IEEE Central Texas Section

THE ANALOG

Volume 54-03

March 2010

Newsletter of the Central Texas Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Inc.


Published monthly. Deadline for inclusion is the 27th day of the previous month. Send submissions, comments, questions to Dennis Ferguson, Editor, dferguson@ieee.org


CONTENTS

1. Section Activities

Chairman's Column

Membership Development

San Antonio Vice-Chair's Column

Section & Chapter News

Continuing Education

Student Branches

Calls for Volunteers


2. Chapter Activities

Multiple Chapters

Antennas & Propagation/Microwave Theory and Techniques

Joint Circuits and Systems/Solid-State Circuits

Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology

Computer Society - Austin

Computer Society - San Antonio

Consultants Network

Electromagnetic Compatibility Society

Electron Devices Society

Engineering in Medicine and Biology

Graduates of the Last Decade

Laser and Electro Optics Society

Life Members Affinity Group

Power Engineering Society - Austin

Power Engineering Society - San Antonio

Product Safety Engineering Society

Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - Austin

Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - San Antonio

Technology Management Council - Austin

Technology Management Council - San Antonio

Women in Engineering


3. News & Information

How Useful Is An MBA?

Wind Surge

IEEE Launches Smart Grid Web Portal

Electronics That Live Forever

Intel's "Single-Chip Cloud Computer"

Humanitarian Technology Challenge Launches Student Design Competition


4. Local Conferences

5. Other Conferences


IEEE EXTERNAL LINKS

IEEE

IEEE-USA

IEEE Region 5

IEEE Central Texas Section

Call for Papers

IEEEXplore - full text access to IEEE Publications

What's New at IEEE

SocietyNews from IEEE

IEEE Standards Association

The Spectrum Online -The Magazine for Technology Insiders


1. Section Activities


Membership Development


Not an IEEE member and have been waiting to join?

Join now with year dues! Join IEEE and receive 10 months of membership for the price of six. If you have been away from IEEE for more than a year, you can re-join for half price!

Have you renewed your IEEE membership for 2010?

It is easy to forget and easy to put off. If you haven't renewed your IEEE membership, or don't know if you have, go to your MYIEEE account NOW and check at www.myieee.org or call 800 678-4333.

Beginning March 1st, non-renewing IEEE members will lose all member benefits. Renew now and regain access to your IEEE benefits.

If you have already renewed, thank you for being part of the Central Texas Section and the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional association.

IEEE First Year Member Benefit

The IEEE has made available select IEEE Expert Now courses first year renewing members. Four (4) learning modules from Carl Selinger's book, "Stuff You Don't Learn in Engineering School", and a module on "Risk Management", a $350 value, are available to renewing first year members. Go to your MyIEEE account for details or watch for Email Communications.

Did you know about IEEE - E-Books from IEEE Press

The IEEE Press has partnered with John Wiley, Inc. to provide 200+ books ( pre copyright 2007), which are available to member at no additional cost. The e-book collection spans a number of today's technologies across 19 content areas, and include:

  • Practical handbooks;
  • Introductory and advanced texts
  • Reference works
  • Professional books

IEEE is committed to serve the needs of practicing engineers and members from industry. The value of this benefit grows ever year the member renews. IEEE Press will be adding 40-50 books annually.

Access your E-Books on IEEE Xplore though your MyIEEE account.

Joe Redfield
CTS Membership Development Chair
J.Redfield@ieee.org
210-522-3729

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Section & Chapter News

Discover Engineering

Discover Engineering is a Central Texas program that coordinates classroom visits from local engineering volunteers. The mission of Discover Engineering is to excite K-12 students to pursue careers in math, science, and engineering through hands-on engineering activities and collaborative, volunteer-driven initiatives of the engineering and education communities.


During the 2008-2009 school year, Discover Engineering volunteers visited over 13,000 students from more that 80 schools in the greater Austin area. Over 800 volunteers from more than 50 area companies, government organizations and professional societies participated in these visits.


Registration for volunteers and teachers for the 2009-2010 school year is now open on the Discover Engineering web site (https://www.centexeweek.org). Teachers can sign up for a single classroom visit, an entire grade level, or an entire school. Individuals, Teams or entire companies can sign up as volunteers.


Please take a few minutes to look at our web site, then sign up as a volunteer. And don't hesitate to pass this information on to any others you think would be interested.

John Purvis
Discover Engineering Steering Committee


Programmable Logic Group in San Antonio

Topic/Title

Programmable Logic Group

Speaker

Djaffer Ibaroundene, Professor of Computer Engineering at St.Mary's University, will talk on his Digital Systems course and exhibit the associated laboratory equipment.

Abstract

Planning meeting for Programmable Logic Group. Charter is to provide networking and continuing education at all levels of experience in the area of FPGAs, CPLDs, and associated implementation process and tools.

Date/Time

Thursday, 11 March 2010 - 7:00-9:00 pm

Cost

None. Cookies and water wil be provided.

Reservations

Please email Jim Brakefield at jim.brakefield@ieee.org, so we have a head count.

Location

St. Mary's University, Room 107 in Richter Math-Engineering building (bldg 22, see campus map link) https://www.stmarytx.edu/map/?go=map_2column". Park in Lot D

NotesSee www.ieee-cs-cts.org for directions and parking information.
This meeting is open to the public.

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Continuing Education

The Engineering Leadership Institute begins its 2009-2010 year with a one-week intensive bootcamp, training engineering managers to:

  • Create collaborative relationships across your organization
  • Gain support for your ideas and projects
  • Improve your communication skills
  • Learn how to build high performance teams
  • Improve your outcomes through practical negotiation skills
  • Manage risk
  • Acquire tools for strategic planning

This program also includes quarterly follow on workshops, geared to the participant's needs. Certification from the Engineering Leadership Institute is available. Register now at https://lifelong.engr.utexas.edu/management/index.cfm.

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Student Branches

St Mary's University - San Antonio (https://engineering.stmarytx.edu/ieee/)
Faculty Adviser: Djaffer Ibaroudene, email: dibaroudene@stmarytx.edu
Branch Chair: Richard Ledesma, email: rledesma@mail.stmarytx.edu


Texas State University - San Marcos (new branch, 2009)
Faculty Adviser: Larry Larson, email: Larry.Larson@TXState.edu
Branch Chair: Jesse Clark, email: JC1831@TXState.edu


Trinity University - San Antonio
Faculty Adviser: Farzan Aminian, email: Farzan.Aminian@Trinity.edu
Branch Chair: Peter Garatoni, email: pgaraton@trinity.edu


University of Texas at Austin (https://ieee.ece.utexas.edu/)
Faculty Adviser: Sriram Vishwanath, email: sriram@ece.utexas.edu
Branch Chair: Erik Eyberg, email: chair@ieee.ece.utexas.edu


University of Texas at San Antonio (http:/www.utsaieee.org/)
Faculty Adviser: Yufang Jin, email: Yufang.Jin@utsa.edu
Branch Chair: Kevin Messenhimer, email: kmessen@gmail.com


Student Member News


Humanitarian Technology Challenge Launches Student Design Competition

IEEE is sponsoring a Regional Student Design Competition for solutions to one of three humanitarian problems as part of the joint IEEE-United Nations Foundation Humanitarian Technology Challenge (HTC). The competition runs from Oct. 2009 to May 2010.


HTC is a partnership among humanitarians, technologists, funders, and others, to develop implementable technological solutions to some key challenges facing humanitarian health and disaster workers today. The participants volunteer their time to collaborate for the benefit of humanity.


The Regional Student Design Competition challenges students to provide a working prototype, scale model or detailed engineering design specifications for a project that satisfies one of the three Challenges. The project can be developed by student individuals or by student teams. Teams must be led by an IEEE student member.


More information about the HTC project, and detailed descriptions of the challenges, can be found at https://www.ieeehtc.org. Rules for the Regional Student Design Competition can be found at https://www.ieeehtc.org/index.php/htc/students/challenge.

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Calls for Volunteers


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2. Chapter Activities


Multiple Chapter Events

Joint Meeting of the Computer Society - San Antonio and Engineering in Medicine and Biology

Topic/Title

Microchip Fabrication Technologies

Speaker

Kiyoshi Mori received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Gumma University , Japan. Dr. Mori has worked on various technical issues in both Japan and US semiconductor facilities. His recent work included CMOS, MEMS, bipolar dechnologies development, and nanotech process/device simulations. Dr. Mori has published more than 15 technical papers, and won a Best Paper Award. He holds 20 patents, and received a Best Patent Award. Dr. Mori is an IEEE senior member, and he has also served as chairman and committee member of SEMI and SPIE conferences.

Abstract

While the progress in microchip technologies allows the manufacturers to produce more advanced medical devices, the processes of microchip fabrication are still new to many engineers. This presentation will show step by step how to build a very basic IC device, will review in more detail the nanotechnologies used in today's microchip production and will discuss the potential applications of microchip technologies in the medical device field.

Date/Time

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 - 7:00-9:00 pm

Cost

$15 IEEE members, $18 non-members, $4 students

Reservations

Please email Yu Zhang, Yu Zhang, or call (210) 999-7399 (so we have a head count).

Location

AT&T Center for Information Technology, Room 108, at St. Mary's University. (This is building 45 on the campus map available on our website). Parking will be in lot U in front of the building.

NotesNote the new location.

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Antennas & Propagation/Microwave Theory and Techniques
https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/ap_mtt/

No Antennas & Propagation/Microwave Theory And Techniques Society meetings are scheduled for March.

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Joint Circuits and Systems/Solid-State Circuits
https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/ssc_css/

Topic/Title

The Annual Review of the ISSCC Conference

Speaker

  • Joshua Friedrich - Processor
  • Matt Felder - Analog
  • Ramin Poorfard - RF
  • Betty Prince - Memories

Abstract

  • Josh Friedrich led power estimation and reduction efforts on the POWER7TM chip. He also played a key role in defining the chip infrastructure and closing the design methodology. On past POWERTM processors, Josh has led hardware characterization, memory subsystem circuit development, and the design of core execution units. Josh is currently heading circuit development on one of IBM's future designs.

  • Matt Felder worked for 9 years at SigmaTel designing CMOS analog circuitry for single chip MP3 players and FM receivers. Since June he has been with Maxim Integrated Products designing low power audio circuitry. Matt is a senior member of IEEE and was a founding member of the Central Texas Chapter of the Solid State Circuits Society. He has 26 issued patents and 14 pending patents.

  • Dr. Ramin K. Poorfard received his Ph.D. from University of Toronto in 1995. Consequently, he joined Bell Labs in March of 1995 where he was involved in the GSM base-band product development for cellular phones. In 1999, he was promoted to the rank of Distinguished Member of Technical Staff. In July of 2000, he joined Silicon Laboratories Inc. in Austin TX where he worked on ADSL products and more recently on Satellite receiver front ends. Since, Jan. 2007, Dr. Poorfard was promoted to the rank Principal Designer managing the design of Satellite receiver line of products. Dr. Poorfard's interests are RF IC architectures and their building block integrations as well as mixed-signal design.

  • Dr. Betty Prince is CEO of Memory Strategies International and has 35 years engineering experience in the semiconductor industry. She is author of several books in the semiconductor memory area. She is a Senior Life Member of the IEEE and an IEEE SSCS Distinguished Lecturer. She has been active in standardization and has been on the Technical Advisory Board of several memory companies. She has a Ph.D. from the University of Texas with doctoral dissertation on fractal modeling.

Date/Time

Tuesday, 9 March 2010, 6:30-8:30pm

Cost

none, will provide pizza

Reservations

not required

Location

UT Campus - ENS 306

Notes

The joint Circuits & Systems/Solid State Circuits Societies normally meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. This meeting is open to the public and interested parties. Additional details will be posted at the website. If you have any questions about this meeting or this group, please contact renhaoxing@ieee.org or dferguson@ieee.org

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Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology (CPMT) -Austin
https://cpmtaustinchapter.org/

No Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology meetings are scheduled for March.

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Computer Society - Austin
https://www.ieee.org/austin_cs/

No Computer Society - Austin meetings are scheduled for March.

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Computer Society - San Antonio
https://www.ieee-cs-cts.org/

Topic/Title

Microchip Fabrication Technologies

Speaker

Kiyoshi Mori received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Gumma University , Japan. Dr. Mori has worked on various technical issues in both Japan and US semiconductor facilities. His recent work included CMOS, MEMS, bipolar dechnologies development, and nanotech process/device simulations. Dr. Mori has published more than 15 technical papers, and won a Best Paper Award. He holds 20 patents, and received a Best Patent Award. Dr. Mori is an IEEE senior member, and he has also served as chairman and committee member of SEMI and SPIE conferences.

Abstract

While the progress in microchip technologies allows the manufacturers to produce more advanced medical devices, the processes of microchip fabrication are still new to many engineers. This presentation will show step by step how to build a very basic IC device, will review in more detail the nanotechnologies used in today's microchip production and will discuss the potential applications of microchip technologies in the medical device field.

Date/Time

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 - 7:00-9:00 pm

Cost

$15 IEEE members, $18 non-members, $4 students

Reservations

Please email Yu Zhang, Yu Zhang, or call (210) 999-7399 (so we have a head count).

Location

AT&T Center for Information Technology, Room 108, at St. Mary's University. (This is building 45 on the campus map available on our website). Parking will be in lot U in front of the building.

NotesNote the new location.

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Central Texas Consultants Network
https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/cn

Topic/Title

Why Marketing Matters

Speaker

Alora Chistiakoff

Alora Chistiakoff, Principal & Co-Founder, The Indigo Heron Group, Inc, has spent more than a decade working in ecommerce, web development, and online marketing in both professional services, and in-house enterprise environments. Her strong technical and marketing background has been put to good use by clients such as Playboy, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Norm Thompson, Keds and JetBlue Airways.

Abstract

"If I build it, they will come" is a common philosophy among developers-turned-entrepreneur. And yet, it's a one that doesn't work. Alora will discuss the changes that have occurred in online business over the past decade, and why they mean that marketing really does matter -- as much as development.

Date/Time

Wednesday, 24 March 2010,
Networking at 6:00 pm,
Business and Program from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Cost

$5.00 minimum charge for the restaurant. Supper is at optional extra cost.

Reservations

Not required. All interested parties are invited to attend. For more information, contact Ed Gordon ebg@ieee.org, or Kai Wong kaiwong@ieee.org.

Location

China Star Restaurant, 6134 Hwy 290E, Austin TX, Westbound access road of 290E, just east of I-35

Notes

Do a friend a favor. Bring your colleagues to grow the Consultants Network.

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Electromagnetic Compatibility Society
https://ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/chapters/centraltexas/index.html

Topic/Title

CISPR 32 and CISPR 35: New EMI Requirements for Multimedia Equipment

Speaker

Richard Worley, Sr. Regulatory Engineer. Dell

Date/Time

Wednesday, 24 March 2010, 6:30pm social/food, 7:00 -9:00pm program

Cost

none

Reservations

Not necessary

Location

National Instruments, Building C, 11500 North Mopac Expwy., Austin, TX 78759

Notes

Food and refreshments are provided. See the EMC Society Chapter web site at https://ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/chapters/centraltexas/index.html for more information and directions. This meeting is open to the public.

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Electron Devices Society
https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/eds/

Topic/Title

2010 Semiconductor Industry & Economic Conditions

Speaker

Shelly Van Dyke

Abstract

In 2010, the semiconductor industry is headed for growth, after 2 years of consecutive decline in 2008 and 2009 during the global economic downturn. As the global economy recovers, we examine the factors affecting semiconductor growth and the possible outcomes, especially:

  • economic factors
  • capacity & capital spending,
  • inventory,
  • electronics trends.

Date/Time

25 March 2010 from 6:00 - 7:30pm

Refreshments

Light refreshments are provided

Reservations

Please RSVP to Christian Catalan at Christian.Catalan@amd.com. We need an accurate count to purchase refreshments.

Location

Rio Grande Conference room at SVTC - Map at https://www.sematech.org/corporate/map.htm

Notes

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Engineering in Medicine and Biology
https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/embs/index.html

Topic/Title

Microchip Fabrication Technologies

Speaker

Kiyoshi Mori received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Gumma University , Japan. Dr. Mori has worked on various technical issues in both Japan and US semiconductor facilities. His recent work included CMOS, MEMS, bipolar dechnologies development, and nanotech process/device simulations. Dr. Mori has published more than 15 technical papers, and won a Best Paper Award. He holds 20 patents, and received a Best Patent Award. Dr. Mori is an IEEE senior member, and he has also served as chairman and committee member of SEMI and SPIE conferences.

Abstract

While the progress in microchip technologies allows the manufacturers to produce more advanced medical devices, the processes of microchip fabrication are still new to many engineers. This presentation will show step by step how to build a very basic IC device, will review in more detail the nanotechnologies used in today's microchip production and will discuss the potential applications of microchip technologies in the medical device field.

Date/Time

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 - 7:00-9:00 pm

Cost

$15 IEEE members, $18 non-members, $4 students

Reservations

Please email Yu Zhang, Yu Zhang, or call (210) 999-7399 (so we have a head count).

Location

AT&T Center for Information Technology, Room 108, at St. Mary's University. (This is building 45 on the campus map available on our website). Parking will be in lot U in front of the building.

NotesNote the new location.

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Engineering Management
https://www.ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/ems

The Engineering Management Society has become the Technology Management Council. Information about meetings can be found in the sections for Technology Management Council - Austin and Technology Management Council - San Antonio

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Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD)

No Graduates of the Last Decade meetings are scheduled for March.

For more Information contact Jason Polendo jpolendo@ieee.org

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Laser and Electro Optics Society

No Laser and Electro Optics Society meetings are scheduled for March.

For more information, contact Ray Chen

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Life Members Affinity Group

Our 2010 Officers will be:

  • Chair - Ernest Franke
  • Vice Chair - Tom O'Brien
  • Webmaster - Bob Harris
  • Excom member - Scott Atkinson

We are in the process of planning a technology expo for 2010, where members can display and explain details of their historical items.

Our Excom could use several additional members. If you would like to meet for an occasional lunch and help with our future plans, please let Ernest know by sending him an email at efranke@swri.org.

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Power and Energy Society - Austin
https://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/pes/centraltexas/austin

Topic/Title

The LED Lighting Gold Rush - It's Like Prospecting on the Moon

Speaker

Mr. Peterson is an engineer with a diverse background in a number of different industries and disciplines. He won several academic and project awards and honors while completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology with minor degrees in Packaging and Facilities Engineering. His degrees provided a well-rounded education in a number of engineering disciplines that has allowed him to win numerous achievement and performance awards, while working for large, medium, and small sized companies and filling numerous roles in each. His early encounters working with machines and components in the semiconductor arena during and after college developed an effective core set of competencies and work ethic that have carried throughout his professional career. Skills and experience to design, manufacture, and document machines, products, and systems utilizing electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, computer control systems, and robotics were honed at companies such as Strasbaugh, Newport Corporation, Lockheed Martin - Mission Systems, and Micro Solutions Enterprises. Seesmart, Inc. presents a challenge to Mr. Peterson that calls on all of his prior experience in virtually all fields of engineering. Since LED technology and its application are growing and improving by leaps and bounds each and every day, electrical, mechanical, manufacturing, facilities, and even civil engineering skills are all called upon on a regular basis in order to advance the engineering and development of LED products. The need to multi-task and understand the demands of the business mean that his focus must be broad in order to ensure that the needs of the company's aggressive marketing plans, demanding production/delivery schedules, and product performance/development all stay on course.

Abstract

It is an exciting time right now in the LED industry and in the general lighting industry as a whole. The development of the white LED and its applications have opened up the entire world to a totally new way of thinking about lighting and what it can do for anyone and everyone. The improvement of the construction methods and materials of the LEDs themselves, the growth of the electronic systems and drivers used to power and control the LEDs, the progress of the heat management systems for the LEDs and the electronics, and then the final application and incorporation of all of the above into usable lighting products have all exploded into a very lucrative and rapidly-changing business that is rewarding to the LED industry companies and consumers alike. However, the current LED market is progressing on a daily basis in ways that are very similar to the computer industry innovation explosion of the mid-90s, and in that sense it is kind of like prospecting for gold. There is plenty of gold available here on Earth, but the equipment is on the Moon. Lots of companies in all parts of the world are rushing to get a piece of the 'worldwide-plus' market, but not everyone can provide the level of service and support that consumers will need in order to survive in today's global business climate. In this talk, I will review current and future LED lighting technology and what kind of benefits and advancements can be expected in the near and far futures. I will discuss how the design, development, marketing, and sustainable support of LEDs when used in residential and commercial lighting applications must all come together in the right way so that LED lighting will remain a viable and sensible technology for manufacturers and for those that buy their products.

Date/Time

Thursday, 23 March 2010 - 6:00pm Social, 6:30pm Dinner, 7:00pm Meeting, 7:30pm Program, 9:00pm room closes

Cost

Dinner is free for full-time students
$12 or $15 for IEEE members and accompanying spouses
$15 or $18 for non-IEEE members

Reservations

Please RSVP if you plan to attend. To reply or for further information, please contact Kevin Ewing via email at kewing@shermco.com.

Location

El Gallo Mexican Restaurant
2910 S Congress
Austin, Texas
512-444-2205

Notes

The bar will be available to those who care to purchase a drink or beer. In fact, there is a service window, so we don't even have to leave the party room. When you order, you will have a choice from seven special selections and five traditional combinations on our menu. All meals include coffee or tea and special selections include soft drinks.

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Power and Energy Society - San Antonio
https://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pes/centraltexas/sanantonio

Topic/Title

Safety Related Maintenance Practices

Speaker

Mike Moore

Abstract

So now you think you are in 70E bliss because your arc flash study is complete, your warning labels are applied, your employees and contractors are trained & qualified, and all of your high incident energy hazards are mitigated. But wait -- are you sure you've read Chapter 2 of the 2009 NFPA 70E? This presentation examines a prime area where 70E compliance problems can arise due to the improper or lack of maintenance of electrical components, wiring and equipment which can drastically increase the propensity of injury or death.

Date/Time

Thursday, 25 March 2010 - 6:00-6:30 Registration

Cost

$10 members, $15 non-members

Reservations

RSVP to Christina Gaydos via e-mail at chris@grubbengineering.com or via phone at (210)658-7250.

Location

Grady's BBQ, 6510 San Pedro, San Antonio (210-806-8036)

Notes

For more information please go to our web site at https://ewh.ieee.org/soc/pes/centraltexas/sanantonio

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Product Safety Engineering Society
https://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/pses/

Topic/Title

Open Discussion - Future of Product Safety Discipline

Speaker

Everyone who attends!

Abstract

Is the product safety engineer still a value-added member of the design team? Will there be a separate and distinct product safety engineering staff in the future, or will they simply be absorbed by the "design engineering" staff?

How well do you effect product safety changes with products being built half a world away? What new dynamics are involved in communications in this situation, i.e. how do you get your point across so it's understood and implemented?

This and many more questions will be open for debate as we try our first "open mike" group discussion on these topics. Please join us and give ua your opinions on these subjects, and more...

Date/Time

Tuesday 16 March 2010 at 6:30 - 8:00pm

Cost

None

Reservations

None needed

Location

Dell, Parmer Campus, 701 East Parmer Lane, Building S.4, Victoria Conference Room

We encourage you, others in your organization, or other interested parties to participate in our meetings. The PSES meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm, with the program starting at 7:00pm. For further information about the PSES, please contact Dale Ritzen at (512) 651-5338.

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Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - Austin
https://www.cts-comsoc-sp.org/

No Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - Austin meetings are scheduled for March.

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Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - San Antonio
https://www.cts-comsoc-sp.org/

No Joint Signal Processing/Communications Society - San Antonio meetings are scheduled for March.

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Technology Management Council - Austin
https://www.ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/ems

Topic/Title

Growing Your Business with Social Media

Speaker

Kenneth Cho, CEO and co-founder of Social Agency, Inc., the creators of Spredfast.

Abstract

How can Social Media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn and YouTube, help your business efforts? How can you tell whether the time you put into Social Media is really helping to build brand or product awareness? Join us for lunch and a scintillating talk by Ken Cho, recognized social media veteran and co-founder/CEO of Social Agency, Inc., the creators of Spredfast.

Date/Time

Wednesday 10 March 2010 from 11:30am - 1:00 pm

Cost

No cost for meeting, $18 for lunch

Reservations

RSVP online at https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meeting_view/list_meeting/1711, For questions, contact Leslie Martinich at lmartinich@ieee.org.

Location

Mirabelle Restaurant, 8127 Mesa Dr, Austin, TX 78759-8632 just north of the intersection with Spicewood Springs.

Notes

Contact Doug Russell for more information about the Austin TMC.

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Technology Management Council - San Antonio
https://www.ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/ems

No Technology Management Council - San Antonio meetings are scheduled for March.

Contact Nils Smith (nils.smith@ieee.org) for information about the San Antonio TMC.

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Women in Engineering
https://www.austin-wie.org/

Jointly held with the Technology Management Society - Austin (see above).

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3. News & Information

How Useful Is An MBA?

MBAs prove useful for climbing the corporate ladder, getting back into the workforce faster, or keeping a startup chugging along. Read more at MBA.


Wind Surge

New turbines amounting to almost 10 gigawatts were installed in the United States in 2009, bringing the country's total wind capacity to about 35 GW, according to data released by the American Wind Energy Association this week. This week, the Global Wind Energy Council, based in Brussels, is expected to release figures showing that wind installation worldwide nearly equaled the booming growth rates seen in recent years, which have been around 28 percent per annum.

The 2009 performance is all the more remarkable in light of last year's severe economic recession and a sharp run-up in wind installation costs that go back several years. Steve Sawyer, secretary general of the global council, points out that the cost of steel doubled from 2004 to the period from 2006 to 2007, and the cost of copper rose almost as much; pretty much the same was true for the price of the fiberglass used in turbine blades, made from a petroleum feedstock. Four or five years ago the cost of European wind installation was about 1000 euros per kilowatt (or roughly $1.4/W), says Sawyer, but in the next years it increased to around 1400 euros per kilowatt, mainly because of the higher commodity prices. Wind costs peaked about a year ago and have since come down some, but only a little.

The China price, notes Sawyer, is 30 to 40 percent lower than the global average--and the India price is even lower than that.

Putting its spin on the rather sensational U.S. news, the American wind association asserts that additional wind capacity prevents the emission of more than 60 million metric tons (mt) of annual carbon dioxide, 200 000 mt of sulfur dioxide, and 80 000 mt of nitrous oxide, and saves 20 billion mt of water. A spokesperson for the association claims, perhaps a little dubiously, that their number crunchers got these results whether the generation being replaced by wind is taken to be the average national mix or the specific mix replaced by specific turbines. The amount of wind installed last year in the United States, the association boasts (and rightly so!), was equivalent to the amount of new natural gas capacity. Together, wind and gas accounted for 80 percent of new U.S. generating capacity in 2009. Read more at Wind.


IEEE Launches Smart Grid Web Portal

On 19 January IEEE launched the IEEE Smart Grid Web Portal an integrated gateway to Smart Grid intelligence, education and news from IEEE and other expert sources. The Web Portal is designed for manufacturers, policymakers, educators, academics, governments, engineers, computer scientists, researchers and other stakeholders in the power and energy, information technology (IT), and communications industries. The IEEE Smart Grid Web Portal is the first phase of IEEE Smart Grid, created to bring together IEEE's broad array of resources to provide expertise and guidance for those involved in Smart Grid worldwide. Read more at Smart Grid.


Electronics That Live Forever

Sometimes an electrical device needs to stay put for a while. But how do you power it if it's in a place that's not easy to reach--say, inside a concrete pillar or in the bowels of a chemical plant? Two separate research teams, at Cornell University, in Ithaca, N.Y., and at Imec, in the Netherlands, have developed piezoelectric generators that they say will power wireless sensors for up to 100 years. The Cornell team employs a radioactive isotope with a half-life that long, while the Imec researchers' device relies on the tiniest vibrations from the surrounding environment. Read more at Long Life Electronics.


Intel's "Single-Chip Cloud Computer"

This week at the IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Intel lifted the hood on a 48-core prototype chip that indicates a shift in direction for the company's many-core research. Rather than focusing on the number-crunching needs of traditional supercomputer problems, the chip is geared toward the needle-in-a-haystack problems of data centers. Read more at: Cloud Computing.


Humanitarian Technology Challenge Launches Student Design Competition

IEEE is sponsoring a Regional Student Design Competition for solutions to one of three humanitarian problems as part of the joint IEEE-United Nations Foundation Humanitarian Technology Challenge (HTC). The competition runs from Oct. 2009 to May 2010.


HTC is a partnership among humanitarians, technologists, funders, and others, to develop implementable technological solutions to some key challenges facing humanitarian health and disaster workers today. The participants volunteer their time to collaborate for the benefit of humanity.


Three challenges have been identified:

  1. Reliable Electricity: Availability of electric power for lighting and other electronic devices in resource-constrained environments. Important for education, communications, and economic development.

  2. Data Connectivity of Rural District Health Offices: Capability of exchanging data among remote field offices and central health facilities. Important for accessing treatment protocols, creating and monitoring health trends, and sharing results of treatments.

  3. Individual ID Tied to Health Records: Consistent availability of patient medical records. Important for ongoing treatment of patients, especially migrants and those with long-term diseases.

The Regional Student Design Competition challenges students to provide a working prototype, scale model or detailed engineering design specifications for a project that satisfies one of the three Challenges. The project can be developed by student individuals or by student teams. Teams must be led by an IEEE student member.


More information about the HTC project, and detailed descriptions of the challenges, can be found at https://www.ieeehtc.org. Rules for the Regional Student Design Competition can be found at https://www.ieeehtc.org/index.php/htc/students/challenge.

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4. Local Conferences

  • 2010 IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Technology Conference - I2MTC 2010 on 5 May 2010 at the Austin Hilton.

  • 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory - ISIT on 12 June 2010 at the Austin Hilton. For more information see https://www.isit2010.org/.

  • 56th IEEE Pulp and Paper Industry Conference - PPIC on 20 September 2010 at San Antonio's Omni La Mansion Del Rio Hotel. For more information see https://www.ieee-pcic.org/Conferences/futureconf.html.

  • 16th International Symposium on Low Power Electronics and Design on 18 August 2010 in Austin. For more information see https://www.islped.org/.

  • 2010 Solar Technology Workshop on 17 September 2010 in Austin at Freescale Semiconductor. For more information see https://ewh.ieee.org/r5/central_texas/stw/.

  • IEEE Petroleum and Chemical Industry Technical Conference (PCIC 2010) on 20 September 2010 at the San Antonio Marriott River Center. For more information see https://www.ieee-pcic.org.

  • 2010 IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting - BCTM on 4 October 2010 at the Austin Radisson Hotel & Suites. For more information see https://www.ieee-bctm.org/.

  • IEEE 19th Conference on Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging and Systems (EPEPS) on 25 October 2010 at the Austin Crowne Plaza Hotel. For more information see https://www.epeps.org.

  • 2010 IEEE International Test Conference (ITC) on 31 October 2010 at Marriott Austin Downtown/Convention Center. For more information see https://www.itctestweek.org/.

  • IEEE Conference Search can be found at https://www.ieee.org/web/conferences/search/index.html.

  • See also https://www.wikicfp.com - A place to organize and share Calls for Papers.

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