ALMANACK
IEEE Philadelphia Section Night
Date: May 20, 2025
Time: 7 pm – 8 pm
Location: virtual
Unit Substation Engineering and Design Considerations
Speaker: Joseph Maida
Abstract:
Large Commercial and Industrial Facilities that have received or distributed Medium Voltage (>1,000 Volts) install Unit Substations to provide power at Utilization Voltages (4,160 Volts or <1,000 Volts) for many years. Unit Substations include three major sections: Medium Voltage Disconnect and Transformer Protection Section; the Transformer Section: and the Secondary Protection and Distribution Section. This course describes various options and components within each section and how the options can be used to mitigate the effects of harmonics, to reduce incident energy levels due to arc flashes, and to provide data to building management systems.
NOTE: PDH certificates are available and an evaluation form will be emailed to you after the meeting. PDH certificates are sent by IEEE USA 3-4 weeks after the meeting.
Register here:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/481430
2025 IEEE Section Annual Awards Banquet
Date: Saturday, May 3, 2025
Time: 6 pm – 9 pm
Location: Academy of Natural Sciences, Dinosaur Hall, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA
Join us as we recognize those who have been honored by the Institute and the Philadelphia Section for their contributions.
Register to Attend: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/464515
Become a Sponsor: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/464516
IEEE Philadelphia Chapter of CSS/CASS/SMCS Distinguished Lecturer
Date: May 6, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Virtual
BRAIN-INSPIRED LOW-POWER LANGUAGE MODEL
Speaker: Dr. Jason Eshraghian
This talk unveils the transformative potential of achieving sub-10-watt language models (LMs) by drawing inspiration from the brain’s energy efficiency. We introduce a groundbreaking approach to language model design, featuring a matrix-multiplication-free architecture that scales to billions of parameters. To validate this paradigm, we developed custom hardware solutions (FPGA) as well as leveraged pre-existing neuromorphic hardware (Intel Loihi 2), optimized for lightweight operations that outperform traditional GPU capabilities. Our system achieves human-surpassing throughput on billion-parameter models at just 13 watts, setting a new benchmark for energy-efficient AI. This work not only redefines what’s possible for low-power LLMs but also highlights the critical operations future accelerators must prioritize to enable the next wave of sustainable AI innovation.
Register here:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/479501
IEEE Philadelphia Chapter of CSS/CASS/SMCS Distinguished Lecturer
Date: June 5, 2025
Time: 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Virtual
DISCRETE STATE SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION: EXAMPLES AND BOUNDS
Speaker: Dr. Carolyn Beck
We consider data-driven methods for modeling discrete-valued dynamical systems evolving over networks. The spread of viruses and diseases, the propagation of ideas and misinformation, the fluctuation of stock prices, and correlations of financial risk between banking and economic institutions are all examples of such systems. In many of these systems, data may be widely available, but approaches to identify relevant mathematical models, including the underlying network topology, are not widely established or agreed upon. Classic system identification methods focus on identifying continuous-valued dynamical systems from data, where the main analysis of such approaches largely focuses on asymptotic properties, i.e., consistency. More recent identification approaches have focused on sample complexity, i.e., how much data is needed to achieve an acceptable model approximation. In this talk, we will discuss the problem of identifying a mathematical model from data for a discrete-valued, discrete-time dynamical system evolving over a network. Specifically, under maximum likelihood estimation approaches, we will demonstrate guaranteed consistency conditions and sample complexity bounds. Applications to the aforementioned examples will be further discussed as time allows.
Register here:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/480080
Call for Speakers – IEEE Philadelphia Section Night
The IEEE Philadelphia Section is seeking knowledgeable and enthusiastic speakers for our upcoming monthly meetings. This is a fantastic opportunity to share your expertise with a vibrant community of professionals.
Benefits of Speaking:
- Networking: Connect with industry leaders and peers.
- Recognition: Gain visibility and enhance your professional reputation.
- Knowledge Sharing: Contribute to the growth and learning of our community.
- Professional Development: Enhance your public speaking and presentation skills.
If you’re interested in presenting, please fill out the JotForm (link below) and let us know how you can contribute. Share your expertise and make a difference!
https://form.jotform.com/233534547139056