STEAM Sustainable Horizons - Page Introduction
The ³Ô¹ÏÉçÇø STEAM Committee
Welcomes You to the Spring 2025
Sustainable Horizons Institute Lecture Series
STEAM professions—interdisciplinary fields that merge science, technology, engineering, and math with the arts—are the careers of tomorrow.
You're invited to hear from a scientist at the forefront of AI software innovation. Brought to you by a partnership between the STEAM Committee, and The Sustainable Horizons Institute, the annual series is a unique chance to learn about exciting research, as well as its applications in the workforce, and society. All PC students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to join.
Upcoming Sustainable Horizons Lectures
Wed, Feb. 19, 2025 | 12 pm | Virtual via ZOOM
. Registrants will receive a meeting link.
AI and Exascale Computing for Epidemiology:
Preparing for the Next Pandemic
Join Dr. Peter E. Nugent who'll present an innovative approach to enhancing epidemiological modeling using agent-based models (ABMs) and exascale computing. ABMs have proven instrumental in understanding and managing pandemics like COVID-19 by simulating how diseases spread among individuals and within communities. Despite their potential, ABMs face challenges in effectively integrating diverse data streams and addressing uncertainties in forecasting. The discussion will elaborate on:
• Advancements in the exascale-ready ABM code
• Modeling complex scenarios involving both individual agents and environmental factors like air or waterborne pathogens
• Creating workflows capable of generating accurate forecasts and guiding policy decisions with precision
You'll leave this lecture with greater familiarity of how computational science, data science, and high-performance computing can prepare us for future pandemics by optimizing intervention strategies and understanding uncertainties in disease spread.
The Speaker
is a leading researcher in the Applied Math and Computational Research Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. With a Ph.D. in physics (astronomy concentration) from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Nugent has contributed significantly to fields ranging from astrophysics to epidemiology. His work harnesses the power of high-performance computing to tackle large-scale problems, including modeling and forecasting the spread of infectious diseases. Photo courtesy University of California-Berkeley.
Past Lectures
Wed, Oct. 23, 2024 | 1 – 2:30 pm | Virtual via ZOOM
. Registrants will receive a meeting link.
Mystic & Pathos:
The Summer Project that Evolved Into a Career of Research in AI,
Machine Learning & High-Performance Computing
Join Dr. Michael McKerns who'll discuss the implications of two software tools, Mystic and Pathos, on automation, modeling, and the design of experiments under uncertainty. He'll also expand on their potential to improve:
• error mitigation in quantum computing
• efficiency in quantum sensing experiments
• automated control of particle accelerators
• learning of robust flux limiters in fluid dynamics simulations
• development of highly accurate surrogates for the nuclear equation of state
Mystic vs. Pathos Mystic software provides tools that facilitate the creation of complex workflows for artificial intelligence, machine learning, optimization, and &