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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T103000
DTSTAMP:20260903T160842Z
CREATED:20260902T163942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T160842Z
UID:10016350-1788856200-1788863400@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Zhang\, X. (STAT) - Predictive Generalized Variational Inference for Spatial Gaussian Process Model
DESCRIPTION:Spatially dependent data are common in environmental and climate studies\, where Gaussian process models are used for prediction and uncertainty quantification. Learning their covariance structure involves both statistical and computational challenges. Likelihood-based inference may be sensitive to covariance misspecification\, while repeated evaluation of prediction-oriented criteria can be computationally demanding. To study these issues\, we develop a predictive generalized variational inference (GVI) framework that learns a variational distribution by balancing proper-scoring-rule losses for conditional predictions with prior-based regularization. We first develop a marginal formulation for full Gaussian process models by analytically integrating out the regression coefficients and total residual variance. This formulation reduces the optimization dimension and focuses the variational optimization on the Matérn covariance parameters\, with Student-(t) conditional predictive distributions arising from the marginalization. We then develop a scalable formulation based on unordered nearest-neighbor conditionals. These conditionals define the predictive loss directly\, without treating their product as a joint likelihood. Because the same marginalization is not available in this formulation\, the regression coefficients and variance parameter are retained in a joint variational block. We evaluate logarithmic-score and continuous ranked probability score objectives through simulations and an analysis of December 2025 temperatures from 1\,218 U.S. Historical Climatology Network stations. The simulations compare different variational formulations\, scoring rules\, and covariance summaries using out-of-sample predictive evaluation. The real-data analysis compares likelihood-based and predictive GVI methods through cross-validation. We also examine the computational scaling of the nearest-neighbor formulation and consider extensions based on random local covariance matrices for heterogeneous spatial dependence\, as well as extensions to nonlinear regression and stochastic computer model emulation with quantitative and categorical inputs. Overall\, this work studies the specification and evaluation of predictive objectives\, uncertainty propagation\, and computational approximation within a unified variational framework. \nEvent Host: Xiao Zhang\, Ph.D. Student\, Statistical Science  \nAdvisor: Bruno Sansó \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/95501212725?pwd=WcB4SnkvhfoUFCm0Z4wUHLGB9omS05.1 \nPasscode: 697077
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/zhang-x-stat-predictive-generalized-variational-inference-for-spatial-gaussian-process-model/
LOCATION:
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T113000
DTSTAMP:20260904T210322Z
CREATED:20260904T210322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260904T210322Z
UID:10016381-1788948000-1788953400@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Devarajan\, K. (ECE) - Towards Multimodal Detection of Neuronal Signaling using Graphene Heterostructures
DESCRIPTION:Understanding neuronal function requires measurements that capture both the rapid dynamics and spatial organization of neural activity. Conventional neural interfaces often prioritize either high temporal resolution through electrophysiological recording or high spatial resolution through optical imaging\, while integrating these modalities within a single interface remains challenging. This work seeks to develop a transparent\, flexible\, and biocompatible neural interface that enables complementary electrical and optical measurements of neuronal activity. \nWe propose a graphene-based heterostructure neural interface that leverages the electrical\, optical\, and mechanical properties of graphene to enable electrophysiological sensing while maintaining optical access to the underlying neural system. The device incorporates a bowtie geometry that transitions from multilayer to single-layer graphene\, with the multilayer graphene regions serving as conductive leads and the single-layer graphene defining the primary sensing region. This architecture provides electrical connectivity while maximizing optical access in the region of interest\, establishing a platform for multimodal interrogation of neuronal activity. \nPreliminary measurements using simulated neuronal signals demonstrate detection of transient electrophysiological signals approximately 1 ms in duration and with amplitudes up to 100 μV\, establishing the feasibility of the device for resolving physiologically relevant neural signals. Building on these results\, the proposed work will extend the platform toward biological systems through interfacing with neuronal organoids and development of multichannel recording capabilities. Finally\, the established heterostructure architecture will provide a framework for investigating alternative two-dimensional sensing materials\, including MoS₂\, with the goal of understanding how material properties influence electrophysiological signal detection while preserving optical accessibility. \nUltimately\, this work aims to establish a scalable 2D-material-based neural interface that integrates electrophysiological sensing with optical access\, enabling multimodal characterization of neuronal activity across complementary spatial and temporal scales. \nEvent Host: Koushik Devarajan\, Ph.D. Student\, Electrical and Computer Engineering  \nAdvisor: Tal Sharf
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/devarajan-k-ece-towards-multimodal-detection-of-neuronal-signaling-using-graphene-heterostructures/
LOCATION:CA
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T120000
DTSTAMP:20260819T162005Z
CREATED:20260819T162005Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260819T162005Z
UID:10015347-1788948000-1788955200@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Chen\, Y. (STAT) - Flexible Bayesian Models for High-Dimensional and Longitudinal Discrete Data in Microbiome Studies
DESCRIPTION:Multivariate dependent discrete data routinely arise in microbiome studies. Analyzing these data presents interesting statistical challenges\, such as high dimensionality\, excess zeros\, large heterogeneity across samples\, and temporal dependence in longitudinal studies. Drawing inferences about objects of primary scientific interest—such as temporal trajectories of microbial abundance\, microbial interactions\, clusters of microbes similarly associated with environmental factors\, or networks of conditional dependencies—is more challenging due to these complexities\, requiring careful statistical modeling. Motivated by longitudinal microbiome experiments and large-scale fungal community surveys\, we propose flexible Bayesian models in which these objects are represented through low-dimensional or sparse structures\, regularized by global–local shrinkage priors\, and reported with uncertainty propagated through posterior inference. We first develop a Bayesian dynamic latent factor model for multivariate longitudinal count data. A rounded multivariate log-normal kernel links the observed counts to latent Gaussian variables\, and treatment-specific temporal trends of microbial abundance are modeled through Bayesian penalized B-splines. To better capture temporal changes in the mean\, dependence among microbial features is modeled through a low-dimensional factor structure with a Dirichlet–horseshoe+ shrinkage prior on the loadings. In addition\, continuous-time Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes are used for the latent factors to account for temporal dependence within a subject. We next develop a sparse Bayesian probit regression model for high-dimensional presence–absence data to infer clusters of microbes whose presence has similar associations with environmental covariates. Due to the large number of microbes and excess zeros\, we first estimate a high-dimensional regression coefficient matrix using sparsity-inducing priors\, and then cluster the microbes based on the coefficient estimates. By using the posterior distribution of the coefficients\, we provide point estimates along with uncertainty quantification. Lastly\, we develop a Bayesian model that infers a time-varying precision matrix for longitudinal microbiome count data. While a covariance matrix describes marginal dependence\, a precision matrix characterizes conditional dependence among microbial features\, defining a microbial association network. By allowing this precision structure to evolve over time\, we obtain inferences about dynamic microbial networks. \nEvent Host: Yongqi Chen\, Ph.D. Student\, Statistical Science \nAdvisor: Juhee Lee \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/99307567941?pwd=NRnSLblnMKXEgqDRXPdBIFaRS8ctsq.1 \nPasscode: 301374
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/chen-y-stat-flexible-bayesian-models-for-high-dimensional-and-longitudinal-discrete-data-in-microbiome-studies/
LOCATION:
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T120000
DTSTAMP:20260904T164356Z
CREATED:20260904T164356Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260904T164356Z
UID:10016375-1788948000-1788955200@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Abdulaziz\, A. (ECE) - Learning-Based Channel Estimation for Next-Generation Wireless Communications
DESCRIPTION:Coherent wireless reception depends on accurate channel state information\n(CSI)\, yet acquiring CSI through pilot transmission consumes\ntime–frequency resources that could otherwise carry data. This tradeoff\nbecomes more pronounced in time-varying and frequency-selective channels\nand in short-packet communications\, where accurate channel estimation is\nchallenging and pilot overhead can be significant. This dissertation\ninvestigates how CSI can be estimated\, exploited\, and refreshed more\nefficiently under limited pilot resources. \nFirst\, an adaptive deep neural network (ADNN) is developed for\nnon-stationary channels. When a received packet is accepted by the cyclic\nredundancy check (CRC)\, its detected data symbols are reused to obtain an\nimproved channel estimate for online retraining. This allows the\nestimator to respond to changes in channel statistics without requiring\nexternally supplied CSI labels or additional pilot transmissions. \nSecond\, an LSTM-based OFDM estimator is developed to jointly exploit\ntemporal and frequency-domain correlation. Pilot-based LS estimates and\nreceived samples at non-pilot subcarriers are processed over a temporal\nwindow using an encoder–decoder architecture. The estimator achieves\nlower MSE than conventional LS interpolation and frequency-domain LMMSE\nacross the evaluated pilot configurations\, and generalizes without\nretraining to an unseen channel profile. \nThird\, the LSTM model is extended to short-packet systems where the time\nbetween channel observations varies. The model accounts for the age of\npreviously acquired CSI\, allowing it to distinguish recent channel\ninformation from stale information as the channel evolves. The resulting\nage-aware model improves channel-estimation accuracy with only a small\nincrease in model size and inference cost. \nFinally\, the dissertation studies how pilot transmissions should be\nscheduled to minimize the long-term average age of information (AoI).\nThe problem is formulated as a constrained Markov decision process that\njointly accounts for AoI and the age of CSI (AoCSI). The resulting policy\ndetermines when to idle\, send a data-only update\, or transmit a\npilot-aided update under long-term pilot and transmission constraints. \nEvent Host: Alatawi Abdulaziz\, Ph.D. Candidate\, Electrical and Computer Engineering  \nAdvisor: Hamid Sadjadpour  \nCo-Advisor : Zouheir Rezki \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/98815064356?pwd=MfibjluajcETfqcpKYm9bp7ZIsJb8N.1 \nPasscode: 477141
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/abdulaziz-a-ece-learning-based-channel-estimation-for-next-generation-wireless-communications/
LOCATION:Engineering 2\, Engineering 2 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260911T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260911T160000
DTSTAMP:20260908T164853Z
CREATED:20260908T164853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T164853Z
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SUMMARY:Valderrama\, S. (CSE) - Closing Data Gaps for Cybersecurity AI Training and Evaluation
DESCRIPTION:Artificial intelligence and machine learning models depend on large and diverse datasets to learn patterns across different situations and generalize to cases they have not seen before. In cybersecurity\, suitable data is difficult to find for two main reasons: first\, sensitive information limits what organizations can share; second\, public datasets often lack the coverage or context in specific use cases. My research addresses this problem by developing methods that synthetically create and curate data\, where we propose data-generation algorithms that provide mechanisms to generate data to close these gaps. \nSo far\, we have started this research by developing algorithms to curate data for specific cybersecurity needs. We collect and label a collection of 64\,132 command blocks from different data sources trying to describe the security behavior they represent. Measuring this collection reveals important differences in coverage and provides a basis for directing command generation toward these rare behaviors. We then develop a generation and validation process that fills these gaps\, creating new examples that are correct\, relevant\, and diverse. Finally\, we automate the process of creating applications that could serve different cybersecurity purposes\, which together with a set of instructions\, a way of grading them\, and reference solutions became a tasks\, a valuable training unit for machine learning models. \nThese contributions show that we can reliably guide synthetic data generation that produces useful results. As future work\, we will extend this approach from individual applications to complex environments involving multiple systems. Executions in these environments will produce records of activity linked to known actions and their outcomes\, whether benign or malicious\, enabling analysis and modeling of adversarial behavior. The broader goal is to make cybersecurity data generation more targeted\, automatic\, and useful for artificial intelligence research. \nEvent Host: Sergio Valderrama\, Ph.D. Student\, Computer Science & Engineering  \nAdvisor: Alvaro Cardenas  \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/92072651510?pwd=UB55FkjUfMi0vssfcqIbYsPWjDr9xw.1 \nPasscode: 026956 \n 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/valderrama-s-cse-closing-data-gaps-for-cybersecurity-ai-training-and-evaluation/
LOCATION:Engineering 2\, Engineering 2 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260914T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260914T120000
DTSTAMP:20260908T170018Z
CREATED:20260908T165938Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260908T170018Z
UID:10016389-1789380000-1789387200@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Mirzanezhad\, H. (EE) - Van der Waals materials-based memory devices for neuromorphic computing
DESCRIPTION:The separation of memory and processing in conventional computer architectures leads to significant energy consumption associated with data transfer\, known as the von Neumann bottleneck. Two-dimensional (2D) materials provide a promising platform for developing nanoscale memory devices for in-memory and neuromorphic computing because of their atomic-scale thickness\, lack of dangling bonds\, and ability to form van der Waals structures. In this work\, bilayer MoS₂ is investigated as an active material for memory devices based on two different switching mechanisms. The first is a resistive memory based on a vertical junction that exhibits a reproducible hysteresis loop and can operate as a memristor. Possible mechanisms contributing to the observed hysteresis include ion migration\, charge trapping\, polarization switching\, or a combination of these mechanisms. The second is a ferroelectric memory based on the established ferroelectricity of parallel-stacked bilayer MoS₂\, where broken inversion symmetry gives rise to switchable out-of-plane polarization. This work therefore follows two parallel directions: a memory device based on the resistive effect and a memory device based on the ferroelectric effect\, with the longer-term goal of developing 2D material-based memory devices for neuromorphic computing. \nEvent Host: Hamid Mirzanezhad\, Ph.D. Student\, Electrical Engineering  \nAdvisor: Aiming Yan
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/mirzanezhad-h-ee-van-der-waals-materials-based-memory-devices-for-neuromorphic-computing/
LOCATION:Jack Baskin Engineering\, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260914T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260914T200000
DTSTAMP:20260826T182350Z
CREATED:20260826T182151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260826T182350Z
UID:10015742-1789410600-1789416000@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:September Slugs and Steins with University Archivist Kelsey Knox
DESCRIPTION:Slime is on Their Side: Celebrating 40 (Official) Years of the UCSC Banana Slug Mascot\nWhile rumors and stories abound about the sea lion vs. banana slug controversy of the 1980s\, the full history of the banana slug as UCSC’s long-running student chosen mascot has rarely been explored. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the vote to re-adopt the slug as UCSC’s mascot\, join University Archivist\, Kelsey Knox on a dive into archival sources that show the slug’s early origins on campus\, how a unilateral decision by Chancellor Robert Sinsheimer attempted to change the narrative\, and how students pushed back and ultimately won back our beloved slug. \nKelsey Knox earned her B.A. in American Studies from Porter College in 2012. She served as a Resident Advisor for two years at Porter College. She also participated in the UCDC program\, interning at the Peace Corps Records Office. After graduating from UCSC\, Kelsey went on to complete her Master’s of Library and Information Science degree from UCLA in 2014\, where she focused on Archival Studies. Kelsey spent 8 years working as an archivist in the Los Angeles area before being hired as the University Archivist at UCSC in June 2023\, her dream job. As University Archivist\, Kelsey is responsible for documenting\, preserving\, and making available UCSC’s history\, from the founding of the university to present-day. Kelsey is thrilled to be living back in Santa Cruz with her husband (a fellow Porter College alum) and two cats. \nREGISTER
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/september-slugs-and-steins-with-university-archivist-kelsey-knox/
LOCATION:
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T113000
DTSTAMP:20260914T161439Z
CREATED:20260914T161439Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T161439Z
UID:10017052-1789466400-1789471800@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Tornoe\, S. (ECE) - Improving the UV optical response and suppressing surface plasmon resonance in aluminum and silver base telescope mirrors
DESCRIPTION:Aluminum and silver are excellent metal-bases for astronomical telescopes designed for broadband spectral measurements. In particular silver excels in the violet to infrared spectral range range with over 95% reflectance. In turn aluminum excels deep ultra-violet to infrared with over 90% reflectance across the bulk of its spectral range. In astronomical telescope optics\, each percent reflectance is extremely valuable\, meaning each mirror type has place. However\, both metal-bases suffer from unwanted oxidation necessitating protective coatings. Unfortunately\, even a few nanometers of traditional coatings like AlOx\, can completely eliminate the far and deep UV response. These dielectric protective coatings can also induce surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the mirrors. SPR occurs when light propagates in a dielectric protective coating along a metal-dielectric interface exciting electrons in the metal as it propagates. The plasmonic response in the metal-base alters how light reflects from the mirror creating an oscillation in the UV spectral range. This research will focus on improving the UV response and diminishing the detrimental effects of SPR for two cases: aluminum mirrors and silver mirrors. \nEvent Host: Soren Tornoe\, Ph.D. Student\, Electrical & Computer Engineering  \nAdvisor: Nobuhiko Kobayashi \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/93650451146?pwd=IFEbCOKZQAyDdoYMO5b19JqGZbX07m.1 \nPasscode: 657292
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/tornoe-s-ece-improving-the-uv-optical-response-and-suppressing-surface-plasmon-resonance-in-aluminum-and-silver-base-telescope-mirrors/
LOCATION:2300 Delaware Avenue\, 2300 Delaware Ave\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95060
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260917T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260917T190000
DTSTAMP:20260903T192916Z
CREATED:20260903T192916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260903T192916Z
UID:10016372-1789668000-1789671600@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:How to Apply to the Premed Postbacc Program
DESCRIPTION:Join UC Santa Cruz Healthcare Pathways for a live online information session to learn about our Premed Postbacc Cohort\, Premed and Pre-Health DIY Pathways\, and other program offerings. \nWe’ll provide an overview of our programs and cover how to apply for our next admissions cycle. We’ll also discuss the application process\, admissions timeline\, coursework\, advising\, MCAT preparation\, and more. \nYou’ll have plenty of time to ask questions and connect directly with program staff. \nCLAIM YOUR SEAT TODAY. 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/how-to-apply-to-the-premed-postbacc-program-3/
LOCATION:Silicon Valley Campus\, 3175 Bowers Avenue\, Santa Clara\, CA\, 95054\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Meetings & Conferences,Training
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260921T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260921T123000
DTSTAMP:20260914T191617Z
CREATED:20260914T191617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T191617Z
UID:10017053-1789990200-1789993800@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Headrick\, C. (BMEB) - The Regulation of mRNA Cleavage in Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay: From Inside (intra-pathway determinants) Out (extra-pathway regulation)
DESCRIPTION:Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a translation-coupled quality control pathway that degrades mRNAs that harbor a premature termination codon (PTC) and 5-30% of normal cellular mRNAs. The NMD field sits at a pivotal moment with recent developments that endonucleolytic cleavage is the primary mechanism of mRNA decay conserved across metazoans. Discovery of a conserved NMD cleavage mechanism sets the stage for a dissection of mRNA cleavage determinants and regulators. \nTo better understand how mRNA cleavage during NMD is regulated\, I will use degradome-seq based approaches via 5’RACE-seq (Rapid Amplification of 5’ cDNA Ends) to isolate the cleavage products of the NMD pathway. I will first focus my analysis on core NMD factors and helicase UPF1\, the binding site of NMD decay effectors\, to examine how UPF1 enzymatic activity affects mRNA cleavage transcriptome-wide (Aim 1). In parallel\, to assess extra-pathway regulation of mRNA cleavage during NMD\, I will identify endogenous negative regulators of mRNA cleavage (Aim 2). Contemporary models of NMD are deprived of the functional impact of cellular NMD inhibitors. I will access this novel functional space with an innovative application of CRISPR screening and quantitative\, high-throughput NGS\, known as ReLiC (RNA-linked CRISPR) paired with degradome analysis. \n  \nEvent Host: Camille Headrick\, Ph.D. Student\, Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics  \nAdvisor: Joshua Arribere \n 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/headrick-c-bmeb-the-regulation-of-mrna-cleavage-in-nonsense-mediated-mrna-decay-from-inside-intra-pathway-determinants-out-extra-pathway-regulation/
LOCATION:Biomedical Sciences Building\, 575 McLaughlin Drive
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T113000
DTSTAMP:20260921T180343Z
CREATED:20260916T211025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T180343Z
UID:10017076-1790332200-1790335800@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:ECE Special Seminar: "Autonomous Electric Vehicles – Data Centers on the Wheel"
DESCRIPTION:Presented by: Kaushik Rajashekara\, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor @ University of Houston \nDescription: “Autonomous electric vehicles (AEVs) are at the forefront of modern transportation\, merging automation with sustainability to enhance efficiency and safety while reducing environmental impact. However\, these vehicles face significant challenges in balancing the energy demands of autonomous compute systems with propulsion efficiency and vehicle range. The sensors\, LiDAR\, cameras\, and AI inference hardware required for Level 4 autonomy draw significant continuous compute power — entirely separate from propulsion. This power is comparable to a server-class GPU — making each AEV\, in effect\, a data center on wheels. This presentation explores that compute energy load\, examines how it scales across projected global AV fleets\, and compares it with the energy consumption and CO₂ emissions of global data centers. The presentation concludes with current challenges and future trends in the key enabling technologies — next-generation batteries\, wide-bandgap power electronics\, high-efficiency electric machines\, and can scale without proportionally scaling its energy and emissions footprint.” \nBio: Kaushik Rajashekara (Fellow\, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Science\, Bangalore\, India. He held various lead technical and managerial positions at Delphi/General Motors (1989–2006)\, serving as Technical Fellow and Chief Scientist for propulsion and power electronics systems for electric\, hybrid\, and fuel cell vehicles.From 2006 to 2012\, he was Chief Technologist and Rolls-Royce Fellow for electric systems for electric and hybrid electric aircraft at Rolls-RoyceCorporation. From 2012 to 2016\, he was a Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor at the University of Houston. \nHe has authored over 300 papers and one book\, holds 37 U.S. and 15 foreign patents\, and has delivered over 250 invited presentations worldwide. His honors include the Global Energy Prize\, the IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies\, and the IEEE Richard Harold Kaufmann Award. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering\, a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors\, aFellow of the European Academy of Sciences\, and an International Fellow of the Indian\, Chinese\, Canadian\, and Japanese Academies of Engineering. His research interests include power conversion\, transportation electrification\, renewable energy\, offshore systems\, and microgrid systems. \n  \nHosted by: Professor Leila Parsa\, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department \nWhen: Friday\, September 25\, 2026 @ 10:30 AM PST \nLocation: E2-506 \n  \n 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/ece-special-seminar-autonomous-electric-vehicles-data-centers-on-the-wheel/
LOCATION:Engineering 2\, Engineering 2 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Seminars
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T150000
DTSTAMP:20260911T151906Z
CREATED:20260911T151906Z
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SUMMARY:Mastoras\, M. (BMEB) - Polishing genome assemblies and leveraging their improved quality to study centromere variation
DESCRIPTION:A complete and accurate genome reconstruction serves as the foundation for studying an organism’s biology and the mechanisms underlying disease. It is particularly critical for reference genomes\, which provide a universal coordinate system for downstream genomic analysis. Errors or missing sequences in a reference genome create bias in all of the studies built on top of them. The Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC) seeks to address this bias by transitioning the field to a pangenome reference\, a graph based collection of many genome assemblies\, providing a better representation of variation in the human population. Removing errors in the HPRC assemblies is critical to ensure the pangenome serves as a robust standard for genomic variant discovery. In the first part of my thesis\, I improve the base level accuracy of the HPRC release 2 assemblies (HPRC2) with a machine learning model for assembly polishing called DeepPolisher. Next\, I make additional contributions to reference-based genomic analysis by polishing reference genomes of other model organisms\, and helping to develop a new method for de-novo assembly and variant calling from a single-flow cell nanopore sequencing protocol. Finally\, I take advantage of the highly accurate\, near complete assemblies from HPRC2 that I improved with DeepPolisher to study a region only recently made accessible to genomics analysis: the human centromere. I apply the tool Centrolign\, the first ever multiple-sequence-aligner for centromeres to the HPRC2 assemblies\, establishing precise estimates of mutation rates and spatial variation patterns across centromeric arrays. \nEvent Host: Mira Mastoras\, Ph.D. Candidate\, Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics \nAdvisor: Benedict Paten \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/98960011053?pwd=mFKCwtSIhvT5FvEURbE85lRbbMvzuo.1 \nPasscode: 118488
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/mastoras-m-bmeb-polishing-genome-assemblies-and-leveraging-their-improved-quality-to-study-centromere-variation/
LOCATION:Physical Sciences Building\, Physical Sciences Building\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260925T160000
DTSTAMP:20260922T172213Z
CREATED:20260922T172213Z
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SUMMARY:Malekos\, E. (BMEB) - CRISPR screens of noncanonical ORFs uncover retroviral-derived immune regulators
DESCRIPTION:Ribosome profiling has revealed thousands of noncanonical translation events across mammalian genomes\, yet functional characterization has overwhelmingly focused on proliferative fitness in cancer cell lines. Here\, we present a comprehensive survey of noncanonical translation in the mouse immune system and its functional consequences in macrophages. By performing a unified Ribo-seq meta-analysis across 20 public mouse leukocyte datasets – spanning macrophages\, dendritic cells\, neutrophils\, B cells\, and T cells – we define a compendium of 22\,276 noncanonical coding sequences (CDSs)\, including upstream ORFs (uORFs)\, downstream ORFs\, and ORFs on noncoding RNAs and pseudogenes (ncORFs). Proteogenomic integration with reanalyzed mass spectrometry data prioritizes a high-confidence subset with detectable protein products\, including pseudogene-encoded and lncRNA-encoded zinc finger proteins. To move beyond cataloging\, we carried out two orthogonal CRISPR screens in immortalized bone marrow-derived macrophages: a fitness screen identifying noncanonical CDSs required for macrophage viability\, and a TLR1/TLR2-NFκB reporter screen uncovering CDSs that modulate innate immune signaling. These screens nominate uORFs\, several conserved between mouse and human\, that exert phenotypic effects on par with their cognate coding sequences. We unexpectedly discovered a family of endogenous retroviral envelope-derived proteins translated in adult myeloid cells. Among these\, SYNIR is a full-length syncytin-like membrane glycoprotein that positively regulates NFκB-responsive transcription\, while SEMR is a secreted protein with structural homology to the feline leukemia virus accessory protein FeLIX that drives broad transcriptional remodeling of macrophage gene programs upon knockout. Updated single-cell RNA-seq annotations and an interactive UCSC Genome Browser session integrating Ribo-seq\, proteomics\, and CRISPR screen data are provided as community resources. Together\, these findings expand the functional landscape of noncanonical translation in immunity and establish endogenous retroviral proteins as previously unrecognized regulators of macrophage biology. \nEvent Host: Eric Malekos\, Ph.D. Candidate\, Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics  \nAdvisor: Susan Carpenter
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/malekos-e-bmeb-crispr-screens-of-noncanonical-orfs-uncover-retroviral-derived-immune-regulators/
LOCATION:Biomedical Sciences\, Biomedical Sciences Building Red Hill Road\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T120000
DTSTAMP:20260910T220533Z
CREATED:20260910T220533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T220533Z
UID:10016654-1790503200-1790510400@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Earth Friendly Gardening: Protecting Wildlife & the Environment
DESCRIPTION:Join the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey\, San Benito & Santa Cruz Counties for this hands-on summer workshop at the UCSC Arboretum!\nClasses are free with paid admission\, but registration is required to attend. You are welcome to take one\, two\, or all four classes which occur on the last Sunday of the month\, June through September.\nYour garden can do more than look beautiful – it can help protect the environment and support local wildlife.\nDiscover simple\, practical ways to create a healthier\, more sustainable landscape by providing food\, water\, and shelter for pollinators\, birds\, and other beneficial creatures. Learn how to reduce pesticide and fertilizer use\, conserve water\, and work with nature to grow a thriving garden that’s easier to maintain and better for the world around you.\nClasses are free for UCSC Students or with an Arboretum membership which includes free admission to the gardens as well as a whole host of great benefits. Consider becoming a member today by visiting our website: arboretum.ucsc.edu
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/earth-friendly-gardening-protecting-wildlife-the-environment/
LOCATION:CA
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Workshop
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20270627T150000
DTSTAMP:20260910T220505Z
CREATED:20260910T220505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T220505Z
UID:10016362-1790514000-1814108400@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Santa Cruz Pickwick Club presents: Christie Mysteries
DESCRIPTION:Over the coming year\, Dickens Universe readers and Pickwick Club members will meet for discussions focused on these novels and their lasting influence on the mystery genre. This year’s reading series brings together four landmark works of crime fiction: The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens (Penguin Classics\, 2002)\, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie (William Morrow\, 2021)\, The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie (William Morrow\, 2025)\, and The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie (William Morrow\, 2011). Join Dickens enthusiasts and Pickwick Club members on Zoom for a series of discussions about these beloved books. \nRegister via Zoom \nReading Schedule:  \n\nSept 27: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd\nOct 25: The Pale Horse\nNov 22: The Murder at the Vicarage\nDec 27: The Mystery of Edwin Drood\nJan 24: The Mystery of Edwin Drood\nFeb 28: The Mystery of Edwin Drood\nMar 28: The Mystery of Edwin Drood\nApr 25: TBD\nMay 23: TBD\nJun 27: TBD\n\nRecommended Edition: We recommend the Penguin Classics edition of the novels for its appendices and notes\, but other versions are fine. First-time readers should avoid the Introduction if they don’t want spoilers. Download the novels to read at Gutenburg.org or listen at LibriVox.org. \nThe Santa Cruz Pickwick (Book) Club\, a branch of the Dickens Fellowship\, is a community of local bookworms\, students\, and teachers who meet monthly to discuss a nineteenth-century novel. The Santa Cruz Public Libraries provide support for the reading group.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/santa-cruz-pickwick-club-presents-christie-mysteries/2026-09-27/
LOCATION:CA
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T104000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T114500
DTSTAMP:20260921T181823Z
CREATED:20260921T181641Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260921T181823Z
UID:10017110-1790592000-1790595900@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:ECE 290 Seminar: "Where The Semiconductor Industry Is Headed Over The Next 5\, 10\, 20 Years?"
DESCRIPTION:Presented by: Dr. Victor Zhirnov\, Product Ideation Head @ Applied Materials \nDescription: “Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are a primary engine of socioeconomic growth in the modern world. Electronic information processing and transmission are being further accelerated by the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The adoption of AI continues to expand at an unprecedented pace\, driven by the exponential growth of data that must be generated\, moved\, stored\, computed\, communicated\, secured\, and ultimately transformed into actionable information for end users. \nToday\, ICT is undergoing several major “seismic shifts\,” as outlined in the Decadal Plan for Semiconductors. One of the most significant challenges is the growing imbalance between the energy demands of information and communication technologies and the world’s capacity for energy production. This trend introduces substantial risks to future technological progress\, particularly for AI systems\, whose computational and data-processing requirements continue to increase dramatically. Addressing these challenges will require the discovery of fundamentally new paradigms capable of delivering orders-of-magnitude improvements in energy efficiency. \nA second seismic shift is the widening gap between communication capacity and data generation. Modern society is characterized by near-ubiquitous connectivity\, enabling continuous access to information\, cloud storage\, and cloud computing resources. The ability to access data from virtually anywhere and share it globally has transformed business operations\, scientific research\, and everyday life. However\, the cloud-centric model relies heavily on the assumption of constant and reliable connectivity\, an assumption that cannot always be guaranteed. At the same time\, global data generation is growing faster than communication infrastructure can support\, creating an increasing mismatch between information storage requirements and communication capabilities. Overcoming this challenge will require radical advances in communication technologies. \nInventing the next generation of computation and communication paradigms is undoubtedly a formidable challenge. Nevertheless\, it is achievable if the right scientific questions are identified and the necessary resources are mobilized. Future ICT systems will require breakthrough innovations based on largely unexplored physical principles\, spanning materials\, devices\, circuits\, architectures\, and system-level functions. Such advances have the potential to redefine the foundations of information processing and communication\, enabling sustainable growth of AI and the broader digital economy.” \nBio: Victor Zhirnov is the Product Ideation Head at Applied Materials\, where he leads the initiation of breakthrough innovation projects with the potential to enable major technology inflections across the semiconductor industry. His work focuses on identifying and advancing disruptive concepts that can shape the future of computing\, communications\, and advanced manufacturing. \nPrior to joining Applied Materials\, Dr. Zhirnov served as Chief Scientist at the Semiconductor Research Corporation (SRC). In that role\, he was responsible for envisioning and developing long-term research directions for the semiconductor ecosystem\, guiding collaborations between industry and academia in semiconductor technologies. \nWith more than 30 years of semiconductor experience\, Dr. Zhirnov has made significant contributions across a broad range of disciplines\, including materials science\, process technology\, device physics\, and the exploration of the fundamental limits of semiconductor technologies. \nDr. Zhirnov has played a leading role in several major international technology roadmapping efforts. He served as Chair of the Emerging Research Devices Working Group for the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) and has also led the development of both the 2030 Decadal Plan for Semiconductors and the Microelectronics and Advanced Packaging Technologies (MAPT) Roadmap. \nHe earned an M.S. in Applied Physics from the Ural Polytechnic Institute in Yekaterinburg\, Russia\, in 1989\, and a Ph.D. in Solid State Electronics and Microelectronics from the Institute of Physics and Technology in Moscow in 1992. \nDr. Zhirnov has authored or co-authored approximately 200 technical papers and numerous contributions to books\, reflecting his longstanding influence on semiconductor research\, technology strategy\, and innovation. \nHosted by: Professor Marco Rolandi & Professor Soumya Bose\, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department \nWhen: 10:40 to 11:45 AM PST \nLocation: Classroom E2-194 \nZoom Link: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/98247592428?pwd=iUrZFuvQ8ANPqirWLxC4DokeyvIUIz.1
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/ece-290-seminar-where-the-semiconductor-industry-is-headed-over-the-next-5-10-20-years/
LOCATION:Engineering 2\, Engineering 2 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Seminars
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T132500
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T143000
DTSTAMP:20260922T225307Z
CREATED:20260916T143449Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T225307Z
UID:10017059-1790601900-1790605800@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Environmental Studies Seminar Series | Lightning Talks by ENVS Faculty
DESCRIPTION:In person and via Zoom (Meeting ID: 978 5545 8946\, Passcode: 454736).  \nIf you are unable to stream the talk live and need to access a recorded version\, please contact Stacy Philpott at sphilpot@ucsc.edu. A UC Santa Cruz email address is required to access the recording. \nHost: Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela \nSpeaker #1: Hannah Waterhouse \nTitle: Building Cover Cropping Communities of Practice on California’s Central Coast \nAbstract: California’s agricultural communities face the dual challenges of increasingly variable and limited irrigation water supplies\, alongside persistent groundwater quality degradation from nitrate leaching that has imperiled drinking water for nearly one million residents of rural communities in the state. These challenges come together most acutely in California’s Central Coast region\, the “Salad Bowl” of the U.S.\, where intensive\, high-value vegetable and berry production dominates. The benefits provided by adding winter cover crops to these annual cropping systems are considered essential to improving groundwater quality\, but perceptions among farmers and policymakers that cover crops consume too much water make a formidable barrier to adoption in this Mediterranean climate. Indeed\, less than 5% of cropland on the Central Coast is cover cropped\, with the majority left fallow over the winter season to devastating effects including erosion and loss of fertility\, pollution of surface and groundwater\, and flooded fields which can delay agronomic operations.  In this research we address the question of how farmers in Mediterranean\, semi-arid climatic regions can implement cover cropping in a water scarce environment while meeting water quality regulatory goals. Through both controlled trials and on-farm\, participatory research\, we aim to determine how different cover crop management practices affect the balance between water regulation and provisioning and water quality protection\, as well as the supply of nitrogen (N) for cash crops. We have formed a community of practice\, including farmers\, technical assistant providers\, and researchers\, to test these questions and facilitate co-learning that is embedded in the research process. \nSpeaker #2: Mijin Cha \nTitle: The Critical Minerals Just Transition Listening Project \nAbstract: An energy transition away from fossil fuels requires the development and wide-scale adoption of renewable energy technologies. Central to these\, “green\,” technologies is critical mineral mining. However\, though critical minerals may be used to support an energy transition\, they are not inherently most just because of their end use. How they are mined\, processed\, and used are questions that must be answered to understand how “just\,” their use is. The Critical Minerals Just Transition Listening Project analyzes the lithium supply chain in the United States to understand what injustice and challenges arise at sites of lithium mining\, electric vehicle battery production\, and battery storage and what solidarity\, if any\, exists amongst workers and communities along the domestic lithium supply chain. This project is funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation \nSpeaker #3: Bo Yang \nTitle: Seeing Fire from Above: UAV Remote Sensing of Wildfire Behavior\, Fuels\, and Ecological Effects \nAbstract: Wildfires are highly dynamic events shaped by interactions among fuels\, topography\, weather\, and vegetation. Three recent studies based on the California Canyon Fire Experiment\, a highly instrumented prescribed fire conducted in a steep chaparral canyon near Salinas\, California\, demonstrate the potential of UAV remote sensing for wildfire research. Using thermal\, multispectral\, and LiDAR imagery\, we developed methods to map fire progression\, characterize fire anatomy\, and improve the georeferencing of thermal imagery during an active fire. We also used UAV photogrammetry and object-based classification to quantify pre-fire fuel structure\, post-fire fuel-height loss\, and vegetation recovery. Finally\, we linked remotely sensed thermal exposure\,  including maximum temperature and heating duration\, to field measurements of post-fire twig diameter as an indicator of fire severity. These studies demonstrate how UAV remote sensing can connect active-fire behavior with fuel conditions and ecological effects at fine spatial and temporal scales. \n 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/environmental-studies-seminar-series-lightning-talks-by-envs-faculty/
LOCATION:Interdisciplinary Sciences Building\, 7487 Red Hill Road\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T170000
DTSTAMP:20260915T205202Z
CREATED:20260915T205202Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T205202Z
UID:10017056-1790611200-1790614800@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Statistics Seminar: Vecchia Approximated Bayesian Heteroskedastic Gaussian Processes
DESCRIPTION:Presenter: Parul Patil\, Postdoctoral Researcher\, UC Santa Cruz \nDescription: Many computer simulations are stochastic and exhibit input dependent noise. In such situations\, heteroskedastic Gaussian processes (hetGPs) make ideal surrogates as they estimate a latent\, non-constant variance. However\, existing hetGP implementations are unable to deal with large simulation campaigns and use point-estimates for all unknown quantities\, including latent variances. This limits applicability to small experiments and undercuts uncertainty. We propose a Bayesian hetGP using elliptical slice sampling (ESS) for posterior variance integration\, and the Vecchia approximation to circumvent computational bottlenecks. We show good performance for our upgraded hetGP capability\, compared to alternatives\, on a benchmark example and a motivating corpus of more than 9-million lake temperature simulations. An open source implementation is provided as bhetGP on CRAN. \nAbout the speaker: Parul Patil is currently working as a post-doctoral researcher with Dr Paul Parker and Dr Sangwon Hyun at University of California\, Santa Cruz. She completed her PhD in May 2026 from Virginia Tech. She had previously completed B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Statistics in India. She works with large-scale data\, using statistical tools to model complex processes\, quantify uncertainty\, and uncover patterns. Her work lies at the intersection of statistics and machine learning with ecological applications\, focusing on scalable methods for analyzing high-dimensional and spatially structured data. \nThis seminar is hosted by Professor Yunyi Shen.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/statistics-seminar-vecchia-approximated-bayesian-heteroskedastic-gaussian-processes/
LOCATION:Jack Baskin Engineering\, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Seminars
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260929T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260929T143000
DTSTAMP:20260925T164513Z
CREATED:20260925T164513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T164513Z
UID:10017597-1790688600-1790692200@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:Heath\, H. (BMEB) - Linking Altered mRNA Processing to Translational Regulation in Lung Cancer
DESCRIPTION:In lung cancer\, recurrent alterations in RNA processing regulators reshape both the proteins genes encode and the sequences that regulate their production. Understanding how mRNA processing influences protein production requires resolving the coding and regulatory sequences present in individual mRNA isoforms. Transcription start site (TSS) choice\, alternative splicing (AS) \, and polyadenylation site (PAS) choice determine which coding sequences (CDS) and untranslated regions (UTRs) are expressed together. This allows transcripts from the same gene to differ in the structure and abundance of proteins they generate. Short-read RNA sequencing is only able to identify single splicing changes\, failing to link them together\, while long-read RNA sequencing (LRS) reads can span across exons allowing for more confident transcriptome assembly. However\, accurate transcript end detection is not a priority for most LRS transcript assemblers. As a result\, they may miss transcript end changes that could obscure real variations in UTR regulatory sequences. In preliminary benchmarking across multiple cell lines and LRS technologies\, we compared validated transcript-end locations to isoform assemblies. Here we found TSSs and PASs are present in long reads but not recovered by current transcriptome assembly methods\, in addition to incorrect transcript ends. To address these limitations\, I will develop FLAIR-Transcript-End Detection (FLAIR-TED)\, a computational method to improve identification of accurate alternative transcript ends during transcriptome assembly (Aim 1). I will then use FLAIR-TED on long-read polysome fractionation (LRPF) sequencing to identify splicing and UTR sequence differences associated with ribosome association in lung cancer cell-line models – revealing how splicing and UTR choice work together to impact translation and protein production (Aim 2). Finally in matched lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) primary tumor and normal tissues\, I will examine whether recurrent isoform usage changes favor transcripts with distinct predicted translational efficiencies (Aim 3). Together\, these studies will connect disease-associated mRNA processing changes to the coding and regulatory sequences expressed and their potential translational consequences. \n  \nEvent Host: Harrison Heath\, PhD Student\, Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics \nAdvisor: Angela Brooks  \nZoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/92519872137?pwd=mn1j67FWrojyx6bPt8ekwugm0Tcpaw.1 \nPasscode: 208120
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/heath-h-bmeb-linking-altered-mrna-processing-to-translational-regulation-in-lung-cancer/
LOCATION:Biomedical Sciences\, Biomedical Sciences Building Red Hill Road\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Ph.D. Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261001T114000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261001T131500
DTSTAMP:20261006T183106Z
CREATED:20260928T180138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261006T183106Z
UID:10017606-1790854800-1790860500@events.ucsc.edu
SUMMARY:BME 280B Seminar: Speaker Julian Lucas; and Speaker Theo Kell
DESCRIPTION:Title of Talk 1: Enabling Population-Scale Analysis of Human Centromere Diversity \nPresenter 1: Julian Lucas\, Graduate Student in Miga Lab\, University of California\, Santa Cruz \nDescription: Centromeres are essential for chromosome segregation\, yet their repetitive DNA has long been a blind spot in human genomics. Until recently\, they were largely missing from reference genomes\, and they are still omitted from many genomic analyses due to their rapid sequence divergence. Reference-quality assemblies from the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC) now make it possible to compare centromeres across hundreds of human haplotypes. I will describe how we built these assemblies and developed methods to align their repetitive satellite arrays. Together\, these form a centromere pangenome that represents variation and supports analysis such as read mapping\, making centromeres accessible to genomics. Our analysis reveals large structural differences in and around centromeres\, as well as unexpected patterns in single-base changes that offer clues to how centromeric DNA evolves. \nBio: Julian is a graduate student in Karen Miga’s laboratory at the University of California\, Santa Cruz. His research uses pangenomes to characterize variation in human centromeres\, with the goal of bringing these historically difficult-to-analyze regions into mainstream human genetics. Recently\, he helped lead the assembly effort for Release 2 of the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC)\, which produced reference-quality genome assemblies that better capture human genetic diversity. Before graduate school\, Julian worked at biotechnology startups\, most recently in non-invasive cancer detection. \nHosted by: Associate Professor of Biomolecular Engineering Karen Miga\, BME Department \n  \nTitle of Talk 2: Genomics Institute Computing Resources \nPresenter 2: Theo Kell\, Senior Systems Architect\, UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute \nDescription: The backbone of the bioinformatics research at the Genomics Institute is its computing infrastructure. Members of the Genomics Institute have access to a wide array of resources\, including petabytes of storage capacity\, and a supercomputer cluster with over 7\,000 cores. There are also systems for hosting public websites\, sharing datasets with the world\, and collaborating on coding projects. The Genomics Institute IT team works with all stakeholders to make sure that the computing resources are accessible\, up-to-date\, and optimized for cutting-edge\, massively parallel bioinformatics research. \nThis presentation will give an overview of the computing assets that are available\, explain how they are used\, and elaborate on best practices. It is intended to be approachable for students who do not yet have experience with programming or using the command line\, while also providing a jumping-off point for students who are ready to dive in and begin running code. \nBio: Theo Kell is a Senior Systems Architect at the UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute. After graduating from the Baskin School of Engineering’s Technology and Information Management program\, he worked as an IT System Administrator at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and Cabrillo College before returning to UCSC to join the Genomics Institute IT team. He has a broad background in Linux/Unix systems\, virtualization\, cybersecurity\, networking\, and customer support.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/bme-280b-seminar-speaker-julian-lucas-speaker-theo-kell-genomics-institute-computing-resources/
LOCATION:Physical Sciences Building\, Physical Sciences Building\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Seminars
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261001T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261002T050000
DTSTAMP:20260929T204054Z
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SUMMARY:Optional Practical Training (OPT) Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshops are MANDATORY for all F-1 students who will apply for OPT\, and you MUST have attended the OPT workshop within 9 months of applying for OPT. You must attend the full workshop to receive credit. Be sure to arrive on time and stay until the end\, or you will not receive credit and will need to attend another workshop. \nZoom Link \nTo learn more about OPT\, visit the ISSP Optional Practical Training webpage.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/optional-practical-training-opt-workshop-5/
LOCATION:Zoom
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261003T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261003T120000
DTSTAMP:20260910T181642Z
CREATED:20251211T171734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T181642Z
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SUMMARY:First Saturday Tour at the Arboretum
DESCRIPTION:First Saturday Tours are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the Arboretum or to deepen your knowledge of the Arboretum’s plant collections. Each tour is a little different depending on the time of year\, the interests of the tour guide\, and the people who join in. For example\, you might learn about the birds and mammals that make this land their home or about the amazing physical adaptations that plants have evolved to better deal with our extreme weather and climate conditions. Tours are free with paid admission. Admission is always free for current UCSC Students and Arboretum members.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/first-saturday-tour-at-the-arboretum/2026-10-03/
LOCATION:Arboretum\, 122 Arboretum Road\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T104000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T114500
DTSTAMP:20261005T193023Z
CREATED:20260929T200747Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T193023Z
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SUMMARY:ECE 290 Seminar: "Why Do Chips Get Hot? Electro-Thermal Co-Design for Next-Generation Transistors"
DESCRIPTION:Presented by: Young Suh Song\, Knight-Hennessy PhD candidate @ Stanford University \nDescription: “The rapid growth of information technology (IT) has led to remarkable progress in recent semiconductor technology. Transistors have become smaller so that more transistors can be packed into a chip\, and today’s semiconductors even use technology that vertically stacks layers of transistors. Although this has led to improved electrical performance of semiconductors\, the increase in the number of transistors and interfaces in semiconductors has concomitantly worsened their thermal properties. In this talk\, I will first explain why chips get hot and introduce the materials and transistor structures used in the latest logic and memory semiconductors. Based on this\, I will discuss a range of structural and materials engineering approaches that have been explored to improve thermal properties in state-of-the-art semiconductors\, including metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and 4F 2 3D dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) technology. Finally\, I will wrap up the talk by presenting my vision of how future research could keep chips cool.” \nBio: Young Suh Song is a PhD candidate in the department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University\, South Korea. His research focuses on electro-thermal co-design for advanced semiconductor devices and systems by utilizing improved structures and emerging materials. With this focus\, he has authored and co-authored over 50 research papers in journals and conferences including Nature Nanotechnology\, ACS Nano\, and IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEEE IEDM). He previously worked as a research scientist at IBM T. J. Watson Research Center\, focusing on electro-thermal co-optimization in advanced CMOS nodes. His interdisciplinary work has been recognized with several honors\, including the outstanding reviewer award for Semiconductor Science and Technology (IOP Publishing\, 2025) and best paper awards from IEEE ICCSS (2022) and IEIE (2020). More information can be found at https://sites.google.com/view/yssong24 \n  \nHosted by: Professor Zhicong Yu\, Electrical & Computer Engineering Department \nWhen: Monday\, October 5th from 10:40 to 11:45 AM PST \nLocation: Classroom E2-194
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/ece-seminar-why-do-chips-get-hot-electro-thermal-co-design-for-next-generation-transistors/
LOCATION:Engineering 2\, Engineering 2 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Seminars
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T133500
DTSTAMP:20261003T055419Z
CREATED:20260928T165838Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261003T055419Z
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SUMMARY:CM Seminar: Speaker - Yung-Ju (Stanley) Chang "Building Intelligence Around Limited Human Attention: Our Research Trajectory Toward Attention-Aware Agentic System"
DESCRIPTION:Presenter: Yung-Ju (Stanley) Chang\, Professor\, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) \nDescription: Human attention has become an increasingly scarce resource in everyday digital life. People are constantly exposed to notifications\, messages\, news updates\, social media content\, and AI-generated information\, all competing for limited attentional capacity. In this talk\, I will share our research trajectory around human attention\, highlighting how attention has served as a primary focus across our work over the past decade. I will organize this body of work around five main directions: 1) protecting attention from unnecessary interruptions\, 2) utilizing attention during opportune moments\, 3) guiding attention toward important information\, 4) saving attention by delegating routine work to intelligent agents\, and 5) tracking attention through smartphone behavior. I will highlight representative projects that illustrate how we have approached each of these directions. Building on this trajectory\, I will discuss how these lines of work are shaping our current and future exploration of agentic systems centered on human attention. \nBio: Yung-Ju (Stanley) Chang is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) and a Joint Research Fellow at the Research Center for Humanities and Social Sciences\, Academia Sinica\, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor. He leads the Agentic Intelligence for Mobile Engagement and Experience (AIMEX) Lab. His research spans mobile attention and multitasking\, mobile media consumption\, human–agent interaction\, mobile crowdsourcing\, social media influencers\, and digital wellbeing. He collaborates across disciplines and has worked closely with scholars in communication to understand how people engage with different forms of media content. \nHosted by: Associate Professor of Computational Media\, Christina Chung \nZoom Link: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/94103955103?pwd=od4ueavRt06ECpwAwqvgofwn5Suyal.1 \nConfirmed Seminar Location: SVC\, Room 3212
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/cm-seminar-speaker-yung-ju-stanley-chang-building-intelligence-around-limited-human-attention-our-research-trajectory-toward-attention-aware-agentic-system/
LOCATION:Silicon Valley Campus\, 3175 Bowers Avenue\, Santa Clara\, CA\, 95054\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Seminars
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T132500
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T143000
DTSTAMP:20260922T225142Z
CREATED:20260916T143758Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260922T225142Z
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SUMMARY:Environmental Studies Seminar Series | Exit Talk: Geospatial Optimization of California's Organic Waste Diversion System: Transportation\, Compliance\, and Infrastructure Planning
DESCRIPTION:In person and via Zoom (Meeting ID: 978 5545 8946\, Passcode: 454736).  \nIf you are unable to stream the talk live and need to access a recorded version\, please contact Stacy Philpott at sphilpot@ucsc.edu. A UC Santa Cruz email address is required to access the recording. \nHost: Elliott Campbell \nSpeaker: Siyu Luo\, UC Santa Cruz\, ENVS \nTitle: Exit Talk: Geospatial Optimization of California’s Organic Waste Diversion System: Transportation\, Compliance\, and Infrastructure Planning \nAbstract: Organic waste decomposition in landfills is a major source of anthropogenic methane\, a greenhouse gas with approximately 86 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide over 20 years. California’s Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383) requires a 75% reduction in organic waste disposal relative to 2014 levels\, creating substantial infrastructure and logistical challenges. This dissertation develops statewide geospatial optimization frameworks linking 447 waste generating jurisdictions\, approximately 200 composting facilities\, agricultural working lands\, and transportation networks. I examine the spatial alignment of waste generation\, processing capacity\, and cropland demand; the effects of alternative compliance structures on costs and greenhouse gas emissions; and the siting of additional composting infrastructure under economic\, logistical\, and regulatory constraints. Results show that strong spatial differences in waste generation\, processing capacity\, transportation\, and compost end use shape system performance and regional burdens. Statewide coordination can reduce costs and emissions by shifting diversion toward lower cost locations\, while jurisdiction level compliance promotes broader participation. Substantial additional processing capacity is still required\, and siting is constrained by transportation\, water and air quality regulation\, and limited VOC Emission Reduction Credit availability. Overall\, effective diversion requires coordinated planning of infrastructure\, compliance\, end use markets\, and environmental regulation. \n  \n 
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/environmental-studies-seminar-series-siyu-luo-exit-talk/
LOCATION:Interdisciplinary Sciences Building\, 7487 Red Hill Road\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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GEO:37.001379;-122.0617685
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261005T170000
DTSTAMP:20261005T155626Z
CREATED:20261005T155626Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T155626Z
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SUMMARY:Statistics Seminar: Spatially Varying Gene Regulatory Networks via Bayesian Nonparametric Covariate-Dependent Directed Cyclic Graphical Models
DESCRIPTION:Presenter: Trisha Dawn\, UC Santa Cruz \nDescription: Spatial transcriptomics technologies enable measurement of gene expression with spatial context\, providing opportunities to understand how gene regulatory networks (GRNs) vary across tissue regions. Studying spatial variation in GRNs is crucial for uncovering mechanisms governing heterogeneous cellular functions and gives rise to a challenging statistical problem: graph learning with spatially heterogeneous data. Existing methods focus on undirected graphs or directed acyclic graphs\, limiting their ability to capture feedback loops in gene regulation. Although cyclic graphs have been used to construct GRNs\, ensuring their stability (an eigenvalue constraint) remains statistically and computationally challenging\, especially while allowing graph structure to vary spatially. We propose BNP-DCGx\, a Bayesian nonparametric covariate-dependent directed cyclic graphical model for learning spatially varying gene regulatory networks (svGRNs). The key idea is to introduce a covariate-dependent random partition that discretizes the covariate space into clusters\, each with a cluster-specific stable directed cyclic graph. Through partition averaging\, we obtain smoothly varying graph structures over space while preserving stability and providing large prior support for continuously varying graphs. \nAbout the speaker: My research centers on the development of novel statistical methods mostly in causal discovery\, change-point detection and graph matching\, drawing on techniques from Bayesian nonparametrics\, optimization\, machine learning\, and high-dimensional inference. I am particularly interested in applying statistical methodology to emerging data-rich fields such as spatial transcriptomics\, single-cell multi-omics\, network analysis\, and dynamically evolving complex systems. Currently I am developing statistical methodologies to detect changes in microbial communities using cytogram data collected across varying environmental conditions and research cruise trajectories at Dr. Hyun’s group as a postdoc. I earned Ph.D. in Statistics from Texas A&M University\, jointly advised by Yang Ni and Jesús Arroyo. Prior to my doctoral studies\, I completed Master’s degree at the Indian Statistical Institute and joined as a Junior Research Fellow. I also obtained Bachelor’s degree in Statistics at St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous)\, Kolkata. \nThis seminar is hosted by Professor Yunyi Shen
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/statistics-seminar-spatially-varying-gene-regulatory-networks-via-bayesian-nonparametric-covariate-dependent-directed-cyclic-graphical-models/
LOCATION:Jack Baskin Engineering\, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Seminars
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T070000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T083000
DTSTAMP:20261001T222846Z
CREATED:20261001T222846Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261001T222846Z
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SUMMARY:Dave Shaw (Santa Cruz\, USA): Planet Local Sharing Circle
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by Local Futures \nIn our next Planet Local Sharing Circle\, we’ll be joined by Dave Shaw\, founder of the Right Livelihood Center at UC Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Permaculture. The Center serves as Global Secretariat for the international Right Livelihood College network\, which spans eight campuses plus the Global Campus of Human Rights across five continents. \nCalifornia is a place of sharp contradictions: Silicon Valley\, Hollywood and industrial agriculture on one hand\, and on the other a dense\, often invisible landscape of grassroots\, local and community-based initiatives. Dave and his team have been working to make that second California visible\, mapping localisation efforts across the state and looking for the connections between them. \nThere’s a natural circle here. Helena Norberg-Hodge\, who founded Local Futures\, is a Right Livelihood Laureate\, and the Center is now working alongside Local Futures to build the California localisation movement and to host a Planet Local Summit at UC Santa Cruz April 26-30\, 2027. \nDave will share what he’s finding: who is doing this work in California\, where the energy is\, and what he’s learned from running a permaculture education farm of his own. Together we’ll explore what helps local initiatives find each other\, sustain themselves\, and build the collective power that wider systemic change requires.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/dave-shaw-santa-cruz-usa-planet-local-sharing-circle/
LOCATION:CA
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T193000
DTSTAMP:20260904T213003Z
CREATED:20260904T212733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260904T213003Z
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SUMMARY:Under the Mantle of an Idocile Dream: Film Screening and Conversation with Denise Carrascosa and Gina Dent
DESCRIPTION:The Institute of the Arts and Sciences invites you to a screening of the video-performance Under the Mantle of an Idocile Dream (Bruna Castro\, Brasil\, 2026)\, followed by a conversation between Denise Carrascosa and Gina Dent around the historical\, political and spiritual relations between Afro-Brazilian ancestrality\, visual arts and abolition feminism in Brazil. \nDenise Carrascosa is a writer\, lawyer\, and full professor of literature at the Federal University of Bahia\, in Brasil. She holds a Ph.D. in Theory and Criticism of Literature and Culture (UFBA) and completed postdoctoral studies in the History of Slavery in Brasil (UFRB). In 2010\, she launched the abolitionist project Indocile Bodies and Free Minds: an art-education program for literary writing at the Women’s Prison Complex in Bahia\, where she established\, together with sentenced women inmates\, the Free Minds Library (2012)\, enabling Sisters inside to access sentence remission through reading. \nGina Dent is Professor of Humanities and Faculty Director of the Institute of the Arts & Sciences at the University of California\, Santa Cruz\, where she has won awards for her teaching (Dizikes Faculty Teaching Award)\, advocacy (Chancellor’s Award for Diversity)\, and research (Innovator of the Year). Currently\, she serves as Principal Investigator and Co-Director for Visualizing Abolition\, a multidisciplinary project—involving exhibitions\, events\, fellowships\, and academic programs—addressing the global crisis of incarceration through art and visual culture. Her recent collaborative projects grow out of her decades-long work as a social justice advocate—Abolition. Feminism. Now. (co-authored with Angela Davis\, Erica Meiners\, and Beth Richie\, Haymarket 2022)\, and Seeing through Stone (exhibition catalog\, Marquand 2024). She works with several organizations nationally and internationally\, including Columbia University’s Center for Justice and Australia’s Sisters Inside\, primarily on justice-related concerns.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/under-the-mantle-of-an-idocile-dream-film-screening-and-conversation-with-denise-carrascosa-and-gina-dent/
LOCATION:Institute of the Arts and Sciences\, 100 Panetta Ave\, Santa Cruz\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations
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GEO:36.9557939;-122.0505546
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T191000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261007T204500
DTSTAMP:20261005T201016Z
CREATED:20261005T201016Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T201016Z
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SUMMARY:Explore Research Using AI
DESCRIPTION:In this interactive session\, Prof. David Lee from Computational Media will facilitate a hands-on session on using AI to explore research papers.  \nBring your laptops! If you do not have an AI subscription\, you can get the free Gemini for Students plan and install Antigravity 2.0.
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/explore-research-using-ai/
LOCATION:Cultural Center – Merrill College\, 641 Merrill Rd\, Santa Cruz\, 95064\, United States
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Workshop
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X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Cultural Center – Merrill College 641 Merrill Rd Santa Cruz 95064 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=641 Merrill Rd:geo:-122.0534175,37.0003908
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261008T114000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20261008T131500
DTSTAMP:20261007T221200Z
CREATED:20261006T160448Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T221200Z
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SUMMARY:BME 280B Seminar: Dr. Paulina Tolosa Tort\, Postdoctoral Scholar\, and Erich Weiler\, Senior Systems Architect and Engineer
DESCRIPTION:Welcome to the second week of our BME 280B seminar series\, a weekly seminar covering topics of current research in computational biology\, and bioinformatics. \nOpen to all\, food will be provided. Class enrollment is not required. \n  \nPlease join us this week to learn more about the works of Erich Weiler and Dr. Paulina Tolosa Tort: \nSpeaker 1 at 11:40 AM: Erich Weiler\, Senior Systems Architect and Engineer\, University of California\, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute \nTitle: Mastering HPC Workload Orchestration: A Strategic Guide to Slurm \nDescription: As high-performance computing (HPC) demands grow\, efficient workload orchestration and resource allocation become critical for maximizing cluster throughput and hardware return on investment. This presentation provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and leveraging the Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management (Slurm) within distributed HPC environments. Attendees will explore the core architecture of HPC clusters—including login nodes\, compute nodes\, and shared storage fabrics—alongside the central daemons (slurmctld\, slurmd\, and slurmdbd) that power execution\, control\, and accounting. \nThe talk breaks down the job execution lifecycle for both interactive and batch workloads\, detailing how Slurm evaluates job priorities using a multifactor system driven by job age\, size\, partition constraints\, and Fair Share algorithms (such as Fair Tree). Key operational focus areas include partition design\, backfill scheduling\, and the severe performance impacts of over-requesting CPU cores\, RAM\, GPUs\, and walltime. Practical best practices—such as I/O hygiene\, local scratch utilization\, and avoiding common resource bottlenecks—are highlighted to help researchers and engineers navigate queue mechanics\, optimize job scheduling\, and ensure equitable\, high-throughput cluster utilization. \nBio: Erich Weiler is a Senior Systems Architect and Engineer with over two decades of expertise in high-performance computing\, enterprise storage architectures\, and high-availability infrastructure. He currently serves as Genomics Systems Architect at the University of California\, Santa Cruz Genomics Institute\, where he manages multi-petabyte parallel file systems\, GPU-accelerated computing clusters\, and hybrid cloud environments supporting advanced comparative genomics and computational biology. Erich also provides specialized systems architecture consulting for prominent academic institutions and research facilities across the country\, including Johns Hopkins University\, Northeastern University\, and Claremont McKenna College. \nWith a deep background spanning Linux/UNIX systems administration\, cluster workload management via Slurm\, and complex high-speed networking\, Erich specializes in designing resilient\, scalable infrastructure for data-intensive research environments. His past work includes architecting a $5 million\, 5-petabyte high-performance storage installation for the NIH/NCI-funded Cancer Genomics Hub\, as well as engineering secure\, FISMA-compliant data deployment platforms. Erich holds a B.A. from Southwestern University. \n  \nSpeaker 2 at 12:25 PM: Dr. Paulina Tolosa Tort\, Postdoctoral Scholar\, University of California\, San Francisco \nTitle: Understanding Heterogeneity in Neurodegenerative Disease through Genomics: From Patients to Genomes \nDescription: Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease are becoming increasingly prevalent as populations age worldwide. These disorders show substantial heterogeneity across individuals in susceptibility\, clinical presentation\, and progression. Understanding the biological basis of this variation is important for clarifying disease mechanisms\, characterizing risk\, and identifying opportunities for prevention and treatment. This talk will examine how human genomics can be used to investigate heterogeneity in neurodegenerative disease\, from shared genetic architecture across disorders to variation in individual susceptibility. \nUsing Alzheimer’s disease and primary open-angle glaucoma as examples of neurodegenerative diseases\, the first part of the talk will focus on shared genetic architecture and pleiotropy between the two disorders\, integrating large-scale genomic and   data to identify shared genetic signals. The second part will examine how genetic susceptibility\, including polygenic risk\, operates in the context of clinical and potentially modifiable risk factors to shape cognitive outcomes and dementia risk. Together\, these approaches examine different sources of heterogeneity in neurodegenerative disease\, from shared biological processes across disorders to the interplay of genetic and non-genetic risk factors across individuals. \nFinally\, this talk will outline future directions exploring how long-read sequencing and pangenome-based representation may expand both the characterization and representation of human genomic diversity\, creating new opportunities to connect genomic variation with clinically meaningful differences in disease susceptibility and risk. \nBio: Paulina Tolosa-Tort\, MD\, PhD\, MPH\, is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California\, San Francisco\, whose research focuses on the genetic and non-genetic determinants of heterogeneity in neurodegenerative disease. Her research perspective emerged from clinical training in medicine and ophthalmology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)\, where differences in disease onset\, presentation\, and progression motivated questions about the biological basis of individual susceptibility. She subsequently completed a Master of Public Health in Quantitative Methods at Harvard University and pursued doctoral training in Chronic Disease Epidemiology at Yale University\, where she used cross-disease genetic approaches to investigate biological processes shared between Alzheimer’s disease and primary open-angle glaucoma. At UCSF\, she investigates how genetic susceptibility interacts with clinical and environmental exposures to shape cognitive outcomes and dementia risk. \nHosted By: Professor of Biomolecular Engineering\, Dr. Benedict Paten
URL:https://events.ucsc.edu/event/bme-280b-seminar-100826/
LOCATION:Physical Sciences Building\, Physical Sciences Building\, Santa Cruz\, CA\, 95064
CATEGORIES:Lectures & Presentations,Seminars
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END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR