Pittsburgh Section Bulletinewh.ieee.org/r2/pittsburgh/bulletins/ieee_0316.pdfIEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin March 2016 Volume 65 No. 3 Page 3 of 12 Smart Manufacturing:Computer Science,

IEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin March 2016 Volume 65 No. 3 Page 1 of 12

Pittsburgh

Section

Bulletin March 2016 Volume 65, No. 3

Included in this issue:

Notes From the Chair .............................................................................................................................. 2

Smart Manufacturing:Computer Science, Data Analytics, Manufacturing Working Together3

Legacy, Smart, and Smarter Grids ....................................................................................................... 4

Your Invention and the America Invents Act – Strategies for Protecting Your Technology 5

IEEE Member Insurance Solutions ...................................................................................................... 6

Chasing the Sun......................................................................................................................................... 8

Renewal Reminder ..................................................................................................................................... 9

New Members ............................................................................................................................................ 9

Welcome Our New Senior Members .................................................................................................... 9

Computer Society Metro Area Workshop: Call for Volunteers ................................................... 10

FIRST Robotics Greater Pittsburgh Regional is seeking volunteers ......................................... 10

Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair 2016 - Call for Volunteers ........................ 10

Editor: Philip Cox, [email protected]; Contributors: Tom Dionise, Paige Kassalen, Jim Lagree, Steve

Mozelewski, Seth Peasley, Kal Sen, Ralph Sprang, and Matthew Valenti

All announcements for publication in a particular month’s bulletin are due to the Editor by the 20th of the

previous month. The accuracy of the published material is not guaranteed. If there is any error, please bring it to

the Editor’s attention. The Section’s web site, https://webinabox.vtools.ieee.org/wibp_home/index/r20037, has

recent issues of the bulletin and lots of other useful information

mailto:[email protected]

https://webinabox.vtools.ieee.org/wibp_home/index/r20037


Notes From the Chair

First I would like to welcome all of the new members to

the Pittsburgh Section of the IEEE. This year there

were 63 new members joining us with 7 of them from

the Upper Mon Section. We are happy to welcome

you into our family here, we are a very vibrant section

with approximately 2400 members. We were

exploring the idea of submitting an application as Best

Section of the Year. With just over 2000 members that

would put us in the Large Section category.

This month I would like to talk about one of the

benefits that your IEEE membership offers that many

members may not be participating in. You may get

those insurance flyers in the mail and consider them

junk, but have you ever really looked at them and

compared them to other policies? In April we will be

bringing in several people to give a talk about the

different insurance solutions that Mercer and the IEEE

Member Group Insurance and Alliance Program offers

members like yourself to help protect you, your family

and your business. With many members in our section

that are consultants that own their own business this

insurance is worth looking at. The IEEE has over

450,000 members in 160 countries, with the majority of

the members in North America. The group buying

power to reach to consumers like you have benefited

the members in many ways.

Thanks,

Jim Lagree

Pittsburgh Section Chair 2016

Section

Chair - Jim Lagree, [email protected]

Vice Chair -- Dr. Drew Lowery, [email protected]

Treasurer – Dan Wilson, [email protected] Asst. Treasurer - Jiahui Zhang

Secretary - Navid Binesh, [email protected]

Immediate Past Chair – Dr. Jim Beck, [email protected]

Awards Chair – Dr. Kal Sen, [email protected]

Webmaster – Gerry Kumnik, [email protected]

UpperMon Subsection

Chair: Dr. Gianfranco Doretto, [email protected]

Chapters

Communications Society – Chair: Dr. Balaji Palanisamy, [email protected]; Sec: Phil Cox, [email protected]

Computer Society – Chair: Dr. Ralph Sprang, [email protected]

Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology/Electron Devices Societies – Russell Dudek, [email protected]; Treas.: Dr. Louis Hart

Engineering In Medicine & Biology Society Chair: Dr. Wei Wang, [email protected]

Electromagnetic Compatibility Society Chair: Michael J. Oliver [email protected] (814) 763-3211

Power Electronics Society – Chair: Dr. Brandon Grainger [email protected]

Power & Energy & Industry Applications Societies Chair: Dave Vaglia, [email protected]; Past: Mey Sen, [email protected] 412-373-0117

Magnetics Society – Chair: Vincent Sokalsky,

[email protected]

Nanotechnology Society - Chair: Dr. MinheeYun [email protected]

Robotics Society – Chair: Gene Kern, [email protected]

Signal Processing Society – Chair: Dr. Deniz Gencaga [email protected]

Society on Social Implications of Technology Chair: Joe Kalasky, P.E., [email protected] 724-244-1609

Council of Electronic Design Automation Chair: Dr. Xin Li, [email protected]

Affinity Groups

Young Professionals (formerly GOLD) – Chair: Matthew Rehder [email protected]

Women In Engineering –Co Chairs: Paige Kassalen, [email protected] and Mey Sen, [email protected]

Committees

Professional/Career Activities (PACE) Chair: Joe Cioletti, P.E. [email protected]

Student Activities – Dr. Irvin Jones, [email protected]; student reps: Chair: Blaine Headley [email protected], Vice-chair: Brandon Contino [email protected]

Membership Development – Steve Mozelewski, [email protected]

Publicity – Chair: Thomas Dionise, P.E. [email protected] (724) 779-5864


































Smart Manufacturing:Computer Science, Data Analytics, and

Manufacturing Working Together

Speaker: Thorsten Wuest, Ph.D.

Date: Wednesday, Mar. 9, 2016

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Place: 135 Advanced Engineering Research (AER) Building

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

RSVP: Matthew Valenti, [email protected]

Organizer: Upper Mon Subsection

Abstract: The talk will discuss current developments in manufacturing, worldwide and within the US,

with a focus on Smart and Intelligent Manufacturing. It will elaborate on the definitions of Smart

Manufacturing and also briefly illustrate the impact on industry. A special focus will be put on the

increasing need and emerging opportunities for collaboration between computer science, data analytics

and manufacturing. The increasing data streams (big data) surfacing in smart manufacturing systems due

to availability of various new sensor systems (incl. computer vision) need to be analyzed efficiently and

the results integrated in the manufacturing work flow. Finally, the talk will show examples of current

collaborative projects, look into potential research opportunities in the field and give an outlook on

future directions.

Speaker Bio:Dr. Thorsten Wuest was awarded his Ph.D. in Production Engineering with Summa Cum

Laude by the University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany in 2014. Previously, Dr. Wuest received his

Master's (German 5-year Diploma) in Industrial Engineering and Management. Additionally, he

graduated top of the class in the International Business Master's program at the AUT University,

Auckland, New Zealand. He has worked as a research scientist for BIBA - Bremer Institut für

Produktion und Logistik GmbH in Bremen since 2009. Over the last years, Dr. Wuest successfully

acquired several externally funded grants (DFG, EC, BMBF, etc.) for original research projects. He

taught undergraduate and graduate classes at the University of Bremen and supervised multiple Master

and Bachelor theses as well as student research projects. In 2013/2014, Dr. Wuest received a prestigious

doctoral grant form the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and furthered his research for ten

months at the Viterbi School of Engineering, Daniel J. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems

Engineering, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, USA. As of July 2015 he serves as

Assistant Professor (tenure-track) for Smart and Advanced Manufacturing at the Industrial and

Management Systems Engineering department, Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and

Mineral Resources, West Virginia University, WV, USA. In his role, Dr. Wuest is involved in research,

teaching at graduate and undergraduate level as well as service activities.

Dr. Wuest is currently working among other things in the areas of advanced and smart manufacturing,

SCM, OM, knowledge, information and data management as well as closed-loop, item-level Product

Lifecycle Management (PLM) with a focus on manufacturing systems. Furthermore, he is interested in

machine learning and big data applications in industrial settings. In his research, he puts an emphasis on

an interdisciplinary and holistic approach towards analysis and optimization. He is involved in several



professional societies in his field, among others he is a member of the IFIP WG5.7 and research affiliate

of the CIRP. Dr. Wuest published over 50 articles in international peer reviewed journals and

conferences and additionally serves as a reviewer for many.

Legacy, Smart, and Smarter Grids

Speaker: Dr. Mo-Yuen Chow

Title: Professor, ECE Department, North Carolina State University (NC State)

IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Distinguished Lecturer

Date: March 10th

, 2016

Time: Refreshments - 6:30 PM; Presentation - 7:00 PM

Place: Westinghouse Energy Research Center

4350 Northern Pike

Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146

RSVP: Required at https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38462 by March 8th

, 2016. If you are an

IEEE member, you must enter your membership number. If you would like to receive PDH, please

bring a copy of this announcement for verification of your attendance and your membership

identification card. A non-member who would like to receive PDH is required to pay $10 to “IEEE

Pittsburgh Section.”

Organizer: Power Electronics Society (PELS) / Power and Energy Society (PES)

Abstract: The power grid has been at the core of national critical infrastructures and industrial control

systems for decades. With the rapid advancement and use of renewable energy resources, Internet of

Things (IoT), embedded systems, and wireless communication technologies, the legacy power grid is

evolving into the micro/smart grids to provide a promising solution to the ever-increasing demands of

power quality, efficiency, reliability, safety, economy, resilience/security, and environmental

friendliness. The large-scale adoption of new devices and the presence of vast quantities of data have

also created new challenges in the management and control of micro/smart grids. Thus, new

opportunities have emerged for applying novel control schemes, optimization strategies, and big data

technologies to make smart grids “smarter”.

This presentation will provide a brief overview of the energy sector revolution from the legacy power

grid, through micro/smart grids to smarter grids, including the motivations (Why?), challenges (What?)

and enabling technologies (How?) of each stage in this inevitable transition.

This seminar will highlight three technologies being developed in ADAC

(Advanced Diagnosis, Automation and Control) Lab at North Carolina State

University: 1) Cooperative distributed energy management, 2) Reputation based

resilience against cyber-attacks, 3) From electrochemical to Thevenin-circuit

battery modeling and SoC/SoH/SoF estimation, to illustrate some current

efforts in making micro/smart grids smarter. The presentation will conclude

with an outlook of our future work to contribute to the “smarter grids”.

Speaker: Dr. Mo-Yuen Chow earned his degree in Electrical and Computer

Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (B.S., 1982); and

Cornell University (M. Eng., 1983; Ph.D., 1987). He joined the Department of

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~chow/


Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University (NCSU) as an Assistant

Professor in 1987, became Associate Professor in 1993, and has been Professor since 1999. Dr. Chow is

a Changjiang Scholar and a Visiting Professor at Zhejiang University.

Dr. Chow’s recent research focuses on distributed control, big data, and fault management on smart

grids, and batteries. Dr. Chow has established the Advanced Diagnosis, Automation, and Control

Laboratory at NCSU. He has published one book, several book chapters, and more than two hundred

journal and conference articles. He is an IEEE Fellow, a Co-Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transaction on

Industrial Informatics, and was the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics 2010-

2012. He has received the IEEE Region-3 Joseph M. Biedenbach Outstanding Engineering Educator

Award, the IEEE ENCS Outstanding Engineering Educator Award, the IEEE ENCS Service Award, the

IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Anthony J Hornfeck Service Award. He is a Distinguished Lecturer

of IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

DIRECTIONS TO WESTINGHOUSE ENERGY CENTER (MONROEVILLE)

From Pittsburgh take Interstate 376 East (Parkway East). Take Exit 84A to Monroeville. Cross

Business Rt. 22 at the traffic light and proceed on Rt. 48 South (Moss Side Blvd) approximately ½ mile

(two traffic lights). The 2nd

traffic light is at a 4-way intersection with a Marathon station on the right

and a Sunoco station on the left. Turn left onto Northern Pike. Proceed approximately 0.2 miles and

turn right at the 1st traffic light onto Westinghouse Dr. Travel 0.7 miles (past the guard stand) to the 3

flags where the building’s main entrance is located. Parking in the evening will be plentiful. Use the

main entrance and check with the security guards inside. You will be directed to the proper room for

your meeting.

From the PA Turnpike, take Exit 57 (Monroeville). After the toll plaza, get in the left lane to get on

Business Rt. 22 West. At the first light, turn left onto Rt. 48 South (Moss Side Blvd) and follow the

above directions.

Your Invention and the America Invents Act – Strategies for

Protecting Your Technology

Speaker: Jon Woodard, Registered Patent Attorney

Founder Woodard International Law

Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Time: Light Dinner at 6:30 PM, Presentation starts at 7:00 PM

Place: Westinghouse Electric Corporation Headquarters, Cranberry Township, PA

Organizer: Computer Society, co-sponsored by Robotics Society

RSVP: Required at https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38619 by March 23, 2016. IEEE members

must enter their membership number.

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38619%20by%20March%2023


Abstract: The America Invents Act (AIA), which came fully into force in March 2013, includes the

most sweeping changes ever to the U.S. Patent Laws. Changes include replacement of the traditional

U.S. first-to-invent rule with the international first-to-file standard. But did you know that, under the

AIA, simply being the “first” to file a Patent Application may not be enough to protect your rights to

your technology?

This presentation will focus on the AIA’s pitfalls and the severe ramifications to U.S. businesses and

small inventors. The presentation will include information that all engineers, inventors, and business

managers need to know and the simple steps you can take to navigate the AIA and effectively develop

and protect your technology both domestically and abroad.

Speaker: Jon Woodard is a Registered Patent Attorney and the founder of Woodard International Law

(a.k.a. WINTLAW), a business and Intellectual Property (IP) law firm with offices in Erie, PA and

Cincinnati, OH. Mr. Woodard has more than 16 years of experience in domestic and international IP and

business law, including extensive experience practicing under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and

Paris Convention Systems for transnational technology prosecution. Mr. Woodard is a Past Chairman of

ASM’s Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter and is a current member of that Chapter’s Executive

Committee.

IEEE Member Insurance Solutions

Protecting You, Your Business, Your Future

Speaker: Graham Fuller and Jeff Ambrose, Mercer Consumer

Date: Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Time: Refreshments - 6:30 PM; Presentation - 7:00 PM

Place: Westinghouse Energy Center

4350 Northern Pike

Monroeville, Pennsylvania 15146

RSVP: Required at https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38298 by April 17. If you are an IEEE

member, you must enter your membership number. Spouses are encouraged to attend.

Organizer: Power Electronics Society (PELS) Chapter, Joint PES/IAS Chapter and Women in

Engineering (WIE)

https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/m/38298


Abstract: As active, professional engineers in today’s challenging economic times, nothing is more

important than making sound decisions about yourself and your business that will position you for long

term success and stability.

Part of that success depends on how you protect your business and yourself from errors and omissions

that may result from the work you perform. Another part of that success is protecting your greatest asset,

yourself, from accidents and sickness that could prevent you from running your business and earning a

living.

Please join Graham Fuller, Principal and Jeff Ambrose, Professional Liability Product Manager, Mercer

Consumer as they show you how to analyze your insurance portfolio from a life and health insurance

perspective as well as a professional liability angle.

Topics will include: discussing the value of term life insurance and disability income insurance as well

as the importance of having the right type of professional liability insurance in place for the work you

do. Additionally, they will also provide you with valuable information on those things you need to

consider from a liability perspective when you enter into a work contract.

All this as well as a discussion about different insurance solutions that Mercer and the IEEE Member

Group Insurance and Alliance Program offers members like yourself to help protect you, your family

and your business.

Speakers:

Graham Fuller Graham Fuller, Principal, is the Senior Relationship Manager for the Mercer Consumer Association

Division Professional Occupations Vertical structure. Graham’s responsibilities include leading a team

of client executives that oversee the day-to-day Mercer operations which affect their assigned client

portfolio. He has 20 years of Insurance Program Management experience with Mercer. He has expertise

in Life/Health Insurance products, as well as Professional Liability and Property/Casualty Insurance

products.

Graham has a B.A. degree in political science from The University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. He has

worked in his current capacity for 12 years and specializes in association insurance program

management. Mr. Fuller holds a Life and Health insurance license in a majority of the United States.

Jeff Ambrose Jeff Ambrose, Program Manager, leads the Professional Liability Engineers Program for Mercer

Consumer. Jeff’s responsibilities include managing the Professional Liability program for IEEE,

enhancing carriers and coverage options and supporting the customer experience. He has over 10 years

of experience creating and managing Architects & Engineers Professional Liability Programs.

Jeff has a B.A. degree in marketing from DePaul University and holds the Construction Risk Insurance

Specialist (CRIS) designation.

See directions to Westinghouse Energy Center (Monroeville) on page 5.


Chasing the Sun

2/19/16

Hello Everyone,

My name is Paige Kassalen and I am the Women In Engineering

Co-Chair. I work for Covestro (formerly Bayer

MaterialScience) and am on a half year assignment where I will

be working on the Ground Crew for Solar Impulse: the first

round-the-world flight only powered by the sun! Covestro is a

major sponsor of Solar Impulse and engineered the cockpit using

our lightweight materials. Over the next 6 months, I am going to

document my journey for all my fellow IEEE members in

Pittsburgh! Please feel free to reach out with any questions!

The plane has been stationed in Hawaii since July 2015, due to

battery damage that occurred during the flight from Japan. The

batteries are repaired and we are now ready to perform other

tests necessary to meet our Hawaii departure date in mid-April. I will be with the team as we complete

the journey across the United States and Europe, and then end in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. I am in the process

of working with the media department about what information and pictures can and cannot be released,

so I apologize for no pictures of the plane in this entry.

I arrived in Hawaii on February 12, and therefore have just completed my first week of work with the

Solar Impulse team. The team is amazing and very inclusive. It is an interesting culture shock, though,

because I am in this tropical environment, but I am surrounded by people who speak French and Swiss

German. Luckily I have some background in French and now just have to practice. The team

appreciates me for being their “local” because I am the only full American and native English speaker

on the team, which comes in handy when we need someone to communicate in restaurants or stores. On

the team, there are two chefs who prepare all of our meals. I enjoy how we eat lunch and dinner as a

team because it allows us to become a family… and also the Swiss really know how to choose cheese

and chocolate, so our meals are always amazing!

My tasks on the Ground Crew are pretty much anything that needs to be completed. On Monday, I

spent the day organizing the hangar and sorting through our crates. Tuesday, I learned about the process

for take-off and landing. My most interesting task when the plane lands is to be on a bicycle and grab a

bar on the wing of the plane to ensure it does not hit the ground. Wednesday and Thursday, I spent

shopping for parts in Honolulu for the pilot’s microphone. This is difficult because everything on the

plane is custom and people sometimes looked at us crazy when we explained what we are doing with the

parts. Today (Friday), we are doing some disruption testing to see how the engine responds to different

triggers and tomorrow (Saturday), we are preforming tests flights!


As the journey progresses, there will be more challenges to overcome and therefore, more information

for you all! The goal of this project is not to have every plane be powered by solar power, but to inspire

people to make a change and start using alternative energy!

To follow me: http://paigekassalen.tumblr.com/,

Instagram/Twitter - @paigekassalen

Renewal Reminder

Just a brief reminder that the period to renew IEEE membership for the year has expired. Those

members who have not completed renewal by February 20 will have their membership deactivated. If

you haven’t already done so, please take time to renew your membership. As you know, IEEE

membership is important for your career as well as for your own personal growth. Keep up the contact

with the societies and affinity groups and stay involved! There is now an automatic renewal option for

those of you who just can’t seem to remember to renew each year.

New Members

For those of you reading this newsletter on loan from a friend, now is the time to consider becoming a

member of IEEE. Starting on March 1, new members are only charged ½ price for dues, which will

cover your membership fee until the end of the calendar year. You can see all the great activities that

we have going on. Make an effort to attend 1 or 2 a year, read all of the IEEE periodicals that are

available to you, and keep in touch with your profession. You won’t regret it!

Welcome Our New Senior Members

Yiran Chen

Hai Li

Dingsheng Lin

Florian Metze

Charles Stiffler

http://paigekassalen.tumblr.com/


Computer Society Metro Area Workshop: Call for Volunteers

The Pittsburgh Section Computer Society is planning to hold a Metro Area Workshop in 2016. This

workshop is a one-day seminar providing "hands-on" instruction targeted toward working

engineers. This workshop will focus on embedded systems, FPGAs, and robotics.

Planning a workshop is a large task and we need help. Please consider how you can help, perhaps by:

- participating in the planning committee

- recommending a speaker/teacher for the workshop

- attending the workshop

- helping at the workshop

- talking to your colleagues about the workshop

Please contact computer society chair Ralph Sprang, [email protected], if you have questions or can

help us out. Thanks!

FIRST Robotics Greater Pittsburgh Regional is seeking volunteers

FIRST is still looking for volunteers for the competition at Cal U on 10 - 12 March. See last month’s

Bulletin for details or click the link below.

http://www.pittsburghfirst.org/2016-first-robotics-competition-greater-pittsburgh-regional/

Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair 2016 - Call for

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to represent the IEEE Pittsburgh Section at the 2016 Pittsburgh Regional Science

and Engineering Fair (PRSEF) on April 1, 2016 at Heinz Field. The PRSEF will celebrate its 77th

year

of open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering.

This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12 from 27 counties within Western Pennsylvania,

West Virginia and Maryland. The Science Fair has been a Pittsburgh tradition since 1940 and is the third

oldest science fair in the United States. Annually, over 1,000 students from over 100 schools compete.


http://www.pittsburghfirst.org/2016-first-robotics-competition-greater-pittsburgh-regional/


2015 IEEE Sponsor Award Winner Mohit Bhide of North Allegheny High School

with his project “Arduino-Brain Interfaced Robotic Prosthetic Hand

The goal of the Science Fair is to advance science education by exhibiting examples of scientific

research by some of the best and brightest students in our region. The goal of the Science Fair coincides

with one of the missions of the IEEE, that is to foster an interest in the engineering profession.

The half-day event begins with lunch at noon, followed by judging of Junior, Intermediate and Senior

Division projects, and concludes with presentation of two IEEE sponsor awards to Senior and

Intermediate Division entries at approximately 4 PM.

To volunteer to be an IEEE judge for Science Fair, just email [email protected], and you will be

given information on registration and included in future mailings.



2016 Calendar – Meetings of IEEE Pittsburgh Section Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

Executive

Committee

21

Panera

Bread Wilkins

18

Tech Shop

(Bakery Square)

17

Panera Bread

Cranberry

21

TBD

19

TBD

16

TBD

21

TBD

18

TBD

15

TBD

20

TBD

17

TBD

15

TBD

Section 20

Engineer’s

Week

1

Science Fair

Communic

ations

Computer 29

Patent Law

EMBS

EMCS

Power

Electronics

27 Power

Converters

23 Inverters

10 Legacy, smart

grids

20 Insurance

PES/IAS 16

Nuclear

10

Legacy, smart grids

20

Insurance

Magnetics

Robotics 29

Patent Law

Sig.

Processing

CPMT/ED

Social Impl

Technology

Upper Mon 25 Preparing

Workforce

1 Text Class.

9 Smart

Manufacture

Women in

Eng’ing

20

Insurance

Life Mem.

Young Pros

PACE

Student Act

Pittsburgh Section Bulletinewh.ieee.org/r2/pittsburgh/bulletins/ieee_0316.pdfIEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin March 2016 Volume 65 No. 3 Page 3 of 12 Smart Manufacturing:Computer Science,

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