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Events

• Nov

  17

  ME512 Seminar Series- Naichen Shi

  McCormick - Mechanical Engineering (ME)

  3:00 PM LR3, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  Generative Models for Design and Process Intelligence

  Abstract The increasing complexity of modern manufacturing systems calls for new paradigms that tightly integrate data with human expertise and scientific modeling. In this talk, I will present a few recent works that leverage generative models, including diffusion and flow-matching models, to advance design and process intelligence. I will first introduce Coupled Flow Matching, which employs optimal transport and flow-based generative modeling to enable controllable dimension reduction and design. Next, I will discuss the active learning framework enabled by generative diffusion surrogates, which merge prior knowledge with experimental measurements to guide experiment design. I will also introduce our work on diffusion calibration models that combine imperfect computer simulations with real-world measurements. These efforts highlight how generative models can serve as a unifying language to connect data, physics, and humans in the future of manufacturing intelligence.

  Bio
  Naichen is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
  and the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences. His
  research focuses on integrative data analytics and science-informed AI models.
  Naichen received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. His work has been
  recognized with several honors, including the INFORMS Data Mining Best
  Paper Award and the Wilson Prize.

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  TIME Monday, November 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

  LOCATION LR3, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Jeremy Wells    jeremywells@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick - Mechanical Engineering (ME)

• Sep

  3

  CRB Seminar: "What shall we work on? Challenges and opportunities for academic labs in the era of robot learning​", Ruohan Zhang

  Center for Robotics and Biosystems (CRB)

  12:00 PM B211, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  

  Speaker: Ruohan Zhang
  Assistant Professor, Computer Science, Northwestern University

  Presentation Title: "What shall we work on? Challenges and opportunities for academic labs in the era of robot learning"

  Date: Thursday, September 3 at 12:00 PM

  Location: Tech B211 and Zoom
  https://tinyurl.com/CRBSeminar

  Abstract:
  In this talk, I will begin with a brief overview of my past and ongoing research in robotics and machine learning. I will then share recent findings and reflections on three questions: (1) What are the most exciting research opportunities for robotics researchers today? (2) What challenges do academic labs face relative to frontier industry labs, and where can academia still lead? (3) What research directions will my new lab pursue, and what collaboration opportunities do they open up?

  Bio:
  Ruohan Zhang has received several paper awards or nominations from robotics conferences and workshops, including two CoRL best paper nominations (2022, 2023), ICRA best paper (2024), best paper nomination (2025), and multiple best paper awards at CoRL, RSS, ICRA, and AAAI workshops. He has also published articles in cognitive science journals such as Neural Computation and PLoS Computational Biology. He has served as a program committee member, reviewer, or editor for conferences and journals in machine learning, robotics, and cognitive science, including NeurIPS, ICCV, ECCV, CoRL, RSS, ICRA, IROS, CogSci, Frontiers, and the Journal of Vision.

  His research focuses on embodied AI, human-robot interaction, brain-computer interfaces, cognitive science, societal impact of AI and automation, and AI for art and design. The goal is to develop human-centered, human-inspired, and human-compatible AI and robotics.

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  TIME Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

  LOCATION B211, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Vanessa Gutierrez    vanessavg@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR Center for Robotics and Biosystems (CRB)

• Sep

  14

  Welcome & Breakfast for New McCormick PhD Students

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  9:00 AM LR2, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  Enjoy a welcome from Dean Christopher A. Schuh and other McCormick leaders, and receive a Northwestern Engineering T-shirt. A free breakfast on the Tech East Plaza will follow.

  Register Now

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  TIME Monday, September 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

  LOCATION LR2, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Sep

  22

  Welcome & Luncheon for New Full-time Graduate Students

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  11:00 AM Ryan Family Auditorium, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  Enjoy a welcome from Dean Christopher A. Schuh and other McCormick leaders, and receive a Northwestern Engineering T-shirt. A free lunch on the Tech East Plaza will follow.

  Register Now

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  TIME Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

  LOCATION Ryan Family Auditorium, Technological Institute    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Andi Joppie    andi.joppie@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Sep

  23

  Fall 2026 Classes Begin

  University Academic Calendar

  All Day

  EVENT DETAILS

  Fall 2026 Classes Begin

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  TIME Wednesday, September 23, 2026

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR University Academic Calendar