Inside Our Program

Program Events

Events

• Jul

  1

  Blaine Rothrock CS PhD Final Defense: Bridging Prototype to Field: Patterns for Low-Power Wireless Sensing Across Mobile Health and Environmental Conservation

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  1:00 PM Mudd Library, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  Right now, there are likely a dozen sensors within arm's reach of you. Consumer devices contain a wide range of general purpose sensors, enabling them to process and transmit data into meaningful metrics such as activity, air quality, sleep score, and heart rate. These sensors, and the embedded systems that control them, are ubiquitous, low-power, and
  inexpensive. However, for a researcher exploring novel applications, consumer devices are largely useless due to limited customization and proprietary data pipelines. This means new applied engagements require a significant amount of bespoke technological infrastructure, essentially starting from scratch to fill a new sensing need. These underpinning
  technology subsystems, which I call "technical scaffolding," receive little academic credit and are reported inconsistently in the text. This practice, however, constrains systems' ability to bridge the gap between prototypes and real-world deployments, thereby capping their potential impact. This dissertation provides a retrospective analysis of first-hand
  experience in development and deployment. I present and review the development of FaceBit, a smart face mask for respiratory sensing, and of FlexiBLE, a toolkit for rapid prototyping of embedded sensing devices, and their use in implantable bioelectronics and wearable studies. I then shift to environmental science, with a qualitative study on the use
  of field sensors, and finally to the development and field deployments of Makak, a system co-designed with Ojibwe Tribal Nations and organizations to conserve Manoomin (wild rice). Additionally, I provide a novel scoping review of ACM literature in embedded sensing systems to categorize how works are grounded in their applied context, what engineering
  details are included and made available, and how systems are evaluated. Using these sources as evidence, I present eleven candidate framework components across three pillars: architectural patterns, an interoperability mechanism, and co-development practices. The goal is to promote shared tooling that enables generalizable, field-ready research
  apparatus across mobile health, environmental conservation, and beyond, without having to rebuild scaffolding for each siloed development cycle.

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  TIME Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

  LOCATION Mudd Library, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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  CONTACT Jensen Smith    jensen.smith@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Jul

  2

  Lily Ge CS PhD Final Defense: Toward a More Comprehensive Understanding of Visualization Literacy Through Designing and Developing Measurements and Interventions

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  12:00 PM Mudd 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  Visualizations are highly effective at communicating data-relevant information. However, they can also exacerbate misinformation if not appropriately designed, making visualization literacy (i.e., the ability to both accurately interpret and create well-formed visualizations) essential for informed decision-making in today's society. Existing studies of visualization literacy largely focus on low-level readings of well-formed visualizations, which are not representative of what it means to be literate with visualizations in a world where not all information is well formed. I advance the understanding of visualization literacy by developing enhanced measurements of higher-level skills (e.g., critical thinking, visual mapping), examining how visualization literacy measurements are designed and used, and grounding educational interventions in this broadened understanding. To address the specific challenges, such as how to reliably capture complex cognitive abilities, how to evaluate open-ended tasks with vast solution spaces, and how to scale assessment beyond manual expert judgment, I (1) develop a Critical Thinking Assessment for Literacy in Visualizations (CALVI), a validated measurement that tests people's susceptibility to misleading visualizations, (2) co-design an educational game with high school
  students for teaching critical thinking in visualization interpretation, (3) develop an Assessment for the Visual Encoding Ability in Visualization Construction (AVEC), a validated measurement that tests people's ability to visually encode data for creating well-formed visualizations, and (4) investigate factors that make visualization literacy hard to operationalize through conducting an autoethnography with users and designers of assessments. My thesis clarifies what constitutes visualization literacy and outlines concrete steps for the research community to systematically advance this understanding.

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  TIME Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

  LOCATION Mudd 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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  CONTACT Jensen Smith    jensen.smith@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Jul

  8

  MS in Information Technology (MSIT) In-Person Informal Social

  MS in Information Technology (MSIT) Program

  5:30 PM The VIG West Loop

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  Want to join the decision-makers? Register for Northwestern University's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) Program Information Session and learn how you can enhance your knowledge of IT and gain the business management skills you need to direct effective IT strategy.

  Register Now

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  TIME Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

  LOCATION The VIG West Loop   

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  CONTACT Svetlana Korzeniowski    msit@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR MS in Information Technology (MSIT) Program

• Sep

  24

  Bagel Thursday + Discussion

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  9:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  tba

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  TIME Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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  CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Sep

  28

  CS Seminar

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  12:00 PM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  Monday / CS Seminar
  September 28 / 12:00 PM
  Hybrid / Mudd 3514

  Speaker
  TBA

  Talk Title
  TBA

  Abstract
  TBA

  Biography
  TBA

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  Zoom Link
  Panopto Link

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  TIME Monday, September 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

  LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

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  CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Oct

  5

  CS Seminar: Formal Relational Equivalence for SQL, GenAI, and Beyond (Brian Suchy)

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  12:00 PM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  Monday / CS Seminar
  October 5 / 12:00 PM
  Hybrid / Mudd 3514

  Speaker
  Brian Suchy, Software Engineer Google DeepMind

  Talk Title
  Formal Relational Equivalence for SQL, GenAI, and Beyond

  Abstract
  Verifying that complex query rewrites from database optimizers or AI-driven generators preserve exact bag semantics under three-valued logic is an NP-hard challenge. To address this, we present an MLIR-native compiler framework that formally reasons about relational algebra. By decoupling query semantics from specific execution engines and lowering queries into a unified Relational Algebra Intermediate Representation, our language-agnostic methodology definitively proves semantic equivalence across all possible database states.

  The core of the presentation will deep-dive into our multi-tiered proving architecture, which synthesizes several advanced academic methodologies. First, we utilize E-Graphs and Equality Saturation to rapidly explore the equivalence space and detect structural congruence between query abstract syntax trees using fast, algebraic rewrite rules. Second, we employ Semiring Arithmetic, treating relational algebra as expressions over K-relations to leverage algebraic simplification and canonical forms under semiring laws. Finally, we implement a First-Order Logic and SMT translation path, lowering Relational Algebra into Relational Calculus and then into First-Order Logic to evaluate constraints and domain-specific axioms using parallel solvers like Z3 and CVC5, which either formally proves equivalence or synthesizes concrete counter-examples.

  Finally, we will discuss the practical implications of combining these formal mathematical methods with modern compiler design. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive understanding of how bridging database theory, equality saturation, and SMT solving can create robust solutions for verifying query optimizers, enforcing semantic correctness, and validating automated SQL generation at scale.

  Biography
  Brian Suchy is a Software Engineer within Google DeepMind.
  In his time at Google he has worked on F1 Query (Google's internal SQL query engine), hardware development, and (of course) AI.
  Prior to joining Google, Brian received his PhD student at Northwestern University, advised by Peter Dinda, with a focus on hardware/software codesign and memory management.

  Research Interests: Artificial Intelligence, Query Processing and Formal Logic

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  Zoom Link
  Panopto Link

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  TIME Monday, October 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

  LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Oct

  29

  Bagel Thursday + Discussion

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  9:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  tba

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  TIME Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)

• Nov

  19

  Bagel Thursday + Discussion

  Department of Computer Science (CS)

  9:00 AM 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)

  EVENT DETAILS

  tba

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  TIME Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION 3514, Mudd Hall ( formerly Seeley G. Mudd Library)    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Wynante R Charles    wynante.charles@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Department of Computer Science (CS)