Computer Architecture (Seminar and Proseminar)

This seminar covers cutting-edge and seminal research papers, focusing on fundamental research problems in the field of computer architecture. Relevant topics include: security and reliability of microarchitecture, memory, and storage, new and emerging paradigms in computer architecture (e.g., data-centric processing), energy efficiency, hardware/software co-design, and fault tolerance.

Organization

The course portal is for both seminar and proseminar students. Each week after the kick-off meeting, a critical review presentation will take place. All students are expected to read the relevant paper(s) and engage in the discussion. Throughout the semester, each student is expected to

• present the student’s own critical review of a paper or a set of papers,
• prepare discussion questions for the critical reviews of other students,
• proactively participate the discussion and brainstorming in all sessions,
• prepare a final report containing the student’s own critical review, enriched by the online and offline discussions and brainstorming.

A seminar student is expected to prepare an additional literature survey based on one of the critical reviews of other students. The literature survey should contain a summary of the other student’s critical review, an evaluation of the review, relevant online and offline discussions, a summary of the relevant works other than the presented paper(s), and outstanding fundamental research challenges at the cutting-edge. Students may choose paper(s) from the provided list or propose alternative papers, subject to approval. Each student must submit a ranked list of preferences in decreasing order of priority. Papers will be assigned by considering students’ highest available preference, following a first-come, first-served policy based on submission time. Critical reviews should follow the structure that will be explained in the first lecture (kick-off meeting), including: a thorough summary of the paper, list of strengths, list of weaknesses, student’s takeaways from the paper, detailed discussions on weaknesses, and future research-oriented discussions.

Important Dates

• Kick off meeting and example critical review: Week 1
• Submission of paper preferences and matching: Week 2
• Submission of reports: Week 6
• Submission of report revisions: the last day of classes
• Submission of literature surveys: two weeks before the last day of grades

Grading

	Proseminar Students	Seminar Students
Presentation of the Critical Review	50%	40%
Active Participation in Discussion	30%	20%
Final Report	20%	10%
Literature Survey	0%	30%
BONUS: Literature Survey*	10%	10%

* Collecting BONUS points is possible only if the student satisfactorily delivers the presentation, participates in discussions, and delivers the final report.