Schedule of Events

Are you a daily crossword solver? Did you try to figure out a clue once and give up? In this class, psychology professor and crossword constructor Erica Hsiung Wojcik will show you how a crossword is made, from start to finish. You'll learn about the current crossword landscape, including why some puzzles don't feel like they're ''made for you''. No crossword experience required. Come prepared to participate in some group solving!

Honeypots are computer systems that detect hacker activity while collecting detailed information about the attacker's methods. Honeypots produce significant volumes of data that cannot be reasonably organized and searched manually. We need an approach to automate the processing of honeypot data; here, machine learning offers a solution. Machine learning leverages predictive analytics to identify models within large data sets. In this class, we will learn about honeypot capabilities and then describe the process of using machine learning to automate the search for cyber attacks.

Roman architecture borrows from that of the Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Etruscans, the key elements of which include the use of concrete and pillars. The Romans further experimented with concrete to make it stronger, but perhaps the biggest advancement that the Romans made was in the extensive use of arches, which allowed for the creation of large, open interior spaces. In this talk, we will discuss the physics of these architectural innovations.

"If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed." -- Adolph Hitler
"I love the poorly educated." "Just remember, what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what's happening." -- Donald Trump
In this presentation I will explore: the central role of untruth in fascism; psychological factors contributing to devotion to charismatic/populist leaders and their "big lies"; how social media in the 21st century magnifies untruths and amplifies psychological affinity for big liars; the grave danger this poses to democracy; and, the role of education to offset these pernicious tendencies.