ICS hosts a series of seminars that are open to the entire Penn State community each academic year. These seminars discuss topics of interest in computational and data-enabled research.
The goal is to explore the frontiers of cyberscience, an intrinsically interdisciplinary research area, and to bring the diverse community of Penn State researchers together to learn, collaborate, and share about new and emergent themes.
We want your input on what you’d like the cyberscience seminars to focus on. You can:
- Volunteer to give a seminar
- Propose a topic for a seminar
- Review some topics we’re considering and let us know which ones interest you
Please use this form to volunteer or propose a topic.
2018-2019 Speakers
Tuesday, September 11, 2018, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 233B HUB-Robeson Center
“Understanding the Language-Learning Brain through Cyber-Enabled and Computational Methods,” presented by Ping Li, professor of psychology, linguistics, and information sciences and technology. The discussion is centered around how learning experiences shape the brain’s function and structure, and how cyber-enabled technology can enable student learning and promote positive brain changes.
Thursday, October 11, 2018, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 134A HUB-Robeson Center
Panel discussion on cybersecurity and data ethics and legalities in research, moderated by Anne Toomey McKenna, distinguished scholar of cyber law and policy and professor in practice, Penn State’s Dickinson Law and ICS. The panel talks about how big data, especially human health data, can provide critical insights into personalized medicine and treatment, but researchers have to avoid falling into legal trouble based on how data is acquired, stored, and used. How do researchers take the next step and bring these useful, data-based products to market?
Monday, October 15, 2018, 2 – 3 P.M., W375 Westgate Building
“Getting ready for exascale computing: new features of the Message Passing Interface (MPI), challenges and opportunities,” presented by Alessandro Fanfarillo, National Center for Atmospheric Research. This seminar is co-sponsored by School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the College of Information Sciences and Technology. The discussion explores the new capabilities of the recently introduced MPI-3.1 and the upcoming MPI-4 standard, as well as the challenges faced by the implementations.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 233B HUB-Robeson Center
“Show or Tell: Decision-Making in the Business World,” presented by Christopher Parker, assistant professor of supply chain management. In a day-to-day, decision-based world, is it wiser to give people recommendations or give them the knowledge to make the decisions themselves? The event will explore his research on the use of high-performance computing for business.
Thursday, February 14, 2019, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 233B HUB-Robeson Center
“Representing Relationships and Social Life in GIS Models,” presented by Clio Andris, assistant professor of geography. Interpersonal relationships are an important part of personal and social health, which makes understanding how to facilitate these connections a major public health issue. This event will explore the use of spatial network analysis to help understand the dynamics of relationships and foster more connected communities.
Thursday, March 14, 2019, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 233B HUB-Robeson Center
“Making AI Work: Machine and Deep Learning,” presented by C. Lee Giles, David Reese Professor of Information Sciences and Technology.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is often claimed to have the promise of transforming and possibly taking over our society. But there seems to be little understanding of how it really works or its current limitations.
Join us online (Zoom) or in person to learn more about the most popular and useful AI methodology, machine learning.
Register for Dr. Giles’s seminar
Thursday, April 11, 2019, 1:30 – 3 P.M., 233B HUB-Robeson Center
Health and cyberscience panel, featuring Todd Price, lecturer in information sciences and technology at Penn State Altoona; Keith Cheng, distinguished professor of pathology, Penn State College of Medicine; and Vasant Honavar, professor and Edward Frymoyer Chair of Information Sciences and Technology.
Visit our Events page for more information on upcoming lectures and events offered by ICS.