Northeastern University College of Engineering

Getting Started with EndNote for Mac
2021-02-01 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use EndNote for Mac to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

Getting Started with EndNote for Windows
2021-02-03 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use EndNote for Windows to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

Getting Started with Mendeley
2021-02-03 15:00 - 15:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use Mendeley to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

Getting Started with RefWorks
2021-02-04 15:00 - 15:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use RefWorks to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

Global Health Innovation Summit 2021
2021-02-06 09:00 - 2021-02-07 15:00 (America/New_York)
Innovators for Global Health at NU is hosting a Global Health Innovation Summit on February 6th-7th. Throughout the event, students will compete in teams to innovatively solve problems in public health related to racial and ethnic disparities. The two-day event will be packed with panels and workshops that allow students to work closely with professionals from different sectors of public health. Be sure to register before February 4th; spots are limited!
For more information and to register, visit https://ighnortheastern.wixsite.com/ghis

Experiential Learning: Northeastern Co-op and Career Services - Civil and Environmental Engineering
2021-02-08 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University is pleased to present to you the third installment in our Graduate Programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering Webinar Series.

This webinar, titled Experiential Learning: Northeastern Co-op and Career Services, will introduce you to the cornerstone of the educational experience at Northeastern: our premier Cooperative Education (Co-op) program. Co-op is an educational model whereby students alternate periods of academic study and full-time employment to gain hands-on, professional experience in their field of interest, and build personal connections and contacts.

Graduate Programs in Civil and Environmental Engineering Webinar 3: Experiential Learning: Northeastern Co-op and Career Services

Thursday, February 8, 2021

10:00 – 11:00 AM EST

Register Here

Hosted by Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Co-op Coordinator Cheryl Arruda, this webinar will help you understand:

What is co-op for MS students? How is co-op different than an internship?
Where can I go on co-op?
Who can participate in Co-op, and what is the process like for international students?
What is available in Northeastern’s Career Services office, frequently ranked #1 in the US?
Hear experiences from current MS students about their co-ops, and ask your questions.
And more!

Located in Boston, Massachusetts, New England’s largest city, Northeastern University is a wonderful place to study and live. Our city is home to world-class entertainment, restaurants, and sporting venues, a diverse and dynamic economy, and a thriving community of academic institutions.

Apply now!

This webinar content will be useful for both those who have already applied and those still considering applying. An application fee waiver code for those who have not yet applied will be included. Check the deadlines for applying for graduate study.

Galante Event: Info Session
2021-02-09 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The Galante Engineering Business Program is holding an Info Session on February 9th from 2:00-3:00pm via Zoom.
Northeastern University’s Galante Engineering Business Program offers a progressive opportunity for engineering students to complement their technical engineering education with business skills by earning a graduate certificate in engineering business. Galante is founded on the values of student engagement and leadership to strengthen interpersonal and professional skills. Integrating an engineering education with a business background allows students to perfect their communication, leadership, and teamwork capabilities. Please RSVP to the Info Session.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions Galante@northeastern.edu or visit the Galante Website to learn more.

ECE Seminar: David M. Rosen
2021-02-09 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Title: Provably Sound Perception for Reliable Autonomy
David M. Rosen
Location: Zoom Link
Abstract: Machine perception — the ability to construct accurate models of the world from raw sensor data — is an essential capability for mobile robots, supporting such fundamental functions as planning, navigation, and control. However, the development of algorithms for robotic perception that are both *practical* and *reliable* presents a formidable challenge: such methods must be capable of solving complex estimation tasks in real-time on resource-limited mobile platforms, while remaining robust to challenges such as sensor noise, uncertain or misspecified perceptual models, and potentially contaminated measurements. In this talk, I show how one can meet these challenges through the design of practical perception methods that are both *computationally efficient* and *provably sound*, focusing on the foundational problem of spatial perception. I begin with a brief introduction to pose-graph optimization (PGO): this problem lies at the core of many fundamental spatial perception tasks (including robotic mapping, sensor network localization, and 3D visual reconstruction), but is high-dimensional and nonconvex, and therefore challenging to solve in general. Nevertheless, I show how one can leverage convex relaxation to efficiently recover *exact, certifiably optimal* PGO solutions in a noise regime that encompasses most practical robotics and computer vision applications. Our algorithm, SE-Sync, is the first practical method provably capable of recovering correct (globally optimal) PGO solutions. Next, I address the design of machine learning methods for spatial perception, focusing on the fundamental problem of rotation estimation. I show that topological obstructions can actually prevent deep neural networks (DNNs) employing common rotation parameterizations (e.g. quaternions) from learning to estimate widely-dispersed rotation targets, as is required in (for example) object pose estimation. I then describe a novel parameterization of 3D rotations that overcomes this obstruction, and that supports an explicit notion of uncertainty in our DNNs’ predictions. Experiments confirm that (as predicted by theory) DNNs employing this representation achieve superior accuracy and reliability when applied to object pose estimation, and that their predicted uncertainties enable the reliable identification of out-of-distribution test examples (including corrupted inputs). Finally, I will conclude with a discussion of future directions that aim to unify provably sound estimation and learning methods, thereby enabling the creation of perception systems with both the *robustness* and *adaptability* necessary to support reliable long-term autonomy in the real world.
Speaker Bio: David M. Rosen is a postdoctoral associate in the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research addresses the design of practical provably robust methods for machine perception, using a combination of tools from optimization, geometry, algebra, and probabilistic inference. He holds the degrees of BS in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology (2008), MA in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin (2010), and ScD in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to joining LIDS, he was a Research Scientist at Oculus Research (now Facebook Reality Labs) in Seattle.His work has been recognized with a Best Paper Award at the 2016 International Workshop on the Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics, an RSS Pioneer Award at Robotics: Science and Systems 2019, and a Best Student Paper Award at Robotics: Science and Systems 2020.

Origami with Graduate Women in Science and Engineering
2021-02-09 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join the Graduate Women in Science and Engineering for community time this Tuesday at 7 PM on MS Teams. We will be making some origami and chatting!

ChE Seminar: Organic Aqueous Flow Batteries for Massive Electrical Energy
2021-02-10 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Michael J. Aziz
Gene and Tracy Sykes Professor of Materials and Energy Technologies, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Harvard University
Organic Aqueous Flow Batteries for Massive Electrical Energy
Abstract
The ability to store large amounts of electrical energy is of increasing importance with the growing fraction of electricity generation from intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar.
Flow batteries show promise because the designer can independently scale the power (electrode area) and energy (arbitrarily large storage volume) components of the system by maintaining all electro-active species in fluids. The wide-scale utilization of flow batteries is limited by the abundance and cost of these materials.
We have developed an approach to electricity storage in flow batteries using the aqueous redox chemistry of small, potentially inexpensive organic and organometallic molecules. This new approach may enable massive electrical energy storage at a greatly reduced cost.
Biography
Michael J. Aziz has been a member of the faculty at what is now the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences since he joined in 1986 and is now Gene and Tracy Sykes Professor of Materials and Energy Technologies. His recent research interests include novel materials and processes for energy technology and greenhouse gas mitigation. He is co-inventor of the organic aqueous flow battery and directs multi-investigator research programs on stationary electrical energy storage and porous electrodes. He is a Fellow of the APS, the MRS, and the AAAS and is the co-recipient of the 2019 Energy Frontiers Prize from Eni.
If you would like access to the virtual seminar, please contact a.ramsey@northeastern.edu

Northeastern University-Seattle Virtual Engineering Info Session
2021-02-10 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Join Seattle Campus Recruiter, Stephanie Curtiss, College of Engineering Recruiter, Marissa Brush, and current engineering student ambassador, Ramya Hebbar, to learn about advancing your engineering and technical career at our Virtual Engineering Info Session in Seattle. Studying at our South Lake Union campus in the heart of Seattle, Northeastern College of Engineering students have unique opportunities to pursue co-ops and learn from experts in the local industry.
Featured Programs:

MS in Information Systems: Includes a Non-STEM Bridge Pathway
MS in Data Analytics Engineering

Our virtual session will include:

The curriculum and career outlook for each program
Details about Northeastern’s top-tier co-op program
Open Q&A with staff and current engineering student

Register Today!

Getting Started with BibTeX
2021-02-11 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use BibTeX to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

10 Advanced EndNote Features
2021-02-12 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Start your spring 2021 research off on the right foot with Northeastern University Library’s series of online workshops and webinars. In this workshop, learn how to use advanced EndNote features to manage citations for yourself or your research group.
Register here: bit.ly/citationmgmtworkshops

CEE Lunch & Learn Seminar Series: Smoke, Satellites, and Storage Bins: AER’s Research in Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases
2021-02-12 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is pleased to announce the second event in our Lunch & Learn Seminar Series.
This event will feature Matthew Alvarado of AER, discussing “Smoke, Satellites, and Storage Bins: AER’s Research in Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases.”
If you are planning to attend, please RSVP for this event so we may get a proper headcount and share it with your colleagues and post-docs who you think may be interested. Details on how to attend will be sent to those who RSVP.
RSVP for this event

About Lunch & Learn:

This bimonthly seminar series focuses on convergent research, bringing together Northeastern colleagues and collaborators to think big/bold, explore ideas that build cooperation and foster transformative innovation within CEE and across disciplines beyond CEE.

Below, you may find participation information. This event is virtual via Microsoft Teams- RSVP to receive the link. Please contact Professor Yang Zhang (ya.zhang@northeastern.edu) with any questions.

Topic: CEE Lunch & Learn:
Smoke, Satellites, and Storage Bins: AER’s Research in Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases

Time: February 12, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Time (Boston)
This talk will discuss three topics from AER’s recent and on-going research into air quality and greenhouse gases. First we will discuss the efforts at AER to improve our ability to model the impacts of biomass burning on ozone and PM2.5, with a focus on the chemistry that takes place within the smoke after emission. We will then discuss the use of satellite observations in air quality studies and monitoring, including work at AER to better constrain sources of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and methane. Finally, we will discuss a recent consulting project where we looked into the physics and chemistry of smoke from fires at eclectic storage facilities and made recommendations for how to model the impacts for planning and emergency response purposes. We will also discuss how AER has partnered with universities, national labs, and other organizations in pursuing these research topics.

CEE Department Graduate Student Social
2021-02-12 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s Graduate Student Council (CEE GSC) for our annual Chinese New Year Social on February 12, at 6 PM EST, on zoom.
We will hang out, play games, and maybe explore some virtual environments.

Innovation in Self Development + Wellness: A WISE Webinar
2021-02-13 11:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Explore the intersections of entrepreneurship and personal development with the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship at Northeastern University! On Saturday, Feb. 13, our community will have the chance to hear from experts on investing in yourself as a young professional, and letting your mind rest and reflect during times of uncertainty. At the start of the webinar, we will be leading a discussion on tackling imposter syndrome early in your career with Christmas Hutchinson, Career Confidence Coach and Author of The Resilient Mind: A Field Guide to a Healthier Way of Life. After that, we will meet Olivia Bowser, Founder of Liberate Studio, the world’s first mental wellness studio. Olivia will touch on her experience being a founder in the wellness industry and will guide us through an activity to show us the power of mindfulness and how to implement it into our lives. Finally, attendees will get the chance to interact with each other and discuss a range of topics within the wellness world during our Self Care Coffee Chat session.
RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/innovation-in-self-development-wellness-a-wise-webinar-tickets-139323491313

NSF Workshop on Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention
2021-02-16 10:00 - 2021-02-17 19:00 (America/New_York)
NSF Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention (PIPP) Workshop – Pandemic Readiness for Emerging Pathogens (PREP)
The goal is to foster scientific discussion and catalyze innovation and partnerships to significantly enhance our understanding of the challenges and potential solutions to rapid detection and assessment of emerging pathogens and infectious disease dynamics from the molecular to the ecological scale. We invite participants from academia, government, industry and non-governmental organizations from varied disciplines: Engineering (ENG), Biological Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE).
PREP has four topical thrusts:
1) Rapid and Accurate Detection and Assessment of Emerging Pathogens
2) Monitoring Environmental Change, Animal Movements, and High-Risk Interfaces for Disease Transmission
3) Monitoring Human Movements and At-risk Communities for Disease Transmission and Spread
4) Data-Intensive Machine Learning and Modeling for Pandemic Preparedness.
Each topical thrust has vision talks, panels, and breakout sessions.
The goal of the workshop is a roadmap for research investments to address key technical and scientific challenges for pandemic prevention.
For more information, agenda, list of invited speakers, and registration: https://thepipp.org
Direct registration

Organized by ECE Professor Nian X. Sun with support from NSF grant.

ECE PhD Proposal Review: Andre Langner
2021-02-17 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
PhD Proposal Review: Multi-area Distribution State Estimation Using a Virtual Reference
Andre Langner
Location: Teams Link
Abstract: State Estimation (SE) is the backbone of modern Energy Management System due to its capability of processing real-time measurements and provide reliable information to system operators. Since its introduction to power systems in the ’70s, SE has been widely used in transmission networks. Distribution grids, on the other hand, lack sufficient number of real-time measurements, and for that reason, SE has not been widely implemented on these systems. The recent increase in the number of renewable energy sources connected to the grid at lower voltage levels, the advent of Distribution Automation, and Smart Grids necessitate closer monitoring of distribution networks. Thus, forcing utilities to upgrade their operations and deploy Advanced Distribution Management Systems. Therefore, Distribution System State Estimation (DSSE) is paramount to provide real-time monitoring of active distribution grids. In the first part of this proposal, a three-phase distribution system state estimator is presented, especially for highly unbalanced networks. In the second part, the Multi-area State Estimation (MASE) approach is proposed to distribution systems, by a partition into non-overlapping areas, aiming at reducing the overall execution time. Furthermore, it is also proposed to combine MASE along with the so-called Generalized State Estimation to identify topology errors causing divergence in the state estimation process.

ChE Seminar: 3D Printing End-Functionalized Polymer Conjugates to Fabricate Spatially Organized Biomaterials
2021-02-17 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Lesley W. Chow, Ph.D.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Department of Bioengineering
Lehigh University
3D Printing End-Functionalized Polymer Conjugates to Fabricate Spatially Organized Biomaterials
Abstract: Biodegradable polymer scaffolds for tissue engineering can be functionalized with specific chemistries to direct desired cellular behavior and matrix formation. These scaffolds are typically modified post-fabrication, which can lead to undesirable changes in scaffold properties. In addition, most functionalization strategies result in homogeneously distributed chemistries that fail to mimic the anisotropic biochemical organization found in native tissues. To address these challenges, we developed a versatile platform where end-functionalized polymer conjugates are 3D printed into well-defined patterns. The end groups (i.e., peptides, bioorthogonal chemistries) on the conjugate become displayed on the surface during fabrication to generate functionalized scaffolds in a single step without affecting scaffold architecture. This strategy also enables us to control the spatial organization of multiple chemistries within a continuous construct. This seminar will describe our platform and discuss how we are using this modular approach to fabricate scaffolds to direct osteochondral tissue regeneration.
Biography: Dr. Lesley Chow is a Frank Hook Assistant Professor jointly appointed in the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Bioengineering at Lehigh University. She was recently appointed to the Harold Chambers Junior Professorship in 2019 and received the NSF CAREER Award in 2020. She joined Lehigh following her postdoctoral training at Imperial College London in the Departments of Materials and Bioengineering. She received her B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida and her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University.
Please contact Alyssa Ramsey a.ramsey@northeastern.edu for the link information.

ECE PhD Dissertation Defense: Shadi Emam
2021-02-18 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
PhD Dissertation Defense: Devices and Methods for Diagnosis from Exhaled Breath
Shadi Emam
Location: 325 DA
Abstract: A novel electrochemical gas sensor was developed with a variety of applications. The sensor is composed of four layers: Silicon substrate, Chromium, Graphene-Prussian blue, and molecularly imprinting polymer (MIP). Molecular imprinting technology is a technique to polymerize around a template molecule. Subsequent removal of the template molecule leaves cavities in the polymer matrix with an affinity for a chosen template molecule. The sensor was applied toward the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease first. Three sensors were fabricated to detect three biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in the exhaled breath. The sensors were tested against three cohorts of rats: young healthy control, old on high fat/high sugar diet and, old on high fat/high sugar with Alzheimer’s human gene APOE4. The sensor only detected the 3 biomarkers from the exhaled breath of the rats from the last cohort. The MRI results of the rats’ brain also confirmed the sensors readings. The sensors were then applied toward the diagnosis of lung cancer at an early stage and detection of controlled substances in the air/exhaled breath/body fluid. Recently, sensors were fabricated and tested to detest SARS-CoV-2. With some modification to the basic and structure of the sensors, 3 generations of SARS-CoV-2 sensors were developed and tested. The second generation was developed in order to enhance the sensitivity of the sensors. By proper functionalization of the graphene layer, the sensitivity of the sensors increased 80,000 times. The third generation of the sensors was fabricated with the goal of selectivity and using functional monomers. These sensors were tested against bovine serum albumin (BSA), water, phosphate buffer solution (PBS), the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola, and flu virus. The third generation of sensors is highly selective and consistent compared to the previous generation. While the first generation sensor was 37.5% selective and 61% sensitive, the third generation sensor was 75% selective and 80% selective.

Pathways in Research Dissemination
2021-02-19 13:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Why, how, and when should you share your research work? The Northeastern COE CommLab will host a webinar discussing the importance of disseminating research and the different tools you can use to share your research findings. These tools range from elevator pitches and peer-reviewed research articles to creating and maintaining your online presence as a researcher. Such diverse approaches in disseminating your research can be applied to any field or any part of your professional development journey. This is an introductory webinar that provides an overview of different dissemination tools. Then, throughout the coming months, the CommLab will offer interactive workshops that will provide in-depth information on each approach to help move you forward in your career through the impactful and appropriate dissemination of your work. Register for the Zoom Webinar (Register with your Northeastern University Zoom Credentials)

Race or Racism? The Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth
2021-02-22 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
We would like to invite you to attend the PROTECT (Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats) Spring 2021 Webinar, “Race or Racism? The Black-White Disparity in Preterm Birth.”
Dr. Paula Braveman, Professor of Family and Community Medicine and Founding Director of the Center for Health at the University of California, San Francisco will talk about racism as leading to health-harming experiences and exposures that should be considered possible contributors to racial disparities in preterm birth rates. To learn more about Dr. Braveman and her work, and for a description of the upcoming webinar, please visit the PROTECT website.
This webinar will be presented via Zoom Online Meetings and if you are able to join us, please register at the following link – REGISTER.
If you have any questions about the webinar or experience any issues with registration, please contact Kristin Hicks directly at k.hicks@northeastern.edu, or 617-373-5384.

Engineers Week: 'What's the big deal about COVID-19 variants and why should we care?'
2021-02-22 13:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
The Bioengineering Department presents speaker Lee Makowski for this year’s Engineers Week events.

Location: This event is virtual, free, and open to the public.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://northeastern.zoom.us/j/95153700231?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 951 5370 0231
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,95153700231#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US (Washington DC)
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‘What’s the big deal about COVID-19 variants and why should we care?’
Lee Makowski Professor and Department Chair, Department of Bioengineering
Lee Makowski, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Bioengineering
Vaccines developed to protect against infection with SARS CoV-2 virus are less effective against some viral variants that have recently arisen. How is that possible, and what can we do about it? In this presentation I will outline how vaccines are designed, why some variants can evade neutralization by the vaccines and others cannot, and discuss why I believe there will be ‘booster’ vaccines developed against the variants, probably available by late summer.
Dr. Makowski is Professor and Chair of Bioengineering and Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University. He has a BS in Physics from Brown University and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from MIT. His research interests focus on the molecular basis of biological processes. In 2010, he moved from Argonne National Laboratory where he was Biosciences Division Director and Senior Scientist to Northeastern University where he accepted a joint appointment in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Chemistry and Chemical Biology. In January 2014 Dr. Makowski was appointed as Interim Chair of the newly established Department of Bioengineering and became Chair in September 2015. His current research program aspires to understand the inception and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. With the emergence of COVID-19, he redirected his efforts to try to understand the array of unexpected extrapulmonary impacts SARS CoV-2 has on some patients.
Download Flyer (pdf)

AIX SEMINAR SERIES
2021-02-22 15:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
We cordially invite you to join the
AIX SEMINAR
Monday, Feb 22, 3:00 PM EST
Zoom Link: https://northeastern.zoom.us/j/96209636039
__________________________________________________________________________________
Assistive Robots for People with Severe Motor Impairments
Dr. Maria Kyrarini, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the University of Texas at Arlington
Introducing the Open Mocap Project
Dr. Jon Matthis, Northeastern University, Professor of Biology
__________________________________________________________________________________

Assistive Robots for People with Severe Motor Impairments
Dr. Maria Kyrarini | Postdoctoral Research Fellow, the University of Texas at Arlington
Abstract: Assistive robotic manipulators have the potential to support individuals with severe motor impairments to regain some of their independence in performing Activities of Daily Living. For individuals with tetraplegia, which is the paralysis of all limbs, interaction with assistive robotic manipulators is a very challenging task. In this talk, I will present two interaction approaches to enable a person with tetraplegia to drink with the assistance of a robotic manipulator. The first approach focuses on enabling people with tetraplegia to teach the robot how to assist them with drinking. The second approach focuses on an autonomous multi-sensory robotic system, which assists with straw-less drinking. Experimental results for both approaches will be presented. Furthermore, I will conclude the talk with a brief discussion of future research challenges.
Bio: Maria Kyrarini is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Texas at Arlington under the advisement of Professor Dr. Fillia Makedon. She is also the assistant director of the Heracleia Human-Centered Computing Lab. In 2019, Maria received her Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Bremen under the supervision of Professor Dr.-Eng. Axel Gräser. The title of her Ph.D. thesis is: “Robot learning from human demonstrations for human-robot synergy”. Before that, she received her M.Eng. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and her M.Sc. degree in Automation Systems both from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in 2012 and 2014, respectively. Her primary research interests are in the fields of Robot Learning from Human Demonstrations, Human-Robot Interaction, and Assistive Robotics with a special focus on Enhancing Human Performance.
Webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/mariakyrarini/home
__________________________________________________________________________________
Introducing the Open Mocap Project
Dr. Jon Matthis | Professor of Biology, Northeastern University
Abstract: I will present an update to the Open Mocap project, which aims to develop a free, open-source, camera hardware and tracking software agnostic system for 3D motion capture of humans, non-human animals, and robots. The current iteration looks something like this:
https://twitter.com/JonMatthis/status/1351531974364688385
Bio: Jon Matthis is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Northeastern University. Jon’s research focuses primarily on the visual control of human walking, with an emphasis on the way that the biomechanics of bipedal gait shapes the use of visual information during locomotion over real world rough terrain. To this end, he has developed an apparatus that accurately records full-body motion capture and eye tracking data of people walking outdoors over real-world rocky terrain. Using this data, he hopes to explain the way that humans use eye movements to extract information from their environment in order to facilitate stable and efficient locomotion over complex and difficult terrain.
_________________________________________
Please sign up to receive further AIX seminar notifications
Presented by the Institute for Experiential Robotics at Northeastern University

Engineers Week: MIE Alumni/Faculty Panel and Trivia
2021-02-22 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
The Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department is hosting an alumni/faculty panel and trivia for this year’s Engineers Week events.

Location: This event is virtual, free, and open to the public.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 983 4636 8614
Passcode: [REDACTED]

MIE Alumni/Faculty Panel and Trivia
Students will have opportunities to ask about careers, research, academia, and discuss how they are imagining tomorrow as Engineers. Following the discussion, we will host trivia where students in teams will answer a wide range of questions for prizes and work with other students!
Panel participants:

Anubama Chinnakannan, Application Engineer, Schneider Electric
Safa Jamali, Assistant Professor, Northeastern University
Hongli Zhu, Assistant Professor, Northeastern University
Ruobing Bai, Assistant Professor, Northeastern University
Kayse Maass: Assistant Professor, Northeastern University
Simisola Familusi: Manufacturing quality engineer, Apple

Download Flyer (pdf)

Engineers Week: Introduction to the Graduate School of Engineering
2021-02-23 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
The Introduction to the Graduate School of Engineering is part of this year’s Engineers Week events.

Location: This event is virtual, free, and open to the public.
Join Zoom Meeting

Kelly EgorovaAssistant Director of Graduate Admissions
Bold, interdisciplinary, and experiential with a focus on innovating for society. Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Engineering encompasses top-ranked, highly selective, R1 research programs that combine rigorous academics with experiential learning and convergent research to prepare the next generation of engineering leaders to address the complex challenges of global society. Kelly Egorova, Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions, will discuss the parameters for success as you begin your application process. She will provide an overview of the 6 departments, Co-op with the College’s 800 industry partners, and opportunities for engagement with the graduate student ambassadors.
Kelly Egorova is the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions in the Graduate School of Engineering at Northeastern University. She received her M.Ed in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University, and her BS in Environmental Science with minors in Math and Biology from Plymouth State University. Kelly began her career in higher education in 2012 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was a Producer of Special Projects at the MIT Media Lab. Kelly joined Northeastern University in 2017. She believes in the importance of identifying individuals whom will thrive within the University – but more importantly – those who will carry the values of our school beyond their academics.
Download Flyer (pdf)

MathWorks-Northeastern Symposium on Wireless Communication
2021-02-23 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Topics of Discussion

Testing Wireless Solutions at Scale. Colosseum as a Case Study Speaker: Stefano Basagni, ECE Dept, Northeastern University
From Algorithms to Implementations Speaker: Miriam Leeser: ECE Dept, Northeastern University
OFDM Explained Speaker: Darel A. Linebarger, MathWorks Director of Engineering for Wireless and Audio

RSVP for Meeting Link

Engineers Week: Pathways to Science and Engineering
2021-02-23 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
The Center for STEM Education is hosting an Pathways to Science and Engineering for this year’s Engineers Week events.
Josep Jornet

Location: This event is virtual, free, and open to high school students only.
Join Zoom Meeting

Pathways to Science and Engineering (PSE) is an after school program geared towards high school students interested in STEM. Students will be exploring diverse career pathways through research presentations. Graduate students and faculty members from Northeastern University will be presenting their ongoing research to participants, and participants will have time to ask questions about the presenter’s research and their field of study. Students will be meeting remotely via Zoom every Tuesday from 4:00-5:00pm for 8 weeks, starting Tuesday, January 26th, 2021.

Josep Miquel Jornet is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His current research interests are in Terahertz communication networks, wireless nano-bio-communication networks, and the Internet of Nano-Things.
Sidi A. Bencherif
Sidi A. Bencherif is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and an Affiliated Faculty in the Department of Bioengineering. Hi research interests are in polymer chemistry and engineering; biomaterials; biomedical engineering; drug delivery; tissue engineering; regenerative medicine; immunotherapy; immunoengineering; and vaccines.

COE Study Abroad Info Session
2021-02-24 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Presented by Amanda Earley, GEO and Joy Erb, COE.
Learn about the opportunities to study in another country while enjoying local culture from fellow COE students.
For more information please contact Joy Erb: j.erb@northeastern.edu.
Zoom Study Abroad Info Link
Meeting ID: 924 3292 5382

Engineers Week: A Multi-Scale Approach to Plant Specialized Metabolic Engineering
2021-02-24 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
The Chemical Engineering department is hosting Susan Roberts as a speaker for this year’s Engineers Week events.

Location: This event is virtual, free, and open to the public.
Register to join

Susan RobertsWorcester Polytechnic Institute
A Multi-Scale Approach to Plant Specialized Metabolic Engineering
Professor Roberts’ research is focused on cellular engineering and design of bioprocesses using plant-based systems. Plants produce sophisticated small molecules that play key roles in defense against predators and environmental elements. These natural products are synthesized through specialized metabolic pathways, that have both shared and unique components when compared amongst plant systems. These specialized metabolites are useful in a variety of societal applications including as nutraceuticals, flavorings, colorings and pharmaceuticals. The supply of these compounds is often hindered due to low yields in nature and the inability to chemically synthesize at scale. She uses plant cell culture technology as both a system of study and a scalable production system due to the ability to engineer cells and the environment to optimize accumulation of products of interest. During this event she will present the story of understanding and optimizing paclitaxel production in Taxus plant cell suspension culture using a multi-pronged cellular engineering approach (intracellular, intercellular and extracellular scales). She will focus on recent approaches and results in considering global specialized metabolism, specialized metabolite transport and epigenetic mechanisms. Her group uses a combination of traditional bioprocess engineering techniques (e.g., bioreactor design, cell culture, cell encapsulation), modern molecular biology and analytical chemistry techniques (e.g., gene transfer, transcriptomics analyses, UPLC) and mathematical modeling (e.g., genome scale modeling, metabolic flux analyses). Her research has been funded largely through the NSF, NIH and industrial collaborations.
Dr. Susan Roberts is Professor and Head of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). She received her BS degree in Chemical Engineering from WPI in 1992, PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1998, served on the faculty at UMass Amherst Chemical Engineering for 17 years and joined WPI as Professor and Head in 2015. Dr. Roberts’ research interests are in biomanufacturing, cellular engineering and cell culture, with a primary focus on plant-based systems for synthesis of natural products. She has received a number of awards for her research and education work including the NSF ADVANCE Program, NIIMBL Workforce Development Award, UMass President’s Science and Technology Fund Award, NSF IGERT Award, NSF CAREER Award, and UMass Amherst College of Engineering Junior Faculty, Teaching and Advising awards. Her research is supported by the NSF, NIH and industry. She is passionate about faculty development, training interdisciplinary engineers, innovating graduate education and advocating for advancement of women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields. She is a proud mom to three children, Justin (17), Benjamin (14), and Emmelyn (10), and puppy Molly.
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