2024 Women in Engineering; Women working on computer

2024 Silicon Valley Women in Engineering Conference

Responsible Engineering for A Better Future

Saturday, March 16, 2024
7:30 AM – 7:00 PM

San Jose State University
2024.siliconvalleywie.org
#SVWIE2024

Thank you for Attending!

Date: March 16, 2024
Time: 7:30 am – 7:00 pm PDT
Location: San José State University, Student Union

Keynote Speakers

Alessandra Costa

Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations

Synopsys

Topic: Pervasive Renaissance

Alessandra received her Ph.D. in Microelectronics, from Università degli Studi di Genova and has worked extensively in the semiconductor and EDA industries. She started college when the number of women in her class were a handful and she ended up being the only female during her doctorate. It is at that time that she set her mind to change things whenever she would get the chance to.

Alessandra is keen to cultivate a work environment where everyone can reach their strong potential. She is also a strong believer that diversity fosters innovation. It is for this reason that she started women in engineering organizations in her previous jobs and now in Synopsys. Noticing the vacuum of women presence in mid/senior career roles, she introduced the concept of “returnship”, an initiative that eases the return to work for women who left the professional environment. Alessandra is passionate about mentoring. She mentors boys and girls in underprivileged communities and is working on a high-school high tech curriculum.

Kris May 

CEO and Founder

Pathways Climate Institute

Topic: Pathways to Climate Resilience in an Uncertain Future

Kris is a coastal engineer and climate scientist with over three decades of experience providing leadership and technical expertise to help communities adapt to our changing climate. Kris founded Pathways because she is passionate about helping communities adapt to our changing climate, including building capacity within communities, and developing climate adaptation plans that are actionable and equitable, based on the latest climate science, with tangible roadmaps (pathways) for implementation. Kris specializes in coastal environments and the complex intersection of coastal flooding, sea level rise, rising groundwater, and increasing extreme precipitation. She firmly believes that adapting our communities requires balancing nature-based solutions, protecting our built environments, and honest discussions of managed retreat.

Kris served as a lead author for the Fourth and Fifth National Climate Assessments, technical working group member for the New York State Climate Assessment, and she is an Engineering Criteria Review Board Member for the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

Sandra L. Rivera

CEO

Altera, an Intel Company

Topic: Charting Your Future in the Era of AI

Sandra L. Rivera is chief executive officer of Altera, an Intel Company, a leader in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that are used across the data center, communications, industrial, automotive, aerospace and defense markets.

Before assuming her current role, Rivera led Intel’s Data Center and AI Group, where she guided development of data center products, including Intel® Xeon® processors, Intel® Max® and Flex® series graphic processors, Intel® Gaudi® AI accelerators and FPGA products. Rivera also drove Intel’s overall artificial intelligence (AI) strategy and product roadmap. In 2023, Rivera was named by TIME Magazine as one of the industry’s most influential people in AI.

From 2019 to 2021, Rivera was Intel’s chief people officer, leading the company’s Human Resources organization worldwide. She also led Intel’s Network Platforms Group from 2017 to 2019, driving the transformation of network infrastructure to Intel-based solutions.

Rivera joined Intel in 2000 as a marketing director after the acquisition of Dialogic Corp. Earlier, Rivera co-founded and served as president of The CTI Authority and served as president of the computer telephony division at Catalyst Telecom.

Rivera holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. She sits on the Equinix board of directors and is a member of the University of California, Berkeley’s engineering advisory board.

Agenda

7:30-8:30 am

Registration and Breakfast

8:30-9:30 am

Welcome and Opening Keynotes

Topic: Pathways to Climate Resilience in an Uncertain Future
Kris May
CEO and Founder, Pathways Climate Institute

9:30-9:45 am

Break

9:45-10:45 am

Concurrent Session A

Emerging Technologies Concurrent Sessions

A1 • Cybersecurity for All

Session Chair

Younghee Park

Associate Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Cybersecurity for all genders and races is essential for creating an inclusive and diverse environment in the field. When integrating AI and security, it’s crucial to ensure that these technologies are designed and implemented with fairness, transparency, and ethical considerations in mind. Three industry speakers who are actively working in cybersecurity will discuss their cybersecurity career path and recent security problems in the industry.

Meeting Room: 3

Impact of Generative AI on Cybersecurity

Presentation Abstract

Description for Session Chair

Nidhi Batra

Engineering Manager, Walmart Labs

Navigating Tomorrow: Exploring the Impact of Generative AI on Risk Management

Presentation Abstract

Description for Session Chair

Mona Salvi

Senior Director of Product Security, Fraud & Risk, HubSpot

Thwarting Tomorrow’s Threats Today: The Essence of Threat Modeling

Presentation Abstract

Description for Session Chair

Santrupti M Sobarad

Senior Security Partner, Adobe

A2 • Semiconductors – Empower AI

Session Chair

Lili He

Professor, Electrical Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought more positive impacts to our daily lives. Semiconductors are foundational to the development  of AI technologies, providing the computational power, efficiency, and specialized hardware necessary to drive advancements in AI research and applications. In Session A2, we invited four speakers from these key semiconductor companies. Their presentations provide an excellent opportunity for us to gain basic knowledge for how the semiconductor empowers AI in various aspects.

Meeting Room: 1A

AMAT Making Silicon Think

Presentation Abstract

Sachin Dangayach

Senior Director, Applied Materials

AI PC For Everyone: AMD Ryzen AI Solutions Overview

Presentation Abstract

Jing He

Director of Silicon Design Engineering, AMD

Synergy of Semiconductor Innovation: Empowering Artificial Intelligence

Presentation Abstract

Nicole Magnus

Senior SW Technical Program Manager, Nvidia

Semiconductor Innovations to Power the AI Revolution

Presentation Abstract

Charu Sardana

Sr. Program Manager, TSMC, NA

A3 • Future Trends in Robotics and Human Interaction

Session Chairs

Behin Elahi

Associate Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering, SJSU

Lin Jiang

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

This technical track is dedicated to exploring future trends in robotics and their impact on human interaction. It focuses on the evolving relationship between robotics technology and human engagement across various domains, ranging from artificial intelligence, surgical robot mechanical design to human-like interaction mechanisms. Attendees will explore robotics applications in healthcare and manufacturing through insightful presentations and discussions. The emergence of more lifelike and intuitive robots equipped with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities will result in designing robots that can interact with humans in more natural and empathetic ways, enhancing collaboration and communication in diverse settings. By envisioning a future where robots and humans coexist harmoniously, this technical track seeks to inspire attendees and spark meaningful dialogue on the transformative potential of robotics in shaping our society. It also emphasizes the growing importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers, psychologists, ethicists, and policymakers to shape the future of human-robot interaction positively and provides a forward-looking perspective on the future of robotics, highlighting the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in creating symbiotic relationships between humans and machines.

Meeting Room: 4A

My Journey from San Jose State University to the Robotics Field

Presentation Abstract

Zahra Abdollahi

Hardware Engineer, Meta

Building the Future: Smart and Helpful Robots

Presentation Abstract

Sherry Moore

Tech Lead & Manager of Robotics, Google DeepMind

The Future Of Robotics Through Collaboration, Coordination and Communication

Presentation Abstract

Monique Reid

Mechanical Engineer, Intuitive Surgical

A4 • Sustainable Supply Chains

Session Chairs

Hongrui Liu

Associate Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering, SJSU

Ayca Erdogan

Associate Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Supply chains are critical components of businesses and the global economy. While managing the growing demand and timeliness of products, services, raw materials, and components supply under limited resource availability and risk of disruptions is the core aim of supply chains, considering the impact on environment and social systems is becoming more critical to build resilient supply chains for sustainability.In this session, we have speakers from different industries who will share their experiences in building and managing sustainable supply chains.

Meeting Room: 4B

Karina Figueroa

Logistics Supplier Manager, ASML

Supply Chain Management at Work and How to Apply Knowledge to Optimize Outcomes

Presentation Abstract

Wandee Lilakanjanakul

Technical Program/Project Manager, Applied Materials

Sustainable Supply Chain in Grocery eCommerce

Presentation Abstract

Jem Nguyen

VP of Supply Chain, Weee!

Concurrent Session A

Career Launch Concurrent Sessions

A5 • Job and Internship Search

Session Chair

Kelly Masegian

Career Counselor, SJSU Career Center

Session Summary

Everyone is familiar with the big job boards – Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn. Come learn how to optimize your searches as well as other methods to increase your chances of landing a job or internship that will be the right fit for you. We will also discuss tips for how to navigate a job search in less than ideal times.

Meeting Room: 2

A6 • Salary Negotiation Workshop from Employers’ and Candidates’ Perspectives

Session Chair

Trish Collins

Human Resource Consultant,

Session Summary

Salary Negotiations: Preparing and understanding how offers are made by Employers. What are the components of an offer; how to best negotiate and what cannot be negotiated. Learn behind the scenes on the offer process.

Meeting Room: 1B

10:45-11:00 am

Break

11:00-12:00 pm

Concurrent Session B

Emerging Technologies Concurrent Sessions

B1 • Generative AI – ChatGPT and Beyond

Session Chairs

Jorjeta Jetcheva

Assistant Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Magdalini Eirinaki

Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the AI landscape and has disrupted many industries and domains.  In this session, our speakers will introduce us to the real-world generative AI use cases, practical problems and solutions they are seeing in the real world and developing through their work, and the challenges and opportunities they expect to see in the future.

Meeting Room: 3

LLM-Powered Agents: The Next Frontier in Gen AI

Presentation Abstract

Shelby Heinecke

Senior Research Manager of AI Research, Salesforce

Building AI Products and creating custom GPTs (with live demo)

Presentation Abstract

Marily Nika

AI Product Lead, Google, Founder, AI Product Academy

Navigating the Generative AI Landscape: Transforming Information Relationships and Responsible Scaling

Presentation Abstract

Aishwarya Satish Padmanabhan

Artificial Intelligence Associate Principal, Accenture

B2 • Air and Space Technologies

Session Chairs

Maria Chierichetti

Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering, SJSU

Birsen Sirkeci

Professor, Electrical Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

This session will cover current transformations in the aerospace industry. We are assisting a revolution of how we conceive aeronautical and space transportation. This renewed interest in the aerospace industry is accelerating technological advancement, decreasing costs and leading to better services for our communities. Speakers from Boeing, Elroy Air and Lockheed Martin will showcase how advancements in technology can lead to a smarter, more affordable and safer aerospace industry.

Meeting Room: 4B

Kat Dawe

VP of People and Places, Elroy Air

Run Towards Discomfort: A Path to Technical Fellow

Presentation Abstract

Michelle Johnson

Lockheed Martin Fellow for Materials & Process Engineering, Lockheed Martin Space

Dr. Teresa Segura

Senior Manager of Applied Innovation, Boeing

B3 • Biomedical Robots and Wearables

Session Chairs

Winncy Du

Professor, Mechanical Engineering, SJSU

Nicole Okamoto

2024 SV WiE Co-Conference Chair, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies and Student Success, SJSU

Session Summary

Experts from three biomedical companies will present technology trends and AI in robotic assisted surgery  (Intuitive Surgical), address the issues that arise during medical devices integration with electronics and interact with patients (Promex Industries), as well as describe how sensing technologies can be used to Improve Healthcare (Dexcom).

Meeting Room: 1A

Improving Healthcare with Sensing Technology

Presentation Abstract

Becky Clark

Director of Medical Device Engineering, Dexcom

Heterogeneous Integration Enables New Functionality for Medical and Biotech Devices

Presentation Abstract

Rosie Medina

Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Promex

Technology trends and AI in Robotic Assisted Surgery

Presentation Abstract

Neeta Mhatre

VP of China Strategy and Operations, Intuitive Surgical

B4 • Smart and Resilient Cities in the Post-Pandemic Era

Session Chair

Sravani Vadlamani 

Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities worldwide are reevaluating their infrastructure, policies, and technologies to build smarter and more resilient environments. Speakers from VTA, Waymo and City of San Jose will delve into the key strategies and innovations shaping the future of cities in the post-pandemic era.

Meeting Room: 4A

Rolling Back Climate Impacts

Presentation Abstract

Carolyn Gonot

General Manager/CEO, VTA

Say Hello to Waymo

Presentation Abstract

Melissa Ruhl

Program Manager for Regulatory, Waymo

Jessica Zenk

Deputy Director of Department of Transportation, City of San Jose

Concurrent Session B

Career Launch Concurrent Sessions

B5 • Employer Perspective: Tips on Job and Internship Success

Session Chair

Kelly Masegian

Career Counselor, SJSU Career Center

Session Summary

Hear from company representatives about how to best approach all aspects of the job search from applying to interviewing to career growth.

Meeting Room: 2

Isabel Camaclang

Silicon Design Engineer, Advanced Micro Devices

Karla G. Gutierrez Cuevas

Research Scientist Manager, KLA – Tencor

Margaret Paulin

Campus Relations Manager, Lockheed Martin

Xuanxuan Lu

Senior Staff Engineer of Digital Signal Processing and Machine Learning architecture, Marvel

B6 • Building Competency and Confidence: Navigating Your Career

Session Chairs

Debra Caires

Career Coach, SJSU

Bobbi Makani, Ph.D. 

Executive Director, Career Center, SJSU

Session Summary

Your future awaits – let’s navigate it together with confidence and purpose! Join us as we delve into the art of building competency and confidence, equipping you with the tools and strategies to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of professional growth. Uncover practical insights and actionable steps designed to propel your career trajectory forward, guided by our esteemed panelists who will impart their wealth of experience in navigating diverse career pathways. Whether you stand at the threshold of a new chapter or aspire to augment your current trajectory, this session promises to illuminate opportunities for growth, cultivate new skills, and instill a resilient, adaptable mindset.

Meeting Room: 1B

Jocelyn DeGance

Consultant,

Sherry Moore

Tech Lead & Manager of Robotics, Google DeepMind

Dina Moskowitz

CEO & Founder, PartnerOptimizer, Inc

12:00-12:45 pm

Lunch

12:45-1:15 pm

Lunch Keynote

Topic: Charting Your Future in the Era of AI
Sandra L. Rivera
CEO, Altera, an Intel Company

1:15-1:45 pm

Roundtable Discussions

1:45-2:00 pm

Break

2:00-3:00 pm

Concurrent Session C

Emerging Technologies Concurrent Sessions

C1 • Responsible AI

Session Chair

Mahima Agumbe Suresh

Assistant Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

As artificial intelligence (AI) gets increasingly more powerful, there is no better time to discuss how to make AI fair, trustworthy, accountable, and secure. This session features three talks on various topics in responsible AI. Join this session to learn more about the intricacies of designing and using artificial intelligence responsibly.

Meeting Room: 2

Securing Generative AI: How Difficult Is It?

Presentation Abstract

Nathalie Baracaldo, Ph.D.

Manager of AI Security & Privacy Solutions, IBM

Sunipa Dev

Senior Research Scientist, Google

Mrinal Karvir

Senior AI Software Engineering Manager, Intel Corporation

C2 • Electric and Self-Driving Vehicles

Session Chair

Wencen Wu

Associate Professor, Computer Engineering Department, SJSU

Session Summary

This session will feature innovative insights from industry leaders at Waymo, Tesla, and NVIDIA with discussions centering around the integration of advanced AI in enhancing vehicle safety, the evolution of machine learning and computer vision algorithms for improved efficiency, and the transformative impact on future transportation such as robo-taxi.

Meeting Room: 1A

Evaluating the Behavior of Automated Driving Systems

Presentation Abstract

Azadeh Dinparastdjadid

Senior Research Scientist, Waymo

Career Progression with Tech

Presentation Abstract

Zahra Ghaed

Staff Autopilot Software Engineer, Tesla

Innovations in Computer Vision and Machine Learning for Autonomous Vehicles

Presentation Abstract

Yue Wu

Sr. Engineering Manager, Nvidia

C3 • AI-Enabled Next-Gen Biotech

Session Chair

Yun Wang

Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

AI is revolutionizing processes such as early disease detection, therapy development, drug discovery, genetic engineering, and personalized medicine, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in healthcare. This session presents the cutting-edge exploration of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, featuring insights from three speakers from academia and industry. The topics to be discussed include AI applications in radiotherapy and medical physics, early cancer detection, and advanced sequencing.AI is revolutionizing processes such as early disease detection, therapy development, drug discovery, genetic engineering, and personalized medicine, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in healthcare. This session presents the cutting-edge exploration of artificial intelligence and biotechnology, featuring insights from three speakers from academia and industry. The topics to be discussed include AI applications in radiotherapy and medical physics, early cancer detection, and advanced sequencing.

Meeting Room: 3

Radiotherapy and Medical Physics — Clinic, Research and Career

Presentation Abstract

Xuejun Gu

Associate Professor and Director of Translational Research of Radiation Oncology Department, Stanford University

AI and Genomics to Detect Cancer Early

Presentation Abstract

Chenlu Hou, Ph.D.

Senior Director of R&D, Grail Inc.

Enriching the methylome using XR-methylSeq to classify and deconvolute cancers

Presentation Abstract

Jingru Yu

Postdoctoral Researcher, Stanford University

C4 • Sustainable Water Management

Session Chair

Olivia Yip

Assistant Professor, Civil and Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Sustainable water management seeks to meet current and future water needs. It is a human right to have access to clean water today but we must make sure this is not at the expense of future generations and plans for climate change impacts on our water supplies. We have three experts in sustainable water management that will share their experience designing sustainable water management systems. Attendees of this session will learn about green infrastructure solutions for flood prone areas, where our local water comes from, direct potable water reuse efforts, water management efforts to plan for future capacities, water facility replacement, and water treatment to decrease chlorides.

Meeting Room: 4A

City of Santa Paula Water Recycling Facility

Presentation Abstract

Becca Bugielski

Director of Strategic Initiatives, MKN

Green Infrastructure Solutions for Flood Prone Areas

Presentation Abstract

Beth O’Brien

Senior Civil Engineer of Water, Burns & McDonnell

Valley Water’s Purified Water Program

Presentation Abstract

Kirsten Struve

Assistant Officer of Water Supply Division, Santa Clara Valley Water District

Concurrent Session C

Career Launch Concurrent Sessions

C5 • Diverse Career Pathways for Engineers

Session Chair

Jorjeta Jetcheva

Assistant Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

Engineering degrees serve as gateways to a dizzying array of exciting career paths, not limited to engineering work.  In this session, our esteemed panelists will share with us how they parlayed their engineering degrees and skills into a diverse set of roles in strategy,  innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Meeting Room: 4B

Priyanka Chowdhary

Artificial Intelligence Product Leader,

Doris Li Yeh

CEO, Mirapath, Inc.

Zheng Liu

Partner, Commercial and Intellectual Property Litigation, Rimon P.C.

Joyce Pepper

Director of R&D Product Owners, Dexcom

C6 • Interview Workshop by a Corporate Human Resource Professional

Session Chair

Trish Collins

Human Resource Consultant,

Session Summary

Interviewing Essentials: How to best prepare and what to expect from employer interviews. Why the questions are asked and how to best answer them. How to best show up in virtual and in person interviews

Meeting Room: 1B

3:00-3:15 pm

Break

3:15-4:45 pm

Concurrent Career Panels

Concurrent Career Panels

I • Software and Information Technology

Session Chair

Magdalini Eirinaki

Professor, Computer Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

A panel of women engineers and leaders in “Software and Information Technology” share their stories in charting their educational and career pathways.  They offer insights and advice to help attendees achieve success from campus to career. Attendees have the chance to ask their own questions.

Meeting Room: Student Union Theater

Mrinal Karvir

Senior AI Software Engineering Manager, Intel Corporation

Joleena Marshall

Developer Advocate, J.P. Morgan Chase

Kanchana Padmanabhan

Program Director of Data & AI, IBM

Catherine Wah 

Staff Software Engineer and Technical Lead Manager, Google

II • Semiconductor and Electronics

Session Chair

Xiao Su

Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, College of Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

A panel of women engineers and leaders in “Semiconductor and Electronics” share their stories in charting their educational and career pathways.  They offer insights and advice to help attendees achieve success from campus to career. Attendees have the chance to ask their own questions.

Meeting Room: 4B

Tripti Bhanti

Senior Program Manager, TSMC

Deepthi Iragavarapu

Senior System Industrialization Engineer of Q&CI, ASML

Marlaina Thompson

Global MEP Engineer, KLA

Angel Yang

Technical Program Manager, Applied Materials

Zhan Yu

Associate Vice President, Marvell Semiconductors

III • Biomedical and Biotech

Session Chair

Katy Kao

2024 SV WiE Co-Conference Chair, Professor, Chemical and Materials Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

A panel of women engineers and leaders in the “Biomedical and Biotech” industry share their stories in charting their educational and career pathways.  They offer insights and advice to help attendees achieve success from campus to career. Attendees have the chance to ask their own questions.

Meeting Room: 1A

Stacy Jo Dominguez  

Sr. Manager of SW Test Engineering, Data Platform, Dexcom

Audrey Lin

Staff Scientist for Product Transfer, Cepheid

Ekta Mahajan

Sr. Principal Material Science Engineer, Genentech

Wendy Young

Director of Design Quality, Stryker Neurovascular

IV • Aerospace and Aeronautics

Session Chair

Tina Panontin

Professor, San José State University

Session Summary

A panel of women engineers and leaders in “Aerospace and Aeronautics” share their stories in charting their educational and career pathways.  They offer insights and advice to help attendees achieve success from campus to career. Attendees have the chance to ask their own questions.

Meeting Room: 4A

Katie Feinstein

Associate Fellow for Structural Analysis, Lockheed Martin

Miranda Poltorak

Facility Services Manager, Metis Technology Solutions

Meghan Saephan, Ph.D.

Computer Engineer, NASA Ames Research Center

Michelle Tripp

Airport Operations Supervisor, San Francisco International Airport

V • Building, Infrastructure, and the Environment

Session Chairs

Thalia Anagnos

Professor Emerita, SJSU

Olivia Yip

Assistant Professor, Civil and Engineering, SJSU

Session Summary

A panel of women engineers and leaders in the “Building, Infrastructure, and the Environment” sector share their stories in charting their educational and career pathways.  They offer insights and advice to help attendees achieve success from campus to career. Attendees have the chance to ask their own questions.

Meeting Room: 1B

Becca Bugielski

Director of Strategic Initiatives, MKN

Danielle Green

Assistant Director of Public Works & Utilities, City of Watsonville

Diana Lin, P.E.

Project Engineer, Cornerstone Earth Group

Karina Huete

Civil Analyst, Kimley Horn

4:45-5:00 pm

Break

5:00-7:00 pm

WiE Innovation Showcase, Networking Reception, Prize Drawing

Sponsors