Embracing GenAI and Navigating the Future of Artificial Intelligence Responsibly

Date: March 27th 2024 from 12pm to 1pm MDT (check-in at 11:45am)

Location: Floor 14, Flex Room A, TransAlta Place, 1100 1 ST SE, Calgary AB

Cost: $5 for IEEE member early-bird until March 21st

Register online

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is rapidly advancing and proving its capabilities in various fields. ChatGPT, as a leading technology, boasts an extensive and swiftly growing user base. While Large Language Learning Models (LLMs) won’t eliminate the need for human involvement, those who can effectively utilize GenAI in their work will gain a competitive edge over those who cannot. In our course, we will delve into GenAI within the broader context of artificial intelligence, showcasing practical applications in industries like mining, aviation, and sustainability. Additionally, we will emphasize the importance of ResponsibleAI, exploring the roles of today’s and future engineers in implementing and overseeing this technology responsibly.

Lunch will be provided.

Diversity in Tech’ – Neurodiversity

Date/Time: Wed., Mar 13th, 2024, 08:30 AM – 10:30 AM (MST) Alberta

Location: Ross Glen Hall at MRU as well as “on-line” / virtual

Register Online Here (via the CybHER app’)

Cost: No Charge

Sponsors: The ICGI Company, The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University (MRU). The event is co-organized by IEEE Southern Alberta Computer Chapter, and IEEE Canada Education Activities, and the Department of Mathematics and Computing at Mount Royal University

Speakers: See program, as outlined via the Registration Link/webpage provided.

Topic: Diversity in Tech’ – Neurodiversity

IEEE Southern Alberta Computer Chapter invites you to join the Diversity in Tech event on Wed., Mar. 13th, 2024, to discuss the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion with a focus on Neurodiversity in Tech.

The event will be on Wed., Mar. 13th, 2024 8:30 AM – 10 AM MST. Attendees may choose to participate at this event in-person or online. The “in-person” event will be hosted at Mount Royal University (MRU) and will feature expert speakers and panelists. The keynote speech and the panel discussion will be streamed online for virtual attendees.

The link for online attendance and the details for in-person attendance will be sent to the registrants two days prior to the event.

This event is co-sponsored by CGI company, and The Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Mount Royal University, and is co-organized by IEEE Southern Alberta Computer Chapter, and IEEE Canada Education Activities, and the Department of Mathematics and Computing at Mount Royal University.

IEEE IAS Electrical Safety, Technical, Maintenance and Projects (ESTMP) Workshop 2024 (Calgary)

We are pleased to announce the upcoming IEEE Industry Applications Society (IAS) Electrical Safety, Technical, Maintenance, and Projects (ESTMP) Workshop, jointly sponsored by the IEEE Southern Alberta IAS Chapters and Northern Canada IAS Chapters, that will ignite your passion for innovation and breakthrough technologies is open for registration. Please register, via the link below, mark your calendars and get ready for a valuable “face to face” experience!

FYI: The ESTMP Workshop provides a forum for exchanging and advancing industry knowledge in the areas of safety, engineering design, and system reliability of electrical systems and technologies for the execution of projects. The Workshop focus is to share innovative concepts, successes as well as lessons learned in the areas of: 1) advancing state of the art knowledge and best practices, 2) stimulating innovation to create the next generation of technology and 3) design and implementation of Projects. The 2024 Workshop will be hosted at the Hyatt Regency and Telus Convention Center (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) from Mon., Mar. 25th to Wed., Mar. 27th, 2024.

This prestigious workshop will offer a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and exploration of the latest trends in technology, electrical safety, engineering, maintenance, project optimization and reliability of electrical systems.

  • Attend diverse technical sessions covering a wide spectrum of emerging topics.
  • Take part in interactive workshop topics and panel discussions led by industry experts.
  • Network with like-minded professionals, fostering new collaborations and partnerships.
  • Discover ground-breaking innovations showcased by leading technology companies.
  • Save the date and keep an eye out for further details and registration information coming soon!
  • The ESTMP Vendor’s Exhibit is always the very best opportunity to get up close and personal with the best equipment and customers anywhere in Canada.

We are very pleased to announce the keynote speaker for the upcoming workshop — the renowned Canadian astronaut, Dr. Thirsk will discuss how astronauts hone their skills and instincts on the ground prior to flight, the training processes and tools that are used to enhance mission safety and reliability.

Please visit the ESTMP Workshop website: Registar On-line Now.

Early registration has closed.

Joint ISA-IEEE Technical Talk – SCADA Update: Standards, Security & Technology Trends

Date: Tue., Jan 23rd, 2024, 11:30 AM – 01:30 PM (MST) Alberta

Location: Platform Calgary, 407 9 Avenue SE, in Classroom 1

Register Online Here (via Eventbrite)

Meal: Meal and beverages provided. (Michael’s Pizza) $10.00 Cdn for ISA and IEEE Members, $15.00 Cdn for Non-ISA Members and Non-IEEE Members (Quests)

Sponsors: ISA Calgary Section, IEEE Southern Alberta Section (SAS), IEEE Southern Alberta, Jt. Joint Control Systems Society (CSS), Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS) Chapter

Speaker: Ian Verhappen, Industrial Automation/Networking Visionary, Willowglen Systems

Topic: Technical Talk – SCADA Update: Standards (ISA112), Security & Technology Trends

The International Society of Automation (ISA) Calgary Section is pleased to host this luncheon and Technical Talk in promotional collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

SCADA Systems have been used for more than half a century and continue to evolve. Despite their widespread adoption and though there are limited industry specific guidelines available, no definitive standard on the topic has been developed.

The ISA112 SCADA Systems Standards Committee is in the process of developing a series of standards and technical reports to address all phases of the SCADA lifecycle, including obsolescence, and security. This presentation will provide an overview of the ISA112 standards, both the reference architecture and lifecycle model.

One test of a good standard is its relevance for multiple generations of technology. We’ll look at recent SCADA technology trends and show how ISA112 is not only effective for today, but also… can it stand the test of time and be relevant for at least a decade.

Changing the Medical Landscape with Large Language Models (LLM’s)

Date: Thu., Jan 11th, 2024, 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM (MST) Alberta

Location: Virtual

Register Online Here

Sponsor: IEEE Southern Alberta Section (SAS), Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technologies (SIGHT), Humangineering Series

Speaker: Medical Student, Eddie Guo, University of Calgary

Topic: Changing the Medical Landscape with Large Language Models (LLM’s)

Eddie Guo is a medical student with the University of Calgary and president of the Calgary Medical Student Association. His interests in machine learning and medicine inspired him to develop OSCE-GPT, a GPT-4 powered application for helping medical trainees practice communication and diagnostics. In this talk, Eddie will showcase his use of LLM’s for medical applications and share his thoughts about the future of technology in medicine for the next step in health innovation.

OpenPMU, PTP, and Time Synchronized Sampled Values

Date: Wed., Dec 13th, 2023, 04:30 PM – 06:00 PM (MST) Alberta

Location: Virtual

Register Online Here

Sponsor: IEEE Southern Alberta, Jt. Control System/Industrial Measurement Chapter, CS23/IM09

Speaker: Prof. David Laverty of Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Topic: OpenPMU, PTP, and Time Synchronized Sampled Values

“When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it.”
— Lord Kelvin.

Synchronized measurement technology, more specifically the Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU), has yielded tremendous insight into power system phenomena over the last decades. The PMU, however, is an instrument that is not itself well understood by many who make use of its measurements. The time synchronized phasor, or synchrophasor, is a double-edged sword; on the one hand it has made it possible to apply classical methods of power system analysis to “real” data from real systems. On the other hand, the synchrophasor dispenses with all the nuance of the voltage or current waveform that was present in the sampled values from which it is estimated.
What if we just keep all of the time synchronized sampled value (TSSV) data, and use that for our studies? Building machines which can do this is more than feasible. This talk will discuss approaches and challenges that engineers pursuing this strategy face, in particular the not so small matter of the many terabytes of data such a system will create, with “needle in a haystack” levels of useful information. The talk will describe an effort on the island of Ireland to build a national system to record TSSV and also synchronize using PTP in preference to GNSS and its “space-based” vulnerabilities.

IEEE SAS Young Professionals – End Of Year Bowling Fun Night (2023)

Date: Tue., Dec 12th, 2023, 04:00 PM – 08:00 PM (MST) Alberta

Location: Calgary Winter Club, 4611 14 St NW, Calgary, AB, Canada

Register Online Here, before Fri., Dec, 08th, 2023

Sponsor: IEEE Southern Alberta Young Professionals (YP)

Cost: $5.00 Cdn. for IEEE Members

Event: IEEE SAS Young Professionals – End Of Year Bowling Fun Night (2023)

Join the IEEE Southern Alberta Section Young Professionals for our End Of Year Bowling Fun Night, open to all IEEE Members, Non-Members and Guests! You are invited to the Calgary Winter Club for an evening of strikes (both 5-pin and 10-pin), followed by networking at the R&R lounge and yummy bites. In addition to bowling, your ticket includes dinner and drinks. Registration closes on December 8th and we have limited spots, so don’t delay! We hope to see you there.

The Truth About the Phasor Measurement Unit

Date: Wed., Dec 06th, 2023, 04:30 PM – 06:00 PM (MST) Alberta

Location: Virtual

Register Online Here

Sponsor: IEEE Southern Alberta, Jt. PES/IAS Chapter, CH07034, Ottawa Section Chapter, IM09, Ottawa Section Chapter, PE31

Speaker: Harold Kirkham of DRM Associates, Richland, WA, USA

Topic: The Truth About the Phasor Measurement Unit

If you look up “Phasor Measurement Unit” on Wikipedia, you will learn a little about PMU that is right and a lot that is wrong. (To start with, phasors predate Steinmetz.) If you turn to the various papers and books that have been written on the topic, you will still not get the whole truth. Even the IEEE and IEC standards about PMUs have got significant parts wrong! If a PMU is built so as to fully comply with the standards, it will be an under-performing device that breaks the fundamental rules of measurement. The presenter, Dr. Harold Kirkham, is listed as a member of the working group that wrote the 2011 IEEE PMU standard. However, he was so upset by it that he is NOT listed as having voted for it! It has taken him a long time to figure out exactly what is right and what is wrong about the standard. This webinar will set the record straight and explain what is wrong with the current treatment of the subject.

IEEE Southern Alberta Section (SAS), 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Date: Tue., Nov 28th, 2023, 06:15 PM to 10:30 PM (MST)

Location: Carriage House Inn, Calgary, AB, Canada

Presented by: The IEEE Southern Alberta Section (SAS) Executive Committee (ExCom)

Register Online Now

As an IEEE Member, in good standing of the IEEE Southern Alberta Section (SAS), you are cordially invited by the SAS Executive Committee (ExCom), to the IEEE SAS, 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year’s (2023) meeting, will be held once again as a “in person” format, (at the Carriage House Inn, Calgary, will provide the Section Membership with an update over the past year, (from Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2023), on the activities of the following groups:

all based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Furthermore, during the IEEE SAS 2023 AGM, we will also recognize the IEEE SAS 2023 Award Recipients, including IEEE SAS 2023 Scholarship Award Winners/Recipients, for the IEEE SAS 2023 (AGM/Awards) Calendar Year (Oct. 01th,, 2022 to Sep. 30th, 2023).

Our Special Guest: Rob Anderson, IEEE Canada President, will be giving the Southern Alberta Section an address after dinner.

Presentation: Powering Progress: The Evolution of Rural Electrification in Alberta

Join us for an insightful presentation with two distinguished speakers, Glen Fox and Bill Bergman.

Glen Fox will explore the unique role of Alberta’s Rural Electrification Associations (REAs) in powering rural communities, highlighting Equs, Canada’s largest member-owned utility. Following Glen, Bill Bergman will delve into the selection and application of the single wire earth return (SWER) distribution system for rural electrification. Together, they will shed light on the historical journey and ongoing evolution of rural electrification in Alberta.

IEEE SAS AGM (2023) Poster

ISSCC 2023 Short Course: Cryoelectronics for Quantum Computing: Technology, Circuit Design, and Future Directions

Date: Tue., Nov 21st, 2023, 09:00 AM – 10:30 AM (MST) Alberta

Location: University of Calgary, ICT 424C

Register Online Here

Sponsor: IEEE Southern Alberta, Jt. CAS04/SSC37 Society Chapters

Speaker: Professor Joe Bardin, of ECE at UMass Amherst, Google, Team Lead, Development of Integrated Circuits for Large-Scale Quantum Computers.

Topic: ISSCC 2023 Short Course: Cryoelectronics for Quantum Computing: Technology, Circuit Design, and Future Directions

In this talk, we give an overview of emerging IC technology for the readout and control of superconducting quantum processors. After a brief introduction, the talk will describe the prospect of using SiGe HBT-based LNAs for qubit readout, including a discussion of technology optimization for reducing noise. We then will discuss control ICs, including experimental challenges and characterization techniques using quantum control experiments. The talk will end with a discussion of open challenges.

Biography:

Joseph Bardin is a Professor of ECE at UMass Amherst and a Research Scientist with the Google Quantum AI team. At UMass, he leads research in the area of low-temperature integrated circuits, with applications in radio astronomy and the quantum information sciences. At Google, he leads the team working on the development of integrated circuits for large-scale quantum computers.