[CS] Matt Baughman Dissertation Defense/Jul 15, 2025

[via cs]

This is an announcement of Matt Baughman's Dissertation Defense.
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Candidate: Matt Baughman

Date: Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Time:  3 pm CST

Remote Location: https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/8998852780?pwd=M2dZVnlGQVYrc2FIbXNJdURpQXJjQT09

Location: JCL 298

Title: Corralling the Computing Continuum: Enabling Multi-System Workflows with Serverless Computing

Abstract: The computing continuum describes the convergence of global compute infrastructure as network bandwidths increase. To mobilize that infrastructure, we need to create a system that ties these diverse resources together—we need to corral the computing continuum.

This effort began with task-wise solutions, addressing different components of task placement—profiling, predicting, and provisioning. These individual solutions enabled an early system that took into account compute costs, workload execution profiles, and the ability to move compute tasks between systems. We combined and extended these works into a more robust task scheduling system called DELTA and its successor DELTA+. These systems incorporated notions of task execution time, data transfer costs, and machine performance but could not be used on batch scheduled systems or in multi-node environments.

While compute is the currency of the future, there is no unified way to access that currency. To fill this gap, we introduce Adaptive Task Management (ATM)—a framework that acts as a multi-system task manager, mapping tasks to the many resources that comprise the continuum. ATM is designed on top of the Globus Compute framework, using existing infrastructure from edge devices to batch-scheduled HPC systems. ATM includes a novel placement algorithm and novel monitoring and task management systems designed to accommodate both large batches of tasks as well as more complex DAG-based workflows.

To ground and evaluate the development of these frameworks, we explore the application of cost-aware principles in federated learning, material design and protein docking science applications, and in the performance optimization of serverless computing benchmarks.

Advisors: Ian Foster and Kyle Chard

Committee Members: Ian Foster, Kyle Chard, Omer Rana