The International Society of Automation (ISA) today announces that the deadline for early bird registration for its 2016 Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls (WWAC) Symposium has been extended to 1 July 2016. The original deadline was 15 June 2016.
By acting prior to the 1 July 2016 deadline, WWAC attendees will be able to register for only $325, a special $125 discount off the regular registration fee. Additional discounts are offered to American Water Works Association (AWWA), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and Instrumentation Testing Association (ITA) members.
The best and brightest minds—including six widely acclaimed speakers—will explore the critical issues and challenges in automation facing the water/wastewater industry at the event, which will be held 2-4 August 2016 at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Presented by the ISA Water and Wastewater Industries Division, in collaboration with the Florida AWWA Section, the WEF Automation and Info Tech Committee, the Florida Water Environment Association, and ITA, the WWAC Symposium helps professionals in the water and wastewater industries optimize their use of instrumentation, SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition), and automatic control applications to better treat and distribute water, collect and treat wastewater, and manage storm water.
“The key to the success of ISA’s Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium is its highly targeted approach to the needs of professionals involved with automation in the municipal water and wastewater sectors,” says Bob Lindeman, the 2012 president of ISA and a past WWAC Symposium speaker. “There is no other event like it in North America.”
During the extensive, two-day program, attendees will gain the latest news and trends in automation and control systems, instrumentation, cybersecurity and emerging technologies across the water/wastewater industry. More than 30 technical presentations will be delivered. In addition, an interactive panel session will encourage attendees to submit their ideas and suggestions on improving asset management integration.
A strong emphasis will be placed on: recent developments in HMI standards; using layers of protection when addressing cybersecurity; and applying the Automation Competency Model to develop the future automation and control workforce.
The event—expected to draw up to 250 attendees—also includes a tour of a local wastewater treatment plant; numerous networking events; a poster session; training opportunities, and an exhibitor showcase. At the exhibitor showcase, vendors and suppliers will feature their latest products and services. Daily networking luncheons and an evening reception will provide ideal venues for meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends.
Six outstanding opening session presentations and speakers
Helping to kick off the conference will be Steven D. Drew, the Water Resources Director for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina and a national delegate of the AWWA, who will deliver the keynote address.
Drew’s presentation, titled “Leveraging Your Career in Industrial Controls and Automation,” will emphasize the need to attract, retain and develop competent professionals—such as maintenance technicians, instrumentation specialists, and process control and automation experts—capable of addressing the current and future challenges facing the water/wastewater industry.
Without a highly trained and capable workforce, Drew asserts that utilities will be unable to maintain operational reliability, defend against cyber threats, increase efficiency or promote innovation.
Drew has served as Water Resources Director for the City of Greensboro, NC since 2012. Prior to that, he served in many other positions within the city’s Water Supply Division, including: Operations Division Manager; Water Supply Division Manager; Plant Superintendent of Maintenance and Operations; and Plant Mechanic and Electronics Technician.
Drew has served as Chair of the NC AWWA-NEA Operations & Maintenance Committee and on the NC AWWA-NEA Board of Trustees. Earlier in the year, he represented North Carolina at the AWWA’s national conference in Washington, D.C.
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Below are the names, presentation titles and summary biographies of the five other prominent speakers.
Speaker: Greg Lehmann, Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®)
Presentation title: “ISA101: “Human Machine Interfaces for Process Automation Systems: What it is and Why it is Needed – Status Update and Current Activities”
Greg Lehmann will deliver a talk about ANSI/ISA-101.01-2015, the new ISA-101 Human Machine Interfaces for Process Automation Systems standard. The new standard addresses the design, implementation and maintenance of HMIs from a holistic standpoint, identifying documentation and design practices that will lead to more effective and maintainable HMI implementations.
Lehmann is a Process Automation Technical Manager with more than 30 years of experience in engineering, design, construction supervision, start-up and commissioning of process equipment, instrumentation and control systems used in oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, food & beverage, and water treatment facilities. Employed by AECOM, Lehmann is currently assigned to AECOM’s Denver, Colorado Oil & Gas office. He serves as Co-Chair of the ISA-101 Human Machine Interfaces for Process Automation Systems standard committee.
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Speaker: Dean Ford, CAP®, PE
Presentation title: “Applying the Automation Competency Model: Taking Advantage of the ACM in Developing the Future Workforce”
Dean Ford, an Executive Vice President at Westin Engineering, will provide an overview of the Automation Competency Model’s development and application within the industry. He will discuss effective model implementation methods designed to deliver practical results and proven professional and organizational benefits.
Ford’s entire career (greater than 20 years) has focused on industrial automation. As a CAP® and licensed CSE, he promotes the value of manufacturing and automation to government and the public. He is an active Senior Member in ISA and serves on many Standards Committees. He also serves on the Automation Federation’s Government Relations and Workforce Development committee. As an advocate for the automation profession, Ford regularly travels to Washington, DC, to educate policymakers and the public on the importance of advanced manufacturing and automation.
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Speaker: Bryan Singer, CAP®, CISM, CISSP
Presentation title: “Demystifying Cyber Attacks on ICS: How They Work and How to Use Engineered and Cyber Layer of Protections”
Bryan Singer, a principal investigator at Kenexis Security Corporation, possesses more than 23 years of experience in information technology security, including 16 years specializing in industrial automation and control systems security, critical infrastructure protection, computer and ICS forensics, counter-terrorism, network design and software development.
At Kenexis, Singer is responsible for development, deployment and management of industrial network design and security services from both a safety and system architecture perspective.
He served as the founding chairman and co-chairman of the ISA/IEC 62443 (ISA-99) Industrial Automation and Control Systems Security Standards Committee. He is a former board member of the Department of Homeland Security’s Process Control Systems Forum.
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Speaker: Kevin Morley, Ph.D.
Presentation title: “Water Sector Approach to Cybersecurity”
Kevin Morley is the Security & Preparedness Program Manager at the American Water Works Association (AWWA). In this role, he works closely with a variety of organizations (such as DHS/FEMA, EPA, USACE, CDC and the Water Sector Coordinating Council) to advance the security and preparedness of the nation’s critical infrastructure. These efforts include expanding mutual aid and assistance through the Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (WARN).
In addition, Dr. Morley supports the development of water sector standards and guidance for security and preparedness. Most recently, he helped develop a resource guide, Process Control System Security Guidance for the Water Sector, and a use-case tool that provides a water sector-specific approach to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
Dr. Morley received a doctorate degree from George Mason University for his research assessing the resilience of the water sector through the development of the Utility Resilience Index (URI). He holds a master of science degree from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a bachelor of arts degree from Syracuse University.
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Asset Management Workshop Session
Session moderator: Tom DeLaura, PE
The asset management workshop session will explore asset management requirements and challenges, examining the specific plant and system assets that should be managed, the tools in place today to conduct this work, and the extent and degree of EPA involvement. A panel of industry leaders will direct an interactive discussion on the current state of best practices and recommendations for future improvements. All attendees are encouraged to participate in what promises to be a lively exchange of ideas.
Thomas DeLaura, PE, the Executive Director of the Instrument Testing Association (ITA), will serve as session moderator. Throughout his more than 40 years of automation experience, DeLaura has gained first-hand exposure to how automation solutions support and enhance all facets of the wastewater industry. He particularly focuses on applying industry best practices to enhance operational performance, improve well-informed decision making, and better leverage human and automation resources to deliver optimum results.
DeLaura is actively engaged in initiatives involving ISA, WEF and AWWA at both national and local levels—providing him with a unique perspective on the many challenges and changes within the industry. He is a member of numerous AWWA and WEF committees, and previously served as the Chair of WEF’s Automation & Information Technology Committee.
Gain valuable ISA training; earn professional development hours (PDHs)
and continuing education units (CEUs)
Attendees will also have the opportunity to take one of two high-value ISA courses during the event: Application of Industrial Wireless Systems – SP25C (a one-day course to be held 1 August; Credits: 0.7 CEUs /7 PDHs), and Using the ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Your Control System – IC32 (a two-day course to be held 1-2 August; Credits: 1.4 CEUs /14 PDHs). Given that space for the two courses is limited, individuals are encouraged to register soon.
Register for this remarkable event today
To register, and gain more information on this highly targeted event please visit https://isawaterwastewater.com/about/. To gain answers to any questions, contact Pavol Segedy, the General Chair, at psegedy@nc.rr.com, or Joe Provenzano, the Program Chair, at provenzano2@comcast.net.
About the ISA Water and Wastewater Division
The ISA Water and Wastewater Division (WWID) is concerned with all aspects of instrumentation and automated-control related to commercial and public systems associated with water and wastewater management. Membership in this division provides the latest news and information relating to instrumentation and control systems in water and wastewater management, including water processing and distribution, as well as wastewater collection and treatment. WWID is invaluable to professionals interested in sanitary technology and engineering, and the operation and maintenance of wastewater facilities. For more information, visit the division’s web page.
About ISA
The International Society of Automation (www.isa.org) is a nonprofit professional association that sets the standard for those who apply engineering and technology to improve the management, safety, and cybersecurity of modern automation and control systems used across industry and critical infrastructure. Founded in 1945, ISA develops widely used global standards; certifies industry professionals; provides education and training; publishes books and technical articles; hosts conferences and exhibits; and provides networking and career development programs for its 40,000 members and 350,000 customers around the world.
ISA owns Automation.com, a leading online publisher of automation-related content, and is the founding sponsor of The Automation Federation (www.automationfederation.org), an association of non-profit organizations serving as “The Voice of Automation.” Through a wholly owned subsidiary, ISA bridges the gap between standards and their implementation with the ISA Security Compliance Institute (www.isasecure.org) and the ISA Wireless Compliance Institute (www.isa100wci.org).
– See more at: https://www.isa.org/news-and-press-releases/isa-press-releases/2016/jun/early-bird-registration-deadline-for-isas-2016-water-wastewater-and-automatic-controls-symposium-extended-to-1-july/#sthash.UvAghWoe.dpuf