Silicon Valley Engineering Council

SSIT 2025 Plans, ISTAS25, and Pizza
2025-05-13 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 third 2025 SSIT meeting where we'll continue to briefly cover our SSIT Chapter activities for 2025 and ongoing plans for the upcoming "AI Evolution & Revolution" ISTAS25 – International Symposium on Technology and Society https://attend.ieee.org/istas-2025/ conference. We will also have a guest speaker for this meeting (details to be confirmed and announced soon).
We continue to be busy planning the ISTAS25 Conference for September 10-13 at Santa Clara University, and still welcome new feedback about our programs, and suggestions for sponsorships and volunteers.
Agenda:
6:00 PM Intros and Pizza
6:15 PM SSIT Chapter Updates and Main Meeting
7:30 PM Adjourn
Room: 4021, Bldg: SCDI, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

Protecting Future AI Products: A Holistic IP Approach
2025-05-13 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481836
This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either.
The recent DeepSeek event and the 99% decline in Large Language Model (LLM) pricing over just two years both highlight the accelerating commoditization of AI. While the widespread availability of low-cost or free foundation models benefits companies deploying AI, it also raises concerns about how software companies can sustain profit margins in an increasingly competitive landscape.
This challenge ties into broader IP protection issues, particularly as AI rapidly advances toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The shifting IP landscape—where copyright protections for AI models and AI-generated software may be significantly weaker than those for traditional software—poses additional hurdles. Companies seeking to impose downstream restrictions, such as preventing model output scraping or unauthorized model distillation, must navigate these complexities carefully.
In this talk, IP attorney Fredrick Tsang will examine these issues through the lens of IP protection strategies, including contractual safeguards, copyright considerations, and patent law. A wide audience will find this talk of interest because of the growing importance of AI in the world today, and the many areas of AI that Tsang will address.
Speaker(s): Frederick Tang,
673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481836

Wireless Power Transmission based on Retro-reflective Beamforming
2025-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 4021, Bldg: Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053
With the rapid development of Internet of Things, a vast number of small, low-cost, and low-power mobile electronic devices, such as radio frequency identification tags and wireless sensors, will become integral parts of our society in the near future. Supplying electrical power to these devices wirelessly would eliminate/relieve their battery life limitation, and therefore is envisioned to be one of the enabling technologies for the next-generation Internet of Things. Since wireless power delivery must be dedicated to the designated receivers in space, it is inevitable to employ one narrow electromagnetic beam as the carrier of wireless power toward each mobile device. The retro-reflective beamforming technique has excellent potential to accomplish efficient wireless power transmission in the context of Internet of Things, as it is capable of keeping track of multiple mobile devices and then generating wireless power beams to the devices accordingly. The primary merit of retro-reflective beamforming technique is that wireless power transmission is augmented by radar tracking. Specifically, wireless power transmission is initiated by pilot signals broadcasted from wireless power receiver(s); and in response to the pilot signals, a wireless power transmitter delivers directional microwave power beams to the receiver(s). This presentation reviews our past, ongoing, and future research efforts on wireless power transmission based on retro-reflective beamforming. This talk starts with the fundamental principles and a brief history of retro-reflective beamforming technique. Next, the pros and cons of retro-reflective beamforming are analyzed via comparison with other wireless power transmission techniques. Plentiful theoretical and experimental results collected in our research demonstrate that the retro-reflective beamforming scheme enables microwave power beams to follow the location of mobile wireless power receiver(s) dynamically as long as the receiver(s) broadcast pilot signals periodically. The last part of the presentation discusses the challenges pertinent to the practical application of retro-reflective beamforming technique.
Speaker(s): Mingyu Lu,
Room: 4021, Bldg: Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

Tech Talk: Secrets to Successful Monolith to Microservices Migrations + IEEE Seattle CS Networking Event
2025-05-15 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 141, Bldg: UW2, 11142-11236 NE 180th St, Bothell, WA 98011, Bothell, Washington, United States, 98011, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483116
Join us for an exciting evening of learning, connecting, and growing your professional network!
This IEEE Seattle Networking Night and Tech Talk brings together technology enthusiasts, industry professionals, and students for a lively session focused on solving real-world engineering challenges — followed by plenty of time to meet and mingle with your peers. Whether you’re looking to expand your network, learn from a leading tech expert, or just reconnect with the local tech community, this event is for you.
Virtual Audience Members: Only the Tech talk section will be broadcast on zoom.
Time Activity
???? 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Check-in, Refreshments, and Initial Networking
???? 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Tech Talk: "Why Monolith to Microservices Migrations Fail — and How to Succeed" by Supriya Lal
???? 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Networking with Fellow Industry Professionals
—————————————————————
Session Overview:
Join us as we explore the common pitfalls that cause most monolith to microservices migrations to fail.
Supriya Lal will walk us through the key challenges and guide participants through a hands-on exercise to demonstrate practical strategies for successful migration.
Virtual Audience: The Tech Talk will start at 6 PM PST.
About the Speaker:
Supriya Lal is the Group Tech Lead for the Commerce Platform organization at Yelp. She drives the long-term technical roadmap for her organization and actively contributes to the tech community through speaking and writing about technical design, leadership, and breaking barriers for women in technology.
—————————————————————
Networking Night Highlights:
After the tech talk, stay for an engaging hour of networking with fellow engineers, students, researchers, and technology leaders from across the Seattle area.
–
???? Meet New Connections: Grow your professional network in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
–
???? Share Ideas: Exchange insights about tech trends, career growth, engineering leadership, and emerging technologies.
–
???? Find Opportunities: Discover potential collaborators, mentors, mentees, or even your next career move.
–
???? Expand Your Community: Learn about upcoming IEEE Computer Society activities and find ways to get involved.
Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned professional, this is a fantastic opportunity to build meaningful connections and stay inspired by your peers in the tech community!
Speaker(s): Supriya
Agenda:
Time Activity
???? 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Check-in, Refreshments, and Initial Networking
???? 6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Tech Talk: "Why Monolith to Microservices Migrations Fail — and How to Succeed" by Supriya Lal
???? 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM Networking with Fellow Industry Professionals
Room: 141, Bldg: UW2, 11142-11236 NE 180th St, Bothell, WA 98011, Bothell, Washington, United States, 98011, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483116

Improved Resiliency with Clean Solutions Based on Hydrogen and Batteries
2025-05-15 17:30 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, California, United States, 94523
Extreme weather events increasingly threaten the reliability of distribution networks, highlighting the urgent need for advanced energy storage solutions. This presentation explores the design, deployment, and operation of a first-of-its-kind hybrid hydrogen and battery energy storage system at the Calistoga Resiliency Center, a microgrid serving a municipality in PG&E territory affected by public safety power shutoffs.
The Calistoga Resiliency Center case study will provide attendees a real-world insight into the unique capabilities of hydrogen for long-duration storage and batteries for grid forming and rapid response, showcasing how their combination can enhance resiliency and reduce reliance on traditional diesel backup. In addition, we will compare hybrid hydrogen and battery solutions to conventional resiliency measures, and review the improved understanding in system State-of Readiness (SOR) the hybrid system offers operators plus the additional grid services provided to the larger grid such as ancillary services and contingency reserve.
Ultimately, this presentation aims to provide attendees with a practical framework to design, de-risk, and deploy hybrid energy storage systems for resiliency and grid services. By demonstrating lessons learned from real-world implementation, we will offer strategies to improve reliability, reduce emissions, and pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient grid.
Speaker(s): Peter Wittenberg, Dr. Craig Horne
Agenda:
No-host social at 5:30pm
Presentation at 6:00pm
Dinner at 7:00pm
Presentation continues at 7:45pm
Adjourn by 8:30pm
Zio Fraedo’s, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill, California, United States, 94523

Environmental Behavioral Sciences Seminar " Solar Irrigation Farming and the Jevons Paradox in Pakistan."
2025-05-15 20:15 - 21:30 UTC | Y2E2 Building, 299
Solar Irrigation Farming and the Jevons Paradox in Pakistan
The rapid decline in solar PV pricing over the recent decade has shifted both access and opportunity for solar power generation and use. Solar irrigation pumping (SIP) systems are one such emerging opportunity, whose use is rapidly expanding across South Asia in particular. SIP systems improve water access and supply reliability for farmers, at the possible risk of groundwater overconsumption. As SIP use expands, there is considerable interest in the possibility of using feed-in tariffs (FITs) for solar-generated electricity as a tool to manage groundwater consumption. While a FIT may reduce the intensity of groundwater consumption by SIP owners, they may also increase the attractiveness of SIP systems overall, leading to expansion of SIP use and increased consumption – a possible Jevons’ Paradox. We developed a multi-part behavioral experiment to assess this possibility and piloted it in Punjab, Pakistan in 2022. I present results from this pilot work, showing a plausible case for a Jevons’ paradox, and discuss within an ‘Environment through development’ framework.
Biography
Andrew Reid Bell is the inaugural Schleifer Family Professor of Sustainability in the Department of Global Development at Cornell University. Bell’s lab at Cornell focuses on rural livelihoods decision-making, and the pro-poor development challenge of broadening opportunities and enabling families to take advantage of them. Key methods for the group are coupled natural-human systems modeling (especially agent-based modeling), and behavioral experiments to inform them. Work by current lab members spans migration, irrigation, human-wildlife conflict, and agricultural technology adoption. Bell earned a PhD in Natural Resource Management from the University of Michigan in 2010, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and positions at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), NYU, and Boston University.

Printed and Flexible Electronics and Devices
2025-05-16 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481916
The rapid emergence of the Internet of Things era has led to increased research activities in the area of printed and flexible electronics. The activities range from ink development and characterization, printing tool and process development to obtain desirable characteristics of printed conductors, semiconductors, dielectrics and others, and demonstration of various printed devices on a wide variety of flexible substrates including paper, plastics and textiles. This talk will provide an overview of the above topics and applications including printed antennas, EMI shields, gas sensors, supercapacitors, photodetectors and others. Advances in printer development such as plasma jet printing, as an alternative to inkjet and aerosol jet printing, will also be discussed. The author thanks Ram Gandhiraman, Pranay Doshi, Daniel Gutierrez, Hiu-Yung Wong, Jin-Woo Han, Myeonglok Seol, Beomseok Kim, Subhankar Debnath and P.K. Giri for their contributions.
When: Friday, May 16th, 2025 – 11:30AM to 1PM (PDT)
11:30AM – 12PM: Networking / Pizza
12PM-12:45PM: Lecture
12:45PM-12:55PM: Q&A
1PM Adjourn
Bio:
Meyya Meyyappan recently retired from NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley after serving as Chief Scientist for Exploration Technology and Director of the Center for Nanotechnology. He is currently an Honorary Professor at IIT-Guwahati, India. He has authored or co-authored over 430 articles in peer-reviewed journals and made over 300 Invited/Keynote/Plenary Talks in conferences across the world and over 300 seminars at universities. He is a Fellow of IEEE, AVS, ECS, MRS, ASME, AIChE, and National Academy of Inventors.
For his contributions and leadership in nanotechnology, he has received numerous awards including: a Presidential Meritorious Award; NASA's Outstanding Leadership Medal; IEEE Judith Resnick Award; IEEE-USA Harry Diamond Award; AIChE Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum Award; Distinguished Engineering Achievement Award by the Engineers' Council; Pioneer Award in Nanotechnology by the IEEE-NTC; Sir Monty Finniston Award by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (UK); IEEE-USA Professional Achievement Award; AVS Nanotechnology Recognition Award; IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society Merit Award; AVS Plasma Prize; MRS Impact Award; FLEXI Technology Champion Award for Printed and Flexible Electronics; ECS Thomas Callinan Award. For his sustained contributions to nanotechnology, he was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council Hall of Fame in 2009. He has received Honorary Doctorate from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He served as President of both IEEE Nanotechnology Council (NTC) and IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS).
For his educational contributions, he has received: Outstanding Recognition Award from the NASA Office of Education; the Engineer of the Year Award (2004) by the San Francisco Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; IEEE-EDS Education Award; IEEE-EAB (Educational Activities Board) Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education.
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481916

How to Start a Consultancy Business - A Presentation by IEEE CNSV
2025-05-16 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: 1302, Bldg: SCDI, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053
Ever thought of starting your own business and wondered where to start?
IEEE Santa Clara Valley Young Professionals (SCV YP) in collaboration with IEEE Consultants Network of Silicon Valley (CNSV) presents,
How to Start a Consultancy Business – A Presentation by IEEE CNSV
Join us for an insightful presentation and engaging QA session led by IEEE CNSV, the expert network of consultants in Silicon Valley. This event will provide a step-by-step guide to launching your own successful consultancy business, covering essential topics such as defining your niche, building your brand, attracting clients, and managing operations. Learn from CNSV's experience and gain valuable insights from a panel of established consultants.
Co-sponsored by: IEEE Consultants Network of Silicon Valley (CNSV)
Agenda:
The agenda,
18:30 | Welcome and housekeeping (speaker introductions) | 5 min | Zafar Iqbal, Ph.D., SCV YP Chair, and Ron Herardian, CNSV Treasurer
18:35 | Opening remarks and CNSV overview | 10 min | David Snyder, MBA, PE, CISSP, CNSV Chairperson
18:45 | Legal structure, tax, and insurance (C-Corp vs. S-Corp; tax treatment, contractor vs. employee; GL, E&O, etc.) | 15 min | John Carlsen, CNSV Director
19:00 | Legal matters for consultants (e.g., contracts, trademarks, NDAs, intellectual property) | 15 min | David Sanker, Ph.D., Intellectual Property Attorney
19:15 | Attracting clients and winning new business (including IEEE promotion and social media promotion) | 15 min | Travis Heneveld, MBA, Technology, Business & Impact Advisor
19:30 | Service delivery (contributor vs. manager, client-consultant duties, subcontracts, etc.) | 10 min | Ron Herardian, CNSV Treasurer
19:40 | Parallels between consulting and startups (as time allows) | 5 min | Ron Herardian, CNSV Treasurer
19:45 | Q&A with CNSV speakers | 15 minutes | Speaker Panel
20:00 | End
Room: 1302, Bldg: SCDI, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

Internet Day San Francisco
Cloudflare, 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA, 94107, United States
[​Internet Day San Francisco](https://internetdaysf.org/) is a dynamic event hosted by the Internet Society San Francisco Bay Area Chapter and the SF Bay ACM, as part of the SF Day quarterly series. The event features sessions on modern Internet technologies, including Web3 and HTTP/3, discussions on the current state of the Internet, and explorations of future visions like the Meta-layer. It brings together technologists, researchers, and enthusiasts to share insights and foster innovation in the digital landscape.
Register [lu.ma](https://lu.ma/uxribfa0) by 15-May to attend.
In person event, 9-4 @ Cloudflare (101 Townsend, SF)

Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based Evacuations
2025-05-19 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Sunnyvale, California, United States, 95089
Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based Evacuations
Abstract: California is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its efforts to
decarbonize the transportation sector. However, the state is highly vulnerable to extreme
weather events, including wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. Between 2017 and 2019, more
than one million residents were ordered to evacuate due to wildfires alone. Such large-scale
emergencies can disrupt the power grid, causing blackouts that limit EV charging
availability. In the worst-case scenario, insufficient charging infrastructure and limited
access to power could hinder the safe evacuation of EV users, particularly in situations
requiring rapid departure. This highlights the urgent need for robust planning strategies to
integrate EVs into emergency response frameworks.
This talk will first introduce decision-aid tools designed to assist communities and
government officials in planning EV-based evacuations. Our tool provides recommendations
for mobile charging placement, congestion-aware routing, and recharging strategies aimed
at minimizing evacuation time. The second part of the presentation will focus on fast EV
charging strategies during emergencies. These strategies are designed to reduce charging
time while ensuring electro-chemical and thermal safety of battery-based EVs.
Biography: Ricardo de Castro received his Licenciatura and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical
and Computer Engineering from the University of Porto, Portugal, in 2006 and 2013,
respectively. From 2007 to 2008, he was the co-founder of the startup WeMoveU, focusing
on developing powertrain control solutions for lightweight electric vehicles. From 2013 to
2020, he was with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of System Dynamics and
Control (SR), where he worked on enabling technologies for electric mobility and automated
driving. In 2021, he joined the University of California, Merced, as an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
His current research focuses on controls and optimization for zero-
emission and robotic vehicles. Ricardo holds four patents and has
authored over 100 papers in international journals, conferences, and
book chapters. He is a recipient of three best paper awards from IEEE
and ASME, as well as the Hellman Fellowship Award, which recognizes
outstanding early-career faculty within the University of California
system.
Ricardo serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on
Vehicular Technology and IEEE Access. He is also the Vice President
for Motor Vehicles at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the
founding Chair of the IEEE Automated Vehicles Standards Committee (AVSC), and the
General Chair of the 2022 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC).
Agenda:
Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based
Evacuations
Abstract: California is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its efforts to
decarbonize the transportation sector. However, the state is highly vulnerable to extreme
weather events, including wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. Between 2017 and 2019, more
than one million residents were ordered to evacuate due to wildfires alone. Such large-scale
emergencies can disrupt the power grid, causing blackouts that limit EV charging
availability. In the worst-case scenario, insufficient charging infrastructure and limited
access to power could hinder the safe evacuation of EV users, particularly in situations
requiring rapid departure. This highlights the urgent need for robust planning strategies to
integrate EVs into emergency response frameworks.
This talk will first introduce decision-aid tools designed to assist communities and
government officials in planning EV-based evacuations. Our tool provides recommendations
for mobile charging placement, congestion-aware routing, and recharging strategies aimed
at minimizing evacuation time. The second part of the presentation will focus on fast EV
charging strategies during emergencies. These strategies are designed to reduce charging
time while ensuring electro-chemical and thermal safety of battery-based EVs.
Biography: Ricardo de Castro received his Licenciatura and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical
and Computer Engineering from the University of Porto, Portugal, in 2006 and 2013,
respectively. From 2007 to 2008, he was the co-founder of the startup WeMoveU, focusing
on developing powertrain control solutions for lightweight electric vehicles. From 2013 to
2020, he was with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of System Dynamics and
Control (SR), where he worked on enabling technologies for electric mobility and automated
driving. In 2021, he joined the University of California, Merced, as an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
His current research focuses on controls and optimization for zero-
emission and robotic vehicles. Ricardo holds four patents and has
authored over 100 papers in international journals, conferences, and
book chapters. He is a recipient of three best paper awards from IEEE
and ASME, as well as the Hellman Fellowship Award, which recognizes
outstanding early-career faculty within the University of California
system.
Ricardo serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on
Vehicular Technology and IEEE Access. He is also the Vice President
for Motor Vehicles at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the
founding Chair of the IEEE Automated Vehicles Standards Committee (AVSC), and the
General Chair of the 2022 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC).
Sunnyvale, California, United States, 95089

Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based Evacuations
2025-05-19 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: Maker Nexus, 1330 Orleans Dr, Sunnyvale, California, United States, 95089
Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based Evacuations
Speaker – Dr Ricardo de Castro. Assistant Professor UC Merced.
Abstract: California is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its efforts to
decarbonize the transportation sector. However, the state is highly vulnerable to extreme
weather events, including wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. Between 2017 and 2019, more
than one million residents were ordered to evacuate due to wildfires alone. Such large-scale
emergencies can disrupt the power grid, causing blackouts that limit EV charging
availability. In the worst-case scenario, insufficient charging infrastructure and limited
access to power could hinder the safe evacuation of EV users, particularly in situations
requiring rapid departure. This highlights the urgent need for robust planning strategies to
integrate EVs into emergency response frameworks.
This talk will first introduce decision-aid tools designed to assist communities and
government officials in planning EV-based evacuations. Our tool provides recommendations
for mobile charging placement, congestion-aware routing, and recharging strategies aimed
at minimizing evacuation time. The second part of the presentation will focus on fast EV
charging strategies during emergencies. These strategies are designed to reduce charging
time while ensuring electro-chemical and thermal safety of battery-based EVs.
Biography: Ricardo de Castro received his Licenciatura and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical
and Computer Engineering from the University of Porto, Portugal, in 2006 and 2013,
respectively. From 2007 to 2008, he was the co-founder of the startup WeMoveU, focusing
on developing powertrain control solutions for lightweight electric vehicles. From 2013 to
2020, he was with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of System Dynamics and
Control (SR), where he worked on enabling technologies for electric mobility and automated
driving. In 2021, he joined the University of California, Merced, as an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
His current research focuses on controls and optimization for zero-
emission and robotic vehicles. Ricardo holds four patents and has
authored over 100 papers in international journals, conferences, and
book chapters. He is a recipient of three best paper awards from IEEE
and ASME, as well as the Hellman Fellowship Award, which recognizes
outstanding early-career faculty within the University of California
system.
Ricardo serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on
Vehicular Technology and IEEE Access. He is also the Vice President
for Motor Vehicles at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the
founding Chair of the IEEE Automated Vehicles Standards Committee (AVSC), and the
General Chair of the 2022 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC).
Co-sponsored by: AESS Santa Clara Valley chapter AES10
Agenda:
Decision-Aid Tools and Fast Charging Strategies for EV-Based
Evacuations
Abstract: California is rapidly transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of its efforts to
decarbonize the transportation sector. However, the state is highly vulnerable to extreme
weather events, including wildfires, floods, and earthquakes. Between 2017 and 2019, more
than one million residents were ordered to evacuate due to wildfires alone. Such large-scale
emergencies can disrupt the power grid, causing blackouts that limit EV charging
availability. In the worst-case scenario, insufficient charging infrastructure and limited
access to power could hinder the safe evacuation of EV users, particularly in situations
requiring rapid departure. This highlights the urgent need for robust planning strategies to
integrate EVs into emergency response frameworks.
This talk will first introduce decision-aid tools designed to assist communities and
government officials in planning EV-based evacuations. Our tool provides recommendations
for mobile charging placement, congestion-aware routing, and recharging strategies aimed
at minimizing evacuation time. The second part of the presentation will focus on fast EV
charging strategies during emergencies. These strategies are designed to reduce charging
time while ensuring electro-chemical and thermal safety of battery-based EVs.
Biography: Ricardo de Castro received his Licenciatura and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical
and Computer Engineering from the University of Porto, Portugal, in 2006 and 2013,
respectively. From 2007 to 2008, he was the co-founder of the startup WeMoveU, focusing
on developing powertrain control solutions for lightweight electric vehicles. From 2013 to
2020, he was with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of System Dynamics and
Control (SR), where he worked on enabling technologies for electric mobility and automated
driving. In 2021, he joined the University of California, Merced, as an Assistant Professor in
the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
His current research focuses on controls and optimization for zero-
emission and robotic vehicles. Ricardo holds four patents and has
authored over 100 papers in international journals, conferences, and
book chapters. He is a recipient of three best paper awards from IEEE
and ASME, as well as the Hellman Fellowship Award, which recognizes
outstanding early-career faculty within the University of California
system.
Ricardo serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on
Vehicular Technology and IEEE Access. He is also the Vice President
for Motor Vehicles at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the
founding Chair of the IEEE Automated Vehicles Standards Committee (AVSC), and the
General Chair of the 2022 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference (VPPC).
Bldg: Maker Nexus, 1330 Orleans Dr, Sunnyvale, California, United States, 95089

IEEE Power and Energy Summit: Achieving a More Reliable and Resilient Energy Future
2025-05-19 16:00 - 2025-05-21 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: Signia By Hilton San Jose, 170 S. Market St, San Jose, California, United States, 95113
The inaugural IEEE Power & Energy (PES) Summit on Achieving a More Reliable and Resilient Energy Future will focus on practical experiences by the power and energy industry to achieve a more reliable and resilient electric power grid. The summit will focus on efforts to drive for reliability performance through outage reduction and quicker response. The summit will also include system level thinking to mitigate against high impact low probability or resilience events. Since the summit will be hosted in the west coast a specific topic of reliability and wildfire mitigation will also be covered. The event will include one track technical track (super session format) and not include breakout sessions. The presenters invited are practitioners who will discuss their organizations’ approaches to a more reliable and resilient grid.
Co-sponsored by: Pacific Gas & Electric
Agenda:
Monday April 19 4:00-7:00 Registration 5:00-7:00 Welcome Reception
Tuesday April 20 7:00 am to 6:00 pm Registration 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Conference
8:30AM – 9:30AM Welcome & Agenda Overview, Keynote Speaker
9:30AM – 10:30AM Topic 1: Key Success Factors for Reliable Energy Delivery
11:00AM – 12:00PM Topic 2: Preventing Catastrophic Outages for Transmission & Substations
1:00PM – 2:00PM Topic 3: Data Centers and Its Impact on the Grid
2:30PM – 3:30PM Topic 4: Reliability Improvement – Recent Utility Experiences: Challenges, Success Stories, and Lessons Learned
3:30PM – 4:30PM Topic 5: Innovation In Forensics and Failure Analytics Exhibits
Wednesday April 21 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Conference
8:30AM – 9:30AM Topic 6: Reliability, Resilience, and Optimization of Capital Investments
9:30AM – 10:30AM Topic 7: Reliability, Resilience & Wildfire Mitigation
11:00AM – 12:00PM Topic 8: Climate Resiliency & Major Event Response (focus on solutions to address and prevent impacts of summer and winter storms, flooding, high-speed winds, atmospheric rivers, temperature increase, etc.)
1:00PM – 2:00PM Topic 9: Technology Panel on Reliability
2:00PM – 3:00PM Topic 10: Western US Experiences
Bldg: Signia By Hilton San Jose, 170 S. Market St, San Jose, California, United States, 95113

Challenges and Opportunities in High-Frequency Wireless Power Transfer Systems
2025-05-20 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: Team Room (3rd Floor) – Auditorium, Bldg: Plug and Play Tech Center, 440 N Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, California, United States, 94085
The combined Santa Clara Valley, San Francisco, & Oakland/East Bay IEEE PELS is very pleased to invite you to our upcoming in-person event. We are excited and honored to have Assistant Professor Jungwon Choi of the University of Washington to speak on the topic of Challenges and Opportunities in High-Frequency Wireless Power Transfer Systems.
Here's more about the talk from the Speaker:
Modern electronic systems have rapidly transformed to realize automation, such as in factories or warehouses, and autonomous vehicles. As demand for automation grows, enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence, control, and intelligent charging systems become beneficial. However, while other technologies have been considerably revolutionized, the effort to develop an innovative and efficient charging system for automation has not. In this talk, I will first discuss high-frequency converters in wireless power transfer (WPT) systems to improve the efficiency and power density of the system. Then, I will introduce challenges and opportunities to design coupling coils for WPT systems at high frequencies. Finally, I will preview the direction of future work, such as developing efficient high-frequency converters for emerging applications.
Speaker(s): Jungwon Choi
Room: Team Room (3rd Floor) – Auditorium, Bldg: Plug and Play Tech Center, 440 N Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, California, United States, 94085

Fusion Innovation: Technical, Policy, Economic
2025-05-21 01:00 - 02:20 UTC | Lyman Atrium
Join us as we meet with both Chris Young from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and researchers from Fuse, a fast-growing fusion startup focused on Z-Pinch reactors. We will be covering technical, political, and economic topics regarding the current fusion research space along with the future of the field, and hear about the day-to-day of modern fusion researchers.
The session will be held in a moderated discussion format, with opportunities for active engagement and audience questions.

Center for Advanced Signal and Image Sciences (CASIS) 29th Annual Workshop
2025-05-21 08:00 - 2025-05-22 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: Building 661 L-794, University of California Livermore Collaboration Center, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, California, United States, 94550
We are thrilled to announce LLNL’s 29th Annual CASIS workshop. Join us on May 21-22, 2025, from 8:00am to 5:00pm PT, where we will examine current opportunities and challenges for the signal and image sciences that drive our National Laboratory. Engage with the community at LLNL and beyond and submit an abstract to present your work in one of the tracks or just attend to enjoy networking and to explore collaboration opportunities. With technical tutorials, hands-on mini-workshops, and presentations of both original and published work, this non-archival workshop is the perfect platform to exchange ideas and explore research directions at LLNL. As a first, we are hosting a dedicated student track to introduce career opportunities at the lab.
(https://engineering.llnl.gov/centers/casis/workshops)
This years’ workshop will feature the following tracks, moderated by the respective Program Chairs:
– AI/Machine Learning
– Multiphysics Systems and Advanced Manufacturing
– National Ignition Facility
– Non-Destructive Evaluation
– Quantum Sensing & Quantum Computing
– Remote and Non-invasive Sensing
– Student Track: All topics
Become part of this great experience and submit your talk proposal at https://engineering.llnl.gov/centers/casis/workshops before April 18, 2025!
Check out (https://www.llnl.gov/article/51376/signal-image-science-community-comes-together-annual-workshop) for last year’s amazing event to see what to expect!
The no-fee CASIS Workshop is sponsored by the (https://engineering.llnl.gov/) and held at the (https://uclcc.org/). It is organized by (https://engineering.llnl.gov/centers/casis) and is a joint meeting with the Oakland East Bay chapters of the (https://www.ewh.ieee.org/r6/oeb/SigProc/sigproc.html) and the (https://r6.ieee.org/sfoeb-cs/). Coffee and snacks will be provided for morning/afternoon poster sessions as well as a lunch on both days. The event is open to the public but requires pre-registration.
Co-sponsored by: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory – Center for Advanced Signal and Image Sciences
Bldg: Building 661 L-794, University of California Livermore Collaboration Center, 7000 East Ave, Livermore, California, United States, 94550

CSUEB Computer History Museum Field trip
2025-05-21 09:15 - 15:15 (America/Los_Angeles) | 1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Moutain View, California, United States, 94043
IEEE Student Members from the CSU East Bay Campus will visit the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Ca.
Co-sponsored by: Pierreline Jacob
Agenda:
9:15 Carpools depart CSU East Bay Campus
10:00 arrive CHM
12:30 Lunch (on your own)
1:30 resume tour
3:00 depart CHM
1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Moutain View, California, United States, 94043

IEEE SCV WIE AI Summit 2025
2025-05-21 16:00 - 20:00 (US/Pacific) | Bldg: SC9, Intel, 2250 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95054, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479108
[]
IEEE SCV WIE AI Summit 2025
In an era where AI technologies are rapidly transforming industries and redefining possibilities, it is crucial to explore both the innovations driving this change and the responsibilities that come with it. Today, we will delve into a diverse array of topics that highlight the multifaceted nature of AI and its profound impact on our lives.
Our sessions will cover the latest developments in Large Language Models and Foundation Models, exploring efficient fine-tuning, multilingual adaptation, and the role of LLMs as knowledge bases. We will also examine the evolution of AI agents, focusing on autonomous task completion, multi-agent collaboration, and the integration of external knowledge for robust decision-making.
In the realm of Vision and Multimodality, we will explore the integration of text, image, and video understanding, as well as advanced techniques like zero-shot learning and self-supervised learning. Our discussions on MLOps for LLMs will provide insights into best practices for training, deploying, and evaluating large models.
We will also address the critical areas of Knowledge-Grounded Reasoning, On-Device Learning, and the ethical dimensions of AI, including bias mitigation, privacy preservation, and the detection of misinformation.
Talk tracks are broadly classified but not limited to,
1. Large Language Models (LLMs) & Foundation Models
Efficient Fine-tuning of LLMs for Low-Resource Languages, LLM Alignment & Instruction-Tuning: Challenges and Advances, Scaling Laws: Understanding Model Size vs. Performance, Multilingual and Cross-Lingual LLM Adaptation, Memory-Augmented LLMs: Enhancing Long-Term Context Understanding, LLMs as Knowledge Bases: Reasoning and Fact-Checking
2. AI Agents
Autonomous AI Agents: Leveraging LLMs for Task Completion, Multi-Agent Communication & Collaboration in NLP, Self-Reflective AI: Reflexion and Self-Improvement in Language Models, Hierarchical & Modular AI Agents: Towards Scalable Systems, LLMs as Orchestrators: AI Workflows with Task-Specific Agents, Grounding LLMs in External Knowledge for Robust Decision-Making
3. Vision & Multimodality
Vision-Language Models (VLMs): From CLIP to GPT-4V, Multimodal Agents: Integrating Text, Image, and Video Understanding, Spatial and Temporal Reasoning in Vision-Language Models, Zero-Shot and Few-Shot Learning in Multimodal AI, Self-Supervised Learning for Multimodal Representations, Evaluating Multimodal Models: Metrics & Benchmarks, Neurosymbolic Approaches for Language and Vision Tasks
4. MLOps for LLMs
LLMOps: Best Practices for Training & Deploying LLMs, Efficient Inference for Large Models: Pruning, Quantization & Distillation, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG): Enhancing Context Awareness, Memory and Context Window Expansion: Architectures & Trade-offs, Evaluation Metrics for LLMs & Conversational Agents
5. Knowledge-Grounded & Reasoning
LLMs for Automated Theorem Proving & Scientific Discovery, Commonsense Reasoning in AI Agents, Symbolic vs. Neural Reasoning, Interpretable Models: Improving Explainability in LLMs, Unifying Knowledge Graphs and LLMs for Structured Reasoning
6. On-Device Learning for LLMs and Multi-Modal AI
On-Device LLMs & Edge AI for Language Processing and Multimodal Applications, Security, Privacy & Ethical Considerations for On-Device LLMs
7. Ethics, Bias & Fairness
Bias Mitigation in Large Language Models, Hallucination Detection & Control in LLMs, Privacy-Preserving NLP: Federated Learning & Differential Privacy, AI and Misinformation: Detecting Deepfakes & Generated Content, Ethical Considerations in Deploying NLP for Real-World Applications
Speaker(s): Chloe, Vishnu
Agenda:
4:00-4:45 Registration / Networking
4:45-5:00 IEEE SCV WIE Welcome Message
5:00-5:15 Keynote Message
5:15-6:00 Charting the AI Landscape by Vishnu Pendyala, Faculty member in Applied Data Science/Academic Senator with San Jose State University
6:00-6:30 Networking and Refreshments
6:30-7:00 Multimodal and Physical AI and their application in Embodied and Robotics Space by Chloe MA, VP ARM
7:00-7:45 Lightning Talks
7:45-8:00 Networking and Wrap-up
Bldg: SC9, Intel, 2250 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95054, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479108

A Trip to the Neural Frontier: Neurosymbolic Sensor Fusion for Trustworthy AI-Enabled Neural Interventions
2025-05-21 18:50 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/484536
As neurotechnology advances, the integration of cyber-physical systems (CPS) with neural sensing is opening new frontiers in human augmentation, healthcare, and cognitive computing. However, these systems introduce new security, privacy, and resilience challenges that are often overlooked in traditional CPS security paradigms. This talk will explore the intersection of cyber-physical security and human-in-the-loop neural systems, drawing on recent work in neurosymbolic sensor fusion and real-time, multimodal sensing for closed-loop brain stimulation.
We will discuss ongoing research into real-world signal variability, synchronization challenges, privacy risks in shared environments, and adversarial threats to neural inference pipelines. Using deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a case study, we will examine how IoT-integrated neuroscience applications present novel attack surfaces and safety considerations that go beyond traditional CPS security models. We will also highlight our latest work on sensor-based privacy risks, the ethical considerations of AI-mediated neural interventions, and the challenge of aligning security and resilience frameworks with dynamic human behavior.
Speaker(s): Luis Garcia
Agenda:
6:50 – 7 PM: Registration
7-8 PM: Talk and Q&A
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/484536

A.I. for the Life Sciences with no Code
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
Scientific discovery is entering a new era—one where AI doesn’t just assist researchers but actively drives breakthroughs. At Superbio.ai, we are building an AI scientist: a multi-agent system that understands scientific challenges, runs computational experiments, and delivers actionable insights. This talk will explore how AI can automate scientific reasoning, optimize model selection, and accelerate discovery across biopharma, synthetic biology, and molecular design. We’ll discuss the technological foundations of this vision, real-world applications, and what’s next for AI-powered research. What if AI could design the next generation of therapeutics? Let’s talk about how we’re making that possible.
Speaker Bio:
Berke Buyukkucak is a researcher and entrepreneur specializing in computational biology and machine learning for life sciences. His work focuses on applying generative AI to scientific discovery. He has led AI-driven research and development efforts, collaborating with academic institutions and biopharma companies to advance computational methods in drug discovery and synthetic biology.
—
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/

Trends and Challenges in Optics for AI/ML Data Center Scale-Out Networking
2025-05-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483371
[]Data centers supporting the AI/ML revolution require a massive increase in interconnect bandwidth and energy efficiency. Next-generation architectures are adopting large scaled-out network designs, driving a fundamental change in optical connectivity. Silicon photonics, leveraging CMOS manufacturing, provides a scalable foundation, and co-packaged optics is emerging as a promising solution to meet demanding data rate and power consumption targets. This presentation will explore the trends in silicon photonics based optics, highlighting their potential to address the challenges of AI/ML data center networking, including device integration, reliability, and ecosystem development.
Speaker(s): Vipul Patel,
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483371

Agentic AI: Shaping the Future of Autonomy, Innovation, and Society
2025-05-27 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479545
Agentic AI represents a groundbreaking shift in artificial intelligence, enabling systems to act autonomously, make decisions, and achieve goals with minimal human intervention. This talk explores the concept of Agentic AI, its various types, adoption trends, and the transformative impact it is poised to have on industries and societies. From reshaping workflows to influencing ethical frameworks, we’ll examine how this emerging technology is driving innovation and redefining humanity’s relationship with intelligent systems.
Co-sponsored by: Vishnu S. Pendyala
Speaker(s): D. Narayan Srinivasa , Dr. Vishnu S. Pendyala
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479545

Cyber Risk as a Business Imperative: Translating Threats into Strategic Action
2025-05-28 18:00 - 19:30 (US/Pacific) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483555
Free Registration (with a Zoom account; you can get one for free if you don't already have it. This requirement is to avoid Zoom bombing. Please sign in using the email address tied to your Zoom account — not necessarily the one you used to register for the event.):
https://sjsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/fqCZULv_SnWzwEZ3Tz2MJw
Abstract
Cyber risks are not just technical issues but fundamental business challenges with profound financial and reputational implications. This keynote addresses the intersection of cybersecurity and business strategy, offering practical insights to help executives and business leaders prioritize and act on cyber risks meaningfully.
Attendees will gain an understanding of how to frame cyber risks as business risks, communicate them effectively to stakeholders, and integrate them into broader organizational strategies. Real-world examples and actionable frameworks will equip leaders with the tools to translate technical threats into business priorities. This presentation will also explore how to allocate resources, measure the effectiveness of cybersecurity programs, and foster resilience across the enterprise.
By the end of the session, you will be prepared to engage in informed decision-making that balances cost, compliance, and risk reduction, ensuring your organization is prepared for the challenges of today’s complex risk landscape.
Presentation Description
In today’s business environment, cyber risk is a growing concern that goes beyond IT departments. It is a strategic issue that requires the attention of executives and business leaders. This keynote presentation offers a business-centric approach to understanding, managing, and mitigating cyber risks, enabling leaders to address these challenges with confidence.
Act One begins with an overview of the modern cyber risk landscape, positioning cybersecurity as a core business issue. We will examine the financial and reputational stakes of cyber incidents, grounding the conversation in tangible impacts that resonate with business decision-makers. The audience will leave this section with a clear understanding of why addressing cyber threats is critical to their organization’s success.
Act Two focuses on practical strategies for integrating cyber risk into business strategy. This includes defining cyber risks in business terms, aligning cybersecurity efforts with organizational goals, and translating technical concerns into actionable business insights. Attendees will learn how to communicate cyber risks effectively to stakeholders, including boards, executives, and external partners.
Key points will include:
– Bridging the gap between IT and business through shared understanding.
– Prioritizing cyber threats based on their business impact.
– Building business-centric cybersecurity strategies that support enterprise objectives.
Act Three explores methods for reducing enterprise risk through focused cybersecurity efforts. This includes identifying critical areas for investment, implementing effective controls, and measuring the success of cybersecurity programs. Attendees will learn how to allocate resources efficiently, design controls with maximum impact, and track the business value of their cybersecurity initiatives.
By the end of the presentation, participants will have actionable insights and tools to:
– View cyber risks through a business lens.
– Communicate their significance to internal and external stakeholders.
– Develop and implement strategies that prioritize business resilience.
This session is ideal for executives, board members, and business leaders looking to enhance their organization’s approach to cyber risk and align cybersecurity efforts with strategic goals.
—————————————————————
Lessons Learned / Educational Objectives
– Understand Cyber Risk as a Business Issue
Attendees will learn to frame cyber risks in business terms, connecting them to financial, operational, and regulatory impacts.
– Communicate Cyber Risk Effectively
Participants will gain strategies for translating technical jargon into language that resonates with boards, executives, and other stakeholders.
– Integrate Cybersecurity into Business Strategy
Attendees will explore methods to align cybersecurity initiatives with organizational goals, prioritize risks based on business impact, and measure program success.
—————————————————————
By registering for this event, you agree that IEEE and the organizers are not liable to you for any loss, damage, injury, or any incidental, indirect, special, consequential, or economic loss or damage (including loss of opportunity, exemplary or punitive damages). The event will be recorded and will be made available for public viewing.
Speaker(s): Dr. Vishnu S. Pendyala, Kayne McGladrey
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/483555

AI Summit For Young Scholars
Online event
Location
Cupertino City Hall
10300 Torre Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014
MakerNexus (1330 Orleans Dr, Sunnyvale, CA, 94089)
**Agenda**
**Day 1** Four workshops at Cupertino City Hall (10300 Torre Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014)
* NVIDIA RAPIDS and GPU acceleration for data science workloads with python coding
* MIT App Inventor for rapid android mobile app creation for future tech projects
* Explore Meta AR/VR digital twin in an immersive environment
* Responsible AI for fair and safe use of AI without harm
**Day 2** Hackathon at MakerNexus (1330 Orleans Dr, Sunnyvale, CA, 94089)
* Mentor-guided hackathon
* Reward ceremony
* MakerNexus Hands-On Lab
Refreshment and lunch will be provided on both days.
**Make sure to sign the [photo & video release and liability release form](https://forms.gle/YrQrLKZM7ZKochvn8 “https://forms.gle/YrQrLKZM7ZKochvn8”) prior to the event**.
**Join us for engaging workshops designed for high school, college, and young professionals. Win awards in Hackathon! Receive certificate.**
Click this link to get tickets ($100-$120) :
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-workshops-for-young-scholars-tickets-1229521705519

AI Workshops & Award Winning Hackathon for Young Scholars
2025-06-07 10:00 - 2025-06-08 18:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Bldg: Cupertino Community Hall, 10350 Torre Avenue , Cupertino, California, United States, 95014
IEEE SCV is sponsoring the Science and Venture Young Scholar organization to organize the AI Workshop and Hackathon for Young Scholars.
For more details follow have a look at (https://www.svyoungscholars.org/annualsummit) []
Co-sponsored by: IEEE Region 6
Bldg: Cupertino Community Hall, 10350 Torre Avenue , Cupertino, California, United States, 95014

SSIT 2025 Plans, ISTAS25, and Pizza
2025-06-10 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 fourth 2025 SSIT meeting where we'll continue to briefly cover our SSIT Chapter activities for 2025 and ongoing plans for the upcoming "AI Evolution & Revolution" ISTAS25 – International Symposium on Technology and Society https://attend.ieee.org/istas-2025/ conference. We will also have a guest speaker for this meeting (details to be confirmed and announced soon).
We continue to be busy planning the ISTAS25 Conference for September 10-13 at Santa Clara University, and still welcome new feedback about our programs, and suggestions for sponsorships and volunteers.
Agenda:
6:00 PM Intros and Pizza
6:15 PM SSIT Chapter Updates and Main Meeting
7:30 PM Adjourn
Room: 4021, Bldg: SCDI, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California, United States, 95053

Security and Privacy for Extended Reality Systems: Attacks and threat models
2025-06-10 18:00 - 19:30 (US/Pacific) | Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/485364
Free Registration (with a Zoom account; you can get one for free if you don't already have it. This requirement is to avoid Zoom bombing. Please sign in using the email address tied to your Zoom account — not necessarily the one you used to register for the event.):
https://sjsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/vo5r9OqaSFuqKsuFcww7Cg
Synopsis:
AR/VR devices promise a new era of immersive computing, where our everyday experience is augmented with helpful information (Augmented Reality), or where we are immersed in fully virtual worlds (Virtual Reality). These systems fuse the physical world and the virtual world through computing resources to provide these immersive experiences rendered on the user's headset. As a result, it allows new opportunities for attackers to compromise the security and privacy of users that are not well understood. Towards understanding the security and privacy challenges in these systems, this talk presents a number of recent attacks we developed on AR/VR systems. One threat model exploits the shared computing resources used by multiple applications on a headset to extract information through side channels; we show attacks that spy on user activity or compromise privacy. Another threat model exploits the shared state among multiple users in a multi-user application, allowing malicious users to inject compromised information or to recover information they are not allowed to access. Other threat models include those that interfere with applications and cause the virtual model to become out of sync with the physical world, causing user motion sickness or bypassing safety guardrails. I will conclude with a discussion of potential defenses and ways to build more secure AR/VR experiences.
—————————————————————
By registering for this event, you agree that IEEE and the organizers are not liable to you for any loss, damage, injury, or any incidental, indirect, special, consequential, or economic loss or damage (including loss of opportunity, exemplary or punitive damages). The event will be recorded and will be made available for public viewing.
Co-sponsored by: Vishnu S. Pendyala, SJSU
Speaker(s): Dr. Vishnu S. Pendyala, Prof. Nael Abu-Ghazaleh
Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/485364

Climate Restoration Using Natural Processes
2025-06-10 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481889
This is a hybrid in-person and online event. Pre-registration is required for either.
Achieving zero net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) is not enough to restore the climate. It is important that we also reduce the current atmospheric CO2 level of 420 ppm to the historically-safe pre-industrial level of below 300 ppm. The most practical way to achieve this goal appears to be the use of ocean iron fertilization to stimulate phytoplankton uptake of carbon dioxide in strategic locations.
In this talk, David Snyder will discuss this method, which is based on data from natural processes including hundreds of thousands of years of climate data, and observations from the 1991 Pinatubo and 2022 Tonga volcanic eruptions. He will also describe a pilot project conducted with modern measurement, reporting, and verification technologies, including instrument buoys and satellites, which will help to confirm the approach and refine its methodology.
Speaker(s): David Snyder,
673 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, California, United States, 95035, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481889

Grid Reliability and Its Vital Signs
2025-06-17 11:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Room: Golden Gate Room, 505 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, California, United States, 94102, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/484938
IEEE SF/OEB PES, SCV PES/IAS & R6 PES Women in Power (WiP) invite you to join our hybrid lunchtime technical meeting on Grid Reliability and Its Vital Signs by our IEEE PES Distinguished Lecturer & Past PES President Dr. Jessica Bian! The in-person lunch will start at 11:30am at the CPUC Golden Gate Room. The technical meeting will begin at 12:00pm Noon both in-person and virtually.
Frequency, voltage, customer interruption. What do these vital signs tell us about the bulk power system? Learn the grid health underlying the vital signs and how to accurately assess them. This lecture will explore reliability aspects of bulk power system so that you will develop a systematic, integrated understanding of how to assess the bulk power system reliability. Additional indicators include energy emergency alerts, transmission outage rates, protection system operations, and resource reserve margin. The presentation will also provide ranges, trends, and driving factors that influence changes in these indicators.
Speaker(s): Jessica Bian,
Room: Golden Gate Room, 505 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, California, United States, 94102, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/484938

Finding and Fixing Design Debt
2025-06-17 20:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Room: Room E-5700, Bldg: ETS – Pavillon E, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), 1100 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3C 1K3, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/485820
In this talk I will discuss a common and pernicious form of technical debt–called design debt, or architecture debt. I will briefly present the theoretical foundation behind this form of debt and present a broad set of evidence demonstrating its dramatic effects on project outcomes. That is the bad news. The good news is that we can automatically pinpoint the causes and scope of such debt. I will describe how we can automatically locate it, measure it, and create the business case for removing it. Finally, I will explain how we can remove–pay down–this debt via refactoring. I will also sketch some of my experiences doing all of this in real-world projects, along with the outcomes.
Co-sponsored by: IEEE PES Montreal Chapter
Speaker(s): Rick Kazman
Agenda:
19:45 Hours – Pizza and Soft Drinks
20:00 Hours – START of Distinguished Lecture
21:00 Hours – END of Distinguished Lecture
21:00 Hours – Start of Q&A, Discussions, Thoughts, etc
ALL times are in EDT/EST format
Room: Room E-5700, Bldg: ETS – Pavillon E, École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), 1100 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3C 1K3, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/485820

New Materials and Interface Effects In Charge and Spin Transport In Magnetic Heterostructures
2025-06-18 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 1120 Ringwood Ct, San Jose, California, United States, 95131, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/480903
A presentation by Professor Guenter Reiss, Ph.D., Bielefeld University, Bielefeld Germany, on magnetic heterostructures which are key devices for spin electronics.
An introduction will present examples of basic effects and their applications. We then will discuss several novel materials and interface-induced effects occurring in magnetic heterostructures: The growth of altermagnetic thin films and their integration in magnetic tunnel junctions with barriers such as RuO<sub>2</sub> are at present intensively investigated due to their potentially spin-split band structure and related spin currents. X-ray analysis reveals a high crystalline quality of the films with or without twinning depending on the choice of the substrate. When integrated with an MgO tunnel barrier and a ferromagnetic counter-electrode, signatures of a tunneling magnetoresistance strongly depend on the bias voltage and are not yet fully understood. When integrated with ferromagnets (Ni<sub>80</sub>Fe<sub>20</sub>) or heavy metals (Pt), an analysis based on the 2ω method shows the presence of torques in accordance with a spin current at the interface. When replacing the altermagnet by a ferromagnet, the heavy metal can show a proximity-induced ferromagnetism at the interface, which substantially influences the results of well-known phenomena such as the spin Seebeck, anomalous Nernst, or anomalous Hall effects. Examples will be discussed using metallic as well as insulating ferro- or ferrimagnets and recipes for disentangling the many effects will be given.
Agenda:
6:30 – 7:00 Socializing and Networking at Quadrant
6:55 Zoom session will be online with Waiting Room
7:00 – 7:45 Lecture begins, online and in person
7:45 – 8:00 Questions and Answers
1120 Ringwood Ct, San Jose, California, United States, 95131, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/480903
