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Colloquy (June)

Open agenda; Not Too Organized. Whatever anyone wants to talk about.  We do this once every month.  Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

 

Summer Hours at our State Street Office: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM

Join us for lunch 11:45 AM – 1:15 PM every Wednesday at the University of Michigan Business School

 

Retrodiction

Education & Healthcare Facility Electrotechnology Committee

 

AI Risk Management Framework

 

We list notable NIST projects or efforts related to LLMs, based on available information from NIST’s publications and initiatives. These projects emphasize NIST’s role in advancing measurement science, standards, and guidelines for trustworthy AI systems, including LLMs. Note that some projects are specific studies, while others are broader programs that encompass LLMs.
  • Evaluating LLMs for Real-World Vulnerability Repair in C/C++ Code
    NIST conducted a study to evaluate the capability of advanced LLMs, such as ChatGPT-4 and Claude, in repairing memory corruption vulnerabilities in real-world C/C++ code. The project curated 223 code snippets with vulnerabilities like memory leaks and buffer errors, assessing LLMs’ proficiency in generating localized fixes. This work highlights LLMs’ potential in automated code repair and identifies limitations in handling complex vulnerabilities.
  • Translating Natural Language Specifications into Access Control Policies
    This project explores the use of LLMs for automated translation and information extraction of access control policies from natural language sources. By leveraging prompt engineering techniques, NIST demonstrated improved efficiency and accuracy in converting human-readable requirements into machine-interpretable policies, advancing automation in security systems.
  • Assessing Risks and Impacts of AI (ARIA) Program
    NIST’s ARIA program evaluates the societal risks and impacts of AI systems, including LLMs, in realistic settings. The program includes a testing, evaluation, validation, and verification (TEVV) framework to understand LLM capabilities, such as controlled access to privileged information, and their broader societal effects. This initiative aims to establish guidelines for safe AI deployment.
  • AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF)
    NIST developed the AI RMF to guide the responsible use of AI, including LLMs. This framework provides a structured approach to managing risks associated with AI systems, offering tools and benchmarks for governance, risk assessment, and operationalizing trustworthy AI across various sectors. It’s widely applied in LLM-related projects.
  • AI Standards “Zero Drafts” Pilot Project
    Launched to accelerate AI innovation, this project focuses on developing AI standards, including those relevant to LLMs, through an open and collaborative process. It aims to create flexible guidelines that evolve with LLM advancements, encouraging input from stakeholders to ensure robust standards.
  • Technical Language Processing (TLP) Tutorial
    NIST collaborated on a TLP tutorial at the 15th Annual Conference of the Prognostics and Health Management Society to foster awareness and education on processing large volumes of text using machine learning, including LLMs. The project explored how LLMs can assist in content analysis and topic modeling for research and engineering applications.
  • Evaluation of LLM Security Against Data Extraction Attacks
    NIST investigated vulnerabilities in LLMs, such as training data extraction attacks, using the example of GPT-2 (a predecessor to modern LLMs). This project, referencing techniques developed by Carlini et al., aims to understand and mitigate privacy risks in LLMs, contributing to safer model deployment.
  • Fundamental Research on AI Measurements
    As part of NIST’s AI portfolio, this project conducts fundamental research to establish scientific foundations for measuring LLM performance, risks, and interactions. It includes developing evaluation metrics, benchmarks, and standards to ensure LLMs are reliable and trustworthy in diverse applications.
  • Adversarial Machine Learning (AML) Taxonomy for LLMs
    NIST developed a taxonomy of adversarial machine learning attacks, including those targeting LLMs, such as evasion, data poisoning, privacy, and abuse attacks. This project standardizes terminology and provides guidance to enhance LLM security against malicious manipulations, benefiting both cybersecurity and AI communities.
  • Use-Inspired AI Research for LLM Applications
    NIST’s AI portfolio includes use-inspired research to advance LLM applications across government agencies and industries. This project develops guidelines and tools to operationalize LLMs responsibly, focusing on practical implementations like text summarization, translation, and question-answering systems.

Remarks:

  • These projects reflect NIST’s focus on evaluating, standardizing, and securing LLMs rather than developing LLMs themselves. NIST’s role is to provide frameworks, guidelines, and evaluations to ensure trustworthy AI.
  • Some projects, like ARIA and AI RMF, are broad programs that encompass LLMs among other AI systems, but they include specific LLM-related evaluations or applications.

 

2024+ Student Paper Competition

ANSI Student Paper Competition paused for 2025

No award for the 2024 cycle (per COE Chairperson)

“A Girl Writing; The Pet Goldfinch” 1870 Henriette Browne

 

The Society for Standardization Professionals Paper Competition 2025

 

 

Updated January 7, 2024

 

For nearly twenty years now,  the American National Standards Institute Committee on Education administers a student paper competition intended to encourage understanding of the global standards system that also provides a solid prize — in the $1000 to $5000 range.  The topic of the 2024 Student Paper Competition will be What Role Do or Could Standards Play in Safe and Effective Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Applications/Systems?

Student Paper Competition Flyer 2024 – Entries due 7 June 2024

For the past six years Standards Michigan has hosted Saturday morning workshops to help students (and faculty) interested in entering the contest.   We will soon post those dates on our CALENDER.  We typically host them — three sessions ahead of the deadline — on Saturday mornings.

We provide links to previous paper winners and refer you to Lisa Rajchel: lrajchel@ansi.org for all other details.

Related:

 

“Normal” Things Americans Do That The Rest Of The World Will Never Understand

ANSI Accredited Standards Developers | Contact Information

2023 Student Paper Competition

2022 Student Paper Competition

2020 Student Paper Winner / Remanufacturing

2020 Student Paper Winner / Road Traffic Safety

ANSI 2019 Student Paper Winner: Cybersecurity & Ukraine Power Grid Attack

2019 Student Paper Winner / Standards in Crisis Prevention & Response:

2018 ANSI Student Paper Winner / Internet of Things

2017 ANSI Student Paper Winner / Cyborg Gen 2330

2016 Student Paper Winner | Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness

2016 Student Paper Winner / World Without Standards

United States Standards Strategy

Update Status

We continue sorting through anomalies with Godaddy Tech Support to resolve Standards Michigan requirement for frequent and timely updates across all of our platforms.  The problem apparently lies with legacy plug-ins and widgets not yet caught up with the most recent WordPress release. 6.8.1 dated May 7th.  Our normal course of business is not effected but some of the visual features will be looking a bit janky until we get it fixed.  To wit:

The Weblizar slider plug in we have used for 10+ year seems to have fallen off the beaten path.  Our frequent visitors and clients will notice the ugly black background and small text.  We hope we can continue working with Weblizar if they can restore the customization feature of their plug in.

  • Posts are not updating across all platforms — particularly on X on iPhones.  Usually a caching problem and not one we haven’t seen before.
  • Some images will not center.
  • Footer and right-side widgets not loading properly.
  • Some, not all, slider images are not loading at high resolution.

The good news is that all our content, including media, survived the WordPress upgrade.  The next step in our “GoDaddy Journey” will be another PHP upgrade.  There will likely be surprises but none that we cannot handle.

In any case, timeliness and normal content flow has not been interrupted.   Much like the hardware in ICT software must also be maintained.

This page will be posted to our X-feed: @StandardsMich to remind our colleagues and followers that software needs to be “maintained”

Reflections / John Nash

“Non-Cooperative Games” 1951 | John Nash

Brian Keating: Cosmology, Astrophysics, Aliens & Losing the Nobel Prize

 

Standards for American Prosperity

 

Crucial Role of Standards for American Prosperity Highlighted in CSIS Roundtable Session with S. Joe Bhatia

 

Here are some of the ways in which government regulations impede economic growth:

  1. Increased costs: Regulations can impose additional costs on businesses, which can affect their ability to operate efficiently and compete in the marketplace. For example, regulations can require businesses to invest in new technologies or processes to comply with environmental or safety standards, which can increase their expenses.
  2. Reduced innovation: Some people believe that regulations can stifle innovation and entrepreneurship, as businesses may be hesitant to invest in new products or technologies that could be subject to strict regulations. This can limit the potential for new businesses to emerge and grow.
  3. Slowed job growth: Regulations can increase the cost of doing business, which can lead to reduced hiring and slower job growth. This can be particularly challenging for small businesses that may not have the resources to comply with regulatory requirements.
  4. Reduced competition: Regulations can sometimes create barriers to entry for new businesses, which can reduce competition and limit economic growth. This can be particularly true in industries that are heavily regulated, such as healthcare and finance.
  5. Reduced trade: Regulations can make it more difficult for businesses to operate in international markets, as they may face additional regulatory requirements and trade barriers. This can limit economic growth and reduce opportunities for businesses to expand their operations.

It is important to note that regulations can also have benefits, such as protecting consumers and the environment, promoting fair competition, and fostering innovation. It’s essential to strike a balance between regulatory requirements and economic growth to ensure that businesses can thrive while also protecting public health and safety. 

The U.S. Standards System effectively provides a “shadow government” that runs parallel to the elected government so that a balance of informed voices are present in formulating what Montesquieu called the “necessary laws”.   See our ABOUT.

More

NIST: Procedures for the Development of American National Standards

ANSI Essential Requirements: Due process requirements for American National Standards

Office of Management & Budget Circulars in Numerical Sequence

MIT Chapel,1954

Eero Saarinen‘s MIT Chapel is widely regarded as a masterpiece of modernist architecture and has been praised by architectural critics for its innovative design and spiritual atmosphere. Here are some examples of what critics have written about the chapel:

Ada Louise Huxtable, writing in The New York Times in 1955, described the chapel as a “sacred space of rare and exceptional quality” and praised its “dramatic contrasts of light and dark, scale and detail, intensity and serenity.”

Vincent Scully, writing in Architectural Forum in 1956, called the chapel “a consummate work of art” and praised Saarinen’s use of light and form to create a “subtle and mysterious” atmosphere.

Reyner Banham, writing in New Society in 1964, described the chapel as “an object of timeless quality” and praised its “radiant luminescence” and “clear and quiet” spatial qualities.

Paul Goldberger, writing in The New York Times in 2003, called the chapel “one of the great architectural treasures of the 20th century” and praised its “perfectly balanced” combination of light, color, and texture.

Overall, critics have praised the MIT Chapel for its innovative design, its spiritual atmosphere, and its skillful use of light and form. The chapel is considered one of Saarinen’s most important works and a landmark of modernist architecture.

MIT Visual Arts Center

Our Short Documentary: Meral Ekincioglu, Ph.D

Interview: David Adjaye at MIT

Reconstructing the MIT Chapel

Standards Massachusetts

International Existing Building Code

Encourages the use and reuse of existing buildings. This code covers repair, alteration, addition and change of occupancy for existing buildings. and historic buildings, while achieving appropriate levels of safety without requiring full compliance with the new construction requirements contained in the other I-Codes. Key changes in the 2021 IEBC® include:

    • For storm shelters, the required occupant capacity is now limited to the total occupant load of the classrooms, vocational rooms and offices in the school while the maximum distance of travel was deleted.
    • When significant portions of a building’s exterior wall coverings or exterior wall envelope are added or replaced, they must comply with the requirements of Chapters 14 and 26 of the IBC.
    • Snow loads must be addressed during repair of substantial structural damage regardless of whether the damage was a result of snow.
    • Additions, Level 3 alterations and Changes of occupancy in Educational occupancies are now required to meet the enhanced classroom acoustic requirements of Section 808 of ICC A117.1.
    • Additional equipment may be added to a roof without a full structural analysis when the equipment weighs less than 400 pounds and is less than 10 percent of the total roof dead load.
    • With a change of occupancy, a seismic analysis is required for a Group S or Group U occupancy changing to a new occupancy.
    • Furniture, such as office cubicles, reception desks or smaller bookcases, are exempt from a permit and not intended to be a Level 2 alteration.
    • Sprinkler requirements for Level 2 and Level 3 alterations are revised for higher hazard areas.

Sacred Spaces

Graduation, Dating, Engagements, Weddings, Births & Obituaries

Weddings

 

 

Nine years later and first day as husband and wife they got to finally sneak a kiss in one of the first places they ever passed notes

Hun School Of Princeton

“…I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” –W.B. Yeats | ‘He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven’

“Nature’s Masterpiece”

Several colleges and universities have “kissing benches” or similar traditions tied to romance on campus.

Michigan State University Beaumont Tower: Nick and Myra Kanillopoulos

Syracuse University. Kissing Bench: This bench on the Quad is steeped in tradition. Legend has it that if a couple kisses on the bench, they will eventually marry. Conversely, if a single person sits there alone, they risk staying single forever.

University of Idaho.  Hello Walk and Kissing Rock: While not a bench, this area on campus features a large rock where students have historically kissed. It’s a romantic tradition for couples at the university.

Florida State University Kissing Bench

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Clemson University Lover’s Lane

Illinois State University

University of Cambridge: St. John’s College Bridge of Sighs

University of Oxford: The Bridge of Sighs

University of Bath Somerset County: Sham Castle

Weddings

Sport News

Sport Standards

 

 

Mixed Gender Sport by Design

Engineering in Sport



 

Winter Sport

Timon of Athens

The Oxford Union Debating Society, founded in 1823, is one of the world’s most prestigious debating societies, affiliated with the University of Oxford. It has hosted numerous influential speakers and debates, including historical figures like Winston Churchill and Malcolm X. Over the years, it has played a vital role in shaping public discourse and fostering critical thinking among students. The society’s iconic debating chamber and rich tradition of lively debates have made it an enduring institution in the world of debate and public speaking.

“In an era of cancellation and defenestration we sometimes forget that we both cannot go on like this and that we have been here before. We know this because our greatest writers and artists have addressed this question in their own times.

When Roger [Scrouton] was going through his own battle with the shallows I often thought of Shakespeare’s rarely performed but great play Timon of Athens. Timon has the whole world before him. He is surrounded by friends and admirers. He is generous to all. Yet he falls on hard times and when he does absolutely everybody deserts him. He is left with nothing and nobody, and risks being filled with despair and rage. It does not help that he is shadowed by the cynical philosopher Apemantus, who has warned him that just such a desertion might occur.”

— Douglas Murray

 

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888-746-3670

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