Topic: “Too Much Data: How to Find What You Value”
Panelists: Don Joder, Doug Whall, Peggy Hwu

Description: Our Dinner Meeting on February 16, 2012, will include a lively and entertaining moderated panel discussion of issues arising from the Systems Engineering community’s efforts to effectively work with increasingly large and complex data collections. Our three featured panelists, Don Joder, Doug Whall, and Peggy Hwu, are senior systems engineers with lots of battle scars from tackling architecture, design, integration, sharing, quality, security, and other data management challenges in a variety of organizational and technical contexts. Topics to be discussed include data architecture, data modeling, semantic computing, “Big Data”, data security, data’s role in Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), and the data management implications of cloud computing. Active audience participation (questions, comments, and sharing of lessons-learned) will be encouraged.

Menu:
First Course: Caesar Salad
Entree – Choice of: Tortellini with vodka pink sauce – or – Chicken Marsala served with roasted potatoes and vegetable – or – Tuscan tilapia with peppers, onions, and capers, served with potatoes and vegetable
Dessert: Fruit Bavarian cake

Today is the last chance to register for tomorrow’s (January 17, 2012) dinner meeting.

Choice of House Salad, Caesar Salad, Greek Salad with
-London Broil w/Merlot Mushroom Sauce served with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetable
-Greek Style Roasted Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetable or
-Grilled Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce served with Scalloped Potatoes and Vegetable
and White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Choice of House Salad, Caesar Salad, Greek Salad with
-London Broil w/Merlot Mushroom Sauce served with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetable
-Greek Style Roasted Chicken with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetable or
-Grilled Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce served with Scalloped Potatoes and Vegetable
and White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Register Now: http://www.incosewma.org/events/?event_id=25&regevent_action=register

Speaker

Dr. Snoderly was the President of International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) from 2002-2004. He is the current 2011 Chairman of the INCOSE Foundation. In March of 2008 he received the recognition as an INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP). He is Co-Author of the 1994 IEEE 1220 Systems Engineering Standard. He received a Doctor of Public Administration Degree from USC in December of 1996. He received a Masters Degree in Public Administration from USC in May 1995. He also holds a Master Degree in Systems Management from USC in 1973 and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from WVU in 1963.

From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Snoderly was a part time Associate Professor at George Mason University School of Management. He conducted an executive postgraduate level seminar for Chief Information Officers and a course on Program Management for the GMU Masters of Technology Management program’s 2003 fall semester.

Dr. Snoderly is currently the Program Learning Director of Systems Engineering at the Defense Acquisition University. He is responsible for the development of SE courses as well as providing instruction on management of the Systems Engineering aspects of the Department of Defense systems acquisition process.

Prior to joining DSMC (now DAU) in 1979, Professor Snoderly was the Deputy Program Manager for the U.S. Navy LAMPS MK III Program at the Naval Air Systems Command. Professor Snoderly has 16 years of engineering and management experience working for the U.S. Navy as a civilian engineer. His recommendations were instrumental in the development and fielding of the Navy LAMPS MK III weapons system.

Cost: $20

Mr. Welby will use the context of DoD Systems Engineering to discuss some challenges to the practice and profession of systems engineering – with a focus on 1) How we manage complexity 2) How we identify and manage risk and 3) How we develop future Engineering Leaders.

Speaker

Mr. Stephen P. Welby was appointed the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Engineering in September 2009. He is the principal systems engineering advisor to the Secretary of Defense and is responsible for establishing and executing engineering policy and oversight across the Department. His responsibilities include pre-acquisition development planning; engineering support to design, development and manufacturing; and independent engineering review, technical risk assessment and engineering analysis across the Department’s portfolio of major acquisition programs. He provides functional leadership to more than 40,000 Defense acquisition professionals in the DoD systems planning, research, development, and engineering (SPRDE) and production, quality, and manufacturing (PQM) workforce. Mr Welby also serves as the Defense Standardization Executive.

Cost: $25

Location

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant8484 Westpark DriveMcLean, VA 22102

Menu

Mixed Greens Salad or
Caesar Salad

Pesto Cream Pasta or
Parmesan Chicken or
Shrimp Scampi

Chocolate Truffle Cake or
Creme Brulee

WHAT CSEP CERTIFICATION REALLY MEANS:HOW CREDENTIALED SYSTEMS ENGINEERS ARE SEEN

A true credentialed systems engineer is someone who has done more than simply pass a test. It is someone who is seen by others as an experienced individual who finds a way to get the job done—no matter what obstacles and complications may arise. This is the expectation that comes with certification. And it is not one that can be taken lightly.

Systems Engineers don’t start from the position that the problem is someone else’s responsibility. They know how to break down barriers. They don’t give up. They get the job done.  That is the standard the credentialed systems engineer is held to, by INCOSE, by the program manager, by everyone.

John Thomas will share the current benefits and expectations of Credentialed Systems Engineers and their ability to:

• Break down barriers because they have a sense of empowerment—and the good judgment to know exactly how far they can push
• Get the job done because they focus on outcome, not process
• Be collaborative, not competitive
• Solve problems because they understand the nuances and complex interrelationships inherent in any situation
• Demonstrate their problem solving capabilities because their skills and knowledge are both deep and broad

Presenter: John A. Thomas, Senior Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton

John A. Thomas, a Booz Allen Hamilton Senior Vice President and its Chief Systems Engineer, leads the firm’s systems engineering effort. Mr. Thomas assists those organizations whose missions are aligned with defense, homeland security, and intelligence. Within the intelligence field, he is recognized for his expertise in Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). His key areas of experience include:

*Systems engineering and integration

*System analysis

*Solutions delivery

*Conflict management and resolution associated with singular complex problems

He leverages this experience to lead initiatives that aggregate firmwide expertise in business process analysis, organizational transformation, cost estimation, and program planning to support delivery of large-scale systems engineering and integration services. Since joining Booz Allen in 1991, Mr. Thomas has supported both the commercial and public sectors.

He holds an M.S. degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a B.S. from Michigan State University, both in electrical engineering. He graduated cum laude from both institutions.His career spans more than 30 years and includes active duty service with the U.S. Air Force. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a major. Mr. Thomas is a prolific writer and speaker on new techniques for the integration of systems engineering with business analysis and program support services. He is president-elect of the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE), and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), Program Management Institute (PMI), and Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA).

Register at: http://www.incosewma.org/events/?event_id=14&regevent_action=register

Title: Models as a Foundation for Systems Engineering – Should We Expect a Breakthrough?
Presenter: David Long

Abstract:

Though models and modeling techniques have always played a key role in systems engineering, model-based has now become the hot topic in systems engineering. Organizations are investing heavilyin developing new representations, standards, methodologies, and technologies to transform the practice of systems engineering through model-driven paradigms. As we look at the landscape todayand the roadmap tomorrow, projects and practitioners are striving to make sense of this movement – “What does MBSE mean? What would it take to realign our practices? What return on investment will it deliver, now and in the future?”. Assessing the state of systems engineering, the needs of our customers, technology and environmental trends, we will look at what model-based systems engineering is and is not. Most importantly, we will identify opportunities, enablers, obstacles, and threats that will help determine if model-based systems engineering will ultimately transform systems engineering or simply be the next failed silver bullet.

(This presentation is an adaptation and extension of the work originally delivered as the closing plenary for the 3rd International Conference on Model-Based Systems Engineering held in September 2010.)

Presenter Bio:

David Long founded Vitech Corporation in 1992; developed and commercialized CORE, a leading model-based systems engineering software tool used across the globe; and continues to lead the Vitech teamin developing and applying innovative engineering and business process systems to solve the problems of today and tomorrow.

For over twenty years, David has been focused on enabling, applying, and advancing model-based systems engineering to help transform the state of the systems engineering practice. He has played a key technical and management role in refining and extending an underlying language and integrated model for MBSE as well as integrating traditional and SysML representations with the integrated model to expand the analysis and communication toolkit available to systems practitioners.

David’s advanced systems engineering experience is vast, having impacted domestic and international commercial, education, government and military industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Science and Mechanics, as well as a master’s degree in Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech.