You are cordially invited to attend the February 2026 executive committee (ExCom) meeting at NJIT and on Zoom. This is the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84061400037 The meeting starts at 6:30 pm EST and typically ends at 8:30 pm. The meeting is meant to discuss and coordinate the section's activities and new initiatives. Everyone is welcome to attend this meeting. The takes place at 141 Warren St, the Lewis and Julia P. Kiernan Conference Room (Room number 202 ECEC), Newark, NJ 07102. Parking is at 154 Summit St. Please register in advance, before Monday Feb 2nd, 5:00 PM, for this meeting using vTools. You can change/cancel the registration if your plans change. Room: 202 ECEC, 141 Warren St, The Lewis and Julia P. Kiernan Conference Room, Newark, New Jersey, United States, 07102, Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/533780

Special Presentation by Anne Y. Lee, AI Research Lab CTO (Nokia Bell Labs, USA) Hosted by the Future Networks Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI/ML) Working Group Date/Time: Thursday, 5 February 2026 @ 6 PM Eastern Time (3 PM Pacific Time) Topic: On the way to AI-native Networks: Networks that Self-Operate Abstract: Networks that self-operate (NSOs) are set to revolutionize communications via agentic AI agents in combination with digital twins, spatial intelligence, and semantic communications. They will enable autonomous, adaptive networks that reduce bandwidth, enhance operational efficiency, and simplify management through conversational interfaces. While facing challenges like model complexity and data quality, NSOs promise proactive, intelligent systems that could potentially extend beyond network operations, driving Industry 5.0. Strategic, robust implementation is critical to overcoming barriers and achieving a truly self-operating infrastructure. In this presentation, we examine the technologies at the heart of NSOs, their potentials and limitations, as well as the challenges and opportunities that they present to the networking industry. Speaker: [] Anne Y. Lee is a Bell Labs Fellow currently working as CTO and Senior Research Scientist @ AI Research Lab – Nokia Bell Labs. Previously, she served as Senior Technology Advisor in the Technology Leadership Office on Technology Strategy and Architecture supporting the CSTO and CEO by analyzing the evolution of key technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence) and the overall network architecture to identify new directions for the industry and the impact and requirements on the company's portfolio. Anne was the IMS technical team leader for Lucent Technologies working closely with the 3GPP standards team from the beginning – circa 1999 – to create the multi-access, globally interoperable IP communications system deployed worldwide today supporting over six billion IMS devices. She became a Bell Labs Fellow in 2005 for her pioneering work in IMS and Wireless. Bell Labs Fellow is the highest honor bestowed on individuals for lifetime technical achievements at Nokia. She is a keynote and TEDx industry speaker. Brochure (PDF): (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HqDqsG6n4MZUvXBw_fqmkGTsR63f307m/view) Co-sponsored by: Future Networks Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AIML) Working Group Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/531750

Abstract: The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G private networks is redefining the landscape of industrial automation. As enterprises look for secure, resilient, and high-performance infrastructure, AI-enabled 5G private networks emerge as a foundational technology empowering real-time decision-making, predictive maintenance, and intelligent orchestration at the edge. This session explores how industries such as oil & gas, manufacturing, and utilities are leveraging AI and 5G to drive operational efficiency, safety, and scalability. We will discuss deployment architectures, transformative use cases, and lessons from early adopters, with a focus on the U.S. market’s rapid progress enabled by CBRS spectrum and hyperscale ecosystems. Attendees will gain insights into how AI and 5G together form the dual engines of Industry 4.0 unlocking new levels of agility, intelligence, and control. Join us to understand why private networks are no longer a luxury but an industrial necessity. Topics covered: • What is 5G private network and why 5G? • Industry 4.0 Transformation Vision for Industry • Why Industries Need AI + 5G Now • Transformative AI + 5G Use Cases Across Industries • U.S. Market Trends: 5G Private Network Adoption • Conclusion & Q&A *This webinar will be recorded Speaker Bio Junaid Ahmed is a Telecom AI Strategist with over 16 years of experience in core network design, industrial connectivity, and digital transformation. He leads strategic initiatives focused on AI-powered 5G private networks, autonomous network evolution, and intelligent service orchestration. Junaid has driven large-scale projects across oil & gas, manufacturing, and utilities bridging technology and business to enable Industry 4.0. He is a frequent speaker at global telecom forums and contributes to advancing AI integration in telecom infrastructure, with a mission to build agile, secure, and future-ready industrial networks. Co-sponsored by: IEEE Future Networks INGR Committee Virtual: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/534038

[] Event Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/honoring-150-yrs-att-telephone-patent-focus-on-lewis-latimer-tickets-1980574621007?aff=oddtdtcreator 150th Anniversary of the Telephone Alexander Graham Bell Inventor Patent No. 174,465 and Lewis H. Latimer Patent Draftsman. Careers in Technology Lewis H. Latimer, Inventor. Patent Draftsman. Author. Edison Pioneer. Lewis H. Latimer was held in the highest regard for his contributions by many and by at least two of the most famous and accomplished inventors and industry leaders of modern times. In addition to his own inventions, he worked side by side with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Edison on transformative innovations such as the first telephone patent in 1876, developing inventions, documenting them in forms suitable for patent filings and legal challenges, drafting patent figures, and serving as an expert witness in patent cases. Latimer also authored a foundational book on electric lighting for field workers, which played an important role in expanding the industry. In numerous documented instances, his talent, technical skill, personal tenacity, and deep expertise made critical contributions to the success of these landmark advancements in technology for humanity. The Telephone Patent, often described as the birth certificate of modern communications (Irwin Gerszberg), ignited a technological legacy whose impact extends far beyond any single invention or narrative. The companies founded by Bell, and the diverse technologies developed within them, have profoundly shaped the modern world, guided by an enduring commitment to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Within this legacy, Lewis Latimer stands out as an essential role model whose contributions deserve special recognition, particularly on this 150th anniversary of the patent. Bell and Edison were key founding members of the organization that later became the IEEE where the foundation recognizes donors at levels named for Edison, Latimer, and Bell. Agenda 8:30am - 10am Registration / Museum Tour Meet and Greet Students, Members, Retirees, Guests 10am - 12.30pm Auditorium Program Session Presenters Include but are not limited to: Melissa Knoll AT&T Historian - the Invention of the Telephone Nadine Patterson - Producer HipCinema & docu-drama - Lewis Latimer Kit August - IEEE Computer Society Region 1 / 2 Chapters Coordinator, Antennas and Propagation Society Region 1 Chapters Coordinator Panel Presentation Q&A With Speakers and Innovators Celebrating the Telephone Patent 12.30pm - 1.15pm Lunch Networking Leaders and Luminaries Mingle with the Leaders, Luminaries, Students, Employees, Retirees, Guests, Presenters 1.30pm - 2.00pm Museum / Lab Tours Led by Melissa Knoll AT&T Archivist and Expert Docents 2.00pm - 2.30pm Wrap Up / Networking Festive and celebratory gathering around "The Spirit of Communications" (Golden Boy). Photos and dessert. Agenda: Agenda 8:30am - 10am Registration / Museum Tour Meet and Greet Students, Members, Retirees, Guests 10am - 12.30pm Auditorium Program Session Presenters Include but are not limited to: Melissa Knoll AT&T Historian - the Invention of the Telephone Nadine Patterson - Producer HipCinema & docu-drama - Lewis Latimer Kit August - IEEE Computer Society Region 1 / 2 Chapters Coordinator, Antennas and Propagation Society Region 1 Chapters Coordinator Panel Presentation Q&A With Speakers and Innovators Celebrating the Telephone Patent 12.30pm - 1.15pm Lunch Networking Leaders and Luminaries Mingle with the Leaders, Luminaries, Students, Employees, Retirees, Guests, Presenters 1.30pm - 2.00pm Museum / Lab Tours Led by Melissa Knoll AT&T Archivist and Expert Docents 2.00pm - 2.30pm Wrap Up / Networking Festive and celebratory gathering around "The Spirit of Communications" (Golden Boy). Photos and dessert. AT&T Labs, 200 South Laurel Ave, Middletown, New Jersey, United States, 07748