Events
Staff Advisory Committee events are a great way to network and socialize with staff members throughout the college as well as gain understanding of the issues/problems others are facing and their solutions.
Come Join Us! We look forward to seeing you!
Listing of SAC Events
The fall 2024 Big Picture Event
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
301A Benkovic Building
1:00pm - 2:00pm
David Hunter
Professor of Statistics
In Defense of Interpretable AI Models
Abstract
The most complicated AI models used for mimicking human decision-making these days are said to have more than one trillion parameters. While we are all becoming increasingly familiar with these "black box" models' impressive feats, they are ill-suited for certain tasks for multiple reasons. This talk describes a true story of a simplistic predictive model, now several decades old, whose interpretability was the hallmark of its usefulness. The United States Supreme Court recently decided a case on the use of race in university admissions. This case has a legal precedent, decided in 2003 in the case of Gratz v. Bollinger, which hinged on interpreting the coefficients in a logistic regression model. This talk briefly discusses the history of the legal case, arguing that while this model is ultra-simplistic by modern standards, it enabled a debate which would not have been possible using a more complicated predictive approach.
2024 Staff Awards Ceremony
Please mark your calendar for the Eberly College of Science 2024 Staff Awards Ceremony on Friday, November 8, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. at Alumni Hall in the HUB.
The spring 2024 Big Picture Event
Wednesday, February 28, 2024, beginning at 11:00 a.m.
114 McAllister Building
Santhosh Girirajan
Principal Investigator, Girirajan Lab
Abstract
“My research is focused on understanding the complexity of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia. We conduct family-based genetic studies, use model systems such as mouse, flies, and patient-derived cell lines, as well as develop computational approaches to identify molecular patterns for specific clinical outcomes observed in these disorders. My work is highly interdisciplinary, which provides many learning opportunities for me as we navigate through new discoveries and novel avenues of research”.
The fall 2023 Big Picture Event
Tuesday, November 7, 2023, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
114 McAllister Building
View the Melanie McReynolds Big Picture Event recording.
Melanie McReynolds
Principal Investigator, McReynolds Lab
“Better understanding of the in vivo metabolic fluxes in stress-induced aged models will provide the scientific underpinnings for the development of effective therapeutics and nutraceuticals for restoring youthful metabolis"
Abstract
To optimize and promote healthier aging in the twenty-first century, we aim to explore and shed light on metabolic aging and disease. Using a variety of model systems and experimental approaches, the McReynolds laboratory’s goal is to uncover targetable strategies that promote healthier aging.
2023 Staff Awards Celebration
Recognizing those staff members who have gone above and beyond.
October 30, 2023
HUB Alumni Hall
11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
2023 Staff Appreciation Ceremony
The spring 2023 Big Picture Event
Tuesday, March 14, 2023, beginning at 10:00 a.m. 16 Ritenour Building
Sponsored by the Eberly College of Science Staff Advisory Committee
Light refreshments will be provided.
RSVP for the 2023 Big Picture Event
Featuring Miguel Mostafá
Professor of Physics and of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation, Eberly College of Science
“Experimental Particle Astrophysics”
Abstract
In this conversation, I’ll tell you what it means to be an experimentalist in the field of high-energy particle astrophysics (and why I travel so much). I’ll briefly introduce the particles that we detect—cosmic rays, gamma rays, and neutrinos—and I’ll describe the experiments that we build to detect them. I’ll show you the experiments I've worked on over the years, the ones I’m still participating in, and finally the ones I’m planning on building in the future.
Big Picture Event, November 3, 2022
Staff Excellence Award Ceremony, October 31, 2022
New Staff Welcome Event, September 20, 2022
Please join the Staff Advisory Committee on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 for the New Staff Welcome Event and Luncheon.
May 2022
Please join us on Monday, May 23, 2022 for the Eberly College of Science Staff New Employee Orientation.
Staff Advisory Committee's Staff Town Hall
Please join Eberly's Staff Advisory Committee at it's annual College-wide, Staff specific, Town hall on Wednesday, April 15, 2021 from 2:30 - 4:00 pm.
Leadership within the College will address important staff-related topics and questions submitted by staff prior to the event.
We encourage all staff members within the Eberly College of Science to attend and listen as leadership within the College addresses staff submissions.
Click here to learn more, register for the event, or submit a question to be addressed at the event.