News

  • Debiasing should be Good and Bad: Measuring the Consistency of Debiasing Techniques in Language Models – Speaker: Robert Morabito

    Join Us Thursday July 6th for an online presentation:
    Abstract:
    Debiasing methods that seek to mitigate the tendency of Language Models (LMs) to occasionally output toxic or inappropriate text have recently gained traction. In this paper, we propose a standardized protocol which distinguishes methods that yield not only desirable results, but are also consistent with their mechanisms and specifications. For example, we ask, given a debiasing method that is developed to reduce toxicity in LMs, if the definition of toxicity used by the debiasing method is reversed, would the debiasing results also be reversed? We used such considerations to devise three criteria for our new protocol: Specification Polarity, Specification Importance, and Domain Transferability. As a case study, we apply our protocol to a popular debiasing method, Self-Debiasing, and compare it to one we propose, called Instructive Debiasing, and demonstrate that consistency is as important an aspect to debiasing viability as is simply a desirable result. We show that our protocol provides essential insights into the generalizability and interpretability of debiasing methods that may otherwise go overlooked.

     

    DATE: Thursday (July 6) 11:00 a.m. – 11: 45 a.m. via Teams

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  • Join us for the next installment of the Department of Biological Sciences Seminar Series

     

    The next instalment of the Department of Biological Sciences Seminar Series is scheduled for next Friday, March 3rd 2023 with a talk from Dr. Elyanne Ratcliffe, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, McMaster University titled “Development of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.”

     

    Dr. Ratcliffe’s talk will be in-person in room TH 256 from 12-1pm.

    For additional details and a trainee lunch with Dr. Ratcliffe, please email Brittany Kalbfleisch –  bkalbfleisch@brocku.ca

     

    Please note that, as per Brock University’s announcement on August 29 2022 (https://brocku.ca/coronavirus/2022/08/29/brock-to-require-masks-in-all-instructional-spaces/), all students and instructors will be required to wear medical-grade or N95 masks in instructional spaces. The university has indicated that cloth masks no longer satisfy the masking policy requirement.

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  • Feb 2 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Derek Hon

    Master of Science thesis defence in Computer Science

    Derek Hon, a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Computer Science, will defend his thesis titled “Distributed MAP-Elites and its Application in Evolutionary Design” on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 2 pm., in MC J404.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Brian Ross, Supervisor; Ali Emami, External Examiner (Brock University); and Robson De Grande and Ke Qiu, Committee Members.

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  • Feb 1 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Mohammed Adib

    Master of Science thesis defence in Computer Science

    Mohammed Adib Khan, a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Computer Science, will defend his thesis titled “Time-Series Trend-Based Multi-Level Adaptive Tracing” on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9:30 am., in WH208.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Naser Ezzati-Jivan, Supervisor; Ali Emami, External Examiner (Brock University); and Robson De Grande and Renata Queiroz Dividino, Committee Members.

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  • Oct 18 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Mohammad Ahmadi

    Master of Science thesis defence in Physics:

    Mohammad Ahmadi, a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Physics, will defend his thesis titled “Low-dimensional purple and blue bronzes: Crystal growth, characterization and optical properties” on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022 at 2 p.m. in WH 147, in hybrid format.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Maureen Reedyk, Supervisor; David Broun, External Examiner (Simon Fraser University); and David Crandles and Fereidoon Razavi, Committee Members.

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  • Oct 19 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Jared Thomson

    Master of Science thesis defence in Chemistry:

    Jared Thomson, a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Chemistry, will defend his thesis titled “Semi-synthesis of Unnatural Narciclasine Derivatives” on Wednesday, Oct 19, 2022 at 12:30 p.m., virtually.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Costa Metallinos, Interim Supervisor; Dennis L. Wright, External Examiner (University of Connecticut); and Hongbin (Tony) Yan and Georgii Nikonov, Committee Members.

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  • Aug 4 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Biotechnology

    Master of Science thesis defence

    Mary Onyekwelu, a Master of Science candidate in the Center for Biotechnology, will defend her thesis titled “Transient and Pulse Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy on Photosystem I Reaction Centers” on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 at 11 a.m., virtually.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Art van der Est, Supervisor; Wade Johnson, External Examiner (Susquehanna University); and Jeff Stuart and Tony Yan, Committee Members.

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  • April 6 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Jesse H. Vanloon

    Master of Science thesis defence

     

    Jesse H. Vanloon, a Master of Science candidate in the Centre for Biotechnology , will defend his thesis titled “Re-evaluation of analytical chemistry techniques in studying DNA structures” on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 1 p.m., in virtual format.

     

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Hongbin (Tony) Yan, Supervisor; Jean-Paul Desaulniers, External Examiner (Ontario Tech University); and Heather Gordon and Doug Bruce, Committee Members.

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  • Jan 6 – Doctor of Philosophy Thesis Defence – Fereshteh Moradi

    Doctor of Philosophy thesis defence

    Fereshteh Moradi, Doctor of Philosophy candidate in the Department of Biological Sciences, will defend her thesis titled “Investigating the Effect of Cell culture Compositions on Mitochondrial Metabolism, Dynamics, and Transcriptome and Proteome of cells” on Thursday, January 6, 2021 at 11 a.m., in virtual format.

    The examination committee includes Brian D. Roy, Chair; Jeff Stuart, Supervisor; Jim Uniacke, External Examiner (University of Guelph, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology); Val A. Fajardo, Internal External Examiner; Gaynor Spencer and Rebecca Macpherson, Committee Members.

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  • Sept 14 – Master of Science Thesis Defence – Binal Tejani

    Master of Science thesis defence

    Binal Tejani, a Master of Science candidate in the Department of Computer Sciences, will defend his thesis titled “Game Theory-based Allocation Management in VCC Networks” on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 1 p.m., in virtual format.

    The examination committee includes Cheryl McCormick, Chair; Robson De Grande, Supervisor; Ke Qiu, External Examiner; and Brian Ross and Sheridan Houghten, Committee Members.

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