Author Archives: Youry Khmelevsky

Section adds to investment in Section Scholarship Fund

The section adds to investment in the Section Scholarship Fund

(reposting from https://vancouver.ieee.ca/2024/11/07/vancouver-section-scholarship-awards-increased/)

IEEE Canadian Foundation President David Whyte and Vancouver Section Chair Jacqueline Nichols

IEEE Vancouver Section Chair Jacqueline Nichols announcing scholarship award increases, and presenting the additional funding to IEEE Canada Foundation President David Whyte.

The IEEE Vancouver Section is happy to announce that the section has added an additional $30,000 to the scholarship fund for the 30th anniversary of the IEEE Canadian Foundation. This increase in funding will allow the Vancouver Section to award up to four scholarships of $2000 each year through the funds interest.

Scholarship applications will open in early 2025.

For more information on the specific scholarship awards offered by the Vancouver Section, please visit the Scholarships page on the section website:

 

The Vancouver Section Scholarship funds accounts are administered on behalf of the Vancouver Section by the IEEE Canadian Foundation. The fund is self-sustaining, and disbursements flow from the fund’s interest earned. Contributions are welcome to grow the fund and, therefore, the annual value that the section can award through the scholarships. Contributions to these Section Scholarship funds are tax deductible.

For additional information about the Foundation and to contribute to the Vancouver Section Scholarship Fund, please visit:

https://www.ieeecanadianfoundation.org/EN/donations.php

Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch and Okanagan Subsection are hosting IEEEXtreme 18.0

Time & Date: 5 p.m. – 5 p.m. (24 hours), October 25 th, 2024
Location: Room E301, E302, E303 and E108 (lunch room), Computer Science Department, Okanagan College (in-person)

Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch and Okanagan Subsection are hosting IEEEXtreme 18.0

IEEEXtreme is a global challenge in which teams of IEEE Student members – advised and proctored by an IEEE member and supported by an IEEE Student Branch – compete in 24 hours against each other to solve a set of programming problems https://ieeextreme.org/

In previous years, over 6,000 teams, just under 15,000 participants, and 65 Countries competed. This includes over 600 Student Branches, over 700 Ambassadors, and approximately 2,500 volunteers.

Many kind sponsors and volunteers are contributing to help ensure the success of this event. Registration is open until Oct 12, 2024. To find out more or join a team, please contact the OC student branch as soon as possible.

Photos from the Event:

IEEE Day at Okanagan Subsection

 

Time & Date: 5 – 7:30 p.m., October 9 th, 2024
Location: Room E202 and online in Zoom, Computer Science Department, Okanagan College (in-person and online)
Registration (is open now): https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/438597

Abstract: IEEE Day is an annual event celebrating the first time in history when engineers worldwide gathered to share their technical ideas in 1884. One of IEEE Day’s objectives is to show how IEEE members in local communities collaborate on ideas that leverage technology for a better tomorrow. (https://ieeeday.org/)

Join us on October 9th at 5 PM for a gathering where the IEEE Okanagan Subsection and student branches from UBCO and OC will discuss the evolution of engineering, computer science, and others.

Agenda:

5 pm – 5:40 pm (OC)

            Kristina – A Retrospective View of STEM Milestones & Achievements

            Ajitesh – DRI Resources

5:40 – 6:20 pm (UBCO)

            Charlotte – A Canadian Engineer Who Made a Positive Impact on Society

            Fernanda – Women in Tech

6:20 pm – 6:30 pm Pizza break

6:30 pm – 7:00 pm (OC)

Dolcy & Brian – Evolution of Data & Networks

Alex – World Wide Opportunities

Bios:

Kristina Cormier is a fourth-year Computer Science student at Okanagan College. She has always been curious about science and technology. Recently, she has discovered a passion for data analysis and machine learning algorithms. Kristina is the Chair of the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch. She coordinates with her team to help organize events and volunteering. Kristina truly enjoys mentoring, meeting new people and discovering new opportunities.

Ajitesh Parihar is a fourth-year Computer Science student and a Research Assistant at Okanagan College. He is a tech enthusiast who enjoys learning about innovations and technologies and is passionate about software engineering, cyber security, and algorithms. Ajitesh is the Vice Chair of the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch and enjoys meeting and working with talented individuals.

Fernanda Alves has been working at UBCO for nearly three years. She received her Bachelor of Computer Information Systems at Okanagan College and has a degree. Fernanda is a passionate mentor and advocate for women in technology who enjoys connecting with other passionate individuals and sharing her skills and experiences to benefit others.

Dolcy Sareen is a third-year Computer Science student at Okanagan College and the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch webmaster. She is passionate about learning new technologies and strongly focuses on data. She enjoys connecting with people and continuously learning from new experiences.

Alex Ross is a fourth-year Computer Science student at Okanagan College and the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch secretary.

During the meeting:

Call for Capstone Projects at Computer Science Department, Okanagan College.

The Computer Science department at Okanagan College is looking for project proposals for its capstone CIS and BCIS project courses in 2024-2025

In the capstone courses, second-year students in teams of 3 to 5 and fourth-year students in teams of 7 to 13 work on projects proposed by industry or other organizations. Each team is supervised by a faculty member acting as the technical director and assisting or pointing the students to appropriate technical expertise; you’ll act as the client. The projects can be general in software development or specialized in software engineering.

The Computer Science department invites you to submit a project for our students to prepare them for industry better.

There are numerous benefits to your organization:

  • Exploration of research/development opportunities utilizing the expertise of OC faculty, staff and students.
  • Access to world-class research facilities and expert technical personnel at OC.
  • Engagement with the next class of new graduates to facilitate recruitment and networking.
  • Exploration of products or services outside your organization’s current business plan.
  • Introduction of your organization to the OC academic community.

Participation: How would you participate? You would submit your project requirements to capstones [at] Okanagan [dot] BC [dot] ca, and our students and faculty would work with you to develop potential solutions. You will have ample opportunity to be actively engaged in developing solutions.

The following outlines the curricular parameters of this final-year project courses (second and fourth years of study), what we have committed to the course, possibilities of participation with you, and suggestions for development going forward. Instructions and a fillable PDF form, COSC_OC_CapstonePartnerProposalForm.docx (please save the DOCX file to your computer before filling the form out), as well as a sample proposal, are available to help you submit your project (please contact by email for a sample).

Curricular Parameters: These courses will form a significant portion of the final-year diploma and degree requirements, representing six credits of coursework spread over two academic terms (usually September to April) in courses COSC 236/224, COSC 470/471 and COSC 436/437/419. Working in teams of 3 to 5 in COSC 236/224 and 7 to 15 in COSC 470/471, students will be expected to commit around 10 hours per week to complete this component, resulting in approximately 260 hours per student.

Our Commitment to Resources: The Computer Science department will commit instructional resources to support these students as they become highly competent and enthusiastic professionals. We will provide each student with support and instruction in design, project management, communication, solution quality assessment, life cycle analysis, and more.

Suggestions for Further Development: We believe that offering our students a solid and progressive integrative design experience in their final year of study can best be met in partnership with the community, whether for profit or not. The strength of this program will come from community involvement inside and outside Okanagan College, in which we hope to include you and your organization.

We understand that some issues still need to be addressed. One is that of Intellectual Property, and we are working to introduce easy-to-use templates for all parties to use.

Another is that of resources. The Computer Science department will commit a significant amount of financial resources. Still, to make this a successful partnership and a sustainable model, we hope you and your organization will commit similarly, if feasible. How this might take shape is currently open for discussion, and we welcome your thoughts.

We are very excited about offering our students this learning opportunity to work in partnership with individuals and organizations that have a significant stake in the current and future successes of software development and engineering. With your support and active contribution, we strongly believe this will be a successful undertaking that will benefit all parties involved.

We are very interested in hearing from you regarding this proposal and invitation. We hope that you will be interested in receiving further information about our initiative and that you will consider becoming an active participant in the program. We welcome any suggestions or input you might have, which can all be submitted to Capstones [at] Okanagan [dot] BC [dot] ca. We look forward to hearing from you.

Okanagan Subsection has Applied for Elevation to Section Status

The Okanagan Subsection, with the approval and support of the Vancouver Section executive, has applied to IEEE MGA for elevation to IEEE Section status.

The proposed elevation will affect members currently in the Okanagan Subsection and Thompson region but not affect the members of the Northern BC subsection.

The electronic petition collected 50 required signatures from the Thompson Okanagan Area for the subsection elevation. Congratulations everyone!

A minimum number of support signatures has been obtained. The approval process will continue at Region 7 (IEEE Canada) in November 2024. We received congratulations from IEEE MGA and IEEE Canada President Dr. Tom Murad:

Good news! Your petition to form the IEEE Thompson Okanagan Section has received all of the necessary Endorsements and Signatures and has now moved to the Approval stage.
An agenda item has been drafted for Approval for the MGA Board scheduled for 23-Nov-2024.
No action is necessary at this time.
…

Best Regards,
IEEE Petition Team
petition@ieee.org

I will follow up during the Next MGA Board meeting in November to ensure approval.
Congratulations in Advance.
Best Regards
 
Dr. Tom Murad – Ph.D. , P.Eng. , F.E.C., F.EIC, SM.IEEE
President – IEEE CANADA
Director –  IEEE – Region 7

Proposed Territorial Boundaries of this Section/Subsection include postal codes/pin codes, cities, provinces, etc.

The Thompson Okanagan Section encompasses the geographical area of the Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia to provide IEEE members with local meetings and other services. See Economic Development Organizations and Region here: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/about-british-columbia-canada/regions/thompson-okanagan/ and include City of Penticton, City of Vernon, Venture Kamloops, Central Okanagan Economic Development Village of Ashcroft, Town of Osoyoos, Salmon Arm Economic Development Society, City of West Kelowna, District of Clearwater, City of Merritt, Shuswap Economic Development, District of Sicamous Development Corporation, Town of Princeton.

Cybersecurity Workshop at Okanagan College

 

Troy Berg (ICT department), David Birch (IT Department), Ajitesh Parihar and Kristina Cormier (Computer Science), Okanagan College

Siarhei Fedarovich, Julia Kanaikina, and Lapko Tsimafei
IBA Group

Cybersecurity Workshop at Okanagan College

Time & Date: 09:00 a.m. – 5 p.m., August 7th, 2024
Location: Room HS-101 and online in Zoom, Computer Science Department, Okanagan College (in-person and online), supported by IEEE Okanagan Subsection and Okanagan College
Registration (is open now): https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/424539 

Abstract:

With the ever-increasing rate of cyber-attacks and data breaches, it has become essential for everyone to be aware of at least the basics of cybersecurity to safeguard themselves from harm. With this workshop, we aim to equip people with knowledge of techniques used by attackers and ways to defend against them, along with best practices for working with sensitive data. The workshop will include sessions by industry experts and demonstrations for practical applications of cybersecurity concepts and tools. Students will demonstrate cybersecurity-related topics (TBA).

Our invited speakers and demonstrations will cover the following topics:

  • Best practices for safeguarding against cyber attacks
  • Importance of good policies for cyber security at organizations
  • Online Privacy
  • Data encryption and decryption techniques
  • Data anonymization and deanonymization for researchers
  • Impact of cyber-criminal organizations on businesses and governments
  • Penetration testing for vulnerability mitigation

The Workshop Agenda:

  1. Welcome and Opening Remarks (9:00 am – 9:15 am)
  2. David Birch, IT Services/Security Manager, Okanagan College: General Security Issues and How That Relates to Research Problems (9:15 am – 10:00 am)
  3. Coffee Break (10:00 am – 10:15 am)
  4. An Invited Speaker from Industry — IBA Group: Security Testing: The Cost of Inaction
    (10:15 am – 11:00 am)

    1. CIA triad and its essential components: confidentiality, integrity, and availability
    2. All types of Security Testing, namely penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, compliance testing, code review, risk assessment, and social engineering
    3. Different Security Testing methods, including black box, white box, and gray box
    4. OWASP Top 10 and how these vulnerabilities can be identified and remediated
    5. Flow of Security Testing: from onboarding and scoping the project to reporting and analyzing test results and providing further support.
    6. We’ll also analyze real-life incidents in software development involving famous big brands, discussing the cost of these cases and the lessons learned from them.
  5. Coffee Break (11:00 am – 11:15 am)
  6. Demonstration from Industry, IBA Group (11:15 pm – 11:45 am).
  7. Ajitesh Parihar, COSC, OC: Data breach exploration and password cracking (11:45 am – 12:30 pm — Databreach_and_Password_Cracking)
  8. Lunch Break (12:30 pm – 1:15 pm – on your own)
  9. An Invited Speaker from Academia. Troy Berg (ICT, OC): Human Issues in Cybersecurity: Challenging Faulty Assumptions and Cognitive Biases (1:15 am – 2:15 pm)
  10. Coffee break (2:15 pm – 2:35 pm)
  11. Ajitesh Parihar, COSC, OC: AWS Academy Platform for education and DRI for research requirements (2:35 pm – 3:00 pm — AWS_Academy_and_DRI_Resources)
  12. Kristina Cormier & Ajitesh Parihar: Platform security practices demonstrated through Oracle Cloud (3:00 pm – 3:45 pm — Platform_Security in Oracle_Cloud)
  13. Round Table and Pizza (3:45 pm – 5 pm)

Bios:

Troy Berg’s professional world is an exciting blend of academia and practical fieldwork. He is living the IT professional’s dream.

Troy is a professor and chair of the Infrastructure and Computing Technology Department at Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC, where he shares his passion for technology by teaching server administration, enterprise network management, cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and project management. His ongoing goal is to engage, educate, mentor, and inspire new IT professionals in a fun, dynamic, student-centred learning environment.

Alongside his academic persona, Troy captains a private IT training and consulting business. He provides practical and innovative solutions that allow his clients to leverage IT opportunities and turn technology into a competitive advantage.

Troy’s IT toolkit includes nearly 20 years of industry experience, a diploma in Network and Telecommunications Engineering, a Bachelor of Applied Information Systems Technology in Network Management, and numerous industry accreditations, including his Cisco Certified Network Associate (RS), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, CompTIA Network+ and Security+ certifications. Troy is also a certified Cisco Networking Academy instructor for A+, CCNA, and CCNA-Security curricula.

David Birch has been at Okanagan College for over 7 years, has a B.Sc. in Computer Science accompanied by CISSP and Associate C|CISO security certifications, and brings over 30 years of diverse IT industry experience from the private and public sectors to the College.

As the Manager of IT Security, Dave leads the IT Services cybersecurity team to oversee the Security Operations Center (SOC) and overall IT Security program. Dave is also an active member of several BCNet Higher Education Security steering committees and working groups, the sitting chair of the Distributed Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (DCSIRT) and was a lead member of the incident response effort during the Okanagan College ransomware event in January 2023.

Ajitesh Parihar is a four-year Computer Science student and a Research Assistant at Okanagan College. He is a tech enthusiast who enjoys learning about innovations and technologies and is passionate about software engineering, cyber security, and algorithms. Ajitesh is excited to get more involved as a Board Member of the IEEE Student Branch and to meet and work with talented individuals.

Kristina Cormier is a third-year Computer Science student at Okanagan College. She has a nursing background and recently discovered a passion for machine learning algorithms. Kristina is a board member of the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch. She assists with organizing events and volunteering. Kristina truly enjoys being a mentor and helping others.

Siarhei Fedarovich
A renowned Program and Project Manager with vast expertise in devising cybersecurity strategies. He has a Master of Engineering degree and 13+ years of experience in IT software development and management. Siarhei has been delivering cybersecurity solutions since 2022.

Julia Kanaikina joined IBA Group as a Software Developer in 2009 and was soon promoted to Project Manager. Since then, she has been key in various Mainframe system development projects for industry leaders such as IBM, Fujitsu, and Rocket. Due to her exceptional performance and comprehensive understanding of the software development process, she was promoted to Delivery Manager in 2022.

Lapko Tsimafei is a DevSecOps specialist with over 14 years of experience in software development, testing, security and operations.

Sergii Baibara currently serves as the Director of IBA BGroup, a Regional office of IBA Group, a position he has held since July 2012. IBA Group—30 years in IT business, started as a JV with IBM. He has 26 years of experience in the IT software business, Including S&T AG and SAS Institute. Sergii has been developing RPA practices since 2016.

IBA Group (Security Services) is one of the largest IT service providers in the CEE region and has a worldwide organizational structure. It offers a portfolio of proprietary products that address different customers’ needs. Its software products are designed using the latest technologies and proven techniques. The company’s more than 30 years of experience in software development have helped it solve diverse business problems.

 

For further information, please get in touch with Youry Khmelevsky (email: Youry at IEEE.org) and subscribe to the news at okanagan@listserv.ieee.org
Refreshments will be provided

Algorithmic Trading and Short-term Forecast for Financial Time Series with Machine Learning Models Implementation and Testing

 

 

Albert Wong, Gaétan Hains, Ajitesh Parihar
University Paris East Creteil, Langara College and Computer Science, Okanagan College

Algorithmic Trading and Short-term Forecast for Financial Time Series with Machine Learning Models Implementation and Testing Workshop

Time & Date: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 pm, Monday, July 29th, 2024
Location: Room E-310 and online in Zoom, Okanagan College, Kelowna, 1000 KLO Rd, Kelowna V1Y 4X8
Registration (is open now): https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/428090 

Abstract:

The increase in popularity of machine learning models and algorithms has brought up methods for increasing the efficiency of processes in various industries and new use cases. From corporations to individuals, machine learning is applicable in a wide range of settings. One such application is using machine learning models for stock price forecasting. This area is often studied. However, it still needs to solve problems due to the high complexity and volatility that technical factors and sentiment-analysis models try to capture. Based on this premise, we suggested you build up our previous experience building short-term forecasting models using machine learning models. The research project aims to develop practical algorithmic trading algorithms based on accurate short-term forecasts for financial time series using machine learning models. The project focuses on these research activities:

  1. Building a database containing the targeted financial and other time series is valuable input to the machine learning models. This streamlines the process of acquiring financial data required for training the machine learning model by adding a web UI for configuring data collection automation and extracting required data.
  2. A short-term forecasting model based on machine learning is developed using the various time-series data from the data warehouse. Machine learning algorithms such as neural networks, random forecasts, support vector regression, XGBoost, and long short-term memory (LSTM) are evaluated with several performance criteria to identify the most accurate model from a short-term trading perspective. After the performance analysis based on several metrics, XGBoost was chosen for further development.

A mini workshop agenda:

  1. Welcome from the IEEE Okanagan Subsection, IEEE Okanagan College Student Branch and Computer Science Department: Dr. Youry Khmelevsky, Chair (9:30 am – 9:35 am)
  2. Invited speaker from the University of Paris East Creteil: Dr. Gaétan Hains (9:35 am – 10:15 am) — Slides:  2024-07-29GaetanAlgTradingSystemWorkshop.
    1. Workshop Overview
    2. Collaboration between institutions for research
    3. Algorithmic Trading – State of the Art
    4. Hardware Requirements
    5. Research Project Iterations
  3. Invited speakers from Langara College: Dr. Albert Wong & Andres C. Viloria Garcia (10:15 am – 11:00 am)
    1. Machine Learning algorithms for stock price forecasting
    2. Model building process and methodology
    3. Normalization and performance evaluation
    4. Iterations and results
  4. Coffee Break (11:00 am – 11:15 am)
  5. Student research project presentation and demonstration (11:15 am – 12:30 pm) Slides: 2024-07-29AlgTradingDBMSIntegrPrototype
    1. Database design
    2. Data collection process automation
    3. Extraction, Transformation and Loading Process
    4. UI development for data configurations and extraction
    5. Integration prototype using Jupyter notebooks
  6. Q&A

We will demonstrate how to evaluate the quality of the collected data, the metrics of the machine learning model’s prediction, and their integration. 

Bios:

Albert Wong, Ph.D., teaches at the Post-degree Diploma Program in Data Analytics at Langara (the “DA Program”). Drawing on experience and skills developed over a long career, Dr. Wong sets the technical direction for projects proposed within several applied research applications and liaises closely with the partners’ senior leadership teams to ensure that the projects align with each firm’s strategic and financial imperatives. Dr. Wong’s academic expertise includes sampling, multivariate statistical analysis, and ML. He has spent decades working and consulting with organizations of various sizes on the use of statistics, DA, and information technology to solve strategic and/or tactical problems.

Gaétan Hains, Ph.D., is an expert in software safety and performance and holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Oxford. He is currently a Professor of Computer Science and Vice President for Digital Affairs at the University of Paris-Est Creteil (UPEC). He is also a member of the Laboratory of Algorithmics, Complexity, and Logic (LACL), where he has previously served as the head and held academic positions at the University of Montreal and the University of Orleans. He has extensive experience in R&D project leadership and doctoral supervision in parallel-distributed computing, software safety, privacy, and formal methods, with applications in finance, telecom, Al, automotive, and automated trading.

Ajitesh Parihar is a fourth-year Computer Science student and a Research Assistant at Okanagan College. He is a tech enthusiast who enjoys learning about innovations and technologies and is passionate about software engineering, cyber security, and algorithms. Ajitesh is excited to get more involved as a Board Member of the IEEE Student Branch and to meet and work with talented individuals.

Andres C. Viloria Garcia has a post-degree Diploma in Data Analytics from Langara College. He currently works as a Research Associate at Langara College, participating in an NSERC-funded project to assist companies in developing decision-support capabilities and using machine learning techniques to solve business problems. He has experience building machine learning and artificial intelligence models for energy, manufacturing, and healthcare companies.

Credits:

COSC471 2024 (ETL, DB and Data Collection, Documentation):
Scrum Master: Jake Fischer
Product Owner: Jacob Rawlings
Developer: Alan Abdollahzadeh
Developer: Vanessa Dubouzet
Developer: Ben Carrier
Developer: Dominic Presch

COSC470 (ETL, DB, Data Collection Prototypes, Documentation)
Product Owner: Jacob Rawlings
Product Owner: Devon Volberg
Scrum Master: Jake Fischer

Data Collection:
Developer (Lead): Dylan Soares
Developer: Jaeden Soukoroff
Developer: Vanessa Dubouzet
Developer: Benjamin Carrier

Sanitization & Database:
Developer (Lead): Jacob Labelle
Developer: Dominic Presch
Developer: Parker Green
Developer: Dakota Flath
Developer: William (Noah) Blake
Developer: Alan Abdollahzadeh

Database Administration:
Developer (lead): Yuan Hu
Developer: Isaac Lengacher-Bergeron

Technical Insight, Professor:
Vladimir Ryjov

Earlier Iterations of DB, ETL and Documentation:
Nassi Ebadifard
Dakota Joiner
Amy Vezeau

 

For further information, please get in touch with Youry Khmelevsky (email: Youry at IEEE.org) and subscribe to the news at okanagan@listserv.ieee.org
Pizza and Refreshments will be provided

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) for Small Industries in BC (a mini workshop)

Kristina Cormier, Ajitesh Parihar, Mohamad Khajezade
Computer Science, Okanagan College

and
Sergey Zlobich, Product Owner of the EasyRPA platform, IBA Group

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) for Small Industries in BC (a mini workshop)

Time & Date: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 pm, Saturday, July 20th, 2024
Location: Room E-308 and online in Zoom, Okanagan College, Kelowna, 1000 KLO Rd, Kelowna V1Y 4X8
Registration (is open now): https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/424538

Abstract:

In the ever-evolving landscape of corporate automation, the transition from Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is critical nowadays. Integrating Machine Learning (ML) technologies and sophisticated Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) models reshape how financial institutions optimize their processes.

This workshop delves into Intelligent Process Automation, where traditional boundaries are surpassed, unlocking unprecedented possibilities. From task classification using ML algorithms to the revolutionary impact of GPT models, we explore each facet and unravel a narrative that underscores the transformative power of automation in the corporate sector.

During the workshop, we will discuss the following topics:

  •  The Shift from RPA to Intelligent Automation.
  • Classification Algorithms in Action — Illustrate how classification algorithms streamline corporate operations.
  • Information Extraction for Corporate Data — examine ML’s role in extracting data from unstructured corporate documents.
  • Signature Recognition for Enhanced Security: Explore the role of ML in recognizing and authenticating signatures in various corporate documents.
  • Revolutionizing AI with GPT Models — uncover the latest advancements in Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) models, highlighting their impact on the corporate sector.
  • Delegating tasks to AI: Balancing Trust and Risk — emphasize the importance of understanding the cost of errors in each process.
  • Specialized Platforms for Corporate Automation — advocate for a balanced approach with a human-in-the-loop for continuous quality improvement.

A mini workshop Agenda:

  • A mini workshop Agenda:
    1. Welcome from Computer Science Department: Dr. Youry Khmelevsky, Chair (9:30 am – 10:00 am)
    2. An Invited Speaker from Industry: IBA Group (10:00 am – 11:00 am) (slides: EasyRPA_offering_v6)
    3. Coffee break (11:00  am – 11:30 am)
    4. An Invited Speaker from Academia:
    Mohamad Khajezade, Computer Science Department, UBCO and OC: Model Compression: Quantization and Knowledge Distillation (11:30 am – 12:00 pm, slides: model compression)
    5. COSC Students Capstone Project results presentation and demonstration (12:00 pm – 01:00 pm, slides: 20 July 2024 RPA Demo)
    -Introduction of Students
    -Introduction of Project
    -Machine Learning Team Roles
    -Information Extraction (IE) from Annual Financial Statements
          Step 1: Create a new document type
          Step 2: Collect & prepare a training set
          Step 3: Train Machine Learning (ML) model
    -Automation Process
    -Matching Purchase Orders with the corresponding Invoice using a Hybrid Process
    -DEMO Information Extraction Annual Financial Statements
    -DEMO Matching Purchase Order to Corresponding Invoice using Hybrid Process.

Q&A

Bios:

Kristina Cormier is a third-year Computer Science student at Okanagan College. She has a nursing background and recently discovered a passion for machine learning algorithms. Kristina is a board member of the Okanagan College IEEE Student Branch. She assists with organizing events and volunteering. Kristina truly enjoys being a mentor and helping others.

Ajitesh Parihar is a fourth-year Computer Science student and a Research Assistant at Okanagan College. He is a tech enthusiast who enjoys learning about innovations and technologies and is passionate about software engineering, cyber security, and algorithms. Ajitesh is excited to get more involved as a Board Member of the IEEE Student Branch and to meet and work with talented individuals.

Mohamad Khajezade is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia. His research specializes in the applications of artificial intelligence and language models in software engineering. Throughout his academic career, he has taught various courses at UBC and Okanagan College, including Java Programming, Digital Citizenship, and Android Programming. Mohamad is excited to begin his new role as a college professor at Okanagan College, starting on August 1st.

Sergey Zlobich is a Product Owner of the EasyRPA platform developed by IBA Group. With 27 years overall experience in the international IT industry, 7 years have been dedicated to RPA technology and products, including hands-on experience with Workfusion, Blue Prism, and Automation. Anywhere.
– Over 10 years of software development expertise, enabling influential contributions to diverse projects and technologies.
– Strong advocate for full automation, passionate about eliminating manual work through innovative solutions.
– Specialize in leveraging LLMs for natural language processing tasks and data analysis.
– Developed and maintained enterprise-level applications.
– Proficient in the entire software development lifecycle.

Sergii Baibara currently serves as the Director of IBA BGroup, a Regional office of IBA Group, a position he has held since July 2012. IBA Group—30 years in IT business, started as a JV with IBM. He has 26 years of experience in the IT software business, Including S&T AG and SAS Institute. Sergii has been developing RPA practices since 2016.

IBA Group (Security Services): 
IBA Group is one of the largest IT service providers in the CEE region and has a worldwide organizational structure. It offers a portfolio of proprietary products that address different customers’ needs. Its software products are designed using the latest technologies and proven techniques. The company’s more than 30 years of experience in software development have helped it solve diverse business problems.

For further information, please get in touch with Youry Khmelevsky (email: Youry at IEEE.org) and subscribe to the news at okanagan@listserv.ieee.org
Pizza and Refreshments will be provided

The 26th Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education (WCCCE) 2024 May 2-3, 2024

We are pleased to announce the 26th Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education at Okanagan College. The conference is a forum for discussing the development of computing programs and curricula and for sharing innovative strategies and tools for teaching & learning in fields such as computer science, software engineering, computer technology, information systems and information technology. It will bring educators from the western provinces, the rest of Canada, and beyond, allowing them to share their experiences and learn from one another. The Department of Computer Science at Okanagan College is pleased to be hosting the conference in 2024.

Venue

WCCCE 2023 will occur in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, May 2-3, 2024 (Thursday and Friday). The conference sessions will be held on the Okanagan College campus. WCCCE 2024 will have an in-person format.

Registration is still open at Eventbrite ($280, $200 and $100 for seniors and students) at  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-26th-western-canadian-conference-on-computing-education-wccce-tickets-804199170367?aff=oddtdtcreator or through vTools for IEEE Members ($100) without Dinner on Thursday at 6 pm (https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/419091). Please use the Eventbrite URL above to Register for the Conference with Dinner.

Keynote Speakers

  1. Dr. Ramon Lawrence

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Approaches to Assessment and Student Help

Artificial intelligence has a significant impact on approaches to engaging, helping, and assessing students. Even before generative AI systems such as ChatGPT, students often questioned the value of assignments, may not consistently engage with instructors and teaching assistants during office hours and labs, and struggled to find the motivation and support necessary for their learning. This talk describes several research studies and systems designed to improve student engagement and learning. The first project focuses on automating assessment using PrairieLearn for both asynchronous labs and real-time classroom engagement using a gamification approach. The second project describes the HelpMe system supporting on-demand help for students using virtual labs rather than scheduled lab times. Virtual labs help with accessibility and engagement while reducing the computer lab resources used. The third project analyzes the impacts of generative AI on assessments and support systems. This includes research on detecting AI submissions in Computer Science courses and using course-specific chatbots to help answer questions for students. Attendees will be able to take away some practical approaches for use in their own classes.

Bio: Dr. Ramon Lawrence is a professor of computer science and Academic Director for the Centre for Teaching and Learning at the University of British Columbia Okanagan.  His teaching recognitions included the UBC Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation in 2017, the Killam Teaching Prize in 2020, and a 9-time member of the teaching honour roll recognizing the top 10% of instructors at UBC Okanagan.  His scholarship in teaching and learning research is in the areas of automatic assessment and help systems and the impacts of artificial intelligence on education.  The research has resulted in changes to how labs are delivered for many courses. He is the founder of Unity Data Inc. (www.unityjdbc.com), which provides software for data integration from multiple sources and is a database consultant for enterprises requiring Big Data solutions.  Recent work produced software for SQL querying and integrating MongoDB with enterprise relational systems used by numerous companies worldwide. Dr. Lawrence is a senior member of the ACM and a senior member of IEEE.

2.

Dr. Ben Stephenson

Tales from the Trenches: Experiences from Two Decades of Post-Secondary Teaching

I have been teaching at the post-secondary level since 2001.  During that time, I have used a variety of activities and interventions to engage students, manage my workload, improve assessments, and better students’ experiences in both my own courses and others.  In this talk I will survey the practices that I have implemented; everything from TA training to snake charming, and textbook writing to computer generated art.  I’ll tell stories about what has worked well, some well-intentioned ideas that didn’t have as much impact as hoped, and maybe even a complete flop (or two).  My hope is that you come away from this session with new ideas to try in your own classroom and the ability to avoid some of the mistakes that I have made.

Bio: Ben Stephenson is a Professor (Teaching) at the University of Calgary with more than two decades of post-secondary teaching experience during which he has taught thousands of students.  He is the author of a dozen pedagogically focused papers, five “nifty” assignments, and two textbooks.  Ben is a significant contributor to the Canadian and international Computer Science Education communities and is currently recovering from his recent work as Co-Chair of the 2023 and 2024 SIGCSE Technical Symposia on Computer Science Education.  Outside of working hours he is a husband and father of two, an avid Lego builder, a solar panel enthusiast, and a frugal grocery shopper.

Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Screenshot

Silver Sponsors

In-Kind Sponsorship

Cooperating Organizations

WCCCE 2024 is presented in cooperation with the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE — Pending) and will be Supported by the IEEE Okanagan Subsection and IEEE Vancouver Section (Pending). For more information about the WCCCE conferences, please see here: https://dl.acm.org/conference/wccce.

Innovation to shape future: A.I. and Quantum leap

Dr. Lucas Hui

Innovation to shape future: AI and Quantum leap
(Slides: IEEE AI Quantum 240130)

Time & Date: 5 p.m., Tuesday, January 30th, 2024
Location: Room E309 and online in Zoom, Okanagan College, Kelowna, 1000 KLO Rd, Kelowna V1Y 4X8
Registration is open now: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/401949

Abstract:

Knowledge and innovation will define the future of human society. This talk will focus on two powerful technologies: AI and quantum computing. The presentation will include basic concepts of the technologies, as well as the profound impact of these technologies and the pivotal role they play in our future.

The talk will cover the following topics:

  • The evolution of Artificial Intelligence: demonstrate the expectation of intelligent machines.
  • Significance of Machine Learning: why and how machine learning is important in modern society.
  • Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the near future: how Artificial Intelligence tools will impact human lives, and how humans should respond to that.
  • The Quantum Jump to Quantum Computing: Why Quantum Computing can significantly improve the Computing landscape.
  • Application of quantum computing in the near future: different areas in which quantum computing has significant contributions.
  • The synergy of quantum computing and artificial intelligence: how the interaction of these two technologies can create a greater effect.
  • Future opportunities: how can we take advantage of these two technologies?

Bio:

Dr Lucas Hui has more than 20 years of university teaching and research experience, covering computer science subjects including information security, Internet commerce, artificial intelligence, data structure and algorithms and others.

He had been CTO of the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, leading researchers and student interns in multidisciplinary applied research projects. His current interest is in the impact of innovative technology on society. He is a senior member of IEEE.

For further information, please get in touch with Youry Khmelevsky (email: Youry at IEEE.org) and subscribe to the news at okanagan@listserv.ieee.org
Pizza and Refreshments will be provided