UC High Hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium

On March 11, UC High’s Coding Club hosted an artificial intelligence symposium in the auditorium in order to expose students to the field.   Artificial intelligence (AI) is the study of making machines and computers perform tasks that can be done by humans, according to the online Oxford Dictionary (oxforddictionaries.com).   “The purpose of the symposium is to expose students of all backgrounds, ages, races, to research happening in the local community,” stated Coding Club President Alec Wall. He explained, “The motive for this symposium is to inform, inspire and gain a deeper insight that otherwise may not be facilitated through traditional California curriculum guidelines.”   UCSD and Qualcomm scientists spoke to students about their research, according to Wall. “In general, they all talked about their involvement, insights, what they have learned along the way and what they’re researching and trying to break through now,” he said. The symposium started at 9:15 and lasted through fifth period.   According to the symposium flyer, Researchers Gary Cottrell, Julian McAuley, Anthony Lewis, and Mehrdad Yazdani spoke at the event. McAuley, a Computer Science and Engineering assistant professor at UCSD, spoke about recommender systems, which are involved with “predicting people’s preferences” in decisions ranging from what to buy to whom to befriend. The presentation also explored how factors such as content and timing make certain social media posts popular. Yazdani, a Machine Learning and Data Scientist at UCSD, explored trends about human behavior that can be deduced from social media. Cottrell, a Computer Science and Engineering professor at UCSD, discussed how computer models are used to explain how humans achieve visual recognition, such as interpreting written words. And “Lewis, who has an extensive background in AI, from NASA’s JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) to Qualcomm, discussed his research in deep neural networks, which is how computers can learn from themselves,” said Wall. Lewis also indicated the future of robotics in areas ranging from tutoring to performing non-invasive surgeries, to taking care of the elderly and highlighted how knowledge of biology and the human brain can be used to improve robots.   “I learned a lot, [such as] about robotics, how computers work, why computers work faster than us, and statistics on how things on the Internet work,” said Sophomore Federico Pedrazzani. “It was fun, too.”   The symposium aimed “…to give students at University City High a perspective on AI that they otherwise might not see on their own. If it inspires one person to change their mind in where they want to go (as a career path) then it is worth it. If students find AI interesting, but don’t care to go in the field, that is equally okay,” Wall added.   Wall organized the symposium by contacting various scientists and inviting them to talk at UC High. “This was a way to bring it to high school students so they could understand and not be totally submersed in something too complex,” he said. Vice Principal Michael Paredes said, “There hasn’t been an AI symposium at UC [High] before. ” Freshman Morgan Johnson said, “It made you think differently about how people can control these robots.”