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<p class="elementToProof" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">Dear
old and new friends of the SLAAM seminar series,</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">We are pleased to announce that after a hiatus due to organizational constraints, we are excited to bring you the latest spring 2024 edition of the
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__physics.ucmerced.edu_slaam&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=blUGUqAYGAyOmfcA6wfbX1KdEHN6f7rlZXR4X15CvyI8uL__ETi299NvZD96qFU6&s=MXUKX4H_djd0Ct_0kzRBhKPqez6-ARSHV2ymcIgm0vs&e=" target="_blank" id="OWAd1a4f6e9-a264-0633-2b24-9341f8e0d501" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphysics.ucmerced.edu%2Fslaam&data=05%7C01%7Cd.a.beller%40jhu.edu%7C5afa44fcce434f0efed608db0463b5d6%7C9fa4f438b1e6473b803f86f8aedf0dec%7C0%7C0%7C638108599445499851%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8e" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" data-loopstyle="linkonly" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); margin: 0px;">Soft
Living Active and Adaptive Matter (SLAAM)</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"> series! The first seminar of the spring will be given by
<b>Dr. </b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"><b>Menachem (Nachi) Stern
</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">(</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">University of Pennsylvania</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">)
on <b>Monday, February 12th, </b>at <b>9am Pacific/11am Central/12 noon Eastern time (US)</b>, with the title:</span></p>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"><b> Learning without neurons in physical systems</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">Please join at the link below to attend:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ucmerced.zoom.us_j_92693607475-3Fpwd-3DTnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=O8qMRgNKyoPvtsVZg8ZfBNtLCUDyJgxTRW3qBCkxor7FWyzclXdrZHLsUUJnajQo&s=Fc0LF7BKeY-N8RWCA1JZPtXHGcs7LT8bWaOKdgeG1FE&e=" target="_blank" id="OWAd76b97d9-2db7-d598-bbfc-81bdc9f8d227" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/92693607475?pwd=TnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="1" data-loopstyle="linkonly" style="margin: 0px;">https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/92693607475?pwd=TnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09</a></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">Zoom Meeting ID: 926 9360 7475 | Passcode: 223642</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">As usual, there will be a 15 min informal Q&A at the end of the hour.
Graduate students will have an opportunity to interact with the speaker in an informal setting during the "Meet the speaker" timeslot just after the talk. Please join if the time works for you.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><br>
</span></p>
<p class="elementToProof" style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">Please see more info in the flyer:
<a href="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/page/documents/menachem_stern_slaam.pdf" id="LPlnk203730" title="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/page/documents/menachem_stern_slaam.pdf" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/page/documents/menachem_stern_slaam.pdf</a> and in the text below:</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><b>Abstract</b>:
</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">From electrically responsive neuronal networks to the
adaptive immune response, biological systems can learn to perform complex tasks. In this seminar, we explore physical learning, a framework inspired by computational learning theory and biological systems, where networks physically adapt to applied forces
to adopt desired functions. Unlike traditional engineering approaches, physical learning is facilitated by physically realizable learning rules, requiring only local responses and no explicit information about the desired functionality. Our research shows
that such local learning rules can be derived for broad classes of physical networks, and that physical learning is indeed physically realizable through laboratory experiments. We further find that physical learning rules can give rise to robust and energy
efficient supervised and unsupervised modes of learning. By leveraging advances of statistical learning theory and neuroscience in physical machines, we propose autonomous physical learning as a promising bridge between computational machine learning and biology,
with the potential to enable the development of new classes of smart metamaterials that adapt in-situ to users’ needs.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: white; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">effects on actin polymerization, network architecture, and symmetry
breaking. We found that myosin-Is promoted force generation by regulating the dynamics and architecture of the actin comet tails through its force-generating power strokes, applying an effective repulsive force from the surface. These studies suggest synergy
between myosin-I activity and branched actin assembly to drive morphological changes at the cell membrane.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><b><br>
</b></span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><b>Speaker bio</b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px;" class="elementToProof">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">Menachem Stern is a theoretical physicist exploring learning
in physical systems, particularly in the contexts of mechanical systems and physically inspired learning rules. He is specifically interested in the analogies between learning in physical networks and biological\computational systems. These fundamental connections
suggest the use of physical systems as learning algorithms with novel properties, as well as the understanding of learning and adaptation in nature. Menachem is currently a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Pennsylvania, department of physics and astronomy,
working with Andrea Liu and Vijay Balasubramanian. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from The University of Chicago.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">See you there! </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">Best regards,</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">Kinjal Dasbiswas</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: white; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;">on behalf of the SLAAM organizing team<br>
(Alexandra Tayar, Suraj Shankar, Daniel Beller, Kinjal Dasbiswas)</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; background-color: white; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: black;"><i>To join the SLAAM mailing list, please sign up
<a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__docs.google.com_forms_d_e_1FAIpQLScTyzEuuE7TfrrapgP4tzN-5FoPSqbBhURUxa9-2Dzc8USnY1IPzA_viewform&d=DwMFAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=NK4EGo1VvrDiYSxdvOUJXgCkEAzTrQzNpQi-P59LZiKL_lMA3briJm9KQh9Y3suN&s=3hc1lEhiJwBLtMEr12Z9K5XtZaVlEfOZKYXGtXCjRDg&e=" target="_blank" id="OWAe04e5ad9-2bfc-a16d-b515-89e29c001153" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__docs.google.com_forms_d_e_1FAIpQLScTyzEuuE7TfrrapgP4tzN-5FoPSqbBhURUxa9-2Dzc8USnY1IPzA_viewform&d=DwMFAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=NK4EGo1VvrDiYSxdvOUJXgCk" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4" data-loopstyle="linkonly" style="margin: 0px;">
here</a>. If you’re a postdoc interested in giving a SLAAM talk, we invite you to register your interest on that webform.</i></span></p>
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