Archived newsletters can be found here.

This week we highlight Farhad De Sousa. Farhad’s research started with work with Professor Jacob Bien in Marshall, developing a statistical machine learning method for oceanographers studying microbial marine ecosystems; preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06051. Farhad’s most recent project (with Professor Bien and Professor Arash Amini of UCLA) deals with the question of how to leverage an LLM’s vast knowledge in the context of prediction problems. He studies how to incorporate large language model (LLM) knowledge to improve predictions without sacrificing data privacy or prediction interpretability. His formulation extends the notion of Gaussian process regression to this new setting, while retaining favorable properties such as amenability to uncertainty quantification and active learning. In a wide range of applications, his method outperforms predictions that use only real data or only LLM information.

After a successful summer internship at Goldman Sachs, Farhad received a full-time offer and will join the firm in January 2027 as a Quantitative Strategist at its global headquarters in New York City, where he will work on portfolio optimization.

The course discusses the circuit model for quantum computers, and concepts are explained using an idealized model for quantum computers that abstracts away from the physics of the devices. The course focuses on understanding the sources of possible advantage that quantum computers have over classical computers, the complexity of quantum algorithms, and the building blocks that are used in the development of quantum optimization algorithms.

The final grade is based on homework (theoretical questions + coding questions in Qiskit) and a final project that requires coding (also in Qiskit).

The course is offered approximately every two years. Interested students should discuss their course plan with their advisor.

A sample syllabus is available at the following link:

https://usc.simplesyllabus.com/doc/3h5yzcyg6/Spring-2027-ISE-612-31787-Quantum-Optimization-Algorithms?mode=view

USC Dornsife invites applications for our 2027-2029 cohort of Dornsife fellows with a start date of August 16, 2027. Each year Dornsife will admit six fellows, who are appointed for one two-year term during which they teach five General Education seminars per academic year. They are expected to reside in the Los Angeles area during the academic year and to participate in the scholarly life of the Dornsife Ph.D. Academy, the host department, and the university. The salary for fellows is $80,000 per year plus fringe benefits.

The course topics for General Education seminars fall in the areas of Arts, Humanistic Inquiry, Social Analysis, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Quantitative Reasoning. The General Education Program is designed to provide undergraduate students with the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of a globalized world and the demands of a satisfying personal life. 

To apply for the 2027-2029 cohort, candidates must have received their PhD from a USC Dornsife department or program within the last five years and must have completed their doctoral degree by August 15, 2027. Applicants from all disciplines and fields are encouraged to apply.

In order to be considered for this position, applicants are required to submit an electronic USC application; follow this job link or paste in a browser: https://usccareers.usc.edu/job/los-angeles/dornsife-fellows-in-general-education/1209/101416127552 .

To apply, please submit:

The deadline to apply is December 4, 2026. Further inquiries can be routed to Richard Fliegel, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, fliegel@usc.edu.

Every summer, SLMath organizes several summer graduate schools (usually two weeks each), some of which are held at SLMath and others at partner institutions around the world. Attending one of these schools can be a very motivating and exciting experience for a student; participants have often said that it was the first experience where they felt like real mathematicians, interacting with other students and mathematicians in their field.

For more information: https://www.slmath.org/summer-schools

Internal applications are due by November 15 

You can access the application form here: https://forms.gle/hkdf3MSfkYxdNKCL9

Your demographic information is requested by SLMath and will not affect our selection of nominees for this program. 

The Rockwell Dennis Hunt Scholastic Award honors USC graduate students whose undergraduate degree is from USC. The $5,000 award is bestowed at the USC Honors Convocation. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Competitive candidates will demonstrate the following:

Applications are due through the Graduate School by Monday, November 16, 2026 at 11:59pm.

The online application can be found by clicking here.

One letter of recommendation must be included with the online application by Monday, November 16, 2026 at 11:59pm.