Events
Soft Skill Seminar with George Gopen, Ph.D.
George Gopen, Ph.D. - Scientific Writing from the Reader’s Perspective
Professor Emeritus of the Practice of Rhetoric, Duke University, USA
Abstract
For more than two centuries, English teachers have impressed upon their students that in order to become good writers, they must make two major efforts: (1) to adhere to the rules for the language that Society has established over time; and (2) to avoid the perceived evils of bad writing – too many words, too many hard words, and too much use of the passive. These societal rules are badly misapplied to language for two main reasons: (1) Rules and language use do not mix well, there being so many exceptions to the rules that make for better writing; and (2) suppressing those alleged symptoms of bad writing fails to treat the causes of bad writing.
Dr. Gopen’s workshop, “Scientific Writing from the Reader’s Perspective,” offers a whole new approach to understanding how the English language functions. It explains how readers actually go about doing the act of reading, of interpreting, of turning the words on the page into ideas in their heads. It is intended to give you new eyes. Once you understand how a reader reads, you will be empowered to arrange each of your sentences so that they will best control your readers in their interpretational acts. Knowing what your readers expect from the language and learning how to manipulate the reading process, will, in turn, take you back into your own thinking process, to discover what might have been left incomplete or contradictory or just not clear.
This is a new way to thing about English. It can change you permanently, giving you the upper hand over most of your competition for grant funding and for publication. You will never see the language the same way again.
I³MS - Betancourt Seminar
Prof. Michael Betancourt, Ph.D. - A Conceptual Introduction to Scalable Bayesian Inference with Hamiltonian Monte Carlo
Abstract
TBA
I³MS - van Brummelen Seminar
Prof. Dr. Harald van Brummelen - Adaptive Isogeometric Analysis of Elasto-Capillary Fluid-Solid Interaction
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Abstract
EU Regional School - Fonnesbeck Seminar
Prof. Christopher Fonnesbeck, Ph.D. - Probabilistic Programming with Python
Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA
Abstract
This intermediate-level course will provide students with hands-on experience applying practical Bayesian statistical modeling methods on real data. PyMC3 is a high-level Python library for building statistical models using probabilistic programming, and fitting them using modern Bayesian computational methods. I will provide an introduction to Bayesian inference and prediction, followed by a tutorial on probabilistic programming with PyMC3, including the use of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Variational Inference (VI), using real-world datasets. The last part of the course will focus on modeling strategies and how to avoid various pitfalls when applying Bayesian statistics to your own work. The course will assume familiarity with Python and with basic statistics (e.g. probability), but does not require previous experience with Bayesian methods or probabilistic programming.
I³MS - Saxena Seminar
Prof. Dr. Anupam Saxena - Contact in Topology Optimization: Challenges and Solution Strategies
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Abstract
Topology Optimization of large deformation planar continua will be
formulated. Two parameterization schemes, namely, frame- and continuum-
based, will be exemplified using small deformation theory for familiarity
with existing, gradient- and function- based, topology optimization
schemes. Within continuum parameterization, rectangular and hexagonal
tessellations will be discussed. The first set of challenges pertaining to
connectivity singularities, namely, checkerboards and point flexures will
be highlighted, and remedies will be mentioned. Constituents of planar
continua undergoing large deformation have a tendency to come in contact.
This aspect can either be avoided, or used to advantage
to design continua that can deliver the desired, intricate deformation
characteristics. Many challenges, when adapting topology optimization to
incorporate contact interactions, will be highlighted and solution
strategies will be discussed. These challenges pertain to mesh handling,
generation/evaluation of binary continua, non-convergence in finite
element analysis, generation of rigid contact surfaces in vicinity of
largely deforming constituents, and other factors. It will be argued that
zero-order searches, albeit computationally costly, seem more viable in
addressing these problems. The talk will culminate with examples on large
deformation monolithic gripper-manipulator, and path generating continua
that can exhibit one or more desired kinks in the path by effectively
employing contact interactions. Some open problems will also be
highlighted.