Sunday July 7

9:00AM – 10:10AM CST (21:00 – 22:10 EDT) – WISC 1
Location: Madrid 7
Session Chairs: Ruchi Mahindru, IBM Research, T.J. Watson Research Center; Yanmei Zhang, Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE), Beijing – Tentative; Manar Abu Talib, University of Sharjah

• Opening Welcome from the WISC General Chair 
  Ruchi Mahindru, IBM Research, T.J. Watson Research Center
  Yanmei Zhang, Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE), Beijing
• WISC Award acceptance speech
• Student Scholarship Announcements
• WISC Scholarships
  Lorraine Herger, IBM Retiree; former Director of AI Infrastructure, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
• Keynote 1: Karuna Pande Joshi, UMBC Director, Center for Accelerated Real-Time Analytics (CARTA)
  Towards Automating Compliance in Cloud Services
  
  Cloud Services have to increasingly adhere to several Data Protection Laws which can be challenging given the huge volume of data maintained by these services. In this talk we discuss novel AI approaches to automate services compliance to significantly reduce the human effort currently required.
  
  Bio: Karuna P. Joshi is a Professor of Information Systems at UMBC and UMBC Director of the Center for Accelerated Real Time Analytics (CARTA). She also directs the Knowledge Analytics Cognitive and Cloud (KnACC) Lab. Her research focus is in the areas of Data Science, Cloud Computing, Data Security and Privacy, and Healthcare IT systems. She has published over 90 papers, and her research is supported by ONR, NSF, DoD, GE Research, and Cisco. She teaches courses in Big Data, Database Systems Design, and Software Engineering. She received her MS and Ph.D. in Computer Science from UMBC, where she was twice awarded the IBM Ph.D. Fellowship, and her Bachelor’s in computer engineering from the University of Mumbai, India. Dr. Joshi also has extensive experience working in the industry, primarily as an IT Program/Project Manager at the International Monetary Fund.
• Keynote 2: Kaoutar El Maghraoui, IBM TJ Watson Research Center; Adjunct Professor of Computer Science, Columbia University
  Revolutionizing Enterprise AI: The Power and Promise of Foundation Models
  
  Modern AI models excel at processing vast amounts of data and addressing complex problems through innovative solutions. As we progress, AI is undergoing a transformative shift towards the use of versatile foundation models. Unlike task-specific models, foundation models are trained on extensive unlabeled datasets and can be fine-tuned with minimal effort to suit various applications. This makes them a cornerstone for a broad spectrum of AI use cases, utilizing self-supervised learning and fine-tuning techniques to apply their generalized knowledge to specific tasks effectively.
  In the enterprise, foundation models are setting the stage for a revolution in AI adoption. They significantly reduce the need for labor-intensive data labeling and model programming, making it easier for enterprises to deploy AI across mission-critical operations. This talk explores strategies for broadening the implementation of foundation models across enterprises within a seamlessly integrated hybrid-cloud environment. The discussion extends to developing software, middleware, and hardware that support cloud-native development and maximize the utility of foundation models in enterprise AI applications, focusing on real-world industry scenarios. Additionally, we cover current research trends and provide insights into the future trajectories of foundation models, illustrating how they continue to evolve and reshape the landscape of artificial intelligence in the business sector.
  
  Bio: Kaoutar El Maghraoui is a Principal Research Scientist at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center and an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University. She leads the AI testbed at IBM Research AI Hardware Center, focusing on advancing AI accelerators and systems. Her expertise includes systems research, distributed systems, high-performance computing, and AI hardware-software co-design. Dr. El Maghraoui earned her Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Al Akhawayn University, Morocco. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Robert McNaughton Award, the Best of IBM award, several IBM technical accomplishment awards, and the IEEE TCSVC Women in Service Computing award. She is an ACM Distinguished Member, ACM Distinguished speaker, Senior IEEE Member, and an active leader in promoting women in science and technology. She co-chairs the Arab Women in Computing organization and serves on the AFCHIX International Advisory Panel, supporting African women in STEM fields.

10:40AM – 11:50AM CST (22:40PM – 23:50PM EDT) – WISC 2
Location: Madrid 7
Session Chair: Jordan Murray, Hybrid Cloud Software Engineer, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

TBD

14:00PM – 15:10PM CST (2:00 – 3:10 EDT) – WISC 3
Panel Session
Location: Madrid 7
Session Chair: Bouchra Bouqata, Microsoft Azure Research 

Panel: Being Leaders – Insights and Innovations in IEEE Services and Summit Organization

This panel will delve into the intricacies of the IEEE Services organization, highlighting the unique challenges and successes experienced by women in leadership roles. This panel aims to not only share valuable expertise but also inspire and empower attendees with practical advice and firsthand success stories from leading female role models and male allies in the field of IEEE Services management.

• Houda Chakiri, Al Akhawayn University Ifrane (moderator)
• Rong N. Chang, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
• Zhi Jin, Professor, Peking University
• Celia Shahnaz, BUET, Bangladesh, IEEE WIE Chair 2023-2024
• Winnie Ye, Carleton University, IEEE WIE Chair 2024-2025
• Houda Chakiri, Al Akhawayn University Ifrane
• Bouchra Bouqata,  Microsoft Azure Research
• Kaoutar El Maghraoui,  IBM T.J. Watson Research Center; Columbia University

15:40PM – 16:50 CST (3:40AM – 4:50 EDT) – WISC 4
PhD Forum
Location: Madrid 7
Session Chair: Hadjer Benmeziane, IBM Research Europe, Zurich

PHD FORUM