
The Institute for Experiential AI is hosting its annual career fair on October 19th! Companies including Bose, Travelers Insurance, ODSC, and Verisk will be attending. Registration is FREE and there is an option to upload your resume as well!
Date: Thursday, October 19, 2023
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Location: Curry Student Center, Indoor Quad

VIAS3D Regional Academic Meeting 2023
2023-10-19 | MA
The VIAS3D Academia team & Dassault Systems is very excited to invite you to the first New England Regional Academic Meeting on October 19th at Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts.
Join this academic networking space as a knowledge hub for students and academics.
Exchange ideas and experiences related to technology, updates, and engineering solutions to keep up with and excel within the industry.
Register and receive more information about the free conferences led by VIAS3D and Dassault Systèmes experts, followed by conversations afterparty.

AI Business Leaders Conference
2023-10-18 09:00 - 17:00 | East Village, 17th floor, 360 Huntington Ave, East Village 17th floor, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Hi Everyone! Northeastern’s Institute for Experiential AI is hosting an AI Business Leaders Conference on Wednesday, October 18th from 9am to 5pm! If you are studying AI or Data Science, or interested in learning more about it, join us! There are top industry leaders speaking from companies including Meta, T-Mobile, Fidelity, McDonalds, Verizon, as well as many Northeastern experts. Tickets are usually $200 for in-person attendance, but students have access to the virtual component for FREE using the code STU23VIRT!

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Graduate School Fair
2023-10-16 18:00 - 20:00 | MA
COE Graduate Admissions is excited to meet students at the Rose-Hulman’s Graduate School Fair! Join us to learn about our graduate engineering programs!

Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month at the Museum of Science
2023-10-14 10:00 - 2023-10-15 16:00 | MA
ECE Associate Professor Canek Fuentes Hernandez will be a featured speaker during the Museum of Science’s celebration of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month during the weekend of October 14th and 15th, with two full days of fun science and cultural offerings. Hernandez’s talk will be on October 15th at 2:30 PM, and he will discuss his journey in STEM and research in organic electronics.
Programming will include featured speakers, family activities, enlightening live presentations, a special community storytelling event, and Boston-area performances and community groups.
Event website

NACME Annual Conference & Gala @ Washington, DC
2023-10-14 08:00 - 10:00 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at NACME Annual Conference in Washington DC starting Thursday, October 12th to Saturday, October 14th. Key a special eye out for the University Fair on Saturday, October 14th, 2023 at 8 a.m. to ask your questions about Graduate Engineering programs at Northeastern!

Family & Friends Weekend 2023
2023-10-13 16:00 - 17:00 | MA
Join us for a fun weekend with your family and friends. Explore the Snell Engineering Center during an Open House and learn more from Dean Gregory Abowd during a Brunch & College Conversation event. Enjoy yummy food and grab some swag. Please see details below for information on both events.
Join us on October 13 from 4-5pm for an Open House and Reception at Snell Engineering Center, Floors 1+3.
Join us on October 14 from 10-11am for a Brunch and College Conversation with our Dean at the Curry Student Center West Addition.

UC San Diego Virtual Graduate & Professional Schools Fair
2023-10-12 13:00 - 17:00 | MA
COE Graduate Admissions is excited to meet students at the UC San Diego VIRTUAL Graduate School Fair! Join us to learn about our graduate engineering programs.

SASE National Conference
2023-10-12 - 2023-10-14 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the SASE National Conference. Meet us at the STEM Career Fair and one of our Admissions representatives will be happy to answer your questions about our graduate engineering programs.

Library Webinar: Getting Started with Zotero
2023-10-10 12:00 - 12:45 | MA
Learn how to use Zotero to increase your efficiency. Zotero is a free, open-source tool that lets you quickly create bibliographies and in-text citations in your chosen reference style. This online session will cover: how to install Zotero, how to export references from a database to Zotero, how to create groups to organize your research information, how to create an online account, and how to use Zotero with Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
This workshop is at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
Register at bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops.
You will receive the Zoom link for this webinar via email one hour before the event.

Thorlabs is Coming to Northeastern
2023-10-10 10:00 - 2023-10-11 16:00 | MA
Thorlabs Mobile Lab on Campus
Thorlabs will be bringing their mobile photonics lab to Northeastern’s campus at Centennial Common (near Meserve Hall) for two days.
Tuesday, October 10 (10 am – 4 pm)
Thorlabs will present their Intro to Photonics Experience. This event is intended for anyone interested in learning about photonics applications such as biomedical optics and imaging, spectroscopy, and data communications. Attendees will have the opportunity for hands-on interactions imaging inside their finger with optical coherence tomography (OCT), seeing how different wavelengths interact with molecules in the air, transporting electrical signals with light, and seeing how optical fiber works.

Wednesday, October 11 (9 am – 12 pm / 1 pm – 4 pm)
Thorlabs will conduct hands-on sessions with the Quantum Optic Educational Kit. Three 1 hour sessions will be available in the morning and repeated in the afternoon based on the topics below. Interested individuals must register for these sessions by Wednesday, Oct 4 to ensure the proper amount of equipment is available:

Quantum Optics Registration Page

Generate and detect single photons.
Measure coincidences to see the difference between classical and quantum sources.
Align an interferometer to demonstrate single photon interference.

This event is open to all faculty members and student researchers interested in learning more about photonics.

Time: Tuesday 9 October 2023 10:00-4:00
Wednesday 10 October 2023 9:00-4:00
Location: Centennial Common near Meserve Hall.
Contact: Prof. Chuck DiMarzio dimarzio@ece.neu.edu

Indigenous People’s Day on Indigenous Community, Scholarship, and Research
2023-10-09 12:00 - 13:00 | MA
On Monday, October 9, 2023, in recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, please join us for a panel presentation from across our Northeastern University Native community for a discussion on Indigenous Community, Scholarship, and Research.
We welcome Chaplain Patricia St. Onge (Haudenosaunee and Quebecoise, adopted Cheyenne River Lakota) who will offer an opening blessing, followed by presentations on current scholarship by Professor Ellen Cushman (Cherokee Nation); Professor Sebastian Ebarb (Choctaw Apache); and Professor Natalee Kehaulani Bauer (Kanaka Maoli).
Register

SOURCE, the Showcase of Opportunities for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor
2023-10-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Learn more about what cutting-edge research and creative endeavors look like at Northeastern. Talk one-on-one with faculty from across the colleges about their work – and learn how you can get involved in projects during your time at Northeastern.
SOURCE is a collaboration between Bouvé College of Health Sciences; College of Arts, Media and Design; College of Engineering; College of Science; College of Social Sciences and Humanities; D’Amore-McKim School of Business; and Khoury College of Computer Science. It is coordinated by Undergraduate Research and Fellowships on behalf of the Office of the Chancellor.
Please write to URF@Northeastern.edu with any questions.

Spinout Networking Event
2023-10-05 17:00 - 19:00 | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
We are thrilled to announce a unique networking and educational event, reserved exclusively for the innovative minds of Northeastern University’s spinout companies. Mastering the art of the elevator pitch not only enhances your prowess in navigating in-person events but also significantly bolsters your capability to captivate potential investors. Consider this an investment in both your personal growth and the trajectory of your startup. Looking forward to hearing your compelling narratives.
Northeastern Curry Student Center #433
Register

Library Webinar: Getting Started with Mendeley
2023-10-05 12:00 - 12:45 | MA
Are you interested in learning how to better organize your PDFs and research sources? Using Mendeley can help you become more organized and efficient throughout the research process: from when you first begin to explore your topic to when you are adding citations to your paper. In this online session, you will learn how to download Mendeley and set up an account, organize your research sources and PDFs, annotate PDFs, and create in-text citations and bibliographies.
This workshop is at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
Register at bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops.
You will receive the Zoom link for this webinar via email one hour before the event.

Binghamton Fall 2023 Graduate and Professional Schools Fair
2023-10-05 11:00 - 15:00 | MA
Meet COE Graduate Admissions at Binghamton’s Fall 2023 Graduate and Professional Schools Fair! We look forward to meeting Binghamton’s students and answering your questions about our graduate engineering programs.

Gordon Institute Virtual Information Session
2023-10-04 17:30 - 18:30 | MA
Learn how you can earn a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership as a stand-alone certificate or in combination with one of twenty-three Master of Science degrees offered through Northeastern’s College of Engineering, College of Science, or Khoury College of Computer Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering recognized The Gordon Institute of Engineering Leadership (GIEL) for its innovative curriculum that combines technical education, leadership capabilities, and the “Challenge Project”: an opportunity for students to receive master’s level credit while working in industry.
By aligning technical proficiency with leadership capabilities, GIEL accelerates the development of high-potential engineers and prepares them to lead complex projects early in their careers. Upon completing the program, more than 88% of the 2022 class reported increased leadership responsibility, while more than 50% of the 2022 class reported being promoted within one year of graduation.
Our Director of Admissions will answer your application questions for Fall 2024.
You will have the opportunity to hear from Alumni on how The Gordon Institute propelled their engineering careers. Program professors will also be present to answer curriculum questions.

Library Webinar: Getting Started with RefWorks
2023-10-04 12:00 - 12:45 | MA
Are you tired of losing track of your research sources? Need help adding citations to your research papers? Attend this webinar to learn how to get started with RefWorks, an online citation management program that will allow you to collect and organize references and help you cite them in your papers. This session will cover:

how to create a RefWorks account
how to add references to your RefWorks library
how to organize and edit your library of references
how to add RefWorks citations to Word documents and Google Docs

This workshop is at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
Register at bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops.
You will receive the Zoom link for this webinar via email one hour before the event.

Tau Beta Pi Recruiting Fair
2023-10-04 - 2023-10-05 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the VIRTUAL Tau Beta Pi Recruiting Fair. We will be available both days (October 4-5) to answer your questions about graduate engineering programs.

Hispanic Heritage Month Lunch Gathering
2023-10-03 11:30 - 13:00 | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join the Department of Bioengineering for a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, catering from Orinoco and music included!
11:30am – 1:00pm
Tuesday, October 3rd
Mcleod Suites
in the Curry Student Center

Women in Tech Boston
2023-10-02 - 2023-10-03 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at Women in Tech Boston! Learn about Northeastern’s graduate engineering programs right down the street from our Boston campus!

Graduate School of Engineering Campus Tour (In Person)
2023-09-30 10:00 - 11:00 | MA
Want to learn more about the Graduate School of Engineering on the Boston campus? Then we welcome you to sign up for a Graduate School of Engineering campus tour! Led by one of our expert Graduate Student Ambassadors, we’ll show you key locations on campus, in addition to resources specific to Engineering, and answer your questions about Boston. Please complete the registration form linked below to select the date and time that works best for you. Tours are open to both newly admitted and prospective students. We can’t wait to meet you!

Library Webinar: Introduction to Citation Managers
2023-09-28 12:00 - 12:45, 2023-09-26 12:00 - 12:45 | MA
Learn how to manage your references, organize your research and quickly create citations and bibliographies using a citation management program. The session will cover: an introduction to EndNote, Refworks, Zotero and Mendeley; similarities and differences between different citation management programs; how to choose the right citation manager for you; and how to install and use a citation manager.
This workshop is at 12:00pm Eastern Time.
Register at bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops.
You will receive the Zoom link for this webinar via email one hour before the event.

College of Engineering Global Co-op Info Session- Virtual
2023-09-27 18:00 - 19:00 | MA
Join the College of Engineering Global Co-op team in learning about global co-op opportunities for Spring/ Summer I 2024! Topics discussed will include:

Search techniques and global positions in your field
Locations that students have co-oped in the past
What to consider when interested in a global co-op
Information on logistics, including visas and housing
Tips and resources for self-developing global positions

Attendance to one of these information sessions is required if you plan to do a global co-op in Spring/ Summer I 2024. Please reach out to Sally Conant, Global Co-op Coordinator, s.conant@northeastern.edu or Kristina Kutsukos, Global Co-op Coordinator, k.kutsukos@northeastern.edu for additional information.
Session will be virtual- see NUworks for Zoom information.

UVA Graduate and Professional School Fair
2023-09-27 12:00 - 15:00 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the UVA Graduate & Professional School Fair. We look forward to your questions about Graduate Engineering programs at Northeastern!

Grace Hopper Celebration
2023-09-26 - 2023-09-29 | MA
Join COE Graduate Admissions at the Grace Hopper Celebration! Visit the Career Fair & Expo throughout the event to learn more about Northeastern’s graduate programs.
