RSVP via Suitable!

Abstract: This talk describes the progress in analysis and optimization of Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) and Partially Observable MDPs (POMDPs) with infinite state spaces and possibly noncompact action sets. We shall also discuss applications to inventory control and to controlled linear Gaussian systems. 
 

Bio: Eugene A. Feinberg received MS in Applied Mathematics and Computer Engineering from Moscow University of Transportation, Russia, in 1976 and Ph.D. in Probability and Statistics from Vilnius University, Lithuania, in 1979. Currently he is Distinguished Professor at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics of Stony Brook University.

His research interests include stochastic models of operations research, probability theory, real analysis, Markov Decision Processes, and applications of operations research and statistics to engineering, biology, and medicine. He has published more than 100 papers and edited the Handbook on Markov Decision Processes. His research has been partially supported by the National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, National Institute of Health, New York Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research, and private industry. He has served as a Council Member of the INFORMS Applied Probability Society and on several editorial boards. He is a fellow of INFORMS.

Renzhi Sun    

Advisor:  Dr. Chunhui Du, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Defect Spin Quantum Sensing of Magnetic Dynamics in Low-Dimensional Materials

Monday, October 12, 2026 

11:00 a.m.      

Howey W401

Committee Members:

Dr. Michael Chapman, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Dr. Zhigang Jiang, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Hailong Wang, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Sana Aminnaji

School of Biological Sciences

Prospective coding of task state in cerebellar Purkinje cell complex spikes

Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 9:00 am

In Person Location: Cherry Emerson 204

Meeting Link

Open to the Community

Advisor:

Dr. Farzaneh Najafi (School of Biological Sciences)

Committee Members:

Dr. Timothy C. Cope (School of Biological Sciences)

Dr. Audrey Sederberg (School of Psychology, School of Physics)

Dr. Hannah Choi (School of Mathematics)

Dr. Dobromir Rahnev (School of Psychology)

Abstract:

The cerebellum is the brain's canonical learning machine. In the classical account, climbing fibers from the inferior olive deliver an error signal to Purkinje cells, evoking complex spikes that trigger plasticity and correct the next movement. This account is retrospective: the complex spike reports what has already gone wrong. My thesis asks whether these same signals also look forward — whether, before an expected event, Purkinje cell activity reflects what the animal expects and how confidently it expects it. I test this using two-photon calcium imaging of Purkinje cell dendrites in behaving mice, across two paradigms that share animals and imaging field while manipulating certainty by design.

First, I characterize how mice solve a timing task and how complex spikes relate to their internal estimate of its rule. Head-fixed mice produce a two-push joystick sequence whose required interval alternates unpredictably between short and long blocks, so the animal must infer which rule is in force. Mice adapt at trial, block and session timescales, and state-space modeling shows they switch among a small number of timing strategies rather than drifting continuously. In the same animals, complex spike responses separate into groups with distinct sensory, movement and reward profiles that reproduce the known microzonal organization of climbing fiber input. In the quiet interval between trials — containing no stimulus, no required movement and no reward — activity in the movement- and reward-related groups is lower before trials that will be rewarded than before trials that will not, in every animal and every task variant, and above a directly measured slow-drift baseline.

Second, I ask whether this signature survives without movement or reward. The same mice passively viewed or heard a four-element stimulus sequence under fixed inter-stimulus intervals, where the timing of the next stimulus is certain, and jittered intervals, where it is not. Preliminary results indicate that activity preceding a stimulus is suppressed under certainty, in the same class of response group, with nothing to move toward and nothing to earn. I will extend this to the full dataset and test whether the depth of suppression scales with how predictable the upcoming stimulus is.

Third, I will test whether this activity is used rather than merely present. Using optogenetic inactivation of cerebellar output restricted to the interval before a trial, with interleaved within-session controls, I will ask whether the behavioral adjustment that normally follows depends on it, and whether that dependence is specific to the anticipatory window.

Together, these aims ask whether the climbing fiber sits not at the end of a learning loop reporting error, but at its beginning, expressing expectation.

To address these challenges, this lecture presents a framework for contact-rich robotic assembly in construction that integrates perception, planning, and control. Within this framework, three complementary approaches are examined: adaptive control to compensate for model mismatch and disturbances; learned sensorimotor policies to handle complex, tight-tolerance interactions for which effective control strategies are difficult to formulate analytically; and a hybrid approach that combines learned policies with adaptive control to improve robustness and enable zero-shot sim-to-real transfer without real-world demonstrations for policy training. Through construction-scale case studies, the lecture highlights key methods, experimental findings, and current limitations of these approaches. It concludes by discussing open challenges and future directions for generalizing across material systems and component geometries, transferring skills between tasks, and extending these methods to longer assembly sequences in construction.

Bio: Dr. Arash Adel is an Assistant Professor at the School of Architecture, a Core Faculty of Princeton Robotics, and an Associated Faculty of the Department of Computer Science at Princeton University. He is the founder and director of Adel Research Group (ARG). ARG conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and computational design; the research contributes to resilient, sustainable, and low-carbon construction outlooks and achievements. At the core of ARG’s comprehensive research is investigating human–robot collaborative processes, which tackle fundamental questions related to the future of the design and construction industries and their potential to have a broader impact on inclusive and equitable building culture. Prior to joining Princeton University in 2023, Adel was an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Adel received his Doctorate in Architecture from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and his Master’s in Architecture from Harvard University.

Title: Rethinking Memory: From Long-Horizon Video to Interactive World Models

Abstract: Video generation has made remarkable progress in visual quality, yet turning short clips into continuously evolving, controllable experiences remains a fundamental challenge. A model must preserve what matters from the past while allowing new events to unfold, respond to user input, and remain computationally efficient as generation unfolds. In this talk, I will explore these challenges through a central question: What should a video model remember, and how should it use that memory?

I will present three complementary approaches to rethinking memory in autoregressive video generation. First, Infinity-RoPE (CVPR’26) revisits how temporal context is organized, enabling longer video generation and more responsive control through inference-time interventions. Next, AdaState (NeurIPS’26) replaces a frozen anchor frame with an evolving latent state, balancing temporal consistency with dynamic scene progression. Finally, VideoMLA (NeurIPS’26) rethinks how video models store and access past context, substantially compressing their memory while preserving generation quality.

I will close with broader directions toward controllable world models (SPAWN, NeurIPS’26), physically grounded (HiPhy, NeurIPS’26) and diverse (DPP-GRPO, CVPR’26) video generation models. This research advances a broader vision for generative cinematography, supported by an NSF CAREER’26 award, toward generative worlds that remember the past, respond to our choices, and evolve as we interact with them.

Bio: Pinar Yanardag is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Virginia Tech, where she leads GEMLAB (Generative Modeling Lab). Her research focuses on controllable and personalized generative AI, with an emphasis on video generation and interactive world models. Her goal is to build systems that give people greater creative control over generated content and experiences. Since joining Virginia Tech in Fall 2023, her lab has produced over 25 publications at venues including CVPR, ICCV, and NeurIPS. She completed her PhD at Purdue as a Fulbright Fellow and was a postdoctoral researcher at the MIT Media Lab, where her generative AI projects attracted over one million participants and coverage from TIME, The Washington Post, and CNN. She is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award for her research on generative cinematography, and her research has received support from industry partners including Google, Adobe, and Snap.

Come hang out, meet other Singaporeans and friends of the community, and grab dinner together. It’s a casual way to meet new people, catch up, and explore food around Atlanta.

Everyone is welcome. Feel free to come by yourself or bring friends!

When: Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8 (2nd Tuesday of each month) - 6:30pm

Where: Skiles 168

RSVP here

Open to undergraduate and graduate students | Lunch provided

RSVP required. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Hosted by the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS).

About The Transmitter

The Transmitter is an essential resource for the neuroscience community, dedicated to helping scientists at all career stages stay current and build connections. The publication aims to deliver useful information, insights and tools to build bridges across neuroscience and advance research. As part of that mission, The Transmitter offers a steady stream of up-to-date news and analysis of the field, written by journalists and scientists, and practical tools, including trackers for upcoming courses and events as well as resources specifically geared toward early-career researchers.

About Paige Miranda

Paige Miranda is the partnerships manager at The Transmitter, where she focuses on expanding audience engagement, as well as designing and building new tools for the neuroscience community.

Prior to joining the team, Paige was a freelance podcast producer and science journalist. She also trained as a neuroscientist, studying the molecules that orchestrate long-term memories during her Ph.D. at NYU.

Join Paige Miranda, Partnerships Manager at The Transmitter, to learn more about the publication and the resources and opportunities it offers the neuroscience community. Paige will introduce The Transmitter's approach to neuroscience news and storytelling, share opportunities for researchers to contribute their expertise through writing, and discuss what the team looks for in potential pitches and contributors.

Come learn more about The Transmitter, explore ways to get involved, and bring your questions for an open conversation.

Faculty, postdocs, Ph.D. students, and research scientists are welcome | Coffee and light snacks provided

RSVP required. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Hosted by the Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology, and Society (INNS).

About The Transmitter

The Transmitter is an essential resource for the neuroscience community, dedicated to helping scientists at all career stages stay current and build connections. The publication aims to deliver useful information, insights and tools to build bridges across neuroscience and advance research. As part of that mission, The Transmitter offers a steady stream of up-to-date news and analysis of the field, written by journalists and scientists, and practical tools, including trackers for upcoming courses and events as well as resources specifically geared toward early-career researchers.

About Paige Miranda

Paige Miranda is the partnerships manager at The Transmitter, where she focuses on expanding audience engagement, as well as designing and building new tools for the neuroscience community.

Prior to joining the team, Paige was a freelance podcast producer and science journalist. She also trained as a neuroscientist, studying the molecules that orchestrate long-term memories during her Ph.D. at NYU.

Join us for an industry panel from 5:00 - 6:30pm featuring senior corporate, startup, and talent leaders, followed by a catered open networking social from 6:30 - 8:00 PM in the lobby of Georgia Institute of Technology's new George Tower Scheller Tower. Whether you're a student mapping your path, a professional looking to pivot, or a company wanting to reach Georgia's next generation of cleantech and sustainability talent, this evening is for you.

Because of the partnership between TAG, GACIH, and GaTech, this event is free for students, startups, and Drawdown Georgia Business Compact Members. To register as a student, a startup, or a compact member, simply fill out the linked registration form.

Join our online CSP information session to learn more about this exciting program.

Zoom link: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/92119710354

Meeting ID: 921 1971 0354

Join our online CSP information session to learn more about this exciting program.

Zoom link: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/92119710354

Meeting ID: 921 1971 0354

Join our online CSP information session to learn more about this exciting program.

Zoom link: https://gatech.zoom.us/j/94836147157

Meeting ID: 948 3614 7157

Doctor of Philosophy in Physics 

School of Physics Thesis Dissertation Defense

Sara Sloman

Dr. Chandra Raman, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology (Advisor)

Understanding and Controlling Nonlinear Dynamics in Magneto-Optical Traps

Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Time:  9:00 a.m.

Location: Howey W401

Virtual:  https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/233914907052583?p=aGoTcFfvh6PPGVoUl1

Meeting ID: 233 914 907 052 583 / Passcode: wW26HL3u

Thesis Committee: 

Dr. Colin Parker, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Zeb Rocklin, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Carlos Sa De Melo, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Bryan Gard, Georgia Tech Research Institute

Abstract:

Magneto-optical traps (MOTs) are overdamped systems, yet they can be prone to nonlinear dynamics and instabilities under realistic lab conditions. With the increasing importance of cold trapped atoms in atomic physics, it has become vital that we develop an understanding of these behaviors, which limit size and overall quality of the MOT. This dissertation investigates the nonlinear dynamics in a sodium-23 MOT through experimental methods. By varying the location of the trap center, stable and unstable states are reached, revealing a controllable method for tuning between these states. High-speed imaging is used classify these states, and bistable states are resolved among these dynamics at the threshold of instability. To further explore the nonlinear nature of MOTs, an analogy is drawn between the trapped atoms and low Reynolds number fluids, where inertia is negligible. A key feature of low Reynolds number systems is kinematic reversibility, the total reversal of the trajectory of a particle with the reciprocal application of an external force. This dissertation presents the first demonstration of kinematic reversibility in a cold atom fluid, which is achieved using controlled magnetic field ramps. The conditions under which reversibility breaks down are investigated and hypothesized to be due to a fluid-jamming behavior. By controllably tuning the trapping geometry due to beam misalignments, we determine a way to induce the breakdown of reversibility, providing further insight into the mechanisms behind this.

Abstract: Following Mathlib's success in building a shared foundation for formalized mathematics, CSLib is a community-oriented effort to build a similar infrastructure for computer science and software in the Lean theorem prover.

In this talk, I will present CSLib's current state, including its architecture, governance, organization, and how to contribute. Rather than giving only a high-level overview, I will use minimal working examples to illustrate the library's current API. I will showcase abstractions and definitions already available, ranging from computational paradigms to modeling and programming languages, logics, algorithms, and infrastructure to verify their properties.

I will also introduce the CSLib Initiative, supported by Renaissance Philanthropy, which aims to coordinate and accelerate the development of the library and its surrounding ecosystem. I will discuss the CSLib Initiative roadmap

Finally, I will show how CSLib is already being used beyond the library itself, through community projects, textbooks, courses, and large-scale verification efforts. These include Software Foundations in Lean, the Functional Algorithms Design and Computational Semantics with Lean, and the port of Amazon's s2n-bignum formal proofs to Lean.

Bio: Alexandre Rademaker is the Director of the CSLib Initiative at Renaissance Philanthropy. CSLib is a global open-source effort to build a library of formalized computer science in Lean. He also cooperates with NYU in DARPA's ExpMath program, which aims to accelerate mathematics research with AI.

Alexandre is also a professor at EMAp/FGV (Applied Mathematics School, Getulio Vargas Foundation), where he has been teaching for about 20 years. He worked at IBM Research for 12 years until April 2025, when he left to lead the Specification IDE project at Atlas Computing, part of the Formal Verification of Software initiative funded by Schmidt Sciences under their Science of Trustworthy AI program.

During his PhD, he held research fellowships at Microsoft Research, working with the Z3 SMT solver team, and at SRI International. He has published more than 100 papers and spent much of his career leading open-source research collaborations with international communities, working with computational linguistics and building language resources. He was publication chair of the Language Resources and Evaluation Conference (LREC) and has served on the boards of research associations in Brazil and internationally.

Alexandre received a PhD in Computer Science from PUC-Rio, where his thesis on proof theory for description logics was published by Springer, and is based in Rio de Janeiro.

Go Smell the Flower, proposed by GT Arts Fellow Nola Charles in collaboration with Sabre Esler at The Pollinator Art Space, is an interactive sculptural installation illustrating the rich floral biodiversity at Tech. The installation will consist of 100–500 handmade flowers made from tissue paper, acrylic paints and markers, floral wiring, netting, and beading. It will hang in GT’s Library in March.

Attendees will gain valuable insights into Québec’s unique economy, workplace culture, and higher education pathways.

Please note: This event will be conducted entirely in French.

Keaton Belli is a Senior Scientist at Geosyntec Consultants, a global consulting and engineering firm that works with private and public sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Keaton graduated from Georgia Tech in 2018 with his PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences; his dissertation focused on bioremediation of uranium-impacted groundwater. At Geosyntec, he leverages his background in inorganic biogeochemistry to address some of the nation’s most complex environmental liabilities.

Host: Jiapeng Gao

Title: Title: Machine Learning Across Scales: From Hidden Exoplanets to Efficient Model Training

Abstract:

Non-transiting planets can remain hidden while leaving dynamical signals in the transit timing variations (TTVs) of observed planets. DeepTTV provides a machine learning (ML) approach to this inverse problem, using N-body simulations to generate training data for a neural network that combines recurrent and Transformer architectures to infer the mass and orbital properties of unseen planetary companions. In the first part of this talk, I will discuss DeepTTV. In the second part, I will introduce my current work in industry on improving the efficiency of large-scale ML training, including directions such as transfer learning and improving computational resource utilization.

Ms. Edson's talk is titled "Some Voices, Some Rooms" and she will consider "How do physical spaces create what we are able to think and say?  Or, how do spaces silence us?"  

Speaker biography: Margaret Edson was born in Washington, DC, in 1961.  Between earning degrees in history and literature, she worked in the cancer and AIDS inpatient unit of a research hospital.  Her play Wit won the Pulitzer Prize in 1991, and the HBO film won the Emmy Award for best drama in 2001. Wit has received hundreds of performances in dozens of languages and is widely used as a teaching tool. Edson has been a public school teacher since 1992.  

DramaTech Director Melissa Foulger will introduce Ms. Edson, Professor Perry Guevara (LMC) and Professor Jennifer Singh (HSOC) will offer remarks, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions or make comments.

*NOTE, this event is eligible for Jacket Job Ready Challenge credit.

RSVP on Engage: https://gatech.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12600538

The format: We Hold These Truths follows an award-winning model for civic engagement including:

• A meal.
  Share a meal with friends & strangers
• A play.
  Experience one thought-provoking short play on American identity
• A conversation.
  Engage in guided discussion led by trained facilitators

Share your story and your hopes and dreams for the future of our country. Bridge divides and connect with your neighbors. Leave feeling hopeful, connected, and inspired to create a world where everyone thrives!

RSVP on Engage!

• Agilent - Life Science
• BMG LABTECH
• Corning Incorporated - Life Sciences
• Cytek BioSciences
• Eppendorf
• Fisher Scientific - Research and Safety
• GenScript USA Inc.
• Hunt Optics & Imaging Inc.
• ibidi
• IKA Works Inc.
• Laxco Inc.
• MilliporeSigma - Lab Water
• MilliporeSigma - Discovery Solutions
• Percival Scientific
• QIAGEN
• Quintara Biosciences - Sales
• R&D Systems - Reagent Sciences, Analytical Sciences
• Sartorius Corporation - Lab Essentials 
• Slingshot Biosciences Inc.
• Standard Biotools
• STERIS Corporation - Life Sciences
• Thermo Fisher Scientific - Laboratory Consumables Products
• Thermo Fisher Scientific - Bioscience division
• USA Scientific
• VWR
  
  Registration includes:
• One six-foot exhibit table, two chairs - electricity available upon request
• Event promotion across campus and throughout Georgia Tech's bio community
• One complimentary parking pass per vendor company registration (to be used in the Area 5 Visitor Parking Deck only)
• Lunch vouchers at IBB's Bob's Café for up to two company representatives

Note

• Exhibit tables are limited, a maximum of two company representatives may attend per vendor registration
• A maximum of three exhibitor tables per company/organization will be accepted*
  • *Additional Table Availability: If exhibitor tables remain unsold two weeks prior to the event (beginning Oct. 14, 2026), any remaining tables will be released for open registration. At that time, companies that have already reached the three-table limit may register for additional exhibitor tables on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.
• Proceeds support the annual operations of the Bioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students (BBUGS)

Raffle Contribution Request:
Each exhibitor is encouraged to donate a promotional item (valued under $75) for attendee drawings throughout the event. 

Host: Yao Wang 

Title: Exploring many-body excitons with resonant inelastic X‑ray scattering

Abstract: Excitons—correlated electron–hole pairs—play a central role in the optical and electronic properties of solids. In quantum materials, strong electronic correlations and exchange interactions can produce unconventional many-body excitons whose momentum dependence, symmetry, and coupling to magnetism remain poorly understood. In this talk, I will show how resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) [1], with its combined sensitivity to energy, momentum, and excitation symmetry, provides a powerful view of these states. I will discuss magnetically propagating Hund’s excitons in NiPS3 [2], dispersive dark excitons in CrI3 [3], and anisotropic excitonic states in CrSBr [4]. Together, these results illustrate how excitons can encode and transmit the intertwined spin, orbital, and charge character of quantum materials. I will conclude with an outlook on using ultrafast pump–probe RIXS to create and track such states away from equilibrium.

Bio: I am the X-ray Scattering Group Leader at Brookhaven and run a research program that focuses on resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) of quantum materials. My research interests include complex oxides, strongly spin–orbit-coupled materials, quantum heterostructures, non-equilibrium states, and topology in crystalline materials. I earned my PhD from the University of Cambridge in 2010. My work has been recognized with a Department of Energy Early Career Award in 2014 and the Distinction of Tenure from Brookhaven in 2022, and I currently serve on the editorial board of Physical Review X.

This event is open to all GT students. 

Free food and free Cursor subscriptions will be provided!

This event will be held on Oct-20-2026 from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Van Leer C456

Food and drinks will be provided - come hang out with us in IC 105 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM for a relaxed movie night.

All students are welcome

We will be sharing traditional tsukimi dango (sweet mochi) and hanging out as we appreciate the fall weather. There will also be plenty of other Japanese snacks and drinks to go around.

Everyone is welcome to stop by. Come grab some food, learn a bit about this autumn tradition, and spend the evening with good company!

Event Details

• When: October 2, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
• Where: Skiles 249

will propose a doctoral thesis entitled,

Low temperature synthesis of MAX-phase Ti2AlC coatings and their performance as hydrogen isotope permeation barriers for fusion technologies

On

Monday, October 12 at 12 p.m.
Pettit Microelectronics Building Room 102A

and/or virtually via MS Teams

Abstract

Realizing practical fusion energy requires materials that can withstand simultaneous neutron irradiation, thermal cycling, and corrosive molten salts without degrading. Conventional barriers such as Al2O3 achieve high reduction factors in laboratory conditions but degrade irreversibly under neutron irradiation and thermal cycling. This work exploits the unique defect tolerance and self-healing behavior of the nanolaminated MAX-phases, specifically Ti2AlC, to address the hydrogen isotope permeation control problem in fusion blanket design. Aim 1 establishes a simplified bilayer synthesis approach combining an aluminum precursor layer with a TiAlC layer, enabling Ti2AlC formation at 650 °C through controlled Al diffusion, reducing the temperature requirements of conventional synthesis while eliminating the per-layer calibration challenges of prior methods. Aim 2 adapts this route to Grade 91 steel, a fusion-relevant structural substrate, and provides the first quantified permeation reduction factors for Ti2AlC-containing coatings through gas-driven deuterium permeation experiments, demonstrating one order of magnitude reduction in hydrogen isotope flux. Aim 3 evaluates barrier durability by measuring coating performance and structure before and after heavy-ion irradiation and molten salt exposure, establishing whether the predicted radiation tolerance and corrosion stability of MAX-phases hold in thin-film form under fusion-relevant conditions. Together, these efforts validate a pathway for engineering MAX-phase permeation barriers on structural materials within realistic fusion reactor thermal budgets.

Committee

• Prof. Eric Vogel — School of Materials Science and Engineering (advisor)
• Dr. Dale Hitchcock — Savannah River National Laboratory
• Prof. Preet Singh — School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Prof. Mark Losego — School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Prof. Chaitanya Deo — School of Mechanical Engineering

This seminar series will feature graduate students presenting their research to the CoS community in plain language

and provide opportunity for students to interact with their graduate peers outside of their department and field! 

Each seminar will feature three speakers who will be given 10-15 minutes to present their current research in an accessible

manner for broad audiences, there will then be a 10-minute questions from the audience and feedback from the CoS Young Alumni Board Panel.

Event Details:

Making Science Accessible + CoS Young Alumni Board Networking

Oct 21st, 2026: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Talks, 2:15 -3:00 pm Refreshments and Networking
MoSE 3201A, 901 Atlantic Dr. N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30332

 

Abstracts due October 9th:

Submit here 

Please RSVP if you wish to attend.

Location and time: 6:00-7:30pm in Instructional Center 215

Come join us for discussion, fellowship, and both physical and spiritual nourishment 😋

Overview:
As Jesus was taken up into heaven, the apostles gazed intently toward the sky, watching the Lord they had followed so closely—and whose death and resurrection they had witnessed firsthand—depart from them.

With a new mission and calling entrusted to them—perhaps along with many emotions and thoughts—what would the apostles do next?

Find out at our next gathering!

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” — Acts 1:6-8

Schedule

6:30–7:15 PM – Dinner and Fellowship (Free Chinese dinner provided)

7:15–7:35 PM – Worship and Announcements

7:35–9:00 PM – Bible Study, Sharing, Discussion, and Prayer for One Another

This workshop is FREE and open to all students. Space is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot.

Explore hand balancing, partner acro transitions, and explosive movement control while bridging the gap between calisthenics strength and dynamic acrobatics. Rocco will cover mechanics, progressions, and essential spotting techniques so you can train safely and push your limits.

All Georgia Tech students are welcome to attend the event!

Join the Ballroom Dance Club at Georgia Tech on October 10th at Cypress Theater in the Student Center for a Scooby-Doo themed Halloween social with Tango, Swing, costumes, and plenty of social dancing!

No partner or prior dance experience is necessary. We’ll start the night with a free beginner-friendly lesson before opening the floor for social dancing.

October 10th
Cypress Theater, Student Center

Schedule:
6:30–7:00 PM — Check-In
7:00–8:00 PM — Free Tango & Swing Lesson
8:00–10:30 PM — Social Dancing

Wear a Halloween costume, grab your friends, and come dance with us!

Free snacks and beverages will be provided.

A confidential message from our secret agent: "8:30 pm. JMHP Lounge. Watch your back and forget you ever heard this message. Also... there will be cookies."

All Georgia Tech students are welcome to attend the event!

Join us for an interactive and relaxing workshop on a crisp fall evening as we explore strategies for managing relationships both in academia and personal life. You will learn how to manage high-conflict personalities in academia and how to work through miscommunications in your romantic relationship! 

To finish the evening on a beautiful note, participants will get a chance to build their own flower bouquet to take home!💐 and enjoy some PIZZA! 🍕

Bouquet-making supplies will be available for the first 25 participants, so RSVP early!

We are excited to see you there!

Attendees should register through the Genius LMS, using the "GT Login" button. Click on "View Course Catalog", then enter "RCR" in the search bar to view the current RCR workshop sessions. You can view information about each class (including class times) by clicking on "more info".  To register for a class, click on "Register", then "Proceed to Checkout" (there is no cost for the sessions). Then click on "Confirm". You will receive a confirmation email with a calendar file. You will need to follow instructions given to you during the session in order to receive RCR in-person contact hour credit for attending.

Mentoring and Collaborative Research
🗓️ Friday, October 23rd
⏱️10 AM - 11 AM 
📍ONLINE

For more information about the RCR Workshop Series, including additional dates/sessions offered, refer to RCR Workshops and Events and Workshop FAQs.

Attendees should register through the Genius LMS, using the "GT Login" button. Click on "View Course Catalog", then enter "RCR" in the search bar to view the current RCR workshop sessions. You can view information about each class (including class times) by clicking on "more info".  To register for a class, click on "Register", then "Proceed to Checkout" (there is no cost for the sessions). Then click on "Confirm". You will receive a confirmation email with a calendar file. You will need to follow instructions given to you during the session in order to receive RCR in-person contact hour credit for attending.

Authorship 
🗓️ Friday, October 23rd
⏱️11 AM - 12 PM 
📍ONLINE

For more information about the RCR Workshop Series, including additional dates/sessions offered, refer to RCR Workshops and Events and Workshop FAQs.

Date: October 7, 2026

Time: 1-3 PM ET

Location: Price Gilbert 4222

Zoom link:

https://gatech.zoom.us/j/98261111313?pwd=xtWSnKAbZJ0ya4ui86blMrJ76ZOqfM.1

Zoom passcode: 599523

Abdelrahman Sharafeldin

Machine Learning PhD Student

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

Committee

1 Dr. Hannah Choi (Advisor), School of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology

2 Dr. Nabil Imam, School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

3 Dr. Anqi Wu, School of Computational Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

4 Dr. Simon Sponberg, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

5 Dr. Chethan Pandarinath, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

Abstract

Intelligent behavior requires organisms to learn useful representations of the world, seek informative observations, and act effectively despite uncertainty and limited resources. This thesis investigates how predictive generative perception, information-seeking action, and reward-guided learning support these abilities under biological constraints such as embodiment, energy efficiency, and neural architecture. In the first part of this thesis, we develop an active-sensing framework that uses expected reductions in the uncertainty of a generative model to guide exploration, learning environmental structure and visual representations that improve data efficiency in subsequent tasks. In the second part, we extend this framework to multiple sensory modalities and show that the learned visual and mechanosensory information landscapes account for features of hawkmoth flower probing and tracking. We also develop a mode-switching control algorithm that uses perceptual uncertainty to coordinate exploration and reward seeking and improves learning and generalization in simulated nectar search. In the third part, we ask how these computational objectives for perception and action can be instantiated in cortical circuits and develop a cell-type-specific model that combines predictive coding, reinforcement learning, and activity costs under biological connectivity constraints. Trained on a naturalistic change-detection task, this model reproduces several experimentally observed responses to novelty across different cell types without fitting neural response data. These complementary studies connect how information is acquired, represented, and used, offering insights into biological computation and principles for designing artificial agents that learn through interaction.

This session will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams. Registration is required. 

This month, we will focus on combatting loneliness by exploring how to make meaningful friendships and foster social wellness. We will also let students know how to access core services on campus that promote belonging and community. 

Please join SEWB on Thursday, October 22 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Rafael Bras Meeting Room of the John Lewis Studen Center for good discussion, yummy Dunkin’ munchkins, and giveaways. The more voices we hear, the better we can continue building a Georgia Tech that reflects and supports the needs of our students.

Let’s keep the conversation going—because your voice matters!

Host: Dr. Afroditi Papadopoulou

Title: LArPix: 3D Pixelated Charge Readout for DUNE

Abstract:

For about five decades, time projection chambers have enabled high-resolution tracking and calorimetry across particle physics, while their charge-readout technologies have evolved to meet increasingly diverse requirements in scale, granularity, event rate and dynamical range. This seminar will briefly trace this evolution before focusing on LArPix, an end-to-end pixelated charge-readout system developed for liquid-argon TPCs in the context of the DUNE experiment. LArPix couples individual anode pads to cryogenic, low-power ASIC channels with self-triggered amplification, digitization, and multiplexed digital readout, providing native 3D imaging. For the DUNE near-detector (ND-LAr), this architecture scales up to approximately 14 million pixels to fully instrument  the 210 m2 anode surface.

In this seminar I will discuss the LArPix operating principle, ASIC and system architecture, evolution toward scalable and fault-tolerant networks, and performance in ton-scale prototypes, highlighting its role in reconstructing complex neutrino interactions in the high-rate DUNE near-detector environment.

Connie Casteel, ATDC’s SBIR/STTR Catalyst, will introduce the program and help you decide whether to explore it further.

Tuesday, October 13 | 11 a.m.–noon | Virtual via Zoom

Register here⁠
 

In January 2014, Georgia Tech launched an online Master of Science in Computer Science for under $7,000 — a fraction of the $40,000 charged by comparable public universities and $70,000 at private institutions. What began with 5 courses and 380 students has become, by every measure, the largest academic degree program in the world in any subject: 52 courses, 19,000 enrolled students, and 16,500 graduates — more than 7,000 in the last three years alone. Applications doubled in the last 4 years to over 11,000 and are still climbing after more than a decade.

Harvard researchers concluded that OMSCS is the first rigorous evidence that an online degree program can increase educational attainment, projecting it will raise the number of annual MS CS graduates in the United States by at least 7%. The program has catalyzed more than 50 similar programs at over 30 universities worldwide. In November 2023, Forbes called it the best degree program ever.

This talk describes how OMSCS came about, what Georgia Tech has learned from twelve years of running it, and what it reveals about the future of higher education — a future in which online learning plays a far larger and more consequential role than most institutions have yet imagined.

will propose a doctoral thesis entitled,

Low temperature synthesis of MAX-phase Ti2AlC coatings and their performance as hydrogen isotope permeation barriers for fusion technologies

On

Monday, October 12 at 12 p.m.
Pettit Microelectronics Building Room 102A

and/or virtually via MS Teams

Abstract

Realizing practical fusion energy requires materials that can withstand simultaneous neutron irradiation, thermal cycling, and corrosive molten salts without degrading. Conventional barriers such as Al2O3 achieve high reduction factors in laboratory conditions but degrade irreversibly under neutron irradiation and thermal cycling. This work exploits the unique defect tolerance and self-healing behavior of the nanolaminated MAX-phases, specifically Ti2AlC, to address the hydrogen isotope permeation control problem in fusion blanket design. Aim 1 establishes a simplified bilayer synthesis approach combining an aluminum precursor layer with a TiAlC layer, enabling Ti2AlC formation at 650 °C through controlled Al diffusion, reducing the temperature requirements of conventional synthesis while eliminating the per-layer calibration challenges of prior methods. Aim 2 adapts this route to Grade 91 steel, a fusion-relevant structural substrate, and provides the first quantified permeation reduction factors for Ti2AlC-containing coatings through gas-driven deuterium permeation experiments, demonstrating one order of magnitude reduction in hydrogen isotope flux. Aim 3 evaluates barrier durability by measuring coating performance and structure before and after heavy-ion irradiation and molten salt exposure, establishing whether the predicted radiation tolerance and corrosion stability of MAX-phases hold in thin-film form under fusion-relevant conditions. Together, these efforts validate a pathway for engineering MAX-phase permeation barriers on structural materials within realistic fusion reactor thermal budgets.

Committee

• Prof. Eric Vogel – School of Materials Science and Engineering (advisor)
• Dr. Dale Hitchcock – Savannah River National Laboratory
• Prof. Mark Losego – School of Materials Science and Engineering
• Prof. Caitanya Deo – School of Mechanical Engineering

The format: We Hold These Truths follows an award-winning model for civic engagement including:

• A meal.
  Share a meal with friends & strangers
• A play.
  Experience one thought-provoking short play on American identity
• A conversation.
  Engage in guided discussion led by trained facilitators

Share your story and your hopes and dreams for the future of our country. Bridge divides and connect with your neighbors. Leave feeling hopeful, connected, and inspired to create a world where everyone thrives!

*NOTE, this event is eligible for Jacket Job Ready Challenge credit.

Learn more about this event on Engage!

Through real-world scenarios and interactive exercises, participants will build the confidence to apply coaching strategies that create lasting impact.

 

School of Physics Thesis Proposal

Aniruddha Datta    

Advisor:  Dr. Shiladitya Banerjee, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Adaptive Navigation in Noisy Environments

Friday, October 2, 2026 

10:00 a.m.      

Howey W401

Committee Members:

Dr. Howard Kim, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Dr. Itamar Kolvin, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Dr. Peter Yunker, School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology 

Title: TBD

Abstract: TBD

Bio: TBD

About the Artists

Nydia Blas is a visual artist who grew up in Ithaca, New York, and resides in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art and Visual Culture at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. She has completed artist residencies at Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts and The Center for Photography at Woodstock.

Her work has been commissioned by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The New Yorker, Time Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. Blas uses photography, collage, video, and books to explore themes of sexuality, intimacy, and her lived experience as a girl, woman, and mother. Blas is widely recognized for The Girls Who Spun Gold, a collection of images that resulted from a Girl Empowerment Group she founded after observing a lack of space and community for teen girls of African descent in Ithaca, N.Y. Her first major monograph Love You Came from Greatness (2025), is an exploration of one Ithaca-based Black family and its community across many generations. The book is also a formally rigorous examination of the taxonomy and syntax of family portraiture.

Joshua Dudley Greer is a photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia, where he teaches at Georgia State University. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The California Sunday Magazine, The Atlantic, PDN, Le Monde, The Georgia Review, GUP Magazine, and Oxford American. He has received grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, Tennessee Arts Commission, and the Aaron Siskind Foundation. He has published two monographs to date – Somewhere Along the Line (Kehrer Verlag, 2019) and The Makeshift City (GOST, 2024). His work is included in the permanent collections of the Harvard Art Museums, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the New York Public Library, the Do Good Fund, and the High Museum of Art.

Yohanne Lamoulère, a photographer based in Marseille, France, graduated from the École nationale supérieure de photographie in Arles in 2004. Her preferred themes are urban peripheries and insularity in its multifaceted forms. She published Faux Bourgs (Le Bec en l’air) in 2018, a compilation of her series on Marseille. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions: MUCEM (Marseille), Portrait(s) festival (Vichy), Fondation Schneider (Wattwiller), ImageSingulières festival (Sète), Clervaux-Cité de l’image (Luxembourg), and is included in public and private collections (CNAP, BnF, Neuflize-OBC). A member of the collectives Tendance Floue and Zirlib, she released her first film, L’œil Noir, in 2025. 

Geoffroy Mathieu’s photography explores how environmental and political issues are made tangible in the landscapes. Through travel and immersion-based projects, he documents shifting territories, in-between spaces, and objects and actions that reveal resistances in the way in which places are used. His photography series are all pursued as poetic investigations, combining rigorous documentary research with a poetic approach to build situated narratives. He collaborates with associations, collectives, and researchers to circulate his images beyond the art world, support causes, and contribute to public debate on ecological care.

A graduate of the French Higher School of Photography (ENSP) in Arles, he lives and works in Marseille. He presents his works as publications (Actes Sud, Poursuite, Filigranes, Zoème, Wildproject, Building Books), solo or collective exhibitions, and, more recently, walked performances. He participated in the fourth edition of Regards du Grand Paris (2021), received the “Radioscopie of France” Major Photojournalism Commission (2022), and co-published Anti-installation with Jordi Ballesta (Building Books, 2023), supported by the French Center for Visual Arts (CNAP) publishing grant.

Blanche Lafuente is a French drummer and improviser. Trained in theater and jazz (DEM in jazz, 2018), she develops a body of work situated at the crossroads of rock, free jazz, traditional and electronic music, and performance. She is a founding member of the duo Qonicho Ah! and the trio NOUT (Jazz Migration 2021, Zenith Award 2023), and in 2025 she will launch Ganagobie, a project combining voice, dance, electronic music, and live performance. She regularly collaborates with large ensembles, notably Mats Gustafsson’s Fire! Orchestra and Kogoba Basigui by Eve Risser and Naïny Diabaté. Her work explores rhythm as a collective and sensorial force, linking music, bodies, and shared spaces.

Sponsored by: Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts; School of Modern Languages; School of Literature, Media and Communication; Georgia Tech Arts; Atlanta Global Study Center; School of Design; France-Atlanta; Villa Albertine x Consulat Général de France à Atlanta; City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs; Delta Airlines; Air France; Jade Fiducial. 
 

The event will feature a moderated panel discussion followed by an open Q&A session where you can ask your pressing career questions. While tailored for students in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the College of Design, this event is open to all majors interested in building a sustainability-focused career. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insider career advice and connect with leaders in the field!

This event is part of the Ivan Allen Advantage Alumni Speaker Series. Refreshments will be provided. All Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff are welcome to attend. A limited number of 1:1 and small-group mentorship slots will be available to students who RSVP for the event.     

About the Speakers 

Gene Kansas is the founder and CEO of Gene Kansas | Commercial Real Estate where he has spent over two decades protecting, conserving, and caring for Atlanta’s cultural spaces. Gene also founded Constellations in 2017, a civic and socially based shared workspace in the reimagined Southern Schoolbook Building on Auburn Avenue. Each Gene Kansas project blends an appreciation of culture and history with creative, responsible, and vital refashioning that brings new relevance to space and how it is used by clients, neighborhoods, and the city.  Among many accolades, Gene received the 2016 Ivan Allen, Jr. Legacy Award from the School of Literature, Media, and Communication and the Ivan Allen Dean's Appreciation Award in 2026.   

Paul Oh is the vice president of public policy and external affairs at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and was recently named to the Georgia Tech 40 Under 40 class of 2026. Since joining the Chamber in February 2020, Paul has been responsible for strengthening the chamber’s relationships with local, municipal, state, and federal officials, while also expanding its public policy initiatives. He also represents the chamber within Gwinnett County’s international community. Over the past five years, Oh has helped formalize partnerships with 14 bilateral chambers and business associations, significantly expanding the chamber’s reach with the county’s diverse international business community.

Advisor: Dr. Koki Ho

Milestone: PhD Thesis Proposal

Degree Program: Aerospace Engineering

Title: Autonomous Landing and Proximity Operation Technology for Poorly-Characterized Small Bodies

Abstract: Small bodies such as asteroids and comets are increasingly central to scientific discovery and commercial development, offering opportunities for exploring planetary defense strategies, insights into the formation of the early solar system, and access to extraterrestrial resources via asteroid mining. Yet their weak, irregular gravity fields, uncertain surface properties, and poorly characterized dynamical environments make autonomous landing and proximity operations uniquely challenging. This thesis advances autonomous small‑body mission capability through three main contributions. First, a time‑of‑flight–free model predictive control (MPC) framework is developed that enables safe, precision landing on irregular asteroid surfaces, thereby improving robustness to environmental uncertainty. This work additionally explores several varying cost function formulations within the MPC to demonstrate applicability to varying mission landing scenarios. Second, this thesis introduces a remotely guided three‑spacecraft mothership–daughtership formation MPC architecture designed for tomographic characterization of asteroid (99942) Apophis with mothership-based measurements to inform daughtership thrust commands in order to maintain antipodal orbital states amidst gravitational and thruster uncertainties. Lastly, this thesis formulates a multi‑lander, multi‑landing‑site MPC sample‑collection strategy that coordinates distributed landers to acquire surface samples from spatially diverse regions of an asteroid, increasing scientific return and supporting future resource‑utilization missions amidst similar dynamic and thrust uncertainties. Together, the contributions in this thesis proposal expand the capabilities of autonomous guidance, navigation, and control systems with its novel MPC algorithm and cost function formulations to improve the robustness, resilience, and scientific capability of spacecraft operating in the vicinity of poorly-characterized small bodies.

Date and time: 2026-10-23, 9am-11am ET

Location: CODA C0915 Atlantic

Committee:
Dr. Koki Ho (advisor), School of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. Brian Gunter, School of Aerospace Engineering
Dr. John Christian, School of Aerospace Engineering
, 
, 
, 

The program begins Oct. 7 with a Southeast Hydrogen Energy Alliance networking reception at Georgia Tech's Marcus Nanotechnology Building, where executives, researchers, policymakers and technology leaders connect ahead of the next day's discussions.

On Oct. 8, the event starts with the Southeast Hydrogen Roadmapping Forum, which examines the technical, economic, infrastructure and market barriers affecting hydrogen deployment in transportation, ports, rail and heavy industry. Industry leaders identify critical gaps, investment priorities, demonstration opportunities and collaborative actions needed to advance the regional hydrogen economy.

The afternoon program includes a Georgia Tech Hydrogen Day leadership session featuring executives from Georgia Tech, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Hyundai, Southern Company, Plug Power and other leading organizations. The session explores hydrogen's role in industrial competitiveness, energy security, operational efficiency, emissions reduction and economic development across Georgia and the Southeast. 

The day ends with Georgia Tech NARA Hydrogen Research Showcase where attendees get an opportunity to explore hydrogen research at Georgia Tech through lab tours, demonstrations, and conversations with researchers. 

The program begins Oct. 7 with a Southeast Hydrogen Energy Alliance networking reception at Georgia Tech's Marcus Nanotechnology Building, where executives, researchers, policymakers and technology leaders connect ahead of the next day's discussions.

On Oct. 8, the event starts with the Southeast Hydrogen Roadmapping Forum, which examines the technical, economic, infrastructure and market barriers affecting hydrogen deployment in transportation, ports, rail and heavy industry. Industry leaders identify critical gaps, investment priorities, demonstration opportunities and collaborative actions needed to advance the regional hydrogen economy.

The afternoon program includes a Georgia Tech Hydrogen Day leadership session featuring executives from Georgia Tech, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Hyundai, Southern Company, Plug Power and other leading organizations. The session explores hydrogen's role in industrial competitiveness, energy security, operational efficiency, emissions reduction and economic development across Georgia and the Southeast. 

The day ends with Georgia Tech NARA Hydrogen Research Showcase where attendees get an opportunity to explore hydrogen research at Georgia Tech through lab tours, demonstrations, and conversations with researchers. 

Title: Thulium-doped noble gases - a new playground for quantum information and sensing

Abstract: Most people have never heard of the element thulium (Z = 69), which although rare is 200 times more abundant on earth than gold. Like other lanthanides, it contains an open f-shell, which historically served to make it a curiosity for atomic physicists and quantum chemists. Recently, there has been growing interest in quantum systems built from cryogenic materials such as superfluid helium or solid noble gases. Such materials are chemically inert, highly compatible, and lack dangling bounds or surface two-level systems, but adding optically active dopants is challenging. Here, the unique physics of thulium provides a path forward. I will discuss optical measurements of neutral thulium doped into solid argon and neon, and show how this system already offers one of the most homogeneous solid state optical systems known. I will also discuss pathways to greater homogeneity, stronger coupling, and single atom addressing.

Bio: Colin Parker joined the School of Physics at Georgia Tech in 2016, where he leads a research group that investigates quantum phenomena at the interface of atomic, optical, and condensed matter physics. Dr. Parker received his Ph. D in physics from Princeton University in 2011, studying high-temperature superconductors. He was then a Kadanoff-Rice postdoctoral fellow at the University of Chicago, where he helped develop the near-resonant lattice shaking technique for ultracold atoms. At Georgia Tech, he has pioneered the study of shaking lattices with fermions, and the use of the rare earth element thulium as a quantum dopant in solid cryo-crystal hosts. He has received the AFOSR young investigator grant, and the NSF CAREER award.

Meet recruiters and hiring managers; explore internships, co-ops, research experiences, and full-time opportunities; and build meaningful professional connections with organizations seeking Georgia Tech talent. 

College of Sciences Students-Careers-Employers Networking Expo (SCENE)
Oct. 7, 2026 
3 – 7:00 p.m.
Georgia Tech Exhibition Hall 

Business casual attire is encouraged.

Register via CareerBuzz.

Our Lunch & Learn series brings together researchers, practitioners, and community members for accessible 15–20 minute talks followed by an open, informal discussion. Come enjoy a complimentary meal and learn how cutting-edge urban research directly connects to policy, practice, and the future of Atlanta and beyond!

Registration requested.

Getting vaccinated can keep you from getting the flu, reduce the severity of illness, and reduce the risk of hospitalization from the flu. Stamps Health Services is hosting free flu clinics for students who have paid their student health fee. Students, faculty, and staff can also make an appointment to receive the vaccine. Learn more here. 

Flu clinic dates:

• September 30, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 8, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 12, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 20, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 29, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.

Getting vaccinated can keep you from getting the flu, reduce the severity of illness, and reduce the risk of hospitalization from the flu. Stamps Health Services is hosting free flu clinics for students who have paid their student health fee. Students, faculty, and staff can also make an appointment to receive the vaccine. Learn more here. 

Flu clinic dates:

• September 30, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 8, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 12, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 20, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 29, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.

Getting vaccinated can keep you from getting the flu, reduce the severity of illness, and reduce the risk of hospitalization from the flu. Stamps Health Services is hosting free flu clinics for students who have paid their student health fee. Students, faculty, and staff can also make an appointment to receive the vaccine. Learn more here. 

Flu clinic dates:

• September 30, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 8, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 12, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 20, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 29, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.

Getting vaccinated can keep you from getting the flu, reduce the severity of illness, and reduce the risk of hospitalization from the flu. Stamps Health Services is hosting free flu clinics for students who have paid their student health fee. Students, faculty, and staff can also make an appointment to receive the vaccine. Learn more here. 

Flu clinic dates:

• September 30, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 8, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 12, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 20, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.
• October 29, 2026 3 – 7 p.m.

Host: Dr. Itamar Kolvin

Title: Friction and Fracture at Soft Interfaces: What is Soft? what is Not? 

Abstract:

Frictional slip and brittle fracture are often treated as separate problems, yet both are governed by the propagation of localized rupture fronts along interfaces. Soft materials are a particularly useful system for studying this behavior: their compliance leads to large deformations and slow rupture fronts, so the relevant dynamics are directly resolved experimentally, while much of the underlying physics remains consistent with classical frameworks developed for hard materials. But soft interfaces are not just neat model systems. They are mechanically important in their own right, especially as they often interact with a much harder surrounding world. In this talk I will show several systems ranging from very soft gels to relatively hard plastics, and ask which features of friction and fracture are truly specific to softness, and which reflect broader principles of interfacial failure across materials and scales. The implications range from the toughness of biological tissues to earthquakes.