Fall 2018¶

11 / 29 Prof. Dee Weikle¶

Discussion of the RISC-V Instruction Set Architecture

"The hardware-software interface, embodied in the instruction set architecture (ISA), is arguably the most important interface in a computer system. Yet, in contrast to nearly all other interfaces in a modern computer system, all commercially popular ISAs are proprietary. A free and open ISA standard has the potential to increase innovation in microprocessor design, reduce computer system cost, and, as Moore’s law wanes, ease the transition to more specialized computational devices." -- Andrew Waterman, University of California, Berkeley

Are you interested in open source? Are you interested in computer architecture? Dr. Weikle will lead a discussion of the RISC-V instruction set architecture that will be featured in her computer architecture class this spring. The RISC-V claims to be extensible and fix many of the problems of the first RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer). Come see if you agree. If you would like a paper to look at about the architecture ahead of time, check outside Dr. Weikle's office (205) or send her an email at weikleda@jmu.edu.

11 / 2 Mr. Logan Moody (JMU '20)¶

Automatic Generation of Mixed-Precision Programs

Floating-point arithmetic is foundational to scientific computing in HPC, and choices about floating-point precision can have a significant effect on the accuracy and runtime of HPC codes. Unfortunately, current precision optimization tools require significant user interaction and few work on the scale of HPC codes due to significant analysis overhead. We propose an automatic search and replacement system that finds the optimal mixed precision configuration given a required level of accuracy. To achieve this, we integrated three existing analysis tools into a system that requires minimal input from the user. If a speedup is found, our system can provide a ready-to-compile mixed-precision version of the original program.

Faculty Advisor: Prof. Lam

10 / 12 Prof. Mike Lam¶

Should we auto-generate compilers?

Compilers draw from many areas of CS to solve a single problem: translating from one computer language to another. Some aspects of a compiler (e.g., parsing) are considered "solved" from a theoretical perspective, and others (e.g., optimization) are still open. A recent preprint paper from heavy-hitters in the world of compilers research asserts that the optimization portions of tomorrow's compilers will be autogenerated just like the parsing portions are now. Come discuss this possibility, and along the way you'll learn a bit about SMT solvers and superoptimizers.

10 / 5 Profs. John Bowers, Mike Lam, Chris Mayfield, Michael Stewart, and Dee Weikle¶

What is CS research? (Profs. Lam and Weikle)

Followed by

Faculty Flash Talks (Roughly 5 minutes each)

Join us for an overview of computer science research followed by 5-minute flash talks giving you an overview of ongoing research within the JMU CS department. Whether you are looking to get into research or just interested in learning more, you are welcome!