IEEE Orange County PES/IAS Chapter's ExCom meeting

All IEEE OC PES/IAS Chapter members are requested to attend this meeting. 

To AVOID unauthorized attendance you MUST REGISTER for this event so that you can be sent the meeting link.

The zoom link is given below: 

Topic: IEEE OC PES/IAS ExCom meeting
Time: Jan 7, 2026 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://tae.zoom.us/j/83804256588?pwd=5YniQinXLBPc7dqnRArrhPlbVA7FSN.1

Meeting ID: 838 0425 6588
Passcode: 554927

Kick Meeting by Execom to discuss :

1. Elections

2. Best Practices

3. Budget

4. Annual Reporting

5. Training Requirements?

6. Any Miscellaneous Matter?

We are live hosting an IEEE CTSoc (Consumer Technology Society) event at the Advanced Engineering Building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Please register to attend the event on-line.

Abstract: This event is an interactive panel examining the impact and challenges of AI on consumer technology products, especially smart health devices and their ecosystems. The panel will feature corporate executives, as follows:

• Praveen Raja, VP Digital Health, Samsung
• Miguel Adao, CEO of Volersystems
• Adam Drobot, Chairman of the Board, OpenTechWorks, Inc.
• Paolo Bonato, Director, Motion Analysis Lab, Spaulding Rehabilitation
• Michael Condry, Former CTO, Intel Corporation (retired)
• Stuart Lipoff (Moderator), President, IP Action Partners

As vehicles become increasingly software-defined, advanced driver-assistance and autonomous systems must perform reliably across diverse environments and interact safely with a dynamic real world. Traditional validation methods, such as road testing and closed-course evaluations are often too slow, costly, and limited in coverage to keep pace with modern development demands. To validate today’s highly complex, machine learning–driven software architectures, simulation has evolved from a testing tool into a core development platform.

In this talk, the invited speaker Mr. Shuhan Yang will explore how simulation can be architected and applied to accelerate the design, validation, and deployment of advanced driver-assistance and autonomous technologies. Drawing from experience across multiple AV platforms, he’ll walk through key types of simulation—from perception sensor modeling to behavioral and decision-making validation—and offer practical guidance on integrating simulation into the product development lifecycle. He will also highlight current limitations and challenges that engineers should be aware of.

Finally, the talk will cover how simulation boosts confidence across development stages, improves system performance, and reduces both time and cost to deployment. As global competition in software-defined mobility intensifies, these capabilities underscore the growing importance of scalable and rigorous validation frameworks. Attendees will leave with a practical approach for selecting and applying simulation methods that align with their technical and organizational needs.

Are you new to volunteering with IEEE or in an unfamiliar position?  This training session will introduce you to the organization, region leadership (we're here to help!), share important dates and activities, and share what the Region 4/6 Joint Operating Committee Meeting (Opcom) will be like.  This is for section, chapter, and affinity group volunteers.  If this time does not work for you, there is another session on January 9th.

Additional sessions cover events and organization vitality (strong volunteers and serving your membership).

This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either.

The latter part of 20th century witnessed the rise of the compute utility made up of large-scale data centers housing densely-packed compute, storage and networking equipment. In the cyber age, data centers became modern day factories requiring megawatts of power for the information technology (IT) equipment, much like the process equipment in a factory of the machine age. Electrical energy supplied to the chips and systems in the data centers turned into multi-megawatts of heat energy which in turn required heat removal means. The active heat removal means also required power.

While many innovative measures have been used for heat removal and energy management in data centers, there is a substantial gap in application of the fundamentals of engineering when compared to the approaches taken by the contributors of the 19th and early 20th century machine age. As an example, machine age contributors performed exergy (2nd law of thermodynamics) analysis and deemed it necessary to build a hydro-electric plant as part of the design of an Aluminum factory. Indeed, the majority of data centers today rely on the power infrastructure built by our predecessors.

Given the inexorable trajectory of data centers strongly driven by AI, and associated demands on available energy, it is time we returned to such fundamentals, particularly given the environmental challenges. This talk will present a holistic approach that traces the energy flow from a power plant to a chip, and from the chip core to the cooling tower.

CHEERS OCEANEERS! January 2026

Our main presenter is Martin Beaulieu, PhD, who we know well as the former owner of Quantum Brewing, but this time he will be speaking to us about his latest venture in "Specialized Waste Management and Recycling".  Martin and one of his business partners, Stephanie Harrison, will talk about these 3 topics:

- Laboratory / biomedical waste management

- Car wash liquid waste management and recycling

- Plastic recycling

The companies' names are "All So Green" and "Bellini, Beaulieu & Co".

See detailed biographies for both presenters in the section below.

***

Welcome to the monthly event for the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (OES), San Diego Chapter, which is hosting this meeting jointly along with TMA BlueTech (The Maritime Alliance), and MTS (Marine Technology Society).

Please join us for the main presentation and also plenty of time for networking and friendly conversation about everything oceanic, engineering, science, Blue Tech, and more.  No need to be an IEEE or OES member, or TMA, or MTS.  Everyone is invited.

This month, we will be at Quantum Brewing again, a cool science-themed brewery founded by a biochemist.

No ticket required, but please order something for yourself from the brewery.

Please grab a bite from a nearby restaurant, which is okay to bring into the brewery per the owner.

The food and drinks are not being funded by the hosts.  Please open your own tab.

Professor Bin Yu from Zhejiang University will be presenting a Distinguished Lecturer Seminar titled "Nanoelectronics: Towards End of Scaling and Beyond" on Wednesday January 14th at 6:30PM. RSVP on week in advance for a headcount on food.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are emerging as transformative tools for the next generation of power system engineering and operations. The Electrical AI Copilot concept envisions an intelligent assistant that leverages LLMs to support grid engineers and operators in real time—enhancing decision-making, situational awareness, and automation. By integrating domain-specific data, operational procedures, and simulation tools, an Electrical AI Copilot can interpret technical queries, generate code for grid analysis, summarize reports, and even suggest optimal control or contingency actions. It serves as a bridge between human expertise and complex system intelligence, providing natural language interaction for tasks such as outage diagnosis, renewable dispatch planning, and protection coordination. Ultimately, this LLM-driven assistant aims to improve reliability, efficiency, and safety of power systems while enabling a new era of human–AI collaboration in the electric grid ecosystem. Finally, an ETAP electrical copilot demonstration will be presented.  

About the Speakers:

Ahmed Saber received his Ph.D. from the University of the Ryukyus, Japan, in 2007. He is currently the Vice President of Optimization and AI at ETAP R&D, USA, where he contributions to AI-driven methods, products, and systems for power system prediction, optimization, efficiency, sustainability, and operator assistance through large language models (LLMs). His pioneering research led to a novel deep learning-based model that improved load forecasting accuracy, CO2 estimation, efficiency, and operator support for power system optimization and sustainability. Dr. Saber’s research has received national and international funding, including support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). With over 100 technical publications and three patents on AI applications for power systems, his expertise spans AI/ML for power systems, smart grids, energy storage, renewables, power system forecasting and optimization, cybersecurity, real-time systems, and operations research.

TANUJ KHANDELWAL (Senior Member, IEEE) received the bachelor’s degree in electronics and telecommunications engineering from the University of Bombay, in 1999, and the master’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University Long Beach, in 2001. Before joining ETAP, he was an Associate Engineer with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has been working as an Electrical Engineer with the Engineering Consulting Services Department, ETAP, since 2001. His duties involve algorithm design, testing, engineering and software support, training, and application engineering for ETAP family of products. He is a Group Member of the IEEE Std. 739 (Bronze Book) and IEEE Std. 551 (Brown Book) and a member of the IEEE Rail Transit Vehicle Interface Standards Committee.

Strategic Planning

• Discuss opening a YP Bank account
• Starting a YP Website and/or a Discord
• Plan 4-6 events and how to fund them

This annual luncheon event celebrates IEEE San Diego Section and the contributions of its 2025 leaders with transitions to the 2026 officers.  The program begins on with a reception, followed by luncheon and awards.  Join us for this annual celebration and officer recognition.

Registration is complementary for invited honorees (2025 officers, including San Diego student branch chairs, and all of the past San Diego Section chairs) who pre-register. Each honoree may bring 1 guest if they pre-register.

For all other IEEE members and guests, for members and for student/life members.

SETI, or the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, attempts to answer one of humanity’s oldest questions: Are we alone in the universe?  While astronomers have devoted significant effort to finding exoplanets and trying to observe evidence of remote astro-biology, a parallel exploration involves observation of “technosignatures”, or radio signals that originate outside the solar system with characteristics suggesting an intelligent source.

In many ways radio SETI is a special class of communications problem in the realm of electrical engineering, with aspects of game theory in the mix.  Consider the challenges: the signal is unknown, and may be intentional (a beacon) or unintentional (involving navigation or communications).  The transmit frequency is unknown.  If a limited message is sent, the modulation will be unknown, and even if bits are produced, the message must be decoded.  Energy or geometry may limit persistence, so only a small fraction of observations in any pointing direction will have a chance at detection.  Without knowledge of the signal, matched filtering is not possible.  Link budgets may force limits on the signal bandwidth (narrowband tones) or time duration (pulse trains).

This talk will introduce the SETI problem and describe the scope of efforts underway in the radio SETI community.  Search strategies to maximize detection rate will be described, and narrowband SETI algorithms will be introduced.  In recent years, SETI search capabilities have vastly improved with the use of interferometric arrays covering GHz-class bandwidths, commensal observing, and the use of racks of GPU-enhanced servers, significantly raising the potential for new discoveries.

Happy New Year!

January is a good time to take a moment to reflect on our journey.
This event is for engineers to gather and share, hence, a place for birds-of-a-feather (BOF). No talk or lecture. Just sharing.

Come to Zippy's Vineyard for a casual round table to share our experiences.
Nothing is too big or small to share. It could be a memorable highlight or lowlight in our journey. It doesn't have to be career-related. Stories of triumph or scars are always welcome. Share a favorite memory or milestone.

Are there memories you would like to (or wish to) share with the younger professionals?
Maybe you are already sharing through your mentoring projects.
What do we wish the young(er) engineers know about their road ahead?

This is a no-host meeting. Zippy's is open till midnight.
Feel free to stay late. The parking is free!
             

Abstract:

Speaker:

Thursday January 22, 2026

11:30 AM: Networking, Pizza & Drinks

Noon -- 1 pm: Seminar

Please register on Eventbrite before 9:30 AM on Thursday January 22, 2026

IEEE members  non IEEE members

(discounts for unemployed and students )

Are you setting the vision for your section, chapter, or affinity group?  Do you wonder what success looks like for your section, chapter, affinity group, or members?  This can be very different based on situations.  We’ll take a high level look at what success looks like and then discuss different ways to engage your membership.  We will also cover how to recruit volunteers and help them succeed.  If this time does not work for you, there is another session on January 24th.

Additional sessions cover IEEE basics and events.

Are you setting the vision for your section, chapter, or affinity group?  Do you wonder what success looks like for your section, chapter, affinity group, or members?  This can be very different based on situations.  We’ll take a high level look at what success looks like and then discuss different ways to engage your membership.  We will also cover how to recruit volunteers and help them succeed.  If this time does not work for you, there is another session on January 23rd.

Additional sessions cover IEEE basics and events.

Abstract: Implantable microsystems are revolutionizing healthcare by enabling continuous monitoring, targeted therapy, and closed-loop interventions inside the human body. At the core of this innovation, electronics packaging ensures safe, reliable, and effective access to life-saving therapies. Miniaturization remains a major challenge, driven by demands for longevity, power autonomy, and regulatory constraints on changing device form factors.

Guided by Medtronic’s mission to contribute to human welfare by applying biomedical engineering to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life, we continue to advance packaging technologies that enable devices such as cardiac monitoring devices, pacemakers and defibrillators, spinal cord and deep brain neurostimulators, and wearable sensors. This talk will highlight emerging trends shaping next-generation implantable systems and examine future challenges—from biocompatibility and reliability to regulatory hurdles—that must be overcome to fully realize their potential.

Biography: Neha Patel is a Distinguished Engineer at Medtronic, where she leads innovation in implantable microsystems and advanced electronics packaging for medical devices. After spending a decade at Intel developing semiconductor packaging expertise, Neha transitioned to healthcare to apply that expertise toward improving patient outcomes. Driven by a passion for engineering solutions that make a meaningful difference, she continues to push boundaries in miniaturization and high-reliability design for next-generation medical implants.

Location: Macro Technology Works Building Conference Room 3654 (Google Maps)

Agenda:
Refreshments: 5:30-6:00pm
Seminar Talk: 6:00-7:00pm
MTW Tour: 7:00-7:30pm

The new year brings a rapidly shifting job landscape shaped by AI adoption, evolving skill demands, and changing expectations across industries. Whether you're just entering the workforce, navigating a mid-career pivot, or seeking renewed clarity in your professional direction, the 2026 job market requires agility, strategic positioning, and smart use of technology.

In this session, we explore how AI is transforming job searches and career development, from personal branding and skills mapping to tailoring resumes and preparing for interviews. We’ll discuss the realities of today’s talent market, what employers are looking for, and how professionals at every stage can stay competitive. Participants will gain actionable strategies for career progression, mid-career reinvention, and developing capabilities that align with emerging workplace trends.

This webinar sets the tone for the year ahead, equipping you to approach 2026 with confidence, clarity, and a roadmap for sustaining career momentum.

EXCOM Meeting for IEEE PES Seattle Officers 

Avionics

This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either.

What does it take to engineer a system that must run nonstop for years, without failure, inside the most hostile environment imaginable—the human body? In this talk, Ian Coll McEachern shares lessons from two decades designing Class III medical devices, surgical robotics, and most notably, contributing to the architecture and development of an artificial heart. Instead of focusing on any single invention, this talk reveals the methodology behind navigating extreme technical risk when dozens of tightly coupled subsystems must evolve simultaneously.

Ian will walk through a practical framework for managing complexity: identifying unknowns early, building parallel test beds, using simulation to reduce risk before fabrication, and validating assumptions through rapid physical prototyping. Attendees will see how constraints—size, power, fluids, mechanics, biocompatibility, and reliability—become a forcing function for innovation rather than a barrier, and how disciplined iteration beats brute force engineering every single time.

While rooted in life-critical medical devices, these principles apply far beyond healthcare. Whether designing robotics, storage hardware, automation systems, or high-reliability consumer products, this presentation will present a field-tested roadmap for tackling daunting engineering challenges, orchestrating cross-domain complexity, and building systems that must not fail.

Although the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) only recently became effective in California on January 1, 2026, the 2026 NEC was already published in September 2025.  Highlights of the 2026 NEC will be covered including new requirements for arc-flash labeling, load calculations, 10-ampere branch circuits, engineering for marinas and EVSE changes, as well as industry trends that are driving NEC changes.

The theme of the NWESS 2026 conference is Powering Progress “Navigating a Transforming Utility Landscape”. 

NWESS 2026 is a 2 day symposium that focuses on a wide range of topics and provides information on how to best address some of the most pressing energy issues facing our region.

The symposium is an industry driven conference; the topics are suggested and voted on by the Industry. The symposium is a combination of presentations and discussions.

Key Note Speakers to open the conference 

• Michel Vargo, Puget Sound Energy

Topics to be presented at NWESS 2026 include:

• Risk Based Management (wildfire mitigation)
• Seismic Transformer Study
• Transformer Loading
• AI for Power Utilities by NVIDIA & NEETRAC
• Preparing for Middle Housing and EPRI Tool for Secondary Design
• Load Seer - Top Down and Bottom Up and how you plan for electrification and climate change
• Data Center Load Growth -The Opportunity, The Risk and the Reality
• Integrated Load Planning Study
• EPRI E-Roadmap Tool / NEVI
• The Grid Center for Reliable Electricity Delivery (GridCRED)

NWESS  is sponsored by the electric energy industry in the Pacific Northwest, the IEEE and the Electrical Energy program at the University of Washington.

University of Washington, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Bonneville Power Administration

Electric Power Systems Inc

Snohomish County PUD

Puget Sound Energy

Seattle City Light

Peninsula Light

Tacoma Power