Week 4

Welcome back to week 4! On Monday, our group started implementing the multifidelity greedy algorithm in Python. This algorithm chooses the best combination of expensive and cheap sensors by iteratively adding sensors that maximize value and information gain within a fixed budget. We did a lot of tests with this algorithm throughout the week, and debugged the code along the way as well. We played around with the noise levels of each sensor, as well as their cost and budget, and took note of any trends. On Tuesday, we wrote the methods section of our paper for the seminar workshop this week. For the purpose of the exercise, we wrote the section on the greedy algorithm, but Arvind, our project advisor, told us that for our actual paper, we wouldn't have a methods section since our project is more focused on developing an algorithm. For lunch on Tuesday, our group and two of our other friends went out for $1 tacos that were served out of a school bus! It was a really cool concept and the tacos were delicious! I loved the whole setup and food, and we will definitely be going back.

Frito's Burgers and Tacos!

On Wednesday, we had our writing seminar on how to write the methods section of a paper. We submitted our methods paper the night before, so the next day we all read each other's section and gave feedback. On Thursday, since it was Juneteenth, Arvind gave us the choice of coming in to work or not. So we decided to come in late at 12 and do a half day. It was definitely nice to sleep in on a weekday. For lunch we met up with another group at a Mexican restaurant and then headed in for work at 1pm. After all the work we have been doing, it was a well-deserved short work day. On Friday, we continued testing the greedy algorithm and also compared it against random selection (the method we used last week with the SST data). In the afternoon, we attended a graduate student panel. All the grad students working on our projects attended the panel to answer any questions and share their experiences and advice for undergrads. It was a really helpful session! After that we had our weekly tea/coffee in the math lounge as usual, and then the social activity. This week, we played guess the song. We split into two groups and we were given a snippet of a song where we had to guess the title and artist. My roommate, Maya, definitely carried our team with her music knowledge! On Saturday, some of us went to the State farmers market. It was packed and hot, but it was nice to walk around and buy some fresh veggies and fruits! We also had lunch at the farmers market restaurant where they offered southern breakfast and lunch (the biscuits were delicious!). After that, we all went back to our apartments, and then met up again at night for a movie. This time we actually went to a movie theater! I hadn’t been to a movie theater in a long time, so I was excited. We watched How to Train Your Dragon (the live action one), and it was a good movie! After the movie, we decided to do a late night Taco Bell run and then called it a night.

State Farmer's Market!

Thanks for reading!

Gaby