DePaul fine arts students adjust to remote learning | Music - The Depaulia

Due to campus lockdown, many theatre, music, CDM and other fine arts students aren’t getting the in-person aspect that is needed for success. So, how are professors trying to make classes feel the same for their students? by Emily Reilly, Contributing Writer.

Photo: Brenden Moore / The DePaulia

Students are seeing both positive and negative changes associated with online learning. 

Adjusting to a remote schedule has led to more individualized feedback, but also hasn’t successfully replicated in-person performance. The typical layout of a remote class differs for each branch of the fine arts. Professors are changing their curricula to fit remote learning. 

“In light of the emergency, the layout this term always consists of checking in with one another to see how we are managing and how we can help,” said Rob Adler, an acting professor at DePaul...

DePaul’s music students are also enduring considerable changes to their usual schedule. Audio disruptions on conferencing sites and lack of in-person help have made it more difficult for them to learn. The sound quality and connection disruptions can make it harder to distinguish if an instrument is being played to its best potential. 
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Source: The Depaulia

Learning music online is keeping international students of this Florida university positive | Online Learning - Study International

Sandra Escribano has been playing the violin since she was eight years old, but this is her first time learning music online, says Theresa Belle Hyacinth, Education Journalist.

Sandra Escribano is a junior violin performance student at the Bower School of Music.

She logs in every week for one-on-one sessions with Associate Professor Dr Kyle Szabo from the Bower School of Music & the Arts at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU).

Having come to the US from Cuba on a music scholarship, it is vital for Sandra to continue her education against all odds.

“I spent all my childhood making music, learning, improving myself, and working hard to pursue my dream of becoming a professional artist,” she told Study International...

Music is important in any circumstance’ 
With social distancing in place and public spaces closed, many performers and artists are now without gigs.

To adapt, they’re taking their art to the rooftops, driveways, balconies and ultimately, to the Internet.

“Everybody seems to have latched on to the arts to keep themselves sane and connected,” Dr Szabo opined.
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Source: Study International

Alumnus, wife fund new scholarship for international computer science students | Science & Technology - Binghamton University News

Chris Kocher, Communications Manager at Binghamton University inform, Chandra Family Scholarship will go to a first-year international graduate student majoring in computer science.

Photo: Subhachandra Chandra, MS ’95, and Nandita Dukkipati (seen here at the Konark Sun Temple in India) endowed a new scholarship at the Watson School earlier this year.

International students can face extra challenges when coming to U.S. universities, leaving behind family and friends for educations that lead to successful careers.

In early 2019, Subhachandra Chandra, MS ’95, and his wife, Nandita Dukkipati, made a significant stock donation to the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science that will fund the Chandra Family Scholarship. It will go to a first-year international graduate student majoring in computer science, with a preference for a female student.

Since graduating from the Watson School, Chandra earned his PhD in computer science from the University of Michigan in 2000, and he has worked as a program- mer and manager at several Silicon Valley startups. He is currently the director of engineering at Ghost Locomotion.
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Source: Binghamton University News

Google's Top Quantum Scientist Explains In Detail Why He Resigned | Editors' Pick - Forbes

Note: Moor Insights & Strategy writers and editors may have contributed to this article.

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Analyst Paul Smith-Goodson interviews Professor John Martinis, who had recently resigned from Google which sent ripples through the entire quantum community. Paul thought more detail was needed, and Professor Martinis agreed to clarify the record by Moor Insights and Strategy.

Photo: Professor John Martinis 
University of California Santa Barbara

A few days after the announcement, I was on two previously scheduled calls with quantum executives and a call with another quantum CEO. Each was as baffled and as curious about Professor Martinis' departure from Google as I was.

I had read a few quotes attributed to Professor Martinis as the reason he resigned. Somehow the remarks seemed to lack enough  justification for such a big move on his part. I thought more detail was needed, and Professor Martinis agreed to clarify the record.

We are in an era of quantum experimentation and development. There are a handful of quantum scientists today that I believe will be historical figures a hundred years from now. John Martinis is one of those people. He has made monumental contributions to quantum computing, including handing Google the title to the historic achievement of quantum supremacy. 

For those reasons, instead of an article with a few quotes by him, I decided to publish the full transcript of our conversation, and Professor Martinis gave his permission. In the interview, he describes details of his complex situation and why he ultimately decided to resign.  Additionally, you'll find many nuggets and surprises in the  interview.

Small parts of the transcript have been edited for clarity and I have entered notes where appropriate. My original plan was to provide a summary of my thoughts and conclusions.
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Source: Forbes

Online course trains students in the bizarre world of quantum computing | Space - Livescience.com

A new online training course introduces students to quantum concepts, including superposition, qubits, encryption and many others, as Diane Lincoln, Live Science contributor reports.

Photo: © Shutterstock

When the bizarre world of quantum physics — where a "cat" can be both alive and dead, and particles a galaxy apart are connected — is merged with computer technology, the result is unprecedented power to anyone who masters this technology first. 

There is an obvious dark side. Imagine a world where online bank accounts could be easily hacked into and robbed. But this power can also be turned to good, allowing new drugs to be designed with unprecedented speed to cure disease. To prepare for such a future, many countries are investing billions to unlock the potential of what is called quantum computing. With an eye toward the future, a group of researchers at Fermilab,a particle physics laboratory in Batavia, Ill., has worked with high-school teachers to develop a program to train their students in this emerging field.

This program, called "Quantum Computing as a High School Module," was developed in collaboration with young students in mind. But it's also a perfect diversion for science enthusiasts of any age who suddenly have a lot of time on their hands.

This online training course introduces students to quantum concepts, including superposition, qubits, encryption, and many others...

In 1994, Peter Shor invented an algorithm that revealed the power of quantum computing. His algorithm would allow quantum computers to factorize a number enormously faster than any classically known algorithm. Factorizing numbers is important because the encryption system used by computers to communicate securely relies on the mathematics of prime numbers. Prime numbers are numbers that are divisible only by one and themselves. 
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Source: Livescience.com

Attending Conferences and Workshops Remotely via Telepresence Robots | Technology - Medium

Telepresence robots are much like “Skype-on-wheels.”, summarizes Dr. Carman Neustaedter, Professor in the School of Interactive Arts & Technology (SIAT) at Simon Fraser University (SFU). Expert in HCI and connecting over distance http://carmster.com 

Attending a conference remotely through a telepresence robot.

They consist of a display that runs a video conferencing system which is attached to a type of robotic body. This body can be driven around remotely from any location, provided there is an Internet connection. A variety of telepresence robots have been created, including Beams from Suitable Technologies and Doubles from Double Robotics. You may have even seen them on television shows like Modern Family or the Big Bang Theory. Telepresence robots have been studied and used in many different fields and environments, including education, health care, tech companies, etc. You can watch two videos of telepresence robots in action here and here to get a better understanding of how they are used and what they look like.

Telepresence robots are great in that telecommuters who are working from home can use them to connect to an office environment, drive to meeting rooms, and talk with colleagues. The value that is added beyond just a normal video conferencing system is mobility. The act of moving between locations creates opportunities to bump into others and engage in casual conversations. These have been shown to foster workplace camaraderie and collaborations. Using a telepresence robot in meetings means that the remote person takes up space because they have a body. This is important because it helps remind people who are physically in the room that the remote person is also present and a part of the meeting. The remote person can easily turn their robot different directions to face people who are present in the meeting room...

We found that telepresence robots worked best in social settings with a small number of people. This included workshops with 10–30 people, as well as social interactions in hallways and foyers. For example, at the conferences we studied, each had several breaks during the day where attendees would come and get coffee and snacks. The telepresence robots were especially valued during these times by remote attendees because they could easily move around, mingle, and talk with people. They used these interactions to meet new people and reconnect with colleagues. Of course, they couldn’t indulge in the coffee, tea, or snacks remotely.

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Source: Medium

IUPUI launches new institute on artificial intelligence | Science and Technology - IU Newsroom

The new institute will focus on the development of major research initiatives and collaborations for high-impact AI technologies and applications at IUPUI, as IU Newsroom reports.

IUPUI campus gateway at Michigan Street

IUPUI is launching a new research institute that will take an integrative approach to the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies, programs and applications. The Institute for Integrative Artificial Intelligence at IUPUI will capitalize on a rich interdisciplinary tradition and create an environment for the discovery of new and innovative approaches and applications for AI.

At Indiana University, what sets AI research apart is collaboration -- both interdisciplinary work among AI faculty experts and work with government and industry partners -- and access to IU's world-leading university IT infrastructure.

The mission of the institute, set to launch in early June, is to act as a catalyst for the promotion and coordination of AI and AI-related research activities at IUPUI and beyond, and to develop major research initiatives for high-impact AI technologies and applications...

"These two key ingredients -- along with IUPUI's proven record of collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to research spanning life sciences, engineering, the arts, humanities, medicine and more -- ideally position IUPUI to launch this institute.

"Add to this Shiaofen Fang's leadership, and this is the right time, the right place, with the right people to accelerate AI innovation on a local, national and global scale."
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Source: IU Newsroom  

Data Science And Machine Learning. With Java? | Artificial Intelligence and Financial Services - Finextra

In this blog, I outline briefly: - Common Applications of Data Science - Definitions: Machine learning, deep learning, data engineering and data science - Why Java for data science workflows, for both production and research.

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Steve Wilcockson, Senior Director - Java Products at Azul Systems explains,  Common Applications of Data Science
-      Definitions: Machine learning, deep learning, data engineering and data science
-      Why Java for data science workflows, for both production and research.

Photo: JumpStory

Common Applications of Data Science
The blogosphere is full of descriptions about how data science and “AI’ is changing the world. In financial services, applications include personalized financial offers, fraud detection, risk assessment (e.g. loans), portfolio analysis and trading strategies, but technologies are relevant elsewhere, e.g. customer churn in telecomms, personalized treatment in healthcare, predictive maintenance for manufacturers, and demand forecasting in retail...

Key Definitions: Machine Learning, Data Science, etc
For practitioners, definitions are well understood. For those less familiar and curious, here are some quick definitions and introductions to baseline everyone.
At their heart, data science workflows transform data, from heterogenous sources of information, through models and learning, to derive information from which “useful” decisions can be expedited.
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Source: Finextra

Ruha Benjamin on deep learning: Computational depth without sociological depth is ‘superficial learning’ | AI - VentureBeat

Princeton University associate professor of African American Studies and Just Data Lab director Dr. Ruha Benjamin said engineers creating AI models should consider more than data sets when deploying systems, observes Khari Johnson, Senior AI Staff Writer at VentureBeat.   

Ruja Benjamin urged engineers to consider historic and sociological factors when building deep learning systems in her keynote address at ICLR.

She further asserted that “computational depth without historic or sociological depth is superficial learning.”

“An ahistoric and asocial approach to deep learning can capture and contain, can harm people. A historically and sociologically grounded approach can open up possibilities. It can create new settings. It can encode new values and build on critical intellectual traditions that have continually developed insights and strategies grounded in justice. My hope is we all find ways to build on that tradition,” she said.

In a talk that examined the tools needed to build just and humane AI systems, she warns that without such guiding principles, people in the machine learning community can become like IBM workers who participated in the Holocaust during World War II — technologists involved in automated human destruction hidden within bureaucratic technical operations...

Benjamin explored themes from her book Race After Technology, which urges people to consider imagining a tool for counteracting power imbalances and examines issues like algorithmic colonialism and anti-blackness embedded in AI systems, as well as the overall role of power in AI. Benjamin also returned to her assertion that imagination is a powerful resource for people who feel disempowered by the status quo and for AI makers whose systems will either empower or oppress.
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Recommended Reading

Race After Technology:
Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code

Source: VentureBeat

Are Robots Overrated? | Innovation - Harvard Business Review

The pandemic has increased the demand — and the hype, according to Sameer Hasija, professor at INSEAD, Singapore, and holds the Shell Fellowship in Business and the Environment and Aarti Gumaledar, executive at Energentech Advisors, a tech consultancy based in Singapore.

Photo: ADEK BERRY/Getty Images

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, robots have been having a moment. Media outlets across the world have reported on robots successfully delivering on critical tasks in healthcare facilities and their effectiveness as contagion-proof workers in many other settings. Robots have even been extolled as “heroes” helping to “manage” the pandemic.
It’s easy to see why. Robots are carrying out essential work such as disinfecting surfaces, checking on patients’ vitals, and delivering food and medicine to patients in quarantine. These solutions minimize human to human contact and reduce the risk of health workers contracting the infection from patients and surfaces in hospitals. The unprecedented labor shortages resulting from lockdowns around the world have encouraged even the most reluctant of users and businesses to adopt new technologies...

Should we believe the hype? For a company to maximize the benefit from switching to robots, two conditions need to be met.
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Source: Harvard Business Review