All Years Seminars
[INMA] 2026-04-07 (14:00) : Pattern-preserving optimal control problems with increasing time-horizon
At Euler building (room A.002)
Speaker :
Matteo Della Rossa (Politecnico of Torino)
Abstract : In this seminar, within the framework of general optimal control theory, we investigate the following question: under which conditions the "structure/pattern" of optimal controls on finite horizons is preserved in the infinite-horizon problem, i.e., as the final time grows unboundedly and tends to infinity? To address this question, we introduce a notion of pattern-preserving family of optimal control problems and show how this property can be characterized via Gamma-convergence of the associated variational formulations. We also discuss important limitations and features of this approach, including counterexamples, scenarios with state constraints, and systems governed by dissipative state equations (in the sense of J.C. Willems). To illustrate the theoretical results, we present several examples and applications, with particular emphasis on a simple epidemic control problem as a real-world case study.
[ELEN] 2026-04-07 (08:30) : Environmental sustainability of semiconductor manufacturing: from current trends and hotspots to practical skills for improving it.
At BARB12
Speaker :
Benjamin Vanhouche (VUB)
,
and
Vincent Schellekens (imec)
Abstract : This talk provides an introduction to assessing the (un)sustainability of nanoscale semiconductor manufacturing. We will first consider the macro-level, discussing the current status and trends regarding the environmental impact of the semiconductor industry as a whole. We will then zoom in at the micro-level, detailing the main environmental hotspots of integrated circuit manufacturing. After this overview of the current status of semiconductor manufacturing sustainability, we will have a hands-on session designed to empower (future) nanofabrication engineers to think about---and improve---the sustainability of their own processes.
[ICTM] 2026-04-07 (13:00) : Dealing with Variability and Mismatch in Closed‑Loop Neuromorphic Control: From Limitations to Design Opportunities
At Shannon room
Speaker :
Alessio Franci (Liège)
Abstract : Neural systems exhibit substantial variability in their underlying parameters, yet they reliably generate robust and adaptive closed-loop behaviors in sensorimotor tasks. Neuromorphic systems display an analogous form of variability, primarily due to transistor mismatch, raising the question of how such mismatch can be exploited rather than suppressed. Understanding how to harness this inherent device-level variability to design robust and adaptive neuromorphic controllers is an active and promising research direction.
In this talk, I will first introduce the mechanisms and functional roles of variability in biological neural systems and relate them to parameter mismatch in neuromorphic hardware, with a particular focus on closed-loop control scenarios. Building on this background, I will present two recent lines of work: (i) variability in human gait control, and (ii) a quantitative analysis of mismatch effects in fully analog neuromorphic neurons. I will conclude with an overview of emerging neuro-inspired strategies leveraging transistor mismatch to achieve robustness and adaptability in neuromorphic control systems.
[LINGI2399] 2026-04-02 (10:45) : DevSecOps: designing and building maintainable & defensive IT systems
At BARB94
Speaker :
Dennis Verslegers (Orange Cyberdefense)
Abstract : Secure coding is a myth (at present), but luckily, we can limit our code's exposure to the hostile inputs coming from the big bad internet. Security (as with other desirable properties such as privacy-by-design, human-centric / failsafe design, etc) is not an accidental condition one arrives at by luck. The technological and human cultural landscape shifts throughout the lifetime of deployed code, further highlighting the ephemeral nature of "security" appertaining thereunto. Well-engineered and well-run complex IT systems *are* possible, but you do not get there by accident. The question is, how to make them adaptable and defensible?
[INMA] 2026-03-31 (14:00) : Envy-free divisions of cakes: recent results and open questions
At Euler building (room A.002)
Speaker :
Frédéric MEUNIER (Paris-tech )
Abstract : The envy-free cake-cutting problem asks for a way to divide a cake (identified with the interval [0,1]) among players with different tastes so that each receives a connected piece and no one envies another’s share. The Stromquist–Woodall theorem from 1980 guarantees the existence of such an envy-free division under mild assumptions. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in this problem from various perspectives — computer science, social choice theory, economics, and topological combinatorics. In this talk, we present several extensions, from these perspectives: the cake may be “poisoned,” there may be multiple cakes with joint preferences, or the cake may be discrete (as in the necklace-splitting problem). We will also discuss several challenging open questions. This talk is based on joint work with Ayumi Igarashi, Francis Su, and Shira Zerbib.
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Mathematical Engineering (INMA)
L4.05.01
Avenue Georges Lemaître, 4
+32 10 47 80 36
secretaire-inma@uclouvain.be
Mon – Fri 9:00A.M. – 5:00P.M.
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