Northeastern University College of Engineering

Library Webinar: Getting Started with RefWorks
2023-02-14 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Learn how you can use RefWorks to save and organize references from databases, web sources and the library catalog, and to quickly create citations and bibliographies while you write.
Note: use of Northeastern’s institutional RefWorks subscription requires a Northeastern or NCH London username and password. This workshop is not open to non-Northeastern users.
Registration is required. Register here.
All the times of the webinars are in EST.
Related LibGuide: Citations and Bibliographies

Yiyue Jiang's PhD Proposal Review
2023-02-15 11:30 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
“FPGA-based Accelerator of Neural Networks for Digital Predistortion”
Committee:
Prof. Miriam Leeser (Advisor)
Prof. John Dooley
Prof. Stefano Basagni
Abstract:
Power Amplifiers (PAs) are an essential part of wireless communications.
As wireless standards evolve and become more demanding, the requirements for PAs change as well. Specifically, PAs need to balance linearity and energy efficiency while adhering to 5G wireless standards and beyond. PA behaviors differ based on several criteria, including the type of PA, power levels, and the environment. To overcome the nonlinear behavior of a PA, a flexible system to achieve digital predistortion (DPD) is required that can rapidly adapt to its environment.
In many situations, traditional methods such as the memory polynomial model cannot adapt to all these factors. Neural networks have been used for some years in RF and microwave engineering. Early work demonstrated the suitability of neural networks to model complicated active device characteristics. Current neural network based DPD systems all do the training offline and are therefore not real-time systems. To reduce the cost to upgrade hardware and to provide more flexibility to different power amplifiers’ linearization needs, a specific neural network based reconfigurable, adaptive, and real-time digital predistortion system is proposed. This system targets Zynq All Programmable System on Chip (SoC) devices which feature an ARM processor and FPGA together with RF frontend on the same chip. The system proposed in this research combines real-time DPD with on-chip training. Furthermore, most research on FPGA based inference accelerators targets classification problems with probability output. There is no accelerator working on the signal processing problem focusing on sample-by-sample output. Our proposed system is optimized in both algorithm and implementation targeting sample-by-sample processing with high accuracy and real-time efficiency.

Library Webinar: 10 Advanced EndNote Features
2023-02-15 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Learn how you can use EndNote’s advanced features to make the most of this high-level citation tool.
Note: use of Northeastern’s institutional EndNote subscription requires a Northeastern or NCH London username and password. This webinar is not open to non-Northeastern users.
Registration is required. Register here.
All the times of the webinars are in EST.
Related LibGuide: Citations and Bibliographies

Gordon Institute Virtual Information Session
2023-02-15 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York)
Learn how you can earn a Graduate Certificate in Engineering Leadership as a stand-alone certificate or in combination with one of twenty 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 2021 class reported increased leadership responsibility, while more than 50% of the 2021 class reported being promoted within one year of graduation.
Our Director of Admissions will answer your application questions for Fall 2023.
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 Zotero
2023-02-17 12:00 - 12:45 (America/New_York)
Learn how you can use Zotero to save and organize references from databases, web sources and the library catalog, and to quickly create citations and bibliographies while you write.
Registration is required. Register here.
All the times of the webinars are in EST.
Related LibGuide: Citations and Bibliographies

COE FacDev Friday: How to Manage Your Time and Projects
2023-02-17 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)

Dr. Rachel Rodgers - Eating Disorder Awareness (ALLIED)
2023-02-17 15:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | 232 ISEC, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Northeastern University’s ALLIED talk series (Allies for Leading, Learning, Inclusion, and Education of Disabilities) Talk Series

ATTENDANCE: We will regularly have food and beverages available at each event. We encourage you to bring a friend (or two!) as these events will be fun, engaging, and informative.
CALENDAR: Download our event calendar for this year to add to your Gmail, Outlook, or Calendar app (instructions here). Alternatively, access the live calendar using this link.
VOLUNTEERING: If you’d like to volunteer to help organize ALLIED events this year, please let us know by responding to this email. This is a great opportunity to work on exciting projects with an engaging and diverse group of people, alongside bonus goodies and food!
ACCOMMODATIONS: All ALLIED events are hosted in a hybrid format and have an ASL interpreter and closed captioning. If you have any questions regarding accessibility, please respond to this email.

PwC Networking & Info Session
2023-02-17 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Please join the Galante Engineering Business Program in welcoming PwC representatives Alejandro Moreno (LinkedIn), Rachel Shaffer (LinkedIn), and Matthew Cole (LinkedIn) for an informational discussion about the management consulting journey from the perspective of engineers, and get real-world insights from their latest M&A transactions. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A & networking session.
PwC offers business advisory services such as auditing, accounting, taxation, strategy management, and human resource consulting services. PwC serves clients in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defense, automotive, energy, government, hospitality, insurance, banking, consumer markets, health care, transportation and much more. The Galante Program is proud to maintain strong ties with PwC, with several students both current and alumni who have enjoyed co-op rotations and full-time employment with the company.
This event will take place on campus from 6:30-8:00pm. The first 20 individuals to sign up via the RSVP survey will receive a calendar invitation containing additional details. Attire is business formal. Please RSVP via the QR code in the image above, or follow the link here.

Engineering Explorations
2023-02-21 08:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
When: February 21-24, 2023 (MA Public School Vacation Week)
Time: 9:00 a. m. – 3:30 p.m.
Student drop-off: 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Student pick-up: 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $50
What: A variety of hands-on engineering activities, culminating in the Engineering for Everyone Expo
Applications Open: Now: >>Sign-Up Here<<
Applications Close: February 1st
Who: This program is for students currently in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade only.
Eligibility: This program is intended for children of Northeastern Affiliates (Faculty, Staff, Students, etc.) and for siblings of alumni of our various programs. Please be aware that the program each year is very similar, so we do not accept repeat students/program alumni.

Engineers Week: Cookies with the Dean
2023-02-21 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York)
Celebrating our COE students! Opportunity to meet and talk to Dean Gregory Abowd. Enjoy snacks (popcorn, pretzels, various desserts, hot chocolate), free swag, and photo booths!
When: Tuesday, February 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Robinson Quad Bamboo & Industry Tents (near Mugar Life Sciences Building – 330 Huntington Ave)
Who: COE students

Engineers Week: Graduate School of Engineering Overview Webinar
2023-02-22 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
The College of Engineering invites you to celebrate National Engineers Week from February 19-25, 2023, where a series of events will be hosted virtually for our prospective students, applicants, and admits to attend.
To celebrate the event, the Graduate School of Engineering invites you to learn more about our graduate programs by attending a webinar hosted by the Director of Graduate Admissions, Kelly Egorova on February 22, 2023. Webinar details are below.
Webinar Details:
Topic: Graduate School of Engineering Overview
Date: February 22, 2023
Time: 9:00 AM EST
Registration: Access Registration!
During this webinar, you will have the opportunity to learn more about our programs, co-op opportunities, global campus network, and more!

oSTEM Spring Virtual Career and Grad School Expo
2023-02-22 16:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
Join us virtually to learn more about Northeastern’s graduate engineering programs! An admissions representative will be available to answer your questions and provide an application fee waiver! Register at the link below.

Engineers Week: Fireside Chat – Break the Mold! Think Beyond Technology to Make an Impact in Unimaginable Ways
2023-02-22 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | East Village, 17th floor, 360 Huntington Ave, East Village 17th floor, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Featuring Award-Winning Engineer and Commentator Dr. Shini Somara and Dean Gregory Abowd
Think about engineering in a completely different way. Engineering is all around us and involves technology and beyond to solve the complex challenges of the world. Engineering is for everyone, and everyone is for engineering! Dr. Somara has been featured on Crash Course, BBC World, Discovery Channel, and more. Get ready for an engaging, out-of-the-box session!
When: Wed., February 22, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.)
Reception to follow with refreshments – opportunity to meet and network with Dr. Somara and Dean Abowd
Where: 17th Floor of East Village
Who: For engineers and non-engineers (undergraduate, graduate, and high school students)
Register at: https://neweek.sites.northeastern.edu/

Engineering Leadership Professional Development Co-op Workshop
2023-02-22 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | 431 Stearns, 431 Stearns Center, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Earn The Gordon Undergraduate Leadership Development Workshop Certificate
This engineering leadership workshop is designed for Northeastern University undergraduate engineering students during their second co-op experience. This workshop begins February 22nd and is designed to be completed in parallel with your co-op.
The program includes a series of engineering leadership development activities focused on expanding leadership skills, engaging in more meaningful interactions with their supervisors, and taking active roles in shaping their overall co-op experiences.
This is a 0-credit hour class that includes two evening sessions, mentoring, and four self-directed modules. Workshop participants will significantly improve their co-op experience and maximize their professional development.
Upon completion, students give a final presentation and earn The Gordon Undergraduate Leadership Development Workshop Certificate. This certificate shows as an achievement on student’s transcript.
Students may register for the workshop via the Northeastern Studenthub. To register for this workshop, students should select search for ENLR 3121, CRN 34906. This course is zero credit hours and is being offered for free. Space is limited; register now to reserve your seat.
If you have questions regarding the registration process, please contact Ben Rutledge, Recruitment Specialist, at b.rutledge@northeastern.edu

Presenting a Research Poster-A CommLab Workshop
2023-02-23 16:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York)
Join the CommLab for an interactive virtual workshop where we will be discussing best practices for presenting your research poster. This is a great opportunity to get ready for the COE PhD Expo and RISE!

Register via Zoom

Engineers Week: Engineering for Everyone Expo
2023-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | The Cabral Center, 40 Leon Street, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Designed for K-8 students with their parent(s) and family, at the expo you’ll be inspired about engineering through a variety of activities, experiments, and demonstrations, and meet our engineering students too!
When: February 24, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Where: Cabral Center, John D O’Bryant African American Institute
Who: K-8 students with their parent(s), family
Register: https://stem.northeastern.edu/events/eee/

Partners for Youth with Disabilities (ALLIED)
2023-02-24 15:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | 232 ISEC, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States

SENTRY Presents: DASSH Student Design Challenge
2023-02-24 19:00 - 2023-02-26 15:00 (America/New_York)
Northeastern University is the lead of the Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Center of Excellence (COE), known as SENTRY (Soft Target Engineering to Neutralize the Threat Reality). In collaboration with our sibling COE, known as CAOE (Center For Accelerating Operational Efficiency), SENTRY is inviting Northeastern graduate and undergraduate students to participate in our first co-led student design challenge!
Compete against teams from other Universities in the 3-day DASSH (Designing Actionable Solutions for a Secure Homeland) student design challenge. Student teams, supported by academic and industry mentors, will be presented with several real-world problem statements impacting homeland security and given the opportunity to design, build, and implement innovative solutions.
The problem scenarios will be related to public access areas, including managing crowds during an attack and enabling effective communications among responders in times of public crisis. Unlike traditional code-based hackathons, this event is about finding solutions regardless of the medium. The proposed solutions will be presented to DHS leadership.
A hybrid event, on-campus workspace will be provided for Northeastern teams, while conversations with mentors and judges will occur virtually. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top teams.
Registration is now open for current undergraduate and graduate Northeastern students. Register here.
Questions? Reach out to Kristin Hicks, SENTRY Director of Operations at k.hicks@northeastern.edu.

Graduate School of Engineering Campus Tour (In Person)
2023-02-25 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Interested 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 the Boston campus. 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!

Midterm Physics Review
2023-02-26 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | 108 SN
Midterm Physics Review on Sunday, February 26th at 5 pm in 108 SN

Yu Yin's PhD Proposal Review
2023-02-27 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Committee:
Prof. Yun Fu (Advisor)
Prof. Sarah Ostadabbas
Prof. Ming Shao
Abstract:
The community has long enjoyed the benefits of synthesizing data, as it provides a reliable and controllable source for training machine learning models while reducing the need for data collection from the real world. Human face and body synthesis are especially appealing to research communities, where model fairness and ethical deployment are critical concerns. However, generating digit humans that are convincing, realistic-looking, identity-preserving, and high-quality are still challenging in 2D and 3D image synthesis.
This dissertation investigates the potential for understanding human behavior by recreating it, and can be broadly divided into three sections. (1) In Section one, we explore the 2D image generation models and their interaction with face applications (i.e., landmark localization and face recognition tasks). Specifically, super-resolution (SR) and landmark localization of tiny faces are highly correlated tasks. To this end, we propose joint frameworks that enable face alignment and SR to benefit from one another, hence enhancing the performance of both tasks. Moreover, we demonstrate that face frontalization provides an effective and efficient way for face data augmentation and further improves face recognition performance in extreme pose scenarios. (2) In Section two, we explore the 3D parametric generation models and how they support human body pose and shape estimation. Advancing technology to monitor our bodies and behavior while sleeping and resting is essential for healthcare. However, keen challenges arise from our tendency to rest under blankets. To mitigate the negative effects of blanket occlusion, we use an attention-based restoration module to explicitly reduce the uncertainty of occluded parts by generating uncovered modalities, which further update the current estimation via a cyclic fashion. (3) In Section three, we explore the 3D Nerf-based Generative models in generating high-quality images with consistent 3D geometry. We propose a universal method to surgically fine-tune these NeRF-GAN models in order to achieve high-fidelity animation of real subjects only by a single image.

COE PhD Research Expo
2023-02-27 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
The College of Engineering is excited to announce the fifth annual COE PhD Research Expo, and we invite all COE PhD students to submit a poster abstract. The expo is an excellent opportunity for your students to highlight their research and gain presentation experience before RISE.
Event: COE PhD Research Expo
Date: Monday, February 27, 2023
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Place: McLeod Suites – Curry Student Center
The expo will take place following National Engineer’s Week.
Student Abstracts:
Please encourage your PhD students to submit poster abstracts by February 10, 2023. The COE Communications Lab will offer interested students a poster preparation and presentation workshop early February. We will send details of the workshop to students soon.
Faculty Judges:
We are looking for around ten faculty members to serve as judges. If you are available to judge between 1:30pm and 3:00pm on Monday, February 27th please reach out to Taryn Urbanus (t.urbanus@northeastern.edu) by Friday, February 17th.

Northeastern in Seattle: Build Your Tech Talent
2023-02-28 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Whether you’re entirely new to computer science or have dabbled in coding, you can advance your career with Northeastern University in Seattle’s monthly Build Your Tech Talent workshops. These free events give anyone looking to develop coding skills the chance to learn from industry experts.
Our February event details are below:
Designing Internet of Things Systems with Sarita Singh (virtual)

Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT
Register

MathWorks Day at Northeastern University
2023-03-01 12:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Raytheon Amphitheater (240 Egan), 360 Huntington Ave, 240 Egan, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Join MathWorks engineers & Northeastern faculty and students for a poster session, MATLAB demos, and pizza!
MathWorks and Northeastern Collaboration Day
MathWorks Demonstrations:

5G/Wireless
Reinforcement learning explained using an inverted pendulum
Using AI for Visual Inspection
Interoperability with Python and MATLAB

To register: MathWorksNUDay.eventbrite.com

Matthew Schinault's PhD Proposal Review
2023-03-02 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York)
“Development of A Large-Aperture 160-Element Coherent Hydrophone Array System for Instantaneous Wide Area Ocean Acoustic Sensing”
Abstract:
A large aperture coherent hydrophone towed array system comprising of 160 elements and an aperture length of 192 meters has been developed for real-time instantaneous wide-area ocean acoustic remote sensing and monitoring. The design and manufacture of these arrays requires a multidisciplinary approach to achieve acoustic performance capable for detection, classification, localization and tracking. Drawing from disciplines such as material science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, hydrodynamics, oceanography, bioacoustics and signal processing. Due to the cost and complexity of towed array technology, development of large aperture towed arrays has been limited at the university level. With military, oil and gas exploration as the chief technology developers and users. The military and commercial focus is narrow and does not allow for scientific study, resulting in significant gaps in the way we understand ocean acoustics around the globe. Here we model, design, fabricate and field test a broadband array for general ocean sensing that is configured to support a wide range of research to include study of marine mammals, fish shoals, geophysical processes, surface or subsea man-made craft, seismic surveying and the various challenges associated with detection, classification and localization of underwater sound sources.
Here, we present the design process, beginning with modeling and measurement of piezoelectric material properties. This allows us to perform finite element analysis, estimating beampatterns and frequency response with a hydrophone electrical model. A pressure to voltage input model of the hydrophone is used to obtain the voltage levels produced to then configure amplification, gain and filter stages providing a system level transfer function from analog to digital conversion. The array performance with a delay and sum beamformer is estimated for a broad range of frequencies, with beamforming above half-lambda spacing. The components of the mechanical tow package are modeled to inform array construction estimating vibration and flow noise. A turbulent boundary layer model for flow noise estimation and environmental noise model determines the gains and cutoff frequencies necessary for performance. The comprehensive performance model is compared with a parameter estimation from test data to quantify array performance.
Towed arrays are subject to environmental extremes, with time at sea being costly. To increase the reliability, the array is designed using field replaceable pressure tolerant components including hydrophones, pre-amplifiers, power modules, telemetry and analog to digital conversion units. All components are verified by pressure chamber testing to ensure operation at depth. This large aperture array was able to be made without specialized facilities by utilizing modular interchangeable array interconnects allowing for conventional array populating and oil-filling methods with aperture lengths that are serviceable onboard research vessels. Array design, fabrication and assembly was performed on-site at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Examples of passive acoustic data from array deployment during a sea trial in the U.S. Northeast coast are presented illustrating array capabilities.
Committee:
Prof. Purnima Ratilal Makris (Advisor)
Prof. Marvin Onabajo
Prof. Yongmin Liu
Dr. Alessandra Tesei

Crafting Your Career-Build a Stunning Resume with LaTeX: A CommLab Workshop
2023-03-02 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Curry Student Center, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA, 02115, United States
Discover the power of LaTeX and create a standout resume or CV in our interactive workshop. Learn essential skills in formatting, customization, and document design to craft a professional-grade resume/CV that showcases your strengths and achievements. Perfect for students, graduates, and professionals looking to take their career prospects to the next level. Join us and unlock the full potential of LaTeX!

This is a hybrid event. Join us in 344 Curry Student Center (first come first serve) or on-line through Zoom. Reserve your spot here!

Guanying Sun's PhD Dissertation Defense
2023-03-03 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
“Optimizing Reconstruction for Mm-Wave Body Scanner Imaging”
Committee:
Prof. Carey Rappaport (Advisor)
Prof. Edwin Marengo
Prof. Jose Martinez-Lorenzo
Abstract:
In the past decades, due to evolving threats, passenger screening has become an important secure measure at airport and other secure locations. Numerous passenger screening techniques have been developed by researchers in both academia and industry to detect threats from explosives and weapons. Among these developments, the multistatic mm-wave radar Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) system was developed at Northeastern University. A problem with this system is the sidelobes from its physical limitations, such as the finite aperture extent and the violation of the Nyquist sampling criterion by the sparse array. Therefore, it is important to suppress the sidelobes so that to improve the quality of the reconstruction image. In this proposal, we investigate two categories of methods, one is based on post-processing, and the other is based on system configuration optimization. In the former category four methods are developed, while in the latter two methods are proposed.
In the first category, the first method is the phase coherence method which is designed to weight the coherent sum based on the phase diversity of the reconstructed solutions for different transmitters. In this method, two ways are considered to construct the Phase Coherence Factor (PCF). The first way is to use the information of wrapped phase, and the second way is to use the information of unwrapped phase, which is more intuitive than the first way. The second method is the coherence factor related method. Three coherence-factor based methods are analyzed and then incorporated into the imaging procedure of our nearfield millimeter-wave radar security scanning system. The third method is the SNR-dependent coherence factor method, which takes SNR into consideration when forming the coherence factor. This method can generate better results than the pure coherence-factor based methods by choosing a proper set of parameters. The fourth method is the block-weighting algorithm where the neighbor weight amplifies bright areas and attenuates dark areas, while the block keeps the influence local. The effectiveness of these methods has been verified with both simulation and measurement data.
In the second category, the first method is optimizing receiver positions via PSF-based multi-objective optimization. Two metrics for measuring image quality of the PSF are proposed and defined as objective functions. The solution-selection metric is introduced to select the desired solution from the numerous Pareto-optimal solutions. Simulation shows that the optimized receiver design generates images with lower sidelobe level than the uniform receiver design. The second method is the dual-frequency radar design, where a dual frequency, wideband antenna array is designed by combining a high frequency subarray with a low frequency subarray. The image of the dual frequency array is obtained by multiplying the images of the two subarrays. We analyzed the amplitude of the PSF theoretically and proposed a criterion for the selection of dual frequency array design. The system imaging simulation shows that the grating lobes are significantly reduced for the dual frequency array with fewer radar modules/elements than the conventional array. This design will make the new generation system superior to the conventional scanning system.

Kerem Enhos' PhD Proposal
2023-03-03 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
“Software-Defined Inter-medium Visible Light Communication and Underwater Acoustic Networks”
Committee Members:
Prof. Tommaso Melodia (Advisor)
Prof. Kaushik Chowdhury
Prof. Stefano Basagni
Dr. Emrecan Demirors
Abstract:
“Multi-Domain Operations” paradigm has been receiving significant attention both in military and civilian worlds. To realize this novel paradigm, it is imperative to establish robust communication links to transfer data between devices operating in multiple domains. However, as of today, establishing high data rate, robust, secure, and bi-directional communication links between aerial and underwater assets across the air-water interface is still an open problem. We address these challenges with software-defined visible light networking to establish bi-directional wireless links through the air-water interface. After generating a simulation model for inter-medium communication channel, we also empirically derived an optimal parameter selection for carrierless amplitude and phase (CAP) modulation. Then, we design and prototype a software-defined visible light communication (VLC) modem and conducted extensive experimental evaluation. Apart from inter-medium communication, software-defined networking can also be leveraged for underwater acoustic communication (UWAC), where we designed and assessed coexistence of multi-dimensional chirp spread spectrum (MCSS) with other UWAC schemes. We first evaluated the performance of the proposed communication scheme in a heterogeneous network setting where it co-exists with a ZP-OFDM communication link, then in a homogeneous network setting where all links are using MCSS scheme. Finally, we used this software-defined networking system to implement a single-input multiple-output (SIMO) system for UWAC modems that are deployed in a distributed manner. Then, we conduct a thorough experimental evaluation in ocean environment for various subcarrier bandwidths and constellations using three distributed receivers.

Women in Tech: Industry Pioneers!
2023-03-09 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York)
On Thursday March 9th, the Boston chapter of Women in 3D Printing will be hosting an event, Women in Tech: Industry Pioneers!
Register for the event here: https://women-in-3d-printing.us.hivebrite.com/events/37153
Join us for a conversation with three exceptional (female) leaders on their journey in 3D printing, tech, and beyond. From challenges, successes, and everything in between learn how these women defied the gender gap in 3D printing and tech and started their own companies. The panelists will highlight their experiences, share advice, and discuss creating allyship, and navigating male dominated industries. Bring your questions for a Q&A at the end of the panel.
Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.
Location: This event is sponsored by Formlabs and will take place at their location in Somerville!
22 McGrath Hwy, Somerville, MA 02143, USA
There is plenty of parking nearby and public transit accessible from the green line!

MathWorks Weeks at Northeastern: Machine Learning/AI
2023-03-13 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Zoom Link: https://northeastern.zoom.us/j/93686271760?pwd=[REDACTED]
Presentations:
Applied Reinforcement Learning with MATLAB and Simulink
Dr. Mohammad Delghani, MIE Department, Northeastern
Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is a field within artificial intelligence that has recently gained popularity in both research and application domains. Due to MATLAB’s strengths in solving RL problems, modular teaching materials are created to enable students learn how to apply RL in multiple domains. This includes problems in Portfolio Management, Autonomous HVAC Control, Classic Control Problems, and Robotics. These hands-on modules will enable students to learn (i) DRL concepts and theory, (ii) how to formulate problems in the MATLAB environment, and (iii) how to use the combination of Simulink, Reinforcement Learning, and Deep Learning toolboxes to solve problems.

A Brain-Inspired Low-Dimensional Computing Classifier for Inference on Tiny Devices
Dr. Xiaolin Xu. ECE Department, Northeastern
This talk presents on the fundamental drawbacks of the so-called hyperdimensional computing (or HDC) and propose a low-dimensional computing (LDC) alternative. Specifically, by mapping our LDC classifier into an equivalent neural network, we optimize the model using a principled training approach. Most importantly, our method can improve the inference accuracy while successfully reducing the ultra-high dimension of existing HDC models by orders of magnitude (e.g., 8000 vs. 4/64).

AI and the Power of Simulation
Dr. Jianghao Wang, MathWorks
Simulation has become an integral part of product development in almost all industries and is reaching new levels with trends like Digital Twins. How can the power of simulation be combined with the impressive models behind the AI hype? Truth be told – in many ways! In this session we will talk about four large trends for AI and Simulation: AI for Reduced Order Modelling (ROM) – a way of managing the computational burden from High-Fidelity models; AI based Virtual Sensors – mimicking a physical sensor where real values cannot be measured; Reinforcement Learning based Controls – letting the model teach itself against a simulation environment; AI model enhancement using Digital Twins – diversify your dataset using simulation
