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CHMPR Distinguished Lecture Series

Nonnegative Binary Matrix Factorization
with a D-Wave Quantum Annealer

Dr. Daniel O’Malley
Los Alamos National Laboratory

1:30 15 February 2018, ITE325, UMBC

D-Wave quantum annealers represent a novel computational architecture and have attracted significant interest. Much of this interest has focused on the quantum behavior of D-Wave machines, and there have been few practical algorithms that use the D-Wave. Machine learning has been identified as an area where quantum annealing may be useful. Here, we show that the D-Wave 2X can be effectively used as part of an unsupervised machine learning method. This method takes a matrix as input and produces two low-rank matrices as output — one containing latent features in the data and another matrix describing how the features can be combined to approximately reproduce the input matrix. Despite the limited number of bits in the D-Wave hardware, this method is capable of handling a large input matrix. The D-Wave only limits the rank of the two output matrices. We apply this method to learn the features from a set of facial images and compare the performance of the D-Wave to two classical tools. This method is able to learn facial features and accurately reproduce the set of facial images. The performance of the D-Wave is mixed. It outperforms the two classical codes in a benchmark when only a short amount of computational time is allowed (200-20,000 microseconds), but these results suggest heuristics that would likely outperform the D-Wave in this benchmark.

Daniel O’Malley is a scientist in the Computational Earth Science group at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Prior to that, he held postdoctoral positions at LANL and in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences at Purdue University. He studied at Purdue University, receiving a B.S. degree in computer science and mathematics (2004), an M.S. in mathematics (2006) and a Ph.D. in applied mathematics (2011). His research interests include computational science (with an emphasis on subsurface flow and transport), quantum computing, uncertainty quantification, and machine learning. He has won numerous awards including a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellowship from LANL (2014), the InterPore-Fraunhofer Award for Young Researchers from the International Society for Porous Media (2012), a Charles C. Chappelle Fellowship from Purdue University (2004), and the Meyer E. Jerison Memorial Award in Analysis from the Department of Mathematics at Purdue University (2004).

The post talk: Nonnegative Binary Matrix Factorization on a D-Wave Quantum Annealer, 1:30 2/15 appeared first on Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

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Ariel Poirier is a Geography and Environmental Studies major, graduating in December, 2018. She is the Treasurer for the GES Council of Majors, and a Newcombe Scholar for Returning Women through the Women’s Center.

Research Topic: Assessing functional traits (define how species interact in their environment and with each other- i.e. water requirements, height, seed dispersal) in plant species varying in low and high diversity communities. There are a total of 36 communities and also monocultures (controls) in both top soil (soil commonly used in gardens, rich and full of nutrients) and fill soil (used in vacant lots, not nutrient rich, contains glass, metal, brick etc).

How did you find the research opportunity? It was offered to me by my advisor, Dr. Christopher Swan, Geography and Environmental Systems, after I expressed having an interest in working with plants.

Do you get course credit for this work? I got research credit and was paid through the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies based out of New York. I have put a great deal of time into my research because I encountered a few setbacks along the way. It has continued through the school year, but I have followed through with my research regardless.

What was the hardest part about your research? Learning the hard way that nature has its own plan and might set things back despite best laid plans!

What was the most unexpected thing? My plants did not grow after the first seeding.

How does this research experience relate to your work in other classes? This REU position gave me a hands-on experience that I could not get in the classroom. Being able to have the chance to apply textbook education to real world experiments was rewarding and continued to build on the knowledge I already had.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? Ask about research opportunities! And ask many professors what they have available.

Photo: I am pictured collecting aboveground biomass for the topsoil monocultures. This involves cutting the species from the soil line and then placing them in the drying oven. After the biomass is dry, it is weighed and recorded. This species is Gypsophila Elegans, commonly known as Baby’s Breath.

Become an undergraduate researcher and get up to $1500 to support your research or creative work! Go to: ur.umbc.edu.ura  Application deadline: Feb. 16.

Are you looking for more outreach opportunities related to computer science and engineering? Look no further! Listed below are all of the exciting projects the members of the CS Education Club are working on this semester.

Meet Your Professor Series

• What it is: Want to get to know your professors better? This series provides students with the opportunity to learn about their professors and teaching faculty. Students will be able to ask the faculty questions about anything ranging from how they achieved their position, what makes them an effective teacher, what research they conduct, and more!

• Contact: Steph Milani (stephmilani@umbc.edu) for more information.
  

High School Visits

• What it is: While access to computer science education is growing, many students who enjoy coding do not see computer science as a future career option. The high school visiting program is a bi-weekly occurrence where UMBC students visit a Maryland high school and present the many opportunities offered by a career in computer science. High school students have the opportunity to ask questions and talk about their college plans and class/major decisions with UMBC volunteers.
  
• Contact: Caroline Kery (ckery1@umbc.edu) for more information and volunteer opportunities.
  

Creative Coders

• What it is: Ever think about what it would be like if you were introduced to computer science concepts at a younger age? This program is designed to give middle school students a head start by teaching them the fundamentals of computer science through a fun, game-building project. To accomplish this goal, each student is assigned a mentor from UMBC, who works with them to complete their project using Scratch.
  Volunteers may also get this service noted on their transcript through PRAC 096, or HONR 390 for students in the Honors College.
  Transportation is provided.
  
• Commitment level: We meet from 2:15 - 4:00 every Tuesday and Thursday. If you have class that ends at 2:15, it is no problem!
  
• Contact: Max Poole (maxpool1@umbc.edu) for more information and volunteer opportunities.
  

Workshops

• What it is: Want to practice your teaching skills in a low-stakes environment? Passionate about a topic that relates to computer science and want to share it with others? This new series is intended for club members to gain experience leading a classroom, as well as explaining and communicating their ideas, by conducting a workshop in a topic of their choice. Possible topics can range from a discussion about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, to how to be better allies to underrepresented minorities in computer science, to a hands-on activity on the basics of using emacs!
  
• Contact: Ashley Funai (afunai1@umbc.edu) for more information and to propose a workshop idea.

Leadership Opportunities

• What it is: Interested in developing your leadership skills, but aren't sure where to start? Have an idea for an event, but don't know how to make it a reality? This semester, the CS Education Club officers will be mentoring next year's leaders of the club. New leaders will expand their network both inside and outside of UMBC, learn how to be effective leaders through experience, and more!
  
• Contact: Steph Milani (stephmilani@umbc.edu) for more information and/or fill out this form to apply!