To help engineers keep up with emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and sustainable infrastructure, and learn how they can be applied in practice, the IEEE Computer Society’s Central Indiana Chapter recently launched its Tech Talk Series.
The live webinar series connects IEEE members, undergrad and graduate students, and engineering professionals from IEEE Region 4 with industry practitioners. The monthly sessions have covered AI governance and security, agentic systems, and related topics. The sessions featured speakers from Apple, software company Tavant, and cybersecurity concern Zscaler.
Upcoming sessions and registration details are available on the IEEE Region 4 virtual events calendar.
Technical discussions grounded in engineering
Rather than presenting on emerging technologies only at a conceptual level, speakers discussed the design decisions behind specific tools and systems, how the systems are structured, and implementation challenges. They also shared lessons learned from using the tools in their daily work.
Sessions also include technical walkthroughs and practical examples.
The live format allows attendees to discuss and compare their approaches when evaluating and implementing new technologies with those used by other organizations.
Extending access through a virtual format
The organizers chose to make the series virtual so that chapter members and other attendees could participate in technical discussions with engineers from major technology companies and eliminate the need to travel.
For young professionals, the sessions connect what they’ve learned in a classroom with the realities of the workplace.
Technical programs such as the Tech Talk Series give professionals and students access to expertise, help create connections across career levels, and make important engineering discussions available to a broader community.
Attendees learn how practitioners approach projects such as system architecture, reliability, security, governance, and product delivery. For experienced professionals, the talks offer a forum to examine new ways of designing, securing, and operating software systems, and compare technical approaches. They can ask questions relevant to systems being evaluated or deployed within their organization.
Examining governed AI agents
The most recent webinar, Feeding and Fencing AI Agents: Engineering Governed Agentic Systems on Real-Time Data, featured Gajendra Babu Thokala, a senior engineering leader at Apple in Seattle.
The IEEE senior member explained how teams can move beyond adding isolated AI features to applications and instead build governed AI-agent systems that use real-time business data to complete multistep business workflows.
Another recent session, Building AI Native Products: A Playbook for Agentic Systems, explored how products built around AI agents differ from traditional software. It also covered how agentic systems can help users complete multistep tasks and workflows. IEEE Senior Member Sandeep Shivam, a product and technology leader at Tavant in Dallas, led the webinar.
Those two sessions illustrate the series’ purpose: helping participants understand what a technology can do and what is required to use it responsibly.
Building a continuing technical program
Future sessions are being planned on areas including enterprise AI, software reliability, and responsible AI usage. In addition to speakers from technology companies, the chapter also plans to invite speakers from startups, universities, and research organizations.
Upcoming sessions are expected to cover cloud platforms, enterprise integrations, and the responsible development of AI systems.
Technical programs such as the Tech Talk Series give professionals and students access to expertise, help create connections across career levels, and make important engineering discussions available to a broader community.
Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to participate to gain exposure to technical decision-making and challenges encountered in professional engineering environments.
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