2025 IEEE Evolution Conference
Technology, Applications, and Contributions
Greater Boston, MA, USA | 11 – 13 June 2025
Learning never stops: Join us for a three-day event specially curated
for technology influencers, innovators, and pioneers of all ages.
Keynote speakers confirmed!
Who Attending the 2025 Evolution Conference
Open to all interested technology enthusiasts, the second IEEE Evolution Conference (developed by the IEEE Life Members) will focus on the evolution of technology, applications, services, systems, and contributions. Network with industry-based luminaries and technical professionals, learn about emerging technologies, and appreciate the influence IEEE members have on the profession.
Conference Areas of Interest
From thought-provoking keynote speeches delivered by industry pioneers, topical sessions from knowledge leaders, engaging workshops, and panel discussions featuring experts from various fields—this event will have something for everyone. The 2025 IEEE Life Members Evolution Conference will be organized around three types of technological evolution:
- Technology that creates product opportunities
- Applications that impact the lives of seniors and the aging population
- Contributions of IEEE members that are made by seniors and experienced professionals
Why Attend?
With experts from a wide range of technology fields and accomplished IEEE professionals, this conference will provide ample opportunities to:
- Explore new ideas: Learn more about new and emerging technologies in selected IEEE fields of interest.
- Boost your network: Meet technical professionals and experts from around the world and exchange views on shared challenges.
- Acquire the latest industry knowledge: Meet the corporations and engineers responsible for creating new and innovative consumer products directed at aging populations and the Life member audience.
- Get to know IEEE better: Learn more about IEEE volunteer operations and resources
- Have fun and travel. Boston makes history. The spark that fueled the fight for American independence burns just as brightly today and inspires our food, beer, and culture.
Important Dates
AgeTech Workshop:
June 9-10, 2025Conference Dates:
June 11-13, 2025Early Bird Registration:
Until May 1, 2025Standard Registration:
Until June 10, 2025Paper Submission Deadline:
February 3, 2025Notification of Acceptance:
March 10, 2025Publication-Ready Submission:
April 21, 2025
Welcome to the Evolution Conference developed by IEEE Life Members information series, showing you key features and highlights of the conference.
Read more →
Speakers
Kendra Cook
Space System Security Subject Matter Expert
Science Applications International Corporation
Kendra Cook
Kendra Cook
Space System Security Subject Matter Expert
Science Applications International Corporation
Kendra Cook is a Space System Security Subject Matter Expert at (SAIC), a Fortune 500 technology company that provides IT services to the US government. She works with NASA’s Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) Program Office to perform security assessments on NASA missions. Prior to her current role, she worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she held numerous positions including working for the Mission Protection Office. Prior to joining NASA, Cook spent 15 years working for the U.S. Government on various satellite and technology programs and served seven years as an Officer in the United States Air Force.
Daniel Joseph
Principal Illusion Integrator,
Walt Disney Imagineering
Daniel Joseph
Daniel JosephPrincipal Illusion Integrator, Walt Disney Imagineering
Daniel Joseph is a Principal Illusion Integrator at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he leads a team of designers and the “Illusioneering Lab.” A trained Industrial Designer, Joseph’s advances in special effects revolutionized modern design and implementation of special effects, transforming them into three-dimensional, immersive and interactive experiences. As a leader in the industry, Mr. Joseph helps to conceive, design, and install a range of special effects and illusions for Disney theme parks around the world. In addition to his breakthrough patents in interactive special effects, he has also consulted on product development for medical equipment to improve safety and usability. One of his design patents was featured in PC Magazine’s article called “The Best Inventions of 2011 – So Far.” Mr. Joseph has also designed and created cutting-edge interactive museum exhibits and new wayfinding devices for a number of prestigious museums, including The Franklin Institute. Joseph is an unwavering advocate for encouraging and mentoring future inventors, especially inspiring those with different abilities or who come from difficult circumstances, and he is a frequent speaker on this topic.
Dean Kamen
Founder of DEKA R&D and FIRST®
Dean Kamen
Dean KamenFounder of DEKA R&D and FIRST®
Dean Kamen is an inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. His roles as inventor and advocate are intertwined— with his own passion for technology and its practical uses driving his personal determination to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Dean is the founder of DEKA Research & Development Corporation, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), FIRST Global, and the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute.
As president of DEKA, he has developed category-defining, transformational innovations to include: revolutionary drug delivery systems – as with the twiist™ Automated Insulin Delivery System and the Remunity® pump which safely delivers stable doses of Remodulin; mobility systems that restore health and quality of life – as with the iBOT™ Mobility System, and the LUKE robotic arm; devices that change the healthcare paradigm – as with cardiac stents, the HomeChoice™ portable dialysis machine; and innovations that change what the world believes is possible – as with a new and improved Stirling engine.
In addition to DEKA, one of Dean’s proudest accomplishments is founding FIRST®, an organization dedicated to motivating the next generation to understand, use and enjoy science and technology – and to apply it for societal contribution. Founded in 1989, FIRST® serves more than 2,500,000 young people ages 6 to 18 annually. He expanded this initiative to create FIRST Global, which recently united teams from over 190 countries to its annual competition in Athens, Greece.
Dean Kamen was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 2000. Presented by President Clinton, this award was in recognition for inventions that have advanced medical care worldwide, and for innovative and imaginative leadership in awakening America to the excitement of science and technology. He was also elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 1997. He was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Prize in 2002, and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in May 2005. He is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering, as well as many other national and international engineering organizations.
Karen Panetta
Dean of Graduate Education and Distinguished Professor at Tufts University School of Engineering
Karen Panetta
Karen PanettaDean of Graduate Education and Distinguished Professor at Tufts University School of Engineering
Karen Panetta is Dean of Graduate Education and Distinguished Professor at Tufts University School of Engineering, where her research focuses on developing efficient algorithms for simulation, modeling, and signal and image processing for security and biomedical applications. As the first female electrical engineer to be given tenure in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Tufts, Panetta continues to promote the interests of women in her field. From 2007 to 2009, she was the worldwide director for IEEE Women in Engineering, and she served as editor-in-chief of the IEEE Women in Engineering magazine. She is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the European Academy of Sciences and the Arts, the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and was awarded the 2013 IEEE Award for Distinguished Ethical Practices for exemplary contributions and leadership in developing ethics and social responsibility in students. She has received several NASA and National Science Foundation research grants, including the NSF CAREER Award. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Panetta the Presidential Award for Science and Engineering Education and Mentoring. In 2023, she was inducted as a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
David Raften
IBM Parallel Sysplex Expert
David Raften
David RaftenIBM Parallel Sysplex Expert
David Raften has been with IBM since 1982. Currently on the Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex GDPS® team in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., David has worked with Parallel Sysplex since its inception and has helped many customers design their systems for availability. A Parallel Sysplex is a clustering technology for IBM z/OS mainframes that allows multiple systems to act as a single, highly available, and scalable computing environment, enabling data sharing and workload distribution. The Geographically Dispersed Parallel Sysplex is a family of software offerings for IBM Z that provides disaster recovery and high availability solutions, automating the management of multi-site mainframe systems and data replication, and enabling failure recovery from a single point of control. David has written several Parallel Sysplex white papers and helped write and review many Redbooks™ on Parallel Sysplex and Performance.
Rick Robinson
Vice President and General Manager
AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative;
Vice President of Product Innovation
Rick Robinson
Rick Robinson
Vice President and General Manager
AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative;
Vice President of Product Innovation
For over 30 years Rick Robinson has innovated digital products and content for major media and tech companies like AOL, Sprint, Webs.com, National Geographic, and Politico. He has also co-founded several technology startups, one of which went public in 2023. He is currently the Vice President & General Manager of the AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP, an innovation ecosystem leading the future of AgeTech by making aging easier, and also serves as AARP’s Vice President of Product Innovation. He believes technology is key to addressing aging’s challenges, as evidenced by the growing interest from entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders in the Collaborative. He is the current Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Georgetown University.
Julie Shah
Julie Shah
Julie Shah
Julie Shah is the head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is also the H.N. Slater Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In addition to her role as a faculty member in AeroAstro, Shah served as associate dean of Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing in the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing from 2019 to 2022, helping launch a coordinated curriculum that engages more than 2,000 students a year at the Institute. She currently directs the Interactive Robotics Group in MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL), and MIT’s Industrial Performance Center. Shah and her team at the Interactive Robotics Group conduct research that aims to imagine the future of work by designing collaborative robot teammates that enhance human capability.
Wei Tao, Ph.D.
Wei Tao, Ph.D.
Wei Tao, Ph.D.
Wei Tao, Ph.D., is an innovator, connector, and catalyst in the life sciences ecosystem, dedicated to translating breakthrough discoveries into clinical impact. His principle affiliation is with Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he is the Farokhzad Family Distinguished Chair for Innovation, a Principal Investigator in the Center for Nanomedicine, and a faculty member in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine. With a diverse background spanning biotech, early-stage venture investment, and academia, Dr. Tao brings a wealth of experience in fostering innovation and accelerating scientific progress. He has a proven track record of building strong partnerships across organizational boundaries, driving collaborations that address complex challenges and advance cutting-edge science toward real-world solutions.
