Date / Time: 21 May 2026, 06:00 PM CDT to 08:00 PM CDT

Location: Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Rd, Austin, Texas

Speaker: James Mercier

Bio: James Mercier is licensed as a professional engineer in Texas and five other states, and a Texas licensed Master Electrician. He is an American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Life Member and an IEEE Life Senior Member, having joined both in college. In the Central Texas Section, his past duties included Membership Development Chair, Sr. Member Upgrade Coordinator, and Treasurer. He also is a Past-Chair of the IEEE joint chapter (PI)² (PES/PELS/IES/IAS/PSES). His nickname is “Honeybadger”. James was a 2020 George F. McClure Citation of Honor recipient for his dedication to IEEE and his Chapter.

James has an eclectic history. After serving 4-years in the Air Force, he worked and completed a four-year Apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in 1979, making him a qualified construction electrician. The training specialized in industrial and commercial wiring. Then, in 1986, he graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a BS in Civil Engineering and worked as an Environmental Engineer in the private sector. In 1994, James was hired into the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to work in the Roadway Illumination and Traffic Signals Sections where h specialized in reviewing electrical plans, specifying grounding practices, inspecting installations for code compliance, improving design practices, and lightning protection.
In 2001, James transferred to the TxDOT Bridge Division Hydraulics where he specialized in river and stream flows through culverts and bridges. James used his multiple and varied experiences to design a collapse detection and motorist warning system for the Queen Isabella Causeway Bridge in south Texas. James also was a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) and an instructor for the Texas Floodplain Management Association.

He retired from TxDOT in 2015 so that he can enjoy doing what he wants to do!

Abstract: Engineers have an ethical obligation to assure that their designs are reasonable and safe. While Engineers like to think that their designs are not only technically correct but perfect, the truth is that errors are often made because the engineers either didn’t understand construction practices, hadn’t thought through the design, got sloppy, or were lazy. James will cover some examples of actual design errors that created unnecessary but costly construction difficulties, put innocent people at risk, or caused deadly, life-altering injuries. Some of these stories are from James’ own experience; others have been
related by engineers who were involved.

Registration: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/558799

Speaker: Amber Rastogi

Bio: Amber Rastogi is a senior software engineer with over 12 years of experience building and operating large-scale cloud infrastructure. He specializes in distributed systems and object storage, with a focus on designing strongly consistent metadata operations across highly sharded environments. His work includes leading the development of fault-tolerant rename and metadata workflows deployed in production at cloud scale, supporting systems running across thousands of machines. He has previously worked on high-throughput backend services, reliability engineering, and performance optimization for globally deployed platforms

Abstract: Cloud object storage systems achieve scalability and fault isolation by sharding metadata across independently managed domains. While most metadata operations naturally scale under this model, rename remains a fundamental challenge, as it requires atomicity and strong consistency across multiple metadata owners. This challenge is exacerbated when source and destination metadata reside in different shards, operate without shared storage, and cannot depend on global locks or global clocks.

This talk presents the design of a distributed rename protocol for cloud-scale object storage systems, enabling atomic renames across independent metadata domains. The protocol models rename as a recoverable, multi-stage state machine rather than a monolithic transaction. It relies on explicit transaction tracking, shard-local invariants, and idempotent transitions, allowing failures and concurrent operations to safely drive in-progress renames toward completion or abort without centralized coordination.

Date/Time: 23 April, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Virtual Meeting

Registration: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/550647

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10Xy8juijps

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Speaker: Jagbir Kaur of Google

Bio: Jagbir Kaur works as a strategy and operations manager at the intersection of AI, predictive analytics, product strategy and large scale product activation . Her work focuses on launching and governing AI assisted systems that operate in uncertain conditions, are constrained by regulations, and must deal with real world complexity. She has led cross functional initiatives involving predictive modeling, measurement frameworks, and operational governance in technology driven environments.

Currently she is a Strategy and Operations Manager for Global Product Activation at Google.  She holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer and Software Engineering degree from Punjab Technical University and a Master of Science degree in Business Analytics and Project Mangement from the University of Connecticut.

Abstract: AI is increasingly being embedded in enterprise systems used to determine how technology products are launched, adopted, and scaled. Predictive models and automated workflows have started to influence decisions traditionally made by humans, such as customer prioritization, activation sequencing, and intervention timing. While these systems improve efficiency, many organizations struggle to achieve reliable scale in production. Metrics appear healthy, automation is in place, yet outcomes remain inconsistent. The underlying issue is often not model performance or data availability, but activation – the point at which users reliably reach value.

This webinar reframes activation as a systems level bottleneck in AI enabled go-to-market (GTM) environments. Rather than treating activation as a binary milestone, it is considered as a probabilistic, signal driven process that directly affects scalability. When activation signals are weak, delayed, or poorly governed, automation amplifies variance and prevents systems from scaling predictably.

The session introduces a practical systems framework that integrates predictive activation signals, decision boundaries, privacy regulations and governance mechanisms to support reliable scaling. Emphasis is placed on engineering principles, measurement integrity and human oversight rather than business tactics or tool selection. The webinar is relevant to engineers and technical leaders designing AI systems that operate at scale under real-world constraints, where reliability, accountability, and interpretability matter as much as performance.

Learning Objectives

1. Why activation, not demand or automation, is often the primary constraint to scaling AI enabled systems

2. How activation can be modeled as a probabilistic system using leading indicators rather than binary events

3. Common failure modes that prevent AI driven systems from scaling reliably

4. How decision boundaries and governance improve system stability under automation

5. Practical patterns for integrating human oversight without sacrificing scale (real life industry lessons from Fortune 100 companies)

Date/Time: 19 February, 6:30 – 8:00PM

Reservation: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/538139

Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjFMEG9TiU8

Date / Time: 27 Jan 2026Time: 06:00 PM CST to 08:00 PM CST

Location: Virtual only

Speaker: Venkata Nedunoori of Dentsu International

Abstract: As cloud environments grow more complex, security teams are increasingly turning to AI-driven automation. Fully autonomous systems, however, often introduce new risks, including reduced oversight and fragile decision-making in dynamic production environments.

Date / Time: 18 Sep 2025, 06:30 PM CDT to 08:00 PM CDT

Location: Virtual Only via Zoom

Title: Reimagining Hospital Operations with AI: A Path to Predictable Patient Flow and Empowered Staff

Speaker: Dr. Charleata Battle

Speaker Bio: Dr. Charleata Battle is an Assistant Professor of Management and Healthcare Management at California State University, Los Angeles, with over 26 years of experience across healthcare, higher education, business, information technology, real estate, and entrepreneurship. A former NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) baby, Dr. Battle has a personal connection to healthcare. fueling her commitment to improving patient outcomes and workforce innovation with an emphasis on applications of artificial intelligence in medicine.

A first-generation college graduate and professional, Dr. Battle is an author, researcher, and advocate for healthcare equity. She specializes in healthcare management, medical startups, and physician entrepreneurship. In 2014, she founded Char Battle, Inc., delivering sustainable strategies for small healthcare businesses and medical entrepreneurs.

At Cal State LA, she teaches in the Master of Science in Healthcare Management program and serves as Graduate Student Services Coordinator, Academic Senate Senator, and a member of various recruitment and advisory committees. Her teaching focuses on innovation, strategy, and inclusive leadership.

Dr. Battle serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia State University Alumni Association and is the 2025 Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs for the American College of Healthcare Executives (Southern California Chapter). She is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Business Honor Society.

A lifelong learner, Dr. Battle holds an ACUE micro-credential in online teaching excellence and remains actively engaged in several professional organizations, including the Academy of Management, the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs, and the American College of Healthcare Executives (SoCal Chapter). She previously served as an advisor to the U.S. Special Districts Board of Government Technology and was a panelist on IoT at the Southeastern Regional Conference.

In addition to her academic and professional endeavors, Dr. Battle invests in medical and
technology startups and volunteers for health organizations. She holds a B.A. in Management as well as an MBA and a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Abstract: Imagine a healthcare system where patient flow is as seamless as hotel check-ins, where admissions, discharges, and staffing are proactively coordinated based on real-time, predictive data. In this vision, patients receive timely care, staff are empowered to focus on what matters most, and operational decisions are made with confidence and clarity.

But today’s reality tells a different story. Hospitals face unpredictable patient demand, delayed discharges, overburdened units, and a workforce stretched to its limits. Nursing leaders make critical decisions with limited visibility, while patients experience delays and staff face burnout.

This presentation explores how health systems can bridge this gap by leveraging AI-powered, purpose-built technology that goes beyond the limitations of traditional EHRs. Learn how predictive insights and workflow automation can drive proactive decision-making, optimize operational capacity, and improve patient and staff experiences.
We’ll also examine the root drivers of these challenges, including aging populations, healthcare workforce shortages, and financial pressures, and outline how AI can support transformational solutions in three critical areas: patient experience, healthcare workforce wellbeing, and the business of medicine.

Join us to discover how forward-thinking health systems are turning complexity into coordination and how your organization can do the same.

Reservations: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/492999

Date & Time: Oct 9,2025 7:15 to 8:15 PM

Location: Westminster Harris Bell Hall (HBH), Windsor Building 2/F
4200 Jackson Ave, Austin TX 78731 AND Virtual via Zoom

Title: The Panama Canal – Insights of a Retired Consulting Engineer

Speaker: William (Bill) M. Isenhower, Ph.D.

Speaker Bio: Bill Isenhower is a retired civil engineer living in Austin, Texas. He worked as a Program Manager for Ensoft, Inc., an engineering software and consulting firm in Austin, Texas. In his time at Ensoft, Bill was the program manager of LPile, a computer program used for the design and analysis of laterally loaded piles and drilled shaft foundations. The LPile program is used by over 6,000 firms worldwide.

Bill received his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. In addition, Bill was a licensed professional engineer in Texas and Louisiana.

Bill has published numerous publications and reports on the design and testing of deep foundations. He is a co-author of the textbook Analysis and Design of Shallow and Deep Foundations with the late Professor Lymon C. Reese and Dr. Shin-Tower Wang. Bill has served on Geo-Institute of ASCE committees for publications and for computer and numerical methods.

Bill has taught short courses on the use of computer software for the design of deep foundations. He has taught short courses in 40 states in the US and Canada. internationally. He has also taught the National Highway Institute short course on drilled shafts to state DOT engineers is 37 states and he was a co-author for the US Army Corps of Engineers manual on analysis and design of laterally loaded piles.

As a consulting engineer, Bill has worked on many projects in the United States and Puerto Rico, and internationally in the Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Greece, India, Indonesia, the Palau islands, Panama, and Venezuela. In addition, he has twice served as an Expert on Mission for the United Nations Development Programme. In 2009, Bill was elected to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering of the University of Texas at Austin.

He retired from Ensoft in 2016 and currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Dr. Anne Isenhower.

Abstract: Bill Isenhower, PhD Civil Engr., will give a talk about the Panama Canal, the engineering marvel that has had a major influence on global maritime trade since its opening in 1912. On December 31, 1999, control of the Panama Canal was handed over by the United States to the nation of Panama and the Panama Canal Company became the Auturidad del Canal de Panama (ACP). After assuming control, the ACP has worked to meet demands of global trade to increase the Canal’s overall shipping capacity and to improve operational practices for the Canal. Since the opening of the Canal in 1912, the shipping channel of the Canal has been gradually widened and deepened. Since 2017, the canal has operated a third set of larger, water-preserving locks in addition to the original Panamax locks that opened in 1912. The addition of the new Neopanamax locks and other improvements in multimodal shipping practices have increased the total amount of shipping across the isthmus and has allowed both more and larger ships to pass through the canal with shorter overall transit times, while also maintaining the sources of drinking water for the cities in central Panama.

Reservation: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/502322

Video of event: Evolution of the Panama Canal by resident Bill Eisenhower, PhD Civil Eng…