WA Monthly Wrap Up - November 24

 
 

Welcome to the October - November 2024 wrap-up from your WA branch, highlighting the key activities and events that brought our community together and showcasing our shared achievements and memorable moments. 

WA opens 2024 Digital Pulse series

The West Australian branch also kicked off the 2024 Digital Pulse series at the beginning of October with a full house event in Perth on 2 October attended by VIP guest, the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC, State Minister for Innovation and the Digital Economy; ACS President, Helen McHugh; and WA Branch Chair, Jerome Chiew.

WA led the states and territories this year with the nation's fastest-growing tech workforce so it was fitting they were the first branch to do their event ahead of the national launch in Sydney on 22 October.

Download the ACS Digital Pulse 2024 to get all the insights!

Dennis Moore Oration and 1962 Awards

On Wednesday 16 October, the WA branch held its annual Dennis Moore Oration and 1962 Awards, where we proudly awarded the 1962 Prize and 1962 Medal to the best and brightest minds in WA’s ICT community. These prestigious awards honour outstanding achievements in student excellence and doctoral research, showcasing the future leaders of our industry.

We’d like to congratulate the following winners:

  • 1962 Prize - Winner of the 1962 Prize for the best graduating student in ICT from a WA university, Tom Sargent – Curtin University
  • 1962 Medal - Winner of the 1962 Medal for the most outstanding candidate who completed Doctoral research (eg PhD), Dr Sayma Shammi – Murdoch University
  • Educator Recognition - Recognise teachers and lecturers that have received awards from other organisations. These are the dedicated people who make the other awards possible. Brett Clarke MACS CP – Catholic Education

We were also treated to an inspiring oration from Professor Andreas Wicenec, who shared groundbreaking insights on "Astronomical (size) Data Management and Processing in the Era of the Square Kilometre Array." His presentation highlighted the incredible challenges and opportunities of managing data for one of the largest scientific endeavours ever—the Square Kilometre Array. Key insights from Professor Andreas Wicenec included:

  • The SKA project will produce petabytes of data per second, requiring highly advanced data centres to process and store the information. Managing this scale of data involves not just collection but also ensuring the data is usable for researchers in real time.
  • To manage the SKA’s data demands, custom computing and data processing hardware are being developed. Real-time processing, including the use of high-speed fibre links, is essential to keep up with the immense data flow.
  • This project is expected to provide deeper knowledge through precision imaging and data analysis, unlocking new insights in radio astronomy such as tracking cosmic phenomena and understanding the origins of the universe.
  • Western Australia plays a central role in the SKA project, hosting key components of the telescope.

Thank you to our event partner DC Alliance, Albert Wong and Natalie Parker for their wonderful support. Without the support of DC Alliance, this event would not have been possible.

WA Branch enjoys a Super Computing Evening

ACS WA members had the incredible opportunity to explore the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre in Perth 29th October, getting an up-close look at Setonix, the most powerful and eco-friendly supercomputer in the Southern Hemisphere.

Attendees were thrilled to learn how Setonix, the scientific name for the Quokka, is driving groundbreaking research in fields from climate science to AI and setting new benchmarks in energy efficiency. We also heard exciting updates on the Quantum Computing Supercomputing Innovation Hub, giving a sneak peek into Australia’s future in advanced computing.

Huge thanks to our hosts, Dr. Maciej Cytowski and Dr. Pascal Elahi for taking us through a highly engaging presentation covering a variety of topics on high-performance computing for scientific discovery and how the work being done at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre is paving the way for WA to become a world leader in quantum computing. Also a special thank you to Karina Nunez for her invaluable support to make this a memorable and very enjoyable experience for all.

ACS WA AISIG Inaugural Meeting

What a fantastic launch for the ACS WA Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group (AISIG)! Held at Murdoch University’s Boola Katitjin Innovation Hub, this event brought together a dynamic mix of AI enthusiasts, researchers, developers, and industry experts, united by a shared passion for exploring how AI is impacting Western Australia.

Highlights included:

Live surveys were also run, encouraging attendees to share their thoughts and shape future AISIG topics. Plus, one lucky attendee, Ilgiz Almukhametov won a prize of a free registration to the 'ACS Masterclass : Generative AI for Decision-Makers: Simplifying Data Analysis for Strategic Advantage.'

A huge thanks to members of the ACS WA AI SIG Committee who assisted on the evening - Valerie Maxville, Brian von Konsky PhD(Curtin) FACS CP, Rohini Balapumi, Kevin Wong, Stephanie B.. Also, a big thank you to all attendees for making this event such a great success. We are looking forward to future AI SIG meet-ups as we continue building the AI community in WA.

WA Branch masterclass harnesses AI for data-driven decisions

On the 12th of November WA Branch held it’s ACS Masterclass , "Generative AI for Decision-Makers: Data Analysis," delved deep into the transformative power of AI for data-driven decision-making. Held in the newly renovated Victoria Park Training Room, this interactive session guided participants through using ChatGPT to streamline data analysis and unlock valuable insights without requiring coding expertise.

Led by ACS Fellow, Professor Andrew Rohl FACS, attendees explored real and created datasets, diving into data reading, cleaning, analysis, and visualisation. The masterclass emphasised the practical applications of AI in real-world scenarios.

With engaging discussions, hands-on practice, and networking opportunities over light refreshments, the session provided a comprehensive overview of how AI can empower decision-makers.

We extend our sincere thanks to Professor Andrew Rohl FACS, Brian von Konsky PhD(Curtin) FACS CP and the broader ACS WA Fellows Committee for organising this stimulating afternoon of learning and innovation.

Jan Kornweibel inducted into Pearcy Hall of Fame

In Brisbane last Thursday, ACS Fellow, distinguished WA member, and long-standing industry supporter, Jan Kornweibel, FACS, was inducted into the Pearcey Hall of Fame.

 

Jan Kornweibel started working with computers in London in 1965 before landing an IBM programming position at TAB in Perth.

 

While at TAB, she joined the West Australian Computer Society and was an inaugural member of the Australian Computer Society when the two organisations merged in 1967.

 

Instrumental in coordinating the first ACS National conference in Western Australia in 1989, Jan gave sixteen years of service to the WA Branch Executive Committee and has continued to mentor women in ICT throughout more than 50 years of membership of ACS.

 

Jan is a true role model for young ICT professionals, an advocate and worker for people with disability and an inspiration to women in ICT. She is both a Fellow and an Honorary Life Member of the ACS.

 

We’d like to congratulate Jan on the latest achievement in her long and distinguished career.

As we reach the end of 2024, we extend a formal invitation for you to engage more deeply with our upcoming events and community initiatives in the new year.  Your involvement is crucial in shaping the future of our branch, and we look forward to your continued participation in the year and months ahead.

Explore our upcoming events here. 

Until next time,

ACS Western Australia Team

Jerome Chiew MACS Snr CP (Cyber Security) IP3P MAISA, WA Branch Chair
Darren Roxburgh MACS, WA State Manager
Vicki Leddin MACS, WA Member Services & Events Manager

 

 

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