Panelists: Winnie Ye, May Wang, Ramneek Kalra
Moderator: Kumudhini Ravindra
Bios
Dr. Winnie Ye is a Fellow of Optica and the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) and a Full Professor in the Department of Electronics at Carleton University. She was a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Nano-scale IC Design for Reliable Opto-Electronics and Sensors (2009-2021) and specializes in silicon photonics with applications in telecommunications, data communication, biophotonics, and renewable energy.
Dr. Ye earned her B.Eng. in Electrical Engineering from Carleton University, followed by an M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Toronto and Carleton. She was an NSERC postdoctoral fellow at MIT and Harvard University before joining Carleton as a faculty member in 2009.
Her contributions have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the 2021 IEEE MGA Leadership Award, 2020 Partners in Research National Technology and Engineering Ambassador Award, and the 2018 IEEE Women in Engineering Inspiring Member Award. She has also received multiple teaching and research excellence awards.
Beyond research and teaching, Dr. Ye has held key leadership roles, including Chair of Optica’s Photonics and Opto-Electronics Technical Division (2021-2023). She is currently the Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering (2025-2026) and an elected member of the IEEE Photonics Society Board of Governors.
Dr. May Dongmei Wang is a full professor in the Departments of Biomedical Eng. and Electrical and Computer Eng. at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. She is the Director of Biomedical Big Data Initiative, a Kavli Fellow, a Georgia Distinguished Cancer Scholar, a Wallace H. Coulter Distinguished Faculty Fellow, a Petit Institute Faculty Fellow, an AIMBE Fellow, an IAMBE Fellow, and an IEEE Fellow. She was 2018-2020 Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Faculty Fellow. She earned BEng from Tsinghua University China, and MS/PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Dr. Wang works in Biomedical and Health Informatics with AI to extended realty for predictive, personalized, and precision health (pHealth). In FDA-organized MAQC international consortium, she led next gen sequencing RNA-Seq analytics. Dr. Wang published over 300 referred journal and conference proceeding articles with 17,500+ google scholar citations. She delivered over 320 invited and keynote lectures.
Dr. Wang is a recipient of Georgia Tech Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award for Undergraduate, and Emory MilliPub Award for a high-impact paper cited over 1,000 times. She was 2015-2016 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) Distinguished Lecturer, and was an Emerging Area Editor for PNAS.
Dr. Wang serves as Senior Editor for IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering and IEEE Reviews of Biomedical Engineering.
Ramneek is a passionate technologist and dedicated IEEE volunteer who has made significant contributions to the technology education landscape. His journey with IEEE has been marked by leadership roles across multiple societies and initiatives, demonstrating his commitment to advancing technical education and professional development.
As an IEEE Impact Creator, he has been instrumental in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and practical applications. His dedication to technology education is exemplified through hosting over 1000 educational workshops and webinars, covering topics from emerging technologies to professional development skills. As a Mentor of Change under Atal Innovation Mission, he actively guides young innovators and helps shape the future of technology education in India.
In his role as Voting Member of the IEEE Pre-University Education Coordinating Committee (2022-2023), he has contributed to developing strategies for engaging pre-university students in STEM fields. His leadership extends to serving as Founding Chair for various technical events, including the IEEE Women in Engineering Social Innovation Camp (Region 10), IEEE WIE Project-Based Learning School Camp, IEEE Quarter Tech Talk Table Series & IEEE Learn-Compute Camp.
Currently, he continues to serve multiple IEEE initiatives, particularly focusing on membership development, technology advancement, and creating inclusive spaces for learning and innovation. His work spans across various IEEE societies, including Computer Society, Communications Society, SSIT and Women in Engineering, demonstrating his commitment to diverse aspects of technology and professional growth.
Moderator:
Dr Kumudhini Ravindra is a visionary business leader, a trailblazer in clean technologies, and a passionate advocate for transformative education. With over two and a half decades of experience across diverse domains, she brings a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.
As the Chief Mentor & Founder at Blue Lotus INC and Principal Partner – Strategic Innovation, Standards & Sustainability with Innomantra Consulting, Dr. Kumudhini has been instrumental in shaping strategic direction and driving innovation in several organizations. Her multidisciplinary expertise extends to areas such as clean energy modelling, systems thinking, and innovation. She is not only a thought leader but also a hands-on mentor, guiding the next generation of professionals and startups.
Dr Kumudhini’s groundbreaking research on community microgrids has had a profound impact on clean tech implementation in India and across the globe. Her commitment to education is evident through her role as a visiting professor member at several colleges in India, where she imparts her wisdom to eager minds.
Dr Kumudhini Ravindra’s involvement with IEEE spans over 15 years. She has held key positions within this professional community both locally and globally, including leadership roles in the Power & Energy Society and Women in Engineering.
