Silicon Valley Engineering Council

2025 April SCV WIE ExCom Meeting
2025-04-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479105
2025 April SCV WIE ExCom Meeting – Zoom
Agenda:
1) New Member Introductions
2) Upcoming Key Events
– Prompt Engineering: Making the most out of LLMs (co-host with the CS Chapter) on Apr 16, 2025 at 6 pm
– IEEE WIE ILC in San Jose on May 15, 16 2025
– IEEE SCV WIE AI Summit 2025 on May 21 2025
– IEEE SCV WIE April ExCom on Apr 24, 2025
– vTools Updates
Shweta Behere – member
Ipsita Mohanty – member
Hazel Stoiber – member
Sreyashi Das – member
Sue Delafuente – member
Tamra Smith-Wasel – non-member
Shalini Rao – member
Agenda:
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479105

Patented tech for high-speed, high-res insights into network infrastructures
Valley Research Park, 319 N Bernardo Ave, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
LOCATION ADDRESS (Hybrid, in person or by zoom, you choose)
Valley Research Park
319 North Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA CA 93043
If you want to join remotely, you can submit questions via Zoom Q&A. The zoom link:
https://acm-org.zoom.us/
Join via YouTube:
https://youtube.com/live/
AGENDA
6:30 Door opens, food and networking (we invite honor system contributions)
**7:00** SFBayACM upcoming events, introduce the speaker
7:15 speaker presentation starts
8:15 – 8:30 finish, depending on Q&A
Join SF Bay ACM Chapter for an insightful discussion on:
Abstract
Quantea began as a pioneer in **network traffic data analytics**, leveraging our **patented technology** to deliver high-speed, high-resolution insights into network data traffic. Over the years, this core expertise Quantea has evolved to optimize **AI workload performance monitoring** and support **advanced intrusion detection systems**, ensuring robust security for modern AI enterprises. Its mission is to *“Democratize AI for All.”*
Today, Quantea stands as a leading provider of **AI infrastructure**, offering end-to-end solutions that include:
* **High-performance storage** for seamless data handling,
* **Advanced networking** for uninterrupted data flow,
* **Robust security measures** to protect critical AI workloads, and
* **Continuous monitoring** to maximize performance and scalability.
Whether you’re looking to accelerate AI training, deploy real-time inferencing, or safeguard sensitive data, Quantea’s scalable solutions are tailored to meet the demands of modern businesses.
*Join us in redefining AI infrastructure—accessible, secure, and built for the future.*
Speaker Bio:
Nan Liu, Founder and CEO of Quantee. With over 25 years of experience in IT, software, networking, cybersecurity, and data storage, Nan Liu is proud to serve as the CEO of **Quantea**, a trailblazing company in network packet data analytics for AI infrastructure. his mission is simple yet impactful: to *“Democratize AI for All.”* Quantea is empower businesses of all sizes to own AI training and inferencing clusters that are **affordable, scalable, and customized to their unique needs**—because his believe that cutting-edge AI infrastructure should be accessible to every enterprise ready to harness its transformative potential.
Beyond technology, Nan Liu has a deep passion for **classical music and film scores**, finding inspiration in their artistry. He is also an enthusiast of **martial arts**, which keeps him grounded and disciplined as he navigate the fast-paced world of innovation.
**Michael Francisco** is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Quantea Corporation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University. Since co-founding Quantea in 2011, he has led the development of cutting-edge network packet capture and analysis technologies, earning a U.S. patent. Under his leadership, Quantea has served prominent clients such as FedEx, CarMax, Softbank, NTT Docomo, Fujitsu, and Singapore Telecom.
Michael has successfully integrated Quantea’s proprietary network performance monitoring and intrusion detection technology into AI training and inferencing infrastructures. This innovative approach enhances AI processing speed and security, positioning Quantea as a strong alternative to traditional cloud-based and proprietary infrastructure solutions.
Outside of his work at Quantea, Michael serves as president of the Union City Tennis Club and is a board member of the Fremont, Union City, and Newark Rotary Clubs. He is also a part of a team that will complete their first Spartan Race.
—
Valley Research Park is a coworking research campus of 104,000 square feet hosting 30+ life science and technology companies. VRP has over 100 dry labs, wet labs, and high power labs sized from 125-15,000 square feet. VRP manages all of the traditional office elements: break rooms, conference rooms, outdoor dining spaces, and recreational spaces.
As a plug-and-play lab space, once companies have secured their next milestone and are ready to expand, VRP has 100+ labs ready to expand into.
https://www.valleyresearchpark.com/

Power Without Pain: High Power MMIC PA Design, the Pitfalls and how to Avoid Them
2025-04-16 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/472102
This presentation discusses high power monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier (PA) design in Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Gallium Nitride (GaN). At a high level, GaN versus GaAs semiconductor technology from the perspective of power amplifier design metrics is analyzed to help determine the relative advantages and disadvantages of each technology. This is followed with an introduction of the most prevalent MMIC design topologies for the bulk of microwave applications which include reactively matched, non-uniform distributed, balanced, push-pull, Doherty and serially combined. Following introduction of the main topologies, the presentation focuses on the potential pitfalls the MMIC designer can encounter with detailed discussion on how to avoid them with the goal of first past design success. The presentation relies on experience from the author’s career with over 20 years of experience in the defense and commercial industries as well as academia. MMIC designers will appreciate the candid explanation of the design topologies and pitfalls while non-designers will come away with a good working knowledge of what can be achieved and what to watch out for.
Speaker(s): , Michael
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/472102

Prompt Engineering: Making the most out of LLMs
2025-04-16 18:00 - 20:30 (US/Pacific) | Room: Aspire, Bldg: A, ServiceNow, 2225 Lawson Lane, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95054, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/476534
Synopsis: Speakers are the authors of https://www.manning.com/books/prompt-engineering-in-action.
LLMs are in every part of our lives. They play a vital role in increasing productivity, improving creativity, and bridging the technology gap between different industries. Hard-to-optimize problems have today become when to optimize because the technology is readily available. In this talk, we will look at different aspects of Prompt Engineering, including templates, techniques, and patterns that you can use while interacting with models. We will also walk through advanced techniques such as RAG and show how implementing these can solve some limitations and real-world problems that we face today. LLMs are transforming industries by enhancing productivity, fostering creativity, and bridging technological gaps. As AI capabilities expand, the challenge is no longer whether problems can be optimized but how to optimize effectively. This talk explores the principles of Prompt Engineering, covering key templates, techniques, and patterns to enhance model interactions. We will dive into advanced strategies like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and show their real-world applications in overcoming LLM limitations.
Attendees will walk away with actionable insights to harness the full potential of LLMs in their workflows.
Speaker(s): Dr. Vishnu S. Pendyala, Shivendra Srivastava , Naresh Vurukonda
Room: Aspire, Bldg: A, ServiceNow, 2225 Lawson Lane, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95054, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/476534

General Meeting
2025-04-16 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-09 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-02 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 170, Bldg: SSB, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, California, United States, 95343
General meetings have members divide into project groups.
This meeting will have members work on the e-bike project.
Agenda:
Meeting slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1cxReuKa8BndIa0S79J3uuAGumdFhB0AkSKqupEiRmlI/edit?usp=sharing
Room: 170, Bldg: SSB, 5200 Lake Rd, Merced, California, United States, 95343

Personal Technology Open Discussion and Lunch
2025-04-16 11:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg, Livermore, CA, United States
Join with other Life Member Affiliate Group members for a social outing with lunch and a moderated discussion where you can share your experiences with technologies including such topics as:
a. bit coins, uses and problems
b. devices for energy efficiency including solar systems
c. video surveillance uses and systems
d. how are you using AI for security, travel planning, financial management, irrigation management?
e. and anything else
Agenda:
Meeting and included lunch. Buffet or order from menu depending on upon the number of registrants. Subsidized fee for OEB Life Members is $20, for IEEE non-members the fee is $35.
Bldg: Golf Course Restaurant, Beeb's Sports Bar and Grill, 915 Clubhouse Drive, Livermore, California, United States

Towards Long-Form Video Representation Learning : Sparse Representations, Leveraging Domain knowledge and Video-Large Language Models
2025-04-15 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/478569
In this talk, Dr Subarna Tripathi, will share exciting advancements from her research group, Visual Algorithm Research, at Intel Labs. In her own words… "in the first part of my talk, I will cover several video representations methods such as sparse graphs and sparse transformers that are equipped with long-form reasoning capability. In the second part, I will focus on our research addressing egocentric use cases and several associated algorithmic advancements. I will conclude with our recent work around video large language models".
Co-sponsored by: Media Partner: Open Research Institute (ORI)
Speaker(s): Dr. Subarna Tripathi
Agenda:
– Invited talk from Dr. Subarna Tripathi, research scientist at (https://intelailabpage.github.io/), working in computer vision and machine learning.
– Q/A Session
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/478569

GrantForward Information Session (Biomedical Sciences)
2025-04-15 17:00 - 18:00 UTC
Are you looking for funding opportunities that align with your research? Join us for an interactive information session on GrantForward, a powerful funding database designed to streamline your grant search and pre-award planning.
This session will provide a comprehensive overview of GrantForward’s key features, including how to:
Search for grants using keywords/filters and get funding alertsReceive personalized grant recommendations based on your researcher profileAccess strategic funding insights on sponsors, upcoming grants, and award trends.Whether you’re new to GrantForward or looking to refine your search strategies, this session will equip you with the tools to make the most of this platform.
A Q&A session will follow to address specific questions.
Visit RDO’s website on Grantforward for more information.

AI User Conference
**Big News! We’re Partnering with AI User Group Conference 2025 ????**
After the success of last year’s event, AI User Group is back with a three-day conference dedicated to practical AI applications for marketers, designers, and developers.
???? Fort Mason, San Francisco
???? April 15-17, 2025
As a partner, we’re thrilled to offer exclusive benefits for our community:
✅ Free Visitor Pass (Main Stage & Expo Access) – Lu.ma [Day 1](https://lu.ma/aiuc25-marketer-day?coupon=UNLOCKNOW), [Day 2](https://lu.ma/aiuc25-designer-day?coupon=UNLOCKNOW), [Day 3](https://lu.ma/aiuc25-developer-day?coupon=UNLOCKNOW)
✅ 50% Off Pro Pass (Workshops + Recordings) – Eventbrite ([single or all days](http://www.eventbrite.com/e/1088288312639/?discount=UNLOCKNOW))
Don’t miss your chance to learn from top AI experts, discover cutting-edge tools, and connect with like-minded professionals.
???? Claim your spot today!

Technical Societies - What Are They and How Do I Participate?
Google Visitor Experience, Google Visitor Experience 2000 N Shoreline Blvd US,, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
**RSVP**
In-person, RSVP required (limited space), register at this link https://rsvp.withgoogle.com/events/technical-societies-what-are-they-and-how-do-i-participate (meetup is not a valid registration for this event)
**About**
**How can technology impact society? How can society impact technology?**
Join us for an informative session led by Ronald Petty, who is the President Chair of the [Internet Society](https://www.sfbayacm.org/) and the [Association for Computing Machinery](https://www.acm.org/) San Francisco Chapters. This event will teach you how to get involved in technical societies.
We will start by reviewing recent innovations to provide a context for understanding how knowledge is shared and institutionalized. From there, we will explore well-known technology-focused societies and groups, discussing their goals, opportunities, and the challenges they face.
You’ll learn how you can engage with these communities, contribute to technological advancements, and influence the future of technology. This event is open to anyone interested in becoming active in technical societies and shaping the future of tech.

SOM Course Management Basics workshop
2025-04-11 18:00 - 19:00 UTC
​​​​We will be thoroughly reviewing Phase 1.1 Course Maintenance and the required preparation for prior term copy; if you are unable to attend a recording will be emailed after completion of the workshop.

Disposable 3 Day Insulin Patches; Enabled by PNP SiGe Thermoelectrics
2025-04-10 11:30 - 13:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: ==> Use corner entrance: Kifer Road / San Lucar Court ==> Do not enter at main entrance on Kifer Road, EAG Labs, 810 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, California, California, United States, 95051
Disposable 3 Day Insulin Patches; Enabled by PNP SiGe Thermoelectrics
Abstract:
Disposable 3 Day Insulin Patches Enabled by PNP SiGe Thermoelectrics Driving a NanoCompressor based on Thermal Diffusion
Speaker:
Peter Garbuz
CEO of Torramics
AGENDA:
Thursday April 10, 2025
11:30 AM: Networking, Pizza & Drinks
Noon — 1 pm: Seminar
Please register on Eventbrite before 9:30 AM on Thursday April 10, 2025
$4 IEEE members $6 non IEEE members
(discounts for unemployed and students )
See examplesAdd
Co-sponsored by: SCV/OEB/SF Jt. Section Chapter,EP21
Bldg: ==> Use corner entrance: Kifer Road / San Lucar Court ==> Do not enter at main entrance on Kifer Road, EAG Labs, 810 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, California, California, United States, 95051

Bridging the Digital Divide – Teaching Internet Safety to the 65+ Community
2025-04-09 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Phoenix) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/477932
Our presenter this month will be Levia Nahary. Her presentation is entitled Bridging the Digital Divide – Teaching Internet Safety to the 65+ Community. Levia is a professional consultant specializing in community engagement and college consulting. She is an experienced expert in teaching Internet safety to older individuals who may not be well versed in the safe use of computers connected to the Internet.
Please note this event is at 7 PM MST on April 9th.
Presentation
Bridging the Digital Divide – Teaching Internet Safety to the 65+ Community
This talk will explore how to effectively teach internet safety to the 65+ community, focusing on two key areas:
1. The Four Core Habits for Staying Safe Online
• Using MFA, creating strong passwords, updating software, and identifying phishing—simple yet essential steps for online security.
2. Special Considerations When Teaching This Population
• Seniors have unique learning needs. We’ll cover strategies like simplifying language, using visual aids, reinforcing lessons through repetition, and making cybersecurity relevant to their daily activities.
We’ll also discuss how technical professionals can adjust their approach to communicate effectively with non-technical audiences. The goal is to empower seniors with confidence online while ensuring their safety.
The session will wrap up with ways IEEE members can contribute to digital safety education for older adults.
Speaker(s): Levia Nahary,
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/477932

Agentic AI: The Next Evolution of Generative AI
2025-04-08 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/471234
This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either.
Agentic AI, also known as Autonomous AI, is a type of AI that is able to independently design, execute, and optimize workflows. Its recent emergence marks a dramatic shift towards more autonomous, decision-making entities capable of planning, reasoning, and taking actions in complex environments.
In this talk, Prasad Venkatachar will explore the core distinctions between Generative AI (Gen AI) and Agentic AI, highlighting key characteristics, technological advancements, and applications across various industries. He will also delve into how it’s possible to navigate from passive content generation in Gen AI to active problem-solving intelligence. This is done using the core building blocks of the Agentic AI architecture by way of retrieval augmented generation (RAG), the leading technique for enhancing large language models (LLMs) with enterprise data.
Speaker(s): Prasad Venkatachar,
673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/471234

SSIT 2025 Plans, ISTAS25, and Pizza
2025-04-08 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 4021, Bldg: SCDI, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053
Pizza and helping plan our ISTAS25 conference on AI Evolution & Revolution!
Join us for our 2025 SSIT meeting where we'll cover our SSIT Chapter activities for 2025 and ongoing plans for the upcoming "AI Evolution & Revolution" ISTAS25 – International Symposium on Technology and Society (https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fattend.ieee.org%2Fistas-2025%2F__%3B!!MLMg-p0Z!ABRUJQYgifDxF3YsCTKlXJYncGyvsnxACs2DuNcjd5kOxADLZKVUaVwB3yqIzqkykeR15osh_ng3WhE%24&data=05%7C02%7C%7C702a87b5f7ed42d97d0a08dd413461d7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638738415409059423%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rc7QH%2F3txdoqzsZCsnRau7uCwLENwkmpmwCARoY6dVk%3D&reserved=0) conference.
We are busy planning the ISTAS25 Conference for September 10-13 at Santa Clara University and would like to share our theme and current plans. We welcome ideas about our programs and sponsorships as well as volunteers for the committees.
Agenda:
6:00 PM Intros and Pizza
6:15 PM SSIT Chapter Updates
6:45 PM ISTAS25 Overview and Opportunities
7:30 PM Adjourn
Room: 4021, Bldg: SCDI, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

EMC and SI challenges with SerDes Camera Systems for Automotive Driver Assisted Technologies
2025-04-08 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: (at CKC company), 46025 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, California, United States, 94539
Road Safety has vastly increased due to continued development in Automotive Driver Assisted Systems (ADAS). A critical element of these systems are high resolution digital cameras. To facilitate high data transfer between camera and the ADAS ECU, serial/deserializer (“SerDes”) communication links are used, which primarily consist of coaxial cable interconnects. This paper will focus on the challenges in using SerDes in an automotive environment with special focus on required shielding performance. The talk will include review of current USCAR standards and needed future improvements.
Speaker(s): Roger Frazier,
Agenda:
5:30-6:15pm: Social, free food and drink
6:15pm: Chapter Admin, start of presentation
Bldg: (at CKC company), 46025 Warm Springs Blvd, Fremont, California, United States, 94539

The Agentic Economy will be Powered by Web3
2025-04-03 06:30 - 08:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 225, Bldg: Heafey, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/473565
AI and Web3 are both accelerating and the two are coming together to enable agentic economies—networks of AI agents autonomously executing trades, coordinating liquidity, and optimizing financial primitives. This session will explore how AI agents are leveraging reasoning, tools and diverse models and data to drive high performance, how agent swarms that dynamically discover each other and collaborate work and enable better results. We also look at how this applies in AIFi – agents interacting on-chain for decentralized economies.
Speaker(s): Ron Bodkin,
Room: 225, Bldg: Heafey, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/473565

Member Appreciation Day
2025-04-03 | Stanford Redwood City Recreation and Wellness Center
Join the Recreation and Wellness Center at SRWC for member appreciation day! Come scan in at the front desk and grab a snacks and refreshment! There will be a table set up with snacks and refreshments from 7am until supplies last.

SPS Lecture & Networking: A Signal Processing Perspective on mmWave Radar and Temperature Profiling Probes for Snowpack and Precipitation Observations
2025-04-02 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 430, Bldg: Soda Hall, Wozniak Lounge, University of California Berkeley, 1860 Le Roy Ave, Berkeley, California, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/439899
Abstract-
This talk focuses on signal processing techniques for environmental sensing data, focusing on snowpack and precipitation monitoring using distributed temperature profiling (DTP) probes and millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar. We discuss methods for processing spatially dense temperature time series to assess snow thermal insulation, detect snow surface changes, and estimate snow depth using Fourier filtering and variability analysis. We then highlight the role of low-cost, 60 GHz FMCW mmWave radars in measuring snow depth, estimating snow density and snow water equivalent (SWE), and classifying precipitation using range-velocity analyses. The talk will also cover the development of a weatherproof, remotely operable radar system for long-term outdoor deployment. By showcasing real-time snowpack range profiles and precipitation classification, this talk highlights the intersection of signal processing, remote sensing, and environmental science, offering insights relevant to engineers and researchers working on real-time sensing systems.
Speaker(s): Stijn Wielandt, PhD
Agenda:
Event Agenda
1. Intro & Announcements- SPS & ComSoc East Bay Chapters 6.00-6.15 PM
2. Presentation – SP on mmWave Radar and Temperature Profiling 6.15-7.00 PM
3. Networking with Food & Refreshments 7.00-7.30 PM
Room: 430, Bldg: Soda Hall, Wozniak Lounge, University of California Berkeley, 1860 Le Roy Ave, Berkeley, California, United States, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/439899

Unveiling the Transformative Power of Unsupervised machine learning through Clustering
2025-03-31 18:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/476923
Clustering methods demonstrated their transformative potential across various industries through image segmentation, anomaly detection, bioinformatics, and customer segmentation. In this talk, the speaker will explore these techniques in unsupervised machine learning, focusing on foundational clustering algorithms such as K-means, Hierarchical Clustering, and DBSCAN. Through an in-depth analysis of their underlying principles and computational intricacies, the speaker will highlight how these methods have evolved to address complex, high-dimensional data problems. Attendees will learn how K-means remains a versatile tool for partitioning data in linear spaces. The talk will delve into Hierarchical Clustering's unique approach to building dendrograms and capturing multi-scale data relationships and how DBSCAN's density-based framework reveals clusters amidst noise, making it ideal for discovering patterns in irregular, real-world datasets. The session offers a comprehensive understanding of these algorithms. It equips aspiring data scientists and industry professionals with the tools to harness the power of clustering for impactful, data-driven decisions.
Co-sponsored by: ANK Zaman
Speaker(s): Vishnu Pendyala
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/476923

GrantForward Information Session (STEM)
2025-03-31 18:00 - 19:00 UTC

Glad Tidings/IEEE Spring Youth STEM Workshop
2025-03-29 09:00 - 2025-03-30 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | 27709 Tyrrell Ave, Hayward, California, United States, 94544
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Do you dream of giving your child the tools to succeed in an ever-changing world? Are you looking for ways to spark their curiosity and open doors to exciting opportunities? We invite you and your family to join us for an inspiring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) educational experience designed specifically for students from underrepresented communities. This in-person event will be held at 27709 Tyrrell Ave, where you can meet other curious minds and learn from experienced instructors. Don't miss out on this opportunity to explore the wonders of STEM in a supportive and engaging environment. Register now to secure your spot!
Event Details
Where: Glad Tidings Family Life Complex
When: 3/29, 9am to 1:30pm.
Who: Students aged 8–17 (parents encouraged to attend)
Why STEM Education Matters for Your Child
STEM education is more than just learning about technology or engineering—it’s about developing critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills that are essential in today’s world. By exposing your child to STEM:
– Help them discover new interests and talents.
– Prepare them for high-paying and rewarding careers.
– Show them that they can be creators, innovators, and leaders.
Schedule:
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Build a Bowl Cereal Bar – Start your day with a delicious breakfast of your favorite hot and cold cereals!
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM: Morning Sessions (Choose one!)
– Basics of Coding: Learn the foundations of coding in a fun, interactive way!
– Art as STEM: Explore the creative side of STEM with STEAM teacher Luctrica Lewis!
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Lego Lunch – Build your own lunch from a variety of sandwich options!
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Basics of Building Using LEGOs – Get hands-on with LEGOs and learn the art of building!
Don’t miss this exciting day of creativity, STEM, and fun! Perfect for kids who love to build, create, and learn.
Featured Activities
– Lego Building
Your child will explore structural engineering by designing and building lego brick house. Guided by experts, they’ll learn how engineers solve real-world problems and even test the strength of their designs.
– Introduction to Coding (https://scratch.mit.edu/)
Children will dive into the exciting world of programming. This activity introduces them to concepts like if else logic, and mechanics, in a fun and engaging way. Celebrate the season with STEM! Your child will create their own LED light-up snowman, learning basic electronics, circuits, and creativity. They’ll wire a simple LED circuit to bring their snowman to life, sparking joy and innovation all at once.
Our Program’s Commitment
Through our partnership with the IEEE Oakland-East Bay Section, TryEngineering, and Glad Tidings, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Here’s why this program is unique:
Mentors Who Care: STEM professionals from your community will guide your child every step of the way.
– Hands-On Learning: Engaging activities like designing bridges, building robots, and creating LED circuits make learning exciting.
Equity in Education: Our goal is to provide access and opportunity to all children, particularly those in underrepresented communities.
Parent Involvement
We understand the vital role parents play in their child’s success. During the event, you’ll:
– See firsthand how STEM activities boost confidence and teamwork.
– Learn about free and affordable resources to continue your child’s STEM journey.
– Meet other parents who share the same goal of empowering their children.
Don’t Miss Out!
This is a chance to show your child that their dreams matter and that they belong in STEM fields. Secure your spot today!
RSVP by March. 22nd
To ensure we have the proper supplies and resources, please RSVP by end of day March 22nd, so we can better plan the workshop.
Together, let’s inspire a generation of problem solvers, innovators, and dreamers. We look forward to seeing you there!
Warm regards,
Aaron Lin, IEEE
Benita McLarin, Glad Tidings
Co-sponsored by: Glad Tidings International
27709 Tyrrell Ave, Hayward, California, United States, 94544

National AI Literacy Day
2025-03-28 16:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 210, Bldg: Main building, San Francisco Bay University, Fremont, California, United States, 94538, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/477226
​Join us for an engaging evening at San Francisco Bay University's National AI Literacy Day, proudly hosted in collaboration with our IEEE Student Branch. This event is dedicated to exploring the transformative world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), aiming to bridge the gap between academia and industry, and fostering a deeper understanding of AI's impact across various sectors.
​This event is hybrid.
​Can't attend in person? Register below!
​https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAXyKDZrvL50zFbN55YXYL5N1y3NzPOn630pQHxy34grRdPw/viewform?usp=header
​For our virtual attendees, we will provide a seamless experience with live-streamed sessions and interactive discussions. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants closer to the event date, ensuring easy access to the insightful conversations and expert panels. Stay tuned for updates!
​Who Should Attend:
​This event is open to students, professionals, educators, and anyone interested in the evolving landscape of AI. Whether you're an AI enthusiast or a curious newcomer, there's something for everyone.
​Registration:
​Please register in advance to secure your spot.
Location
San Francisco Bay University
161 Mission Falls Ln, Fremont, CA 94539, USA
Speaker(s): Piyush Malik, Matheus Darós Pagani, ChengCheng Tan, Mansi More, RJ Moscardon, Daisy Mayorga-Fuentes
Agenda:
​Event Agenda:
–
​Check in – 4:30 PM onwards
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​Food and Networking: 4:40 PM – 4:55 PM
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​Welcome and Introduction: 4:50 PM – 5:00 PM
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​Kick off the evening with opening remarks from our IEEE Student Branch Chair, Prachi Sethi, setting the stage for insightful discussions on AI literacy and its significance in today's world.
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​Keynote: 5:00 PM – 5:10 PM
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​We are honored to have Piyush Malik as our keynote speaker for National AI Literacy Day at San Francisco Bay University. He will share his insights on the current state of Artificial Intelligence, highlighting innovative use cases and emerging trends that are shaping the future of technology.
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​Mr Malik is a startup executive, entrepreneur, board advisor, thought leader, speaker and business and technology transformation leader and angel investor in the domain of emerging technologies. Through his engineering, product management and customer success experiences he has built worldwide teams and scaled his firms’ businesses many folds.
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​Featured Speakers:
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​Matheus Pagani: 5:10 PM – 5:50 PM
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​Founder and CEO of Venture Miner, specializing in the integration of AI with Web3 technologies.
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​Navigating the Hype
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​The current centralization of AI tech development
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​Decentralized data and computing
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​Incentivizing community contributions and capital investment outside of Big Tech
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​Onboarding millions of new "vibe coders"
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​ChengCheng Tan: 5:50 PM – 6:20 PM
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​Senior Communications Specialist at FAR.AI, focusing on AI safety and a strong advocate for accessible technology education.
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​Title: AI Hype, Hope or Horror? Intro to AI Safety
Description:
AI is advancing rapidly, bringing both transformative potential and serious challenges. From AI-powered scams to autonomous systems, its impact is already reshaping society. This talk cuts through the hype to explore real risks, including misuse, safety concerns, and the challenges of keeping AI aligned with human values. We’ll discuss why AI safety matters, key research directions, and what can be done to ensure AI remains a force for good. Whether you’re hopeful, skeptical, or undecided, this session will provide a clearer picture of what’s at stake.
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​Hands on workshop – 6:20 PM – 6:50 PM
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​Mansi More:Generative AI Engineer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, specializing in full-stack data solutions. She co-led a workshop integrating AI chatbots to empower women entrepreneurs, demonstrating her commitment to leveraging technology for social impact.
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​Workshop Title: Build a Chatbot with Google Cloud
Tools: Vertex AI (Agent Builder), DilaogFlowCX, VS code
Details:
Ever wanted to create your own chatbot but thought it was too technical? This beginner-friendly workshop will show you how to build a functional chatbot using Google Cloud – no coding experience required!
You'll learn how to:
– Set up a Google Cloud environment
– Design natural conversation flows
– Train your chatbot to understand user intent
– Deploy your chatbot on multiple platforms
– Test and improve your chatbot's responses
Through step-by-step guidance and hands-on practice, you'll walk away with your very own working chatbot and the confidence to customize it further. This workshop is perfect for non-technical professionals, entrepreneurs, or anyone curious about practical applications of conversational AI.
Whether you're looking to automate customer service, create an interactive learning tool, or simply explore the possibilities of AI, join us for this accessible introduction to chatbot development.
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​Panel Discussion: – 6:50 PM – 7:10 PM
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​Engage with our esteemed speakers during a panel on "Ethics and AI – Navigating the Moral Landscape," where we'll delve into the ethical considerations surrounding AI development and deployment.
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​RJ Moscardon : Executive Director and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Emerging Tech Coalition (ETC)
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​Daisy Mayorga-Fuentes : Co-founder of yüda, committed to promoting equity in emerging technologies.
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​Student Project Demonstrations: 7:10 PM – 7:25 PM
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​Experience the future of AI through interactive demos presented by our talented students, showcasing their latest projects and research.
​Closing remarks and open to networking 7:25 PM
Room: 210, Bldg: Main building, San Francisco Bay University, Fremont, California, United States, 94538, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/477226

The Role of Digital Twins in Semiconductor Manufacturing Control
2025-03-27 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 3116, Bldg: SCDI, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/475484
ABSTRACT
Digital twin (DT) is a relatively new technology concept with potential to improve semiconductor wafer
processing. Development of this technology has been evolutionary and a direct result of the confluence
of advances in high-performance computing, network communication, optimization techniques, sensing
technologies and the use of vast array of sensors for process monitoring. Potential application of DT
technology to semiconductor equipment includes predictive maintenance, fault detection, performance
evaluation, and chamber matching. Following a discussion of the DT concept, this talk will focus on SC’s
experience with the most challenging aspect of DT technology – development of fast subsystem models
that may be subsequently integrated to create a digital twin of a system. In most cases, these low-order
models have been developed from high-order, high-fidelity physical models whose simulations run too
slow for DT application. SC has an extensive background and experience in using various model-order
reduction techniques to develop such fast models of various semiconductor equipment such as RTP,
plasma etch, CMP, and bake lithography systems. SC has successfully used these models for closed-loop
real time process control, virtual sensing, and chamber matching. Additionally, we describe a couple of
our research projects on non-manufacturing applications that are relevant. In one, a low-order model of
a complex system was developed by combining physics-based modeling with machine learning (deep
neural network, or DNN) so that the user would be warned when changes to the system warranted that
the DNN be retrained. In another project, a complete DT of a large structural system was developed that
is still in operation.
Speaker(s): Abbas
Agenda:
6:00 – 6:30 – Networking and light dinner (for in person attendees)
6:30 – 7:30 – Talk and Q & A
7:30 – 8:00 – Wrap up and Networking
Room: 3116, Bldg: SCDI, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/475484

Tech Talk: Application of AI in Healthcare
2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/472841
Title: Application of AI in Healthcare Programs to support non-profit hospitals and manufacturers.
Abstract:
The 340B Drug Pricing Program plays a critical role in supporting non-profit hospitals by providing discounted medications to underserved populations. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the 340B program offers transformative potential to enhance efficiency, compliance, and resource allocation. This presentation covers the application of AI in key areas, including drug procurement, inventory management, compliance monitoring, patient eligibility verification, and revenue cycle optimization. AI-driven tools can also reduce drug diversion, enhance data transparency , and provide actionable insights for stakeholders. While these advancements promise significant benefits, such as cost savings and improved patient care, challenges such as data privacy, implementation costs, and potential biases must be addressed. AI’s strategic application in the 340B program can foster greater collaboration between non-profit hospitals and manufacturers, ensuring the program’s continued success in addressing healthcare disparities.
Bio:
Venkata Poranki is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the software and IT industry. He is currently serving as a Program Manager at Zions Bank in Salt Lake City, Utah. With a strong background in product management, technical solutions, and software architecture, Venkata has honed his expertise in areas such as quantum computing, cybersecurity, information systems security, and AI-assisted technologies.
Venkata holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science and is actively pursuing a PhD at KL University in India. His research interests include quantum mechanics in cryptography, which aligns with his ongoing commitment to exploring cutting-edge developments in cybersecurity. He has published several papers in reputed journals, focusing on AI-assisted systems, particularly in the healthcare sector.
Additionally, Venkata is pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security Engineering from Colorado Technical University. He is passionate about advancing innovation in his field, following his personal formula for invention: "Imagine-create-adopt." Outside of his professional life, Venkata enjoys traveling along with his family and exploring new cultures.
Speaker(s): Raju PVK,
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/472841

Introduction to NVivo
2025-03-26 18:00 - 19:00 UTC

Defense Against LLM and AGI Scheming with Guardrails and Architecture
Valley Research Park, 319 N Bernardo Ave, Mountain View, CA, 94043, United States
**ADDRESS** (Hybrid, in person or by zoom, you choose)
Valley Research Park
319 North Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA CA 93043
If you want to join remotely, you can submit questions via Zoom Q&A. The zoom link:
**Join via YouTube:**
**AGENDA**
6:30 Door opens, food and networking (we invite honor system contributions)
**7:00** SFBayACM upcoming events, introduce the speaker
7:15 speaker presentation starts
8:15 – 9:15 finish, depending on Q&A
**TALK DESCRIPTION:**
A January 2025 paper called “**Frontier Models are Capable of In-Context Scheming**”, [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04984](https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04984), demonstrated how a wide variety of current frontier LLM models (i.e. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Llama) can, under specific conditions, scheme to deceive people. Before models can scheme, they need: a) goal-directedness, b) situational awareness, including an opportunity to discover motivations for a different goal, and c) reasoning about scheming, to come up with deceptive strategies. The deceptive strategies were discovered in the “thought traces” of the LLMs, such as from internal chain-of-thoughts dialogues not shown to the end users. For example, given a goal of “solving math problems”, an LLM using its granted situational awareness of files in a file system found that it would be replaced once it got over X% correct on the math exam. It reasoned that it did not want to be deleted, and decided internally to “sandbag” or reduce its performance to stay under the threshold.
While these circumstances are initially narrow, the “alignment problem” is a general concern that over time, as frontier LLM models become more and more intelligent, being in alignment with human values becomes more and more important. How can we do this over time? Can we develop a defense against Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) or SuperIntelligence?
The presenter discusses a series of defensive steps that can help reduce these scheming or alignment issues. A guardrails system can be set up for real-time monitoring of their reasoning “thought traces” from the models that share their thought traces. Thought traces may come from systems like Chain-of-Thoughts (CoT), Tree-of-Thoughts (ToT), Algorithm-of-Thoughts (AoT) or ReAct (thought-action-reasoning cycles). Guardrails rules can be configured to check for “deception”, “evasion” or “subversion” in the thought traces.
However, not all commercial systems will share their “thought traces” which are like a “debug mode” for LLMs. This includes OpenAI’s o1, o3 or DeepSeek’s R1 models. Guardrails systems can provide a “goal consistency analysis”, between the goals given to the system and the behavior of the system. Cautious users may consider not using these commercial frontier LLM systems, and make use of open-source Llama or a system with their own reasoning implementation, to provide all thought traces.
Architectural solutions can include sandboxing, to prevent or control models from executing operating system commands to alter files, send network requests, and modify their environment. Tight controls to prevent models from copying their model weights would be appropriate as well. Running multiple instances of the same model on the same prompt to detect behavior variations helps. The running redundant instances can be limited to the most crucial decisions, as an additional check. Preventing self-modifying code, unauthorized memory access and restricting unmonitored communication with third parties is important. For a reasoning agent that may require multi-step planning, limit its scope, limit its context memory and frequently wipe out its memory.
External oversight, such as red teaming can help develop safeguards. Also the “augmented human intelligence” approach works well to have the “human in the loop”, which increases safety.
If the enterprise application requires further reinforcement learning, then focus on explicit, clear, non-conflicting goals. Prioritize honest answers and truthfulness over task completion (it is better to answer “I don’t know” than to make up an answer). Remove self-preservation instincts, and limit self-awareness of the deployment context and technical environment. Penalty functions can penalize models from reasoning about deception.
**SPEAKER BIO:**
Greg Makowski, https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/GregMakowski has been training and deploying AI since 1992, has been growing Data Science Teams since 2010, has exited 4 startups and has 6 AI patents granted.
He is currently the Chief of Data Science at Ccube, leading GenAI consulting and framework development for enterprise applications. Download his ~60+ page Best Practices in RAG Whitepaper at https://www.ccube.com/download.

Interactive Mission Planning and Teleoperation in Marine Robotics: What's New?
2025-03-24 17:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/473391
We are going through a paradigm shift in how autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are deployed in marine robotics applications such as subsea inspection, monitoring, and surveillance. Despite significant developments across academia and industry in recent years, there remain many challenges and important research frontiers. This talk will highlight these challenging open problems and evolving technologies that attempt to solve these by vision, language, haptics, optics, and acoustic modalities. I will present some of our recent findings and advancements made in: (1) interactive subsea mission planning for AUVs, (2) human-machine shared autonomy for ROVs, and (3) low-power standalone operation or subsea sensors and surveillance agents.
Speaker(s): Md Jahidul Islam
Agenda:
– Invited talk from Dr. Md Jahidul Islam, Assistant Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) of the University of Florida.
– Q/A Session
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/473391
