<p><i>by Calum T. Dalek</i>. The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club and AMD's OpenCL programming competition comes to a close, as the contest ends at midnight and prizes are awarded! Open submissions will be judged, so make sure to come out and watch.
</p>
</short>
<abstract>
<p>The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club and AMD's <ahref="http://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/opencl">OpenCL programming competition</a> comes to a close, as the contest ends at midnight and prizes are awarded! Open submissions will be judged, so make sure to come out and watch.
<p><i>by Calum T. Dalek</i>. Join the Computer Science Club and PhysClub every Wednesday evening for the rest of the term for our five screenings of the classic 1964 Messenger Lecture Series by Richard Feynman in PHY 150. Dinner provided!
</p>
</short>
<abstract>
<p>The Physics Club and the Computer Science Club are proud to present the 1964 Feynman Messenger Lecture Series in PHY 150 on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 PM. The screenings will be taking place as follows (please note times and dates):</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Feb. 29, 5:30-6:30 PM:</b><i>Law of Gravitation: An Example of Physical Law</i></li>
<li><b>Mar. 7, 5:30-7:30 PM:</b><i>The Relation of Mathematics and Physics</i> and <i>The Great Conservation Principles</i> (double feature)</li>
<li><b>Mar. 14, 5:30-6:30 PM:</b><i>Symmetry in Physical Law</i></li>
<li><b>Mar. 21, 5:30-7:30 PM:</b><i>The Distinction of Past and Future</i> and <i>Probability and Uncertainty: The Quantum Mechanical View</i> (double feature)</li>
<li><b>Mar. 28, 5:30-6:30 PM:</b><i>Seeking New Laws</i></li>
</ul>
<p>Dinner will be provided, so come on out, relax in the comfy PHY 150 theatre, and enjoy. Hope to see you there!</p>
<short><p><i>by Calum T. Dalek</i>. The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club and AMD are running an OpenCL programming competition. If you're interested in writing massively parallel software on the OpenCL platform, come out and join us for our introductory code party!</p></short>
<abstract><p>The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club and AMD are running an <ahref="http://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/opencl">OpenCL programming competition.</a> If you're interested in writing massively parallel software on the OpenCL platform, come out and join us for our introductory code party!</p>
<short><p><i>by Calum T. Dalek</i>. New to the Unix computing environment? If you seek an introduction, look no further. We will be holding a series of tutorials on using Unix, beginning with Unix 101 this upcoming Thursday. Topics that will be covered include basic interaction with the shell and the motivations behind using it, and an introduction to compilation. You'll have to learn this stuff in CS 246 anyways, so why not get a head start!</p></short>
<abstract><p>New to the Unix computing environment? If you seek an introduction, look no further. We will be holding a series of tutorials on using Unix, beginning with Unix 101 this upcoming Thursday. Topics that will be covered include basic interaction with the shell and the motivations behind using it, and an introduction to compilation. You'll have to learn this stuff in CS 246 anyways, so why not get a head start!</p>
<mediaitemtitle="Analysis of randomized algorithms via the probabilistic method">
<abstract>
<p>
In this talk, we will give a few examples that illustrate the basic method and show how it can be used to prove the existence of objects with desirable combinatorial properties as well as produce them in expected polynomial time via randomized algorithms. Our main goal will be to present a very slick proof from 1995 due to Spencer on the performance of a randomized greedy algorithm for a set-packing problem. Spencer, for seemingly no reason, introduces a time variable into his greedy algorithm and treats set-packing as a Poisson process. Then, like magic, he is able to show that his greedy algorithm is very likely to produce a good result using basic properties of expected value.
</p>
<p>
The probabilistic method is an extremely powerful tool in combinatorics that can be
used to prove many surprising results. The idea is the following: to prove that an
object with a certain property exists, we define a distribution of possible objects
and use show that, among objects in the distribution, the property holds with
non-zero probability. The key is that by using the tools and techniques of
probability theory, we can vastly simplify proofs that would otherwise require very
complicated combinatorial arguments.
</p>
<p>
As a technique, the probabilistic method developed rapidly during the latter half of
the 20th century due to the efforts of mathematicians like Paul Erdős and increasing
interest in the role of randomness in theoretical computer science. In essence, the
probabilistic method allows us to determine how good a randomized algorithm's output
is likely to be. Possibly applications range from graph property testing to
computational geometry, circuit complexity theory, game theory, and even statistical
physics.
</p>
<p>
In this talk, we will give a few examples that illustrate the basic method and show
how it can be used to prove the existence of objects with desirable combinatorial
properties as well as produce them in expected polynomial time via randomized
algorithms. Our main goal will be to present a very slick proof from 1995 due to
Spencer on the performance of a randomized greedy algorithm for a set-packing
problem. Spencer, for seemingly no reason, introduces a time variable into his
greedy algorithm and treats set-packing as a Poisson process. Then, like magic,
he is able to show that his greedy algorithm is very likely to produce a good
result using basic properties of expected value.
</p>
<p>
Properties of Poisson and Binomial distributions will be applied, but I'll remind
everyone of the needed background for the benefit of those who might be a bit rusty.
Stat 230 will be more than enough. Big O notation will be used, but not excessively.
</p>
</abstract>
<presentor>Elyot Grant</presentor>
<thumbnail
<mediafile
<flvfile
</mediaitem>
-->
<mediaitemtitle="Machine learning vs human learning: will scientists become obsolete">
<mediaitemtitle="How to build a brain: From single neurons to cognition">
<abstract>
<p>
Theoretical neuroscience is a new discipline focused on constructing mathematical models of brain function. It has made significant headway in understanding aspects of the neural code. However, past work has largely focused on small numbers of neurons, and so the underlying representations are often simple. In this talk I demonstrate how the ideas underlying these simple forms of representation can underwrite a representational hierarchy that scales to support sophisticated, structure-sensitive representations.
</p>
<p>
Theoretical neuroscience is a new discipline focused on constructing
mathematical models of brain function. It has made significant
headway in understanding aspects of the neural code. However,
past work has largely focused on small numbers of neurons, and
so the underlying representations are often simple. In this
talk I demonstrate how the ideas underlying these simple forms of
representation can underwrite a representational hierarchy that
scales to support sophisticated, structure-sensitive
representations. I will present a general architecture, the semantic
pointer architecture (SPA), which is built on this hierarchy
and allows the manipulation, processing, and learning of structured
representations in neurally realistic models. I demonstrate the
architecture on Progressive Raven's Matrices (RPM), a test of
BareMetal is a new 64-bit OS for x86-64 based computers. The OS is written entirely in Assembly, while applications can be written in Assembly or C/C++. High Performance Computing is the main target application.
</p>
</abstract>
<presentor>Ian Seyler, Return to Infinity</presentor>
<mediaitemtitle="A Brief Introduction to Video Encoding">
<abstract>
<p>
In this talk, I will go over the concepts used in video encoding (such as motion estimation/compensation, inter- and intra- frame prediction, quantization and entropy encoding), and then demonstrate these concepts and algorithms in use in the MPEG-2 and the H.264 video codecs. In addition, some clever optimization tricks using SIMD/vectorization will be covered, assuming sufficient time to cover these topics.
</p>
<p>
With the recent introduction of digital TV and the widespread success
of video sharing websites such as youtube, it is clear that the task
of lossily compressing video with good quality has become important.
Similarly, the complex algorithms involved require high amounts of
optimization in order to run fast, another important requirement for
any video codec that aims to be widely used/adopted.
The CSC is happy to be hosting Jeff Potter, author of "Cooking for Geeks" for a presentation on the finer arts of food science.
Jeff's book has been featured on NPR, BBC and his presentations have wowed audiences of hackers & foodies alike.
We're happy to have Jeff joining us for a hands on demonstration.
</p>
<p>
But you don't have to take our word for it... here's what Jeff has to say:
</p>
<p>
Hi! I'm Jeff Potter, author of Cooking for Geeks (O'Reilly Media, 2010), and I'm doing a "D.I.Y. Book Tour" to talk
about my just-released book. I'll talk about the food science behind what makes things yummy, giving you a quick
primer on how to go into the kitchen and have a fun time turning out a good meal.
Depending upon the space, I’ll also bring along some equipment or food that we can experiment with, and give you a chance to play with stuff and pester me with questions.
We develop a programming model built on the idea that the basic computational elements are autonomous machines interconnected by shared cells through which they communicate. Each machine continuously examines the cells it is interested in, and adds information to some based on deductions it can make from information from the others. This model makes it easy to smoothly combine expression-oriented and constraint-based programming; it also easily accommodates implicit incremental distributed search in ordinary programs.
This work builds on the original research of Guy Lewis Steele Jr. and was developed more recently with the help of Chris Hanson.
<mediaitemtitle="Why Programming is a Good Medium for Expressing Poorly Understood and Sloppily Formulated Ideas">
<abstract>
<p>
I have stolen my title from the title of a paper given by Marvin Minsky in the 1960s, because it most effectively expresses what I will try to convey in this talk.
</p>
<p>
We have been programming universal computers for about 50 years. Programming provides us with new tools to express ourselves. We now have intellectual tools to describe "how to" as well as "what is". This is a profound transformation: it is a revolution in the way we think and in the way we express what we think.
</p>
<p>
For example, one often hears a student or teacher complain that the student knows the "theory" of some subject but cannot effectively solve problems. We should not be surprised: the student has no formal way to learn technique. We expect the student to learn to solve problems by an inefficient process: the student watches the teacher solve a few problems, hoping to abstract the general procedures from the teacher's behavior on particular examples. The student is never given any instructions on how to abstract from examples, nor is the student given any language for expressing what has been learned. It is hard to learn what one cannot express. But now we can express it!
</p>
<p>
Expressing methodology in a computer language forces it to be unambiguous and computationally effective. The task of formulating a method as a computer-executable program and debugging that program is a powerful exercise in the learning process. The programmer expresses his/her poorly understood or sloppily formulated idea in a precise way, so that it becomes clear what is poorly understood or sloppily formulated. Also, once formalized procedurally, a mathematical idea becomes a tool that can be used directly to compute results.
</p>
<p>
I will defend this viewpoint with examples and demonstrations from electrical engineering and from classical mechanics.
<p>If you would like to contact Dr. Ragde check out his <ahref="http://www.cs.uwaterloo.ca/~plragde">website</a> or e-mail him at plragde at uwaterloo dot ca.</p>
</other>
</mediaitem>
<mediaitemtitle="The Future of Robotics and Automated Systems">
The CSC and AMD are running an <ahref="opencl">OpenCL programming contest!</a> If you're interested in winning a laptop or a graphics card, you should <ahref="opencl">read more</a> and <ahref="opencl/register">register here</a>.
</p>
<p><b>Registration has been reopened</b> for anyone who did not get a chance to register on time, so make sure you sign up!
</p>
</newsitem>
<newsitemauthor="m4burns"date="2012-02-13">
<p>
Recorded talks from 2010 to 2012 have been added to the <ahref="media">media</a> page.
</p>
</newsitem>
<newsitemauthor="jy2wong"date="2012-01-12">
<p>
Elections for Winter 2012 have concluded. The following people were elected.</p>
The University of Waterloo Computer Science Club and AMD are running an OpenCL programming competition. If you're interested in writing massively parallel software on the OpenCL platform, come register for the competition! You'll have a chance to win an HP laptop or AMD graphics card.
</p>
</section>
<sectiontitle="What is this OpenCL of which you speak?">
<p>
On February 16th, 2012, we ran a tutorial on writing OpenCL programs. Slides are available <ahref="openclintro.pdf">here.</a> You can drop by our office in MC 3036 to pick up an OpenCL reference book, courtesy of AMD.
</p>
</section>
<sectiontitle="EXTERMINATE!">
<p>
You can register to participate in the contest <ahref="register">here.</a> If you want to participate and possibly win prizes, you'll need to register between the 16th of February and the submission deadline. On March 2nd, we'll be holding a contest code party. All contestants (and their friends!) are invited; the submissions deadline will be at 11:59 PM. At the conclusion of the party, there will be judging and prizes. Participants will have the chance to win a laptop or AMD graphics card.
</p>
<p>
The problem set is available <ahref="opencl-problem-set.pdf">here.</a>
</p>
<p>
For information on electronic submission, <ahref="http://csclub.uwaterloo.ca/~opencl/submit.php">click here.</a>
</p>
<p>
If you have any questions, please contact <ahref="mailto:exec@csclub.uwaterloo.ca">exec@csclub.uwaterloo.ca</a> or drop by the Computer Science Club in MC 3036. We hope you'll join us!
The OpenCL contest will be split into two sections of participants: Open Submission and Problem Set.
</p>
<ul>
<li>
If you choose to participate in the Open Submission section, you will be able to submit any project which runs in the OpenCL environment. Your submission will be judged subjectively by a panel of three judges.
</li>
<br/>
<li>
On the other hand, if you participate in the Problem Set section, you will be required to implement several programs to solve a set of problems (released on the 24th). Your submissions will be judged objectively by an electronic judge. In this section, you will be scored on correctness and efficiency.
</li>
<br/>
<li>
You may choose to work in a team of up to three people, or alone.
</li>
</ul>
<p>
In order to process your registration, we'll need your Quest ID, an email address, and your choice of team/section participation. Please fill out the form below:
Matthew McPherrin
11 years ago