From Data Chaos to Intelligent Design: How AI is Revolutionizing Electronic Engineering

This free talk is part of the Electrical Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series. All are welcome.

Speaker: Dr. Inderpal Bhandari
Independent Director Walgreens Boots Alliance, Independent Director The AES Corporation, Distinguished Executive-in-Residence Carnegie Mellon University, Former Global Chief Data Officer IBM Corporation

What if your next smartphone could design its own circuits? Or if a power grid could predict failures before they happen? Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are turning these possibilities into realities, revolutionizing the field of electronic engineering. Yet, as design complexity grows and sensor networks generate unprecedented data volumes, the challenge lies not just in processing information—but in making timely, intelligent decisions from it.

This talk explores how AI/ML is transforming key areas of electronic engineering, from circuit design and signal processing to sensors and microwave/optical systems. Discover how AI-optimized chip layouts are cutting design time from weeks to hours, how AI-driven noise reduction is enhancing radar and medical imaging, and how self-calibrating sensors are pushing the boundaries of reliability in harsh environments. We’ll also delve into techniques like active learning and edge AI, which help manage data overload by extracting actionable insights from massive datasets. Join us to explore how AI is enabling smarter, faster, and more intelligent decision-making—and how we can shape the future of electronic engineering.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Inderpal Bhandari is serving as a director of The AES Corporation, a global energy company, since January 2024. He serves on the Financial Audit Committee and the Innovation and Technology Committee of the Board. Additionally, since September 2022, he has been a member of the Board of Directors at Walgreens Boots Alliance, a global retail pharmacy company, where he serves on the Finance & Technology, the Audit, and the Nominating & Governance committees. In addition, he also serves on the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University, contributing to the development of executive education in AI, data, and digital technologies.

Dr. Bhandari is the former Global Chief Data Officer of IBM, where he led the company's global data strategy to ensure IBM maintained its leadership as the top AI and hybrid cloud provider for enterprises. His career spans over two decades in healthcare, including roles at Cambia Health Solutions as Senior Vice President and Chief Data Officer, and at Express Scripts / Medco Health Solutions as Vice President of Knowledge Solutions and Chief Data Officer.

He holds a B.Tech. degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a PhD in Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.