When: Friday, November 7, 3:00 PM
Where: Tyler 055

Abstract:
This presentation introduces Boston University’s Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Framework, an open-source, low-code platform developed by the Software & Application Innovation Lab (SAIL) to make large language model (LLM)–powered applications accessible, reproducible, and secure across academic environments.

The framework can integrate seamlessly with university research computing infrastructure, allowing researchers, faculty, and students to create and deploy their own RAG-based AI tools while maintaining full control over data privacy and compliance. It combines a curated repository of open-source components (such as vector databases, model interfaces, and authentication modules) with a standardized architecture that accelerates deployment and reduces technical barriers.

Bio:
William J. Tomlinson, Ph.D., is the Director of the Software & Application Innovation Lab (SAIL) at Boston University’s Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering. A visionary technology executive and servant leader, Dr. Tomlinson brings over a decade of experience in software, hardware, and AI-integrated systems development.

At BU, Tomlinson leads a multidisciplinary engineering team advancing research-driven innovation through production-grade software solutions, open-source frameworks, and scalable AI infrastructure. Previously, he served as Principal Engineer and Group Leader for the Embedded & Communication Systems Group at Draper Laboratory, where he directed multimillion-dollar programs in wireless communications and mission-critical systems. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Northeastern University, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University.