Time and Location: Tuesday/Thursday 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM, Rice Hall 032
Instructor: Adwait Jog (Website)
Office hours: Tuesday/Thursday 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM, Rice 501
Email: ajog@virginia.edu
Please keep checking this website for the latest information regarding this course.
This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the micro-architectural and architectural aspects of general-purpose graphics processing units (GPUs). It covers a range of top-tier architecture conference and journal papers to address key research challenges related to GPU architectures. Students will be evaluated through various assignments, including student presentations and paper review submissions. Additionally, they will be required to complete a semester-long research project.
Prerequisite(s): Background in computer organization and design is expected.
Breadth area coverage: Computer Systems
Class Attendance (In-person): 10%
Scribing: 10%
Homeworks (e.g., Paper Critiques, Programming depending on class enrollment): 25%
In-Class Presentations: 30%
Semester-long Research Project: 25%
The modality of this class is in-person. There is no plan to record lectures. There is also no plan to allow students to join the class virtually.
You are expected to attend all lectures in-person. If you cannot attend in person, please e-mail the course staff (ahead of time, if possible) with a reason (e.g., university-related travel, sick – please don't provide any specifics).
Course staff will be periodically taking attendance to have a record of your in-person attendance. As long as you attend at least 80% of classes in-person (exceptions listed below), no points will be deducted related to class attendance.
If you miss the class on the day of your presentation without sufficient notice, zero points will be awarded.
During the papers presentations, instructor will assign scribing duties to 1-2 students. Their job would be to summarize the class discussions and come up with a document that can be shared with the entire class.
Homeworks will include Paper Critiques. Deadline for the review submission is just before the class when the paper is scheduled to be discussed. Depending on the enrollment, homework may also include programming assignments.
Submission Format: Each critique should not exceed one-page (in the PDF format) and must consists of four sections: 1) paper summary (2-3 lines), 2) strengths (2-3 lines), 3) weaknesses (2-3 lines), and 4) comments (2-3 paras).
Each student will present a few papers throughout the semester (actual number will depend on the number of students enrolled in the class). When you present a paper, be prepared to answer a variety of questions asked by the instructor or other fellow students. Paper assignment will be done by the instructor.
It will give you a taste of computer architecture research. Please discuss with the instructor to decide on the project. Regular meetings are expected with the instructor so that progress can be made.
You can do the semester-long course project in a group of two or individually. Always describe your individual contributions to the project in the presentations and final report.
The final project report will be due in the finals week. Please use IEEE or ACM conference formats. The report length should not be more than 10 pages (excluding references).
Students will be also asked to do two project presentations during the entire semester: mid-term presentation and final presentation.
Materials: We will primarily use UVA Canvas for delivering and submitting materials. Piazza (link available on Canvas) will be used for course announcements and discussions. Gradescope (link available on Canvas) will be used for submissions.
Help: It is important to start working early on project and other deliverables. If you need help, show up during office hours or ask questions in or after the class. You are also highly encouraged to use Piazza to ask questions.
Programming Massively Parallel Processors: A Hands-on Approach, Hwu, Kirk, and El Hajj, 4th Edition (link)
NVIDIA CUDA C Programming Guide (link)
General-Purpose Graphics Processing Architectures, Aamodt, Fung, Rogers. (link)
Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach, Hennessy and Patterson, Sixth Edition. (link)
Computer Organization and Design, Patterson & Hennessey, 2nd Edition (RISC-V Edition). (link)
Digital Design and Computer Architecture, Harris & Harris, RISC-V Edition.
The university, school, and department policies against academic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
Students are required to follow the UVA Honor Code. More details can be found here.
The ethical use of artificial intelligence technologies is strictly at the discretion of the instructor and is otherwise prohibited without the instructor's explicit written or verbal permission. Artificial Intelligence tools may not be cited as authors, though the tools used must be fully disclosed as a source along with the capacity in which they were used. All outputs of artificial intelligence, both explicitly used and as inspiration in one’s submission, must be properly cited to its appropriate source.
It is my goal to create a learning experience that is as accessible as possible. If you anticipate any issues related to the format, materials, or requirements of this course, please meet with me outside of class so we can explore potential options. Students with disabilities may also wish to work with the Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) to discuss a range of options to removing barriers in this course, including official accommodations. We are fortunate to have an SDAC advisor, Courtney MacMasters, physically located in Engineering. You may email her at to schedule an appointment. For general questions please visit the SDAC website. If you have already been approved for accommodations through SDAC, please send me your accommodation letter and meet with me so we can develop an implementation plan together.
It is the University's long-standing policy and practice to reasonably accommodate students so that they do not experience an adverse academic consequence when sincerely held religious beliefs or observances conflict with academic requirements.
Students who wish to request academic accommodation for a religious observance should submit their request to me by email as far in advance as possible. Students who have questions or concerns about academic accommodations for religious observance or religious beliefs may contact the University’s Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) at UVAEOCR@virginia.edu or 434-924-3200.
The University of Virginia is dedicated to providing a safe and equitable learning environment for all students. If you or someone you know has been affected by power-based personal violence, more information can be found on the UVA Sexual Violence website that describes reporting options and resources available.
The same resources and options for individuals who experience sexual misconduct are available for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. UVA prohibits discrimination and harassment based on age, color, disability, family medical or genetic information, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. UVA policy also prohibits retaliation for reporting such behavior.
If you witness or are aware of someone who has experienced prohibited conduct, you are encouraged to submit a report to Just Report It or contact EOCR, the office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights.
If you would prefer to disclose such conduct to a confidential resource where what you share is not reported to the University, you can turn to Counseling & Psychological Services (“CAPS”) and Women’s Center Counseling Staff and Confidential Advocates (for students of all genders).
As your professor and as a person, know that I care about you and your well-being and stand ready to provide support and resources as I can. As a faculty member, I am a responsible employee, which means that I am required by University policy and by federal law to report certain kinds of conduct that you report to me to the University's Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX Coordinator's job is to ensure that the reporting student receives the resources and support that they need, while also determining whether further action is necessary to ensure survivor safety and the safety of the University community.
Engaging in your career development is an important part of your student experience. For example, presenting at a research conference, attending an interview for a job or internship, or participating in an extern/shadowing experience are not only necessary steps on your path but are also invaluable lessons in and of themselves. I wish to encourage and support you in activities related to your career development. To that end, please notify me by email as far in advance as possible to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
You have many resources available to you when you experience academic or personal stresses. In addition to your professor, the School of Engineering and Applied Science has staff members located in Thornton Hall who you can contact to help manage academic or personal challenges. Please do not wait until the end of the semester to ask for help!
The Center for Diversity in Engineering (CDE) is a student space dedicated to advocating for underrepresented groups in STEM. It exists to connect students with the academic, financial, health, and community resources they need to thrive both at UVA and in the world. The CDE includes an open study area, event space, and staff members on site. Through this space, we affirm and empower equitable participation toward intercultural fluency and provide the resources necessary for students to be successful during their academic journey and future careers.
The majority of the course materials used in this course are adapted from the courses taught by several faculty members. We thank Mary. J. Irwin (Penn State), Chita Das (Penn State), Yuan Xie (Penn State), N. Vijaykrishnan (Penn State), Onur Mutlu (ETH/CMU), Tor Aamodt (UBC) for their contributions and or feedback. Also, thanks to Elsevier and book authors for making their slides and other materials available here, here, here, and here.