Distinguished Lecture Series: Cynthia Dwork (Harvard) - Indistinguishability: The Stuff of Magic
CS theory has given us many magical concepts, such as zero-knowledge proofs, pseudo-randomness, privacy-preserving data analysis, and public-key cryptography. These, and many others, share a common thread: their very definitions are based on indistinguishability, a core concept in complexity theory. Indistinguishability is a form of impossibility: encryptions of zero cannot be distinguished from encryptions of one; outputs of an analysis operating on a dataset D cannot be distinguished from outputs of an analysis operating on D-without-Me (or D-without-You). It is remarkable that this negative notion has proven to be such a generous instrument of algorithmic power. We will survey several flavors of indistinguishability and some recent, novel, applications. BIO, Cynthia Dwork, Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard and affiliated faculty at Harvard Law School and Department of Statistics, is known for her foundational role in the invention and development of differential privacy, non-malleable…
Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, November 5, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Gates Center (CSE2), G20 | Amazon Auditorium.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, November 6, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Virtual Ph.D. Information Session
The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering Ph.D. Program at the University of Washington is a full-time, research-intensive doctoral program that prepares students to become leaders in academia, industry, and research. Ph.D. students work closely with world-renowned faculty on groundbreaking research across a wide range of computer science and computer engineering disciplines while receiving comprehensive financial support, including tuition, health insurance, and a competitive stipend throughout the program.
Our virtual information session is a convenient opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the Allen School Ph.D. Program and connect directly with a panel of current graduate students, and admissions staff. We will provide an overview of the program, research opportunities, funding, student life, and the admissions process, along with practical guidance for preparing a competitive application. Whether you are considering applying this year or planning for a future applicat…
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/6r8GOb54SFWyY-QdJvT5IQ. Accessibility Contact: grad-admissions@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: Applicants.
Monday, November 9, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Veterans Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Distinguished Lecture Series: Leo Porter (UC San Diego) - Empowering Faculty to Integrate GenAI into CS Education
Generative AI has substantially altered the professional craft of software engineering. For CS programs that seek to prepare the next generation of software engineers, course and curricular revisions are almost certainly necessary. Indeed, in this talk I will argue that curricular revisions are long overdue and, if done properly, can address multiple gaps in many existing CS curricula. As an example, I will focus on the CS1-LLM course we developed at UC San Diego. In designing the course, we updated our learning goals, course objectives, and assessment practices. Our studies of the course have shown that students can use GenAI tools to create software projects of personal interest while still learning programming fundamentals necessary for later courses.
Creating and studying such course revisions requires substantial effort and, importantly, we need to ensure that this effort isn’t borne by thousands of individual educators currently seeking guidance and support on how to proceed. As such, to broadly share…
Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Gates Center (CSE2), G20 | Amazon Auditorium.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, November 13, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Translating Assistive Robotics into Practice symposium
The mR2A is a multifunctional robotic assistive arm developed at UWM with NIDILRR support for power-wheelchair users with limited upper-limb function. This symposium is part of a knowledge-translation project to move it from the laboratory into everyday use. We will share the research and evidence to date, hear from users, caregivers, clinicians and advocates about what real-world adoption takes, and work through the regulatory, commercialization and reimbursement pathways together.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://sites.uwm.edu/biorobotics-lab/upcoming-events/kt-symposium-2026/#online. Accessibility Contact: msunny@uwm.edu. Event Types: Conferences. Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Target Audience: People with disabilities, caregivers, clinicians, researchers, industry, policymakers, and payers.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
For more info visit sites.uwm.edu. Distinguished Lecture Series: Léon Bottou (Flatiron Institute) - The Fiction Machine
Imagine a machine that can read a story and generate a meaningful continuation, that is, one that complies with the narrative demands of the story and makes sense to a meaningful fraction of the readers. Because what is true in the world of the story needs not be true in our world, this machine cannot be expected to say the truth. It only knows narrative necessity. This machine is of course an idealized model of modern AI systems, from language models and chatbots to movie generation. It is also an opportunity to formulate important questions and sometimes catch a glimpse of their answers. How can we define such a machine more rigorously? What can it compute? How does it compare to logic and mathematical reasoning? Can it be used to make inferences about our world even though its output is not constrained by what is true in our world? Such questions are not only relevant to artificial intelligence, but also useful to understand certain aspects of human intelligence and society.
Bio:
Léon Bottou received the…
Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars.
Thursday, November 19, 2026, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM.
Gates Center (CSE2), G20 | Amazon Auditorium.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Information Session: Professional Master's in Computer Science
Click here to register for the session!
The Allen School’s Professional Master’s Program (PMP) is a part-time program designed for software professionals in the Puget Sound region interested in acquiring critical skills to move into positions and projects of greater responsibility and impact. Courses meet one weekday evening per week and are taught in-person on the UW Seattle campus.
Online information sessions are a low-barrier opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the PMP and ask questions directly to program staff. We will share information about PMP courses and learning outcomes and an overview of the application process, including tips for preparing your materials. We hope you will join us!
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/s-JzzqWOTAyCx4f1Huaepg. Accessibility Contact: masters@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions.
Thursday, November 19, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, November 20, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Virtual Ph.D. Information Session
The Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering Ph.D. Program at the University of Washington is a full-time, research-intensive doctoral program that prepares students to become leaders in academia, industry, and research. Ph.D. students work closely with world-renowned faculty on groundbreaking research across a wide range of computer science and computer engineering disciplines while receiving comprehensive financial support, including tuition, health insurance, and a competitive stipend throughout the program.
Our virtual information session is a convenient opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the Allen School Ph.D. Program and connect directly with a panel of current graduate students, and admissions staff. We will provide an overview of the program, research opportunities, funding, student life, and the admissions process, along with practical guidance for preparing a competitive application. Whether you are considering applying this year or planning for a future applicat…
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/MA_18wX2QSOQBTFWCg2RxA. Accessibility Contact: grad-admissions@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions. Target Audience: Applicants.
Monday, November 23, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Thanksgiving Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Thursday, November 26, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Native American Heritage Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, November 27, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, November 27, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Information Session: Modern AI Methods graduate certificate
Modern AI Methods is a one-year, work-compatible program all about using, implementing, and understanding in-depth artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. Student learn the latest in AI and ML models, computer vision and deep learning, and natural language processing, and how to design and implement effective, ethical AI solutions to real-world problems. The certificate can be completed on its own, or used as a building block toward a master's degree in AI and ML.
Join us and learn more! Register for the session here.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://engrwashington.event451.sites.451.io/event/engrwashington.events.2039842. Accessibility Contact: cert-modern-ai@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, December 4, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Ph.D. Dissertation Defense Talk: Re-Imagining AI-Powered Augmented Reality for All
Speaker: Jae Lee, Advisor: Jon E Froehlich, Supervisory Committee: JON E FROEHLICH (Chair), Jacob O. Wobbrock (GSR, THE INFORMATION SCHOOL), Ranjay Krishna, Andy Wilson (Microsoft Research), Yuhang Zhao (U of Wisconsin - Madison), Abstract TBA.
Friday, December 4, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM.
Information Session: Professional Master's in Computer Science
Click here to register for the session!
The Allen School’s Professional Master’s Program (PMP) is a part-time program designed for software professionals in the Puget Sound region interested in acquiring critical skills to move into positions and projects of greater responsibility and impact. Courses meet one weekday evening per week and are taught in-person on the UW Seattle campus.
Online information sessions are a low-barrier opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the PMP and ask questions directly to program staff. We will share information about PMP courses and learning outcomes and an overview of the application process, including tips for preparing your materials. We hope you will join us!
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/s-JzzqWOTAyCx4f1Huaepg. Accessibility Contact: masters@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions.
Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Instruction Ends - Autumn 2026
Dates of Instruction
Instruction ends.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, December 11, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Micro:bit Experiences: Weekly research group at UW
Join CREATE faculty members Tom Ball and Paul Dietz in an international effort to build tools that empower kids (preK–12) to make highly creative experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit.
Micro:bit. Experiences is open to all students, staff and faculty and others interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware, etc.
Weekly on Fridays (Autumn quarter 2026), Feel free to bring a lunch, For more information, contact Tom Ball or Paul Dietz, We aim to empower kids (preK-12) to make wildly creative, physical experiences for others using the BBC micro:bit. Experiences like animatronic shows, puzzle rooms, haunted houses, mini golf courses, and all sorts of interactive, immersive environments. It's crazy fun, but with a very serious purpose. In an era of AI, it's too easy to focus on how to use these amazing tools rather than thinking about what you do with them. Creating compelling innovation comes from practice - building lots of things and seeing how people respond to them.
If this…
Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE). Campus room: 503. Accessibility Contact: phdietz@uw.edu. Event Types: Diversity Equity Inclusion. Meetings. Student Activities. Target Audience: All students, staff & faculty interested in education, experience design, AI, software, hardware.
Friday, December 11, 2026, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Final Examinations - Autumn 2026
Dates of Instruction
Week of final examinations for autumn quarter.
Event interval: Ongoing event. Year: 2026. Quarter: Autumn. Event Types: Academics.
Saturday, December 12, 2026 – Friday, December 18, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Quarter Break - Winter
Dates of Instruction
Break between autumn and winter quarters.
Event interval: Ongoing event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Saturday, December 19, 2026 – Sunday, January 3, 2027.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Christmas Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, December 25, 2026.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. New Year's Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Friday, January 1, 2027.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Instruction Begins - Winter 2027
Dates of Instruction
Instruction begins.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Monday, January 4, 2027.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Information Session: Professional Master's in Computer Science
Click here to register for the session!
The Allen School’s Professional Master’s Program (PMP) is a part-time CS master's degree designed for software professionals in the Puget Sound region interested in acquiring critical skills to move into positions and projects of greater responsibility and impact. Courses meet one weekday evening per week and are taught in-person on the UW Seattle campus.
Online PMP information sessions are a low-barrier way for prospective students to learn more about the program. Bring your questions and hear directly from program staff on topics like the PMP student profile, our courses and learning outcomes, and how to prepare your application. All are welcome!
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://washington.zoom.us/meeting/register/s-JzzqWOTAyCx4f1Huaepg. Accessibility Contact: masters@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions.
Wednesday, January 13, 2027, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Holidays
No classes. Most University offices and buildings are closed. Check with specific offices to confirm.
Event interval: Single day event. Year: 2027. Quarter: Winter. Event Types: Academics.
Monday, January 18, 2027.
For more info visit www.washington.edu. Information Session: Modern AI Methods graduate certificate
Modern AI Methods is a one-year, work-compatible program all about using, implementing, and understanding in-depth artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. Student learn the latest in AI and ML models, computer vision and deep learning, and natural language processing, and how to design and implement effective, ethical AI solutions to real-world problems. The certificate can be completed on its own, or used as a building block toward a master's degree in AI and ML.
Join us and learn more! Register for the session here.
Event interval: Single day event. Online Meeting Link: https://engrwashington.event451.sites.451.io/event/engrwashington.events.2039842. Accessibility Contact: cert-modern-ai@cs.washington.edu. Event Types: Academics. Information Sessions.
Wednesday, January 20, 2027, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.
Zoom.
For more info visit www.cs.washington.edu.