Pittsburgh Section Bulletin - Institute of Electrical and ...

IEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin, March 2011 Volume 60 No. 3 Page 1 of 15

Pittsburgh Section

Bulletin March 2011 Volume 60, No. 3

Included in this issue:

Bob’s Bytes ........................................................................................................................................... 2

Wireless Without Batteries: Purely Passive Microwave Tags and Sensors .............................. 3

Advances In Robotic Automation: Present And Future Directions ............................................ 4

Text Retrieval Support for Concept Location in Software ......................................................... 5

Understanding and Managing Interference inWireless Networks ............................................. 6

Effects of Voltage Regulation on Transformer Loading Capability ............................................ 7

Model-Based Analysis of Human Postural Control ......................................................................... 8

Enabling Architectures for the Service Provider Network, Part 2 ........................................... 9

The Importance of Obtaining a PE License .................................................................................. 10

Mark Your Calendar: History and Award Dinner May 13th ........................................................ 12

Local Job Opportunity ..................................................................................................................... 13

IEEE WCET® Certification Program ............................................................................................. 14

Editor: Philip Cox, [email protected]; Contributors: Bob Brooks, Jason Harchick, Joe Kalasky, Mey

Sen, Dave Vaglia, Matthew Valenti, and Ramana Vinjamuri

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 www.ewh.ieee.org/r2/pittsburgh has past issues

of the bulletin and lots of other useful information

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r2/pittsburgh


Bob’s Bytes

February 18 marked the start of National Engineers

Week, and the IEEE Pittsburgh Section marked the

occasion as we do every year with our demonstration

table and the IndEEE Robot Car Race at the Carnegie

Science Center. National Engineers week is an

opportunity to celebrate the achievements and

accomplishments of engineers and engineering

professionals, and for all of us who are engineers to

consider and reflect on our impact on society and our

responsibilities.

On a more national level I will be attending the IEEE

USA Annual Meeting this year in Austin, TX, the focus

of which is “Engineering in Motion”. This should be a

good opportunity to gain some insight into

transportation technologies and the policy and

legislative forces that will potentially guide that

technology. As such, engineers have a voice in the

shaping of this policy. Look for opportunities in the

bulletin for programs on learning about grass roots

lobbying and making your voice heard.

Until next month

Bob Brooks - IEEE Pittsburgh Section Chair 2011

Section

Chair – Robert Brooks [email protected]

Vice Chair - Dr. Louis Hart [email protected]

Treasurer – Dr. Rin Burke [email protected]

Secretary - Dr. Jim Beck, [email protected]

Immediate Past Chair – Joe Cioletti PE, [email protected]

Awards Chair - Ralph Sprang, [email protected]

Webmaster – Gerry Kumnik, [email protected]

UpperMon Subsection

Chair: Dr. Natalia Schmid [email protected] (304) 293-9136; Treasurer/Secretary: Dr. David Graham [email protected] (304) 293-9692

Chapters

Communications Society – Co-Chairs: Phil Cox

[email protected] (724) 443-0566 and Dr. Ajay Ogirala [email protected]

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

Components, Packaging, and Manufacturing Technology/Electron Devices Societies – Drs. Louis Hart and Rin Burke

Engineering In Medicine & Biology Society Co-Chairs: Bob Brooks (see above), Dr. Zhi-Hong Mao [email protected] (412) 624-9674

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

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

Magnetics Society – Chair: Dr. Jimmy Zhu, [email protected]

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

Robotics Society – Chair: Dr. Guy Nicoletti [email protected] (724) 836-9922

Signal Processing Society – Chair: Dr. Ramana Kumar Vinjamuri;,[email protected]

Society on Social Implications of Technology Chair: Joe Kalasky, P.E., [email protected] (724) 838-6492

Affinity Groups

GOLD – Chair: Jason Harchick [email protected]

Life Member – Chair: Bob Grimes, P.E. [email protected] (412) 963-9711

Women In Engineering – Chair: Dr. Rin Burke [email protected]

Committees

Consultants Network

Professional/Career Activities (PACE) Chair: Joe Kalasky, P.E. (see above)

Student Activities – Rajiv Garg, [email protected]

Membership Development – Dr. Karl Muller P.E., [email protected]

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





























Wireless Without Batteries: Purely Passive Microwave Tags and Sensors

Speaker: Greg Durgin, Ph.D.

Date: Friday, March 4, 2011

Time: 1:00-2:00 PM

Place: Engineering Sciences Building (ESB), Room G102

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

RSVP: Matthew Valenti, [email protected]

Organizer: Upper Mon Subsection

Abstract: What may seem like science fiction may only be a few years away from reality: small,

passive wireless sensors capable of relaying data from over 100 meters away – without batteries,

solar cells, or any on-board power supply. This talk discusses how recent breakthroughs in

energy-harvesting, low-powered semiconductor devices, and backscatter communications are

converging to allow long-distance exchange of information technology. We will discuss basic

research results from Georgia Tech’s 5.8 GHz backscatter radio technology as well as its current

use in high-voltage sensors for realizing “Smart Grid”, localization, and sports telemetry

applications.

Speaker Bio: Gregory D. Durgin joined the faculty of Georgia Tech's

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Fall 2003 where he

serves as an associate professor. He received the BSEE (96), MSEE

(98), and PhD (00) degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and

State University. In 2001 he was awarded the Japanese Society for the

Promotion of Science (JSPS) Post-doctoral Fellowship and spent one

year as a visiting researcher with Morinaga Laboratory at Osaka

University. In 1998 he received the Stephen O. Rice prize (with

coauthors Theodore S. Rappaport and Hao Xu) for best original

journal article in the IEEE Transactions on Communications. Prof.

Durgin also authored Space-Time Wireless Channels, the first

textbook in the field of space-time channel modeling. Prof. Durgin

founded the Propagation Group at Georgia Tech, a research group

that studies radiolocation, channel sounding, backscatter radio, RFID, and applied

electromagnetics. He is a winner of the NSF CAREER award as well as numerous teaching

awards, including the Class of 1940 Howard Ector Outstanding Classroom Teacher Award at

Georgia Tech (2007). He is a frequent consultant to industry, having advised many multinational

corporations on wireless technology.


http://www.propagation.gatech.edu/


Advances In Robotic Automation: Present And Future Directions

Speaker: Dr. Guy Nicoletti, University of Pittsburgh Greensburg Date, Time: 6:30 PM, Thursday, March 10, 2011, Light Refreshments will be served Place: Carnegie Mellon University, Doherty Hall, Room 1212 Sponsors: Robotics Society & Society for Social Implications of Technology Contact: Joe Kalasky [email protected] or 724-838-6492, Leave: Name,

Affiliation, email, and phone number. Open to Members and Non-Members. No Fee. RSVP by EOB Monday, March 7 - Early Registration is Appreciated (Last Fall this Presentation was postponed due to low registration prior to the deadline – Unfortunately an adequate response was received after postponement)

Abstract: Exciting new robots are being developed that will operate in environments different

from traditional industrial factories and/or research laboratories. Researchers around the world

are working to create robotic systems that can be integrated into our daily lives. This presentation

illustrates and describes such robotic prototypes that are already part of lives and environments,

namely: Telerobotics, Deep Sea Robotics, Space Robotics, Unmanned Space Flight, Human –

Robotic Interface, Robotic Perception and Robotic Education.

Introduction: Telerobotics is perhaps one of the oldest fields in robotics. Recent advances in

computing power and in communication have led to the emergence of new applications such as

telesurgery, semiautonomous telerobotics, live power line maintenance and others.

In contrast to the industrial robots first developed 50 years ago, to automate dirty, dull and

dangerous tasks, today’s developmental efforts are dedicated to meet the needs of a an ever

growing complex society.. One of these areas is in the Medical and Health-Care field, with

applications to Health-Care robotics, Surgical and Interventional robotics and Robotic – Assisted

Recovery and Rehabilitation. New insights into Robot and human intelligence have given rise to

the field of Cognitive Robotics that seeks to capture humanlike behaviors to expand knowledge

of both neuroscience and robotics. Finally, expert technologists and scientists are already

envisioning the future consisting of a Society of Robots: the trend shown by available marked

data seems to anticipate a future when personal robots will be so many and so ubiquitous that the

core scientific and technical issues might become those of robot – robot interaction.

Author: Guy M. Nicoletti is an Associate Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Mechanical

Engineering at the Greensburg Campus of the University of Pittsburgh where he also received

pertinent M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. His research interests are in Digital Electronics, Control

Theory and Circuit Analysis. He is the author of numerous technical and research papers which

have been presented nationally and internationally at various professional symposia and

conferences. Dr. Nicoletti is a Life Member of IEEE and the Chair of the Robotic & Automation

Section of the Pittsburgh Chapter. He is also a member of the Computer, Computational Biology

& Bioinformatics, Control, Industrial Electronics, Medicine & Biology and Signal Processing

Societies of IEEE. He can be contacted at [email protected]



Text Retrieval Support for Concept Location in Software

Speaker: Andrian Marcus, Ph.D.

Date: Monday, March 14, 2011

Time: 4:00-5:00 PM

Place: Engineering Sciences Building (ESB), Room G102

West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

RSVP: Matthew Valenti, [email protected]

Organizer: Upper Mon Subsection

Abstract: Concept (or feature) location in software is the process of identifying the parts of the

source code that correspond to a specific functionality. This process is a prerequisite to program

comprehension and is one of the most common activities undertaken by developers during

software evolution. We are proposing an approach to concept location in software based on

indexing the source code and additional data using Text Retrieval methods. This approach

allows users to formulate queries in natural language and obtain results in form of software

components related to the query.

One of the problems common to all concept location techniques is filtering and ranking the

results such that relevant parts of the source code are quickly identified by the developers. To

address this problem we propose three separate approaches, one that clusters the results of a

search using formal concept analysis, one that merges the results with execution traces, and one

where the search results are used in conjunction with software dependencies. The advantages

and disadvantages of each approach are discussed with respect to results obtained from empirical

studies on existing large software systems.

Speaker Bio: Dr. Andrian Marcus is associate professor in the Department

of Computer Science at Wayne State University in Detroit, USA. He

received his PhD in Computer Science from Kent State University, USA

in 2003. His research interests include software evolution, program

comprehension, and software visualization, focusing on the management

of unstructured information during evolution of large scale software

systems. Dr. Marcus served on the Steering Committee of the IEEE

International Conference on Software Maintenance (ICSM) between

2005-2008 and on the steering Committee of the IEEE International

Workshop on Visualizing Software for Understanding and Analysis (VISSOFT) since 2007. He

is the Program Co-Chair of the 17th IEEE International Conference on Program Comprehension

(ICPC 2009) and the Program Co-Chair of the 26th IEEE International Conference on Software

Maintenance (ICSM 2010). His research is currently funded through grants from the US

National Science Foundation, the US National Institute of Health, IBM, etc. Dr. Marcus'

publications earned a Best Dissertation Paper Award at the IEEE ICSM in 2004 and two Best

Paper Awards at the IEEE ICPC in 2006 and 2007 respectively. He is also the recipient of a

Fulbright Junior Research Fellowship in 1997 and the US NSF CAREER Award in 2009.



Understanding and Managing Interference inWireless Networks

Speaker: Venu Veeravalli, PhD, Professor Department of Electrical and Computer

Engineering Director, Illinois Center for Wireless Systems (ICWS) University of

Illinios at Urbana-Champaign

Date: March 14, 2011

Time: TBD, contact Ramana Vinjamuri, [email protected] for details.

Place: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh

Sponsors: Signal Processing Society and Communications Society Chapters

The understanding of point-to-point wireless communications channels with fading and receiver

thermal noise is mature. Recent advances, particularly in the area of multiantenna

communications, have led to significant increases in the capacity and reliability of point-to-point

links. However, modern wireless networks are limited by interference from other links. While

the information theory for interference networks is still in its infancy, several techniques are

being explored in the research community for managing interference, while maintaining high

spectral spatial reuse efficiencies in these networks. These techniques include spatial user

separation, interference cancellation, user cooperation and relaying, dynamic spectrum access,

and interference alignment. The first half of this talk will be an overview of these techniques.

In the second half of this talk, we will discuss some of our recent results towards an

understanding of the information-theoretic capacity of interference networks. We first discuss a

partial solution to the capacity of the two-user interference channel in the weak interference

regime, a problem that has been open for more than thirty years. We also discuss new techniques

for exploiting transmitter cooperation in interference channels in optimal ways.

Bio: Venu Veeravalli received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1992. He is currently a Professor

in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a

Research Professor in the Coordinated Science Laboratory at the

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was on the faculty

of the School of ECE at Cornell University before he joined

Illinois in 2000. He served as a program director for

communications research at the U.S. National Science Foundation

in Arlington, VA during 2003-2005. His research interests include

wireless communications, distributed sensor systems and

networks, detection and estimation theory, and information theory.

He is a Fellow of the IEEE, and a recipient of the IEEE Browder

J. Thompson Best Paper Award and the U.S. Presidential Early

Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).



Effects of Voltage Regulation on Transformer Loading Capability: From the Users Perspective

Speaker: Jeffrey C. Wright, P.E., Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc.

Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Time: Social 6:30 PM, Program 7:00 PM

Place: Westinghouse Energy Center

4350 Northern Pike, Monroeville, PA 15146

RSVP: Required to Dave Vaglia ([email protected]) by March 9, 2011 with each

attendee’s Name, Affiliation, email, and phone number. If you would like to receive PDH, please

bring a copy of this announcement for verification of your attendance. A non-Member who

would like to receive PDH is required to pay $10 to IEEE Pittsburgh Section. A Member who

would like to receive PDH is required to show membership ID.

Organizers: Power & Energy Society/Industrial Applications Society

Abstract: Voltage regulation can have a significant effect on the loading capability of a power

transformer. Under certain conditions, the measured kVA can differ from the effective kVA seen

by the unit. The magnitude of this difference depends on the impedance of the unit, the power

factor of the load, and the location of the equipment measuring the load.

During periods of heavy loading, if the effective kVA is significantly greater than the measured

kVA, the transformer could unknowingly be loaded beyond its nameplate rating. During

contingency events, the effective load could exceed established limits resulting in unacceptable

temperatures and possible failure of the transformer.

Several sample cases are presented to illustrate the conditions when this can occur. Effects are

analyzed for typical substation transformers with and without Load-Tap-Changing capabilities.

Speaker: Mr. Wright is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Pennsylvania, and a

member of the Power and Energy Society of the IEEE. He obtained his Bachelor of Science

Degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1976. Jeff joined

McGraw-Edison Company upon graduation where he worked as a Power Transformer Design

Engineer and Supervisor for 18 years. From 1994 through 2008 Jeff has held various engineering

and consulting positions in the transformer industry with ABB Power T & D Company, Qual-

Tech Engineers, Weidmann-ACTI, and Allegheny Power. He is presently employed as a Design

Engineer for Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc. in Canonsburg, PA.

DIRECTIONS TO WESTINGHOUSE ENERGY CENTER

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) approx ½ mile

(two traffic lights). The 2nd

traffic light is at a 4-way intersection with an Exxon station on the

right. Turn left onto Northern Pike. Proceed approx 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.

Model-Based Analysis of Human Postural Control

Speaker: Patrick Loughlin, PhD, Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Department of

Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

Date: March 18, 2011

Time: 11:30 to 12:00 – Refreshments; 12:00 to 1:00 - Presentation

Place: 360 Benedum Engineering Hall, University Of Pittsburgh

Presenters: Signal Processing and Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society Chapters

Abstract: For most of us, standing upright is a skill we acquire very early in life, and don't think

much about unless we develop a balance disorder or are injured by a fall, the likelihood of which

increases in elderly adults. For example, disorders of the vestibular system and dizziness are one

of the most common complaints of elderly persons. Falls can be a very serious consequence of

balance disorders, particularly in the elderly where hip fractures due to falls are common and

debilitating, with significant associated costs that are projected to increase if effective

interventions are not found. Thus, an understanding of human balance function (or postural

control) and identification of the causes of and treatments for various balance disorders could

have a great impact on public health. This talk will discuss an engineering systems analysis

approach to the study of human balance, through experiments and model development, and the

insights that such an approach has provided over the years. Differences in balance function in

young versus older adults will be discussed, as will the development and analysis of a

vibrotactile balance prosthesis.

Bio: Patrick Loughlin is a professor of Bioengineering, and Electrical

& Computer Engineering, at the University of Pittsburgh, which he

joined in 1993. He has made contributions to signal processing and

bioengineering, including the development and application of

nonstationary signal processing methods (especially time-frequency

distributions); analysis and modeling of human postural control;

control of inhalation anesthetic delivery; and development of a physical

model of anesthetic uptake, for which he holds two US patents. Prof.

Loughlin is Associate Editor and member of the editorial board for the

IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering; past chair of the signal

processing chapter of the IEEE (Pittsburgh Section); and member of

the technical committee on acoustic signal processing of the Acoustical

Society of America. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological

Engineering (AIMBE), the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), and the Institute of Electrical

and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)


Enabling Architectures for the Service Provider Network, Part 2

Speaker: David J. Malfara, Sr., President and CEO, ETC Group, LLC

Date: Thursday, March 31, 2011

Time: Pizza: 6:00 PM, Talk: 6:30 PM

Place: University of Pittsburgh, School of Information Science, 135 Bellefield Ave., first

floor conference room 1A04 (opposite the elevators)

Sponsors: Communications Society and University of Pittsburgh

RSVP: to Philip Cox, [email protected].

Abstract: This is a continuation of last month’s lecture, focusing on the control layer. Today's

Service Providers are challenged with the dual task of evolving their legacy network to that of a

“Next Generation” network (NGN) and rolling out new, revenue generating features across that

ever-evolving network. In this session, we will explore evolutionary advancements in

technology at virtually every layer of the OSI reference model and view the ways in which

Service Providers are attempting to modify their network architecture and business framework in

order to readily adopt these advancements as quickly as they emerge. We’ll review current

advancements in Service Provider Access, Aggregation and Transport network technologies as

well as ways in which Applications can be quickly and efficiently deployed using an IP

MultiMedia Subsystem (IMS) approach.

Bio: Mr. Malfara is President and CEO of ETC Group, a

business management and engineering consulting

company which leverages its significant experience in

the management, operation and deployment of a wide

range of emerging technologies and business practices

used to support the evolving business models of

telecommunications service providers. Mr. Malfara

directs all strategic business/business line creation,

modeling, planning & design as well as development,

adaptation and deployment of next-generation

technologies and networks for the company’s

carrier/service provider clients.

Prior to founding ETC Group, LLC, Mr. Malfara served as President/CEO of Remi

Communications, a service provider offering broad-ranging communication and IMS-based

application services, over its Carrier Ethernet, QoS-based network infrastructure, throughout the

Northeast US. Prior to founding Boathouse and Remi, he was the founding President of Z-Tel

Network Services, Inc. In 2001, Z-Tel Network Services, Inc. was one of the largest consumer-

based CLEC in the U.S., achieving annualized revenue of nearly $300 Million, with more than

340,000 subscribers, prior to his departure.

In 1979 Mr. Malfara co-founded of one of the first third-tier long distance carriers, Vector

Communications, Inc. He has served in engineering and management positions at National



Computer Corporation, Honeywell Information Systems, and GTE Telenet. In 1983, Mr.

Malfara formed Pennsylvania Alternative Communications, Inc., a nationwide long distance

telephone company which he later sold to LCI International (Qwest). In 1995, Mr. Malfara co-

founded Pace Network Services, which became the largest supplier of SS7 connectivity to the

Interexchange Carrier market with over 100 carrier-customers prior to its sale to ICG Telecom

Group, Inc. in 1996.

Mr. Malfara has addressed telecommunications issues before members of the U.S. Congress and

Administration as well as state and federal regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. He served

for more than 10 years as a Director of COMPTEL (The Competitive Telecommunications

Association, www.comptel.org) and chaired the association’s Technology Task Force. He is a

member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the IEEE Standards

Association. He also sits on the Executive Advisory Boards of multiple service providers.

The Importance of Obtaining a PE License

Speaker: Joseph M. DeSalvo, P.E.

Date: Thursday, April 14, 2011

Time: Social 6:30 PM, Program 7:00 PM

Place: Westinghouse Energy Center

4350 Northern Pike, Monroeville, PA 15146

RSVP: Jason Harchick, [email protected] or Dr. Kal Sen, P.E., [email protected] by

April 7, 2011

Organizers: Power & Energy Society/Industrial Applications Society and Graduates of the

Last Decade

This talk is for Engineers who want to become Professional Engineers and those that are

Professional Engineers. Licensure for engineers is important to the engineer, to the public, to

employers, and to the profession. We have invested a lot of time and money to obtain our

education and work experience. Becoming a licensed PE is an insurance policy that will help us

protect our career, our employment security, and the safety and welfare of the public.

The speaker will discuss many reasons and benefits for being a PE including: (1) it is a legal

necessity, (2) it improves our employment security, (3) it provides opportunities for

advancement, and (4) it is for personal satisfaction.

The presentation will cover the process and qualifications for licensure/registration. It will

describe the specifications and formats of the PE exams and advise how to best prepare for FE

and P&P exams.

The current Pennsylvania registration law, Act 25 of 2010, mandates PEs licensed in

Pennsylvania must complete 24 Professional Development Hours, PDHs, of continuing

education in each two-year renewal cycle as a condition of license renewal. The Engineer board

CE goes into effect for the 2009-2011 Renewal Cycle. 24 PDHs must be completed by

September 30, 2011. However the board has granted a moratorium from disciplinary action


provided any and all CE credits short of the mandatory 24 credits are completed by April 1,

2012. Included in this presentation will be information on how to gain PDHs, the activities

acceptable to earn PDHs, the conversion process from CREDITS and CEUs to PDHs, and future

changes to the state registration laws in regards to exemptions, continuing education, minimum

requirements of education and experience, and reciprocity of registration among the states.

We have limited control over our work environment and our employer's goals. However we do

have some control over our education, our life experiences, and whether or not to be a PE. Being

a Professional Engineer, adhering to the Code Of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, and

making Continuing Professional Competency a part of our lifestyle will be the ingredients

needed to protect our job and engineering career.

Speaker: Joe DeSalvo is a Professional Engineer with degrees in

Electrical Engineering (Pitt) and Industrial Management (Carnegie

Mellon). He is a Senior Life Member of the IEEE and is presently

on the adjunct faculty of Pennsylvania State University where he

teaches FE (EIT) and P&P(PE) review courses and several

engineering and economics courses in the Advanced Power

Engineering Program. Mr. DeSalvo is retired from Allegheny

Power where as Manager of Substation and Methods Standards, he

had responsibility for substation designs and industrial engineering

studies for three operating companies serving five states.

He has served on the Board of Directors of IEEE and over 60 positions at all levels during the

last 45 years. He was Chairman of Pittsburgh PES Chapter when it received an “Outstanding

PES Chapter award.” He is a past Chairman of Pittsburgh Section and a past Director of Region

2. He received the IEEE Centennial Medal of Honor in 1984. In addition to IEEE activities, Mr.

DeSalvo is a senior member of the IIE and a member of Eta Kappa Nu and Sigma Tau Honorary

Societies.

The FE Review Course

As a service to our community, the IEEE Pittsburgh PES/IAS Chapters in partnership with Penn

State New Kensington plan to sponsor a 26-week long FE Review Course starting in April 2011

so that the trainees will be prepared to take the FE exam in October 2011. To become a PE one

must pass two exams: Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam – referred to as the EIT Exam

and Principles and Practice of Engineering (P&P) Exam – referred to as the PE Exam. Our local


expert Joe M. DeSalvo, P.E., who has been teaching Penn State Continuing Education classes for

over 45 years, will teach these classes. We can project that the cost will be $950 per person if

there are 10 participants in the class; books are separate and run approximately $150 for the three

books used: FE Review Manual, FE-Supplied Reference Handbook, and NCEES FE Other

Disciplines Sample Questions and Solutions Manual. The classes are scheduled for Tuesday,

April 19, 2011 to October 11, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at 1 Monroeville Center, Monroeville,

PA 15146. Seating is limited to 20. If we have 20 participants enrolled prior to the start of the

first class, a $150 discount will be given. If you are interested, please contact Nancy Miller,

Continuing Education Representative, Penn State New Kensington, 3550 Seventh Street Road

Route 780, Upper Burrell, PA 15068. Phone: 724-334-6014, Fax: 724-334-6110, Cell: 724-

331-4985, E-mail: [email protected], Campus Website: www.nk.psu.edu. Deadline to register is

April 15. You may attend an information session titled “The Importance of Obtaining a PE

License” on April 14. The speaker will discuss many reasons and benefits for being a PE

including: (1) it is a legal necessity, (2) it improves our employment security, (3) it provides

opportunities for advancement, and (4) it is for personal satisfaction. Details are in the April

bulletin of the IEEE Pittsburgh Section.

Mark Your Calendar: History and Award Dinner May 13th

This year’s dinner will include a talk by Georges F. Montillet on “The life of Nikola Tesla,

and its inventions. A man out of his time. The Wizard of the West”. See next month’s

bulletin for details.


http://www.nk.psu.edu/


Local Job Opportunity

RF, Wireless Communications, Network Engineer

The Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR) is one of the most technologically advanced mining health and safety research laboratories in the world. We are a division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The OMSHR is seeking a highly qualified technical person for a full-time position in the Electrical and Machine Systems Safety Branch. The branch is currently working on a number of research projects related to enhancing underground coal mine wireless communications and electronic tracking. We seek an individual with a demonstrated record of achievement in RF engineering, wireless communications, or network design and evaluation. This person will be a strong technical leader as well as an individual contributor. Exceptional writing and oral presentation skills are required. A minimum of an MS in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field is required.

The position is in the 180-acre Pittsburgh, PA campus. Pittsburgh is a modern metropolis that is rich in culture, history, sports, and education and is noted for affordable, low cost of living and award-wining schools. Pittsburgh has been rated as the ‘most livable city in the United States’ by Places Rated Almanac.

If you would like to learn more about this position, contact [email protected].



IEEE WCET® Certification Program

Examination to be held 20 March to 16 April 2011

IEEE ComSoc Launches New Virtual and In-Person Training Programs to

Help Professionals Advance Their Knowledge of Wireless Communications

The next testing cycle for the IEEE Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies (IEEE

WCET®) Certification Program Examination has been announced as 20 March to 16 April 2011.

Introduced by the IEEE Communications Society (ComSoc) in 2008, the IEEE WCET Program

is dedicated to certifying the expertise of wireless communications professionals worldwide. All

interested individuals are urged to visit the newly refreshed IEEE WCET website at www.ieee-

wcet.org for the latest program updates and to register for the next test period by the deadline of

4 March 2011.

In addition, IEEE ComSoc has announced several new virtual and in-person training programs

designed to help professionals expand their overall knowledge of wireless communications

engineering practices. The next in-person training sessions on “Practical Wireless

Communications Engineering” will be held March 7 at the International Wireless

Communications Expo (IWCE 2011) in Las Vegas, Nevada and April 15 at the 30th IEEE

International Conference on Computer Communications (IEEE INFOCOM 2011) in Shanghai,

China.

Each full-day course offers high-level, end-to-end information on current wireless

communications technologies and practices from a combination of engineering, architectural,

operational, standards and management perspectives. Recommended for a broad audience of

professionals with an engineering background, the sessions were also developed to provide a

comprehensive overview of how different facets of the wireless field fit into the overall design,

implementation and operation of wireless networks. For more information please visit

http://www.comsoc.org/training/in-person-training.

From March 21 – 25, 2011, IEEE ComSoc will also offer a five-day intensive virtual course on

wireless communications engineering designed to cover technology basics as well as offer a

comprehensive review of RF engineering, propagation, antennas, and signal processing; wireless

access technologies; network and service architecture; network management and security;

facilities infrastructure; agreements, standards, policies and regulations; and fundamental

knowledge. These are the seven technical areas on which the WCET program is based.

Additional course details and registration information can be found at

http://www.comsoc.org/training/online-training.

http://www.ieee-wcet.org/

http://www.ieee-wcet.org/

http://www.comsoc.org/training/in-person-training

http://www.comsoc.org/training/online-training

IEEE Pittsburgh Section Bulletin January 2011 Volume 60 No. 1 Page 15 of 15

2011 Calendar – Meetings of IEEE Pittsburgh Section Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec

Executive

Committee

20

Panera,

Wilkins

Twp.

17

TBD

17

Panera Bread

Wilkins

21

Panera Bread

Wilkins

19

Panera Bread

Oakland

16

Panera

Miracle

Mile

21

TBD

18

Panera Bread

Oakland

15

TBD

20

WVU

Section 19

Eng. Week

13

History

Dinner

Communic

ations

3

Network

Arch.

31

Network Arch

14

Wireless

Computer

EMBS 18

Brain-

Computer

Interface

18

Human

Posture

EMCS

PES/IAS 19

Capacitors

23

Storage &

Hydro

16

Voltage Reg.

14

PE License

13

History

Dinner

Magnetics

Robotics 10

Advances in

Robotics

Sig.

Processing

18

Brain-

Computer

Interface

18

Human

Posture

14

Wireless

CPMT/ED

Social Impl

Technology

10

Advances in

Robotics

Upper Mon 28

Cyber

Attacks

4

Wireless

14

Software

Women in

Eng’ing

Life Mem.

GOLD 14

PE License

PACE 19

Legislative

Student Act

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