College of Science & Engineering

Watch this Zoomposium here Passcode: r9bt@h!q

Speakers:

‘Tribotronics: a new concept describing the electromechanical coupling between semiconductors and triboelectric devices’

Dr Carlos Garcia Nunez, James Watt School of Engineering  

My research interest includes the synthesis and characterisation of new advanced materials and nanostructures, by using physical vapour deposition techniques for their application in sensors, functional coatings, and energy systems. In those investigations, my team and I explore the coupling effect between semiconductors, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and optoelectronics. In this context, I will present tribotronics, an emerging field that studies the interaction between triboelectricity and semiconductor devices, offering a promising solution for more efficient power management circuits, and novel robot-human and robot-environment interfaces. My long-term vision is to develop self-powered electronics and sensors for more sustainable technology. To that end, I am keen to be involved in joint projects with colleagues working in other disciplines, e.g., researchers working in soft-electronics, and wearable sensors for medical applications.

 

‘Improving Computational Support for Design Ideation’

Dr Tijana Vuletic, James Watt School of Engineering

I am interested in how new technologies can support the design process: computational support for design activities including gesture-based interaction, cognitive processes and sequencing of activities during form creation and conceptual design. It is an interdisciplinary field, so collaboration with neuroscientists, psychologists and computer scientists has been beneficial in the past and would be something I will pursue in the future. I am planning to apply for EPSRC NIA in the summer and keep a research stream going on related topics beyond that.

 

‘Optimization strategies on the software stack for high-performance, sustainable AI’

Dr Nikela Papadopoulou, School of Computing Science

I am driven to find solutions where the boundaries of high performance and sustainability meet. With high-performance computing (HPC) currently being propelled by the advances in Artificial Intelligence, I look at AI as a key driver that fuels unprecedented demand for computational power, posing a looming threat to sustainabiity goals. I work on addressing this challenge through algorithmic and hardware-aware optimizations, hardware-software co-design, and resource management strategies at different levels of the software stack. My goal is to harness the hidden potential of existing systems, maximizing performance while minimizing their carbon footprint. This approach provides a much-needed alternative to the unsustainable reliance on hardware scaling with its disproportionate carbon footprint. Let's collaborate for sustainable AI! If you are involved in machine learning, scientific computing, or green computing, I am eager to connect and explore possibilities to work together.

 

 

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First published: 29 February 2024