Monday, March 20, 2006, 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Landmark Ballroom A&B

Session Chair: Russell Spyker, U.S. Air Force Research Laboratories

All Attendees Invited–Free Admission With Exhibits Only Registration

This year's Plenary session is a feast for those hungry for a view into the future of the power electronics industry. We've assembled a stellar lineup that includes top technology and business leaders, and a PSMA presentation only days removed from the Power Technology Roadmap Workshop.

The plenary will open with Dr. Larry Kazmerski, director of the National Center for Photovoltaics and perhaps the world's leading authority on solar photovoltaics. 'Kaz' has been a leader in photovoltaic research for over thirty years and was recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering. His presentation will take a (fun) look back over the past half century of solar history and where we may expect to be in 2050. Download Not Available: The magnificent presentation by Dr. Larry Kazmerski, director of the National Center for Photovoltaics, included wonderful animation and video that quite simply cannot be practically captured in an Acrobat file. This is simply a case of you had to be there!

From photovoltaics, the focus will switch from power sources to the power supply customer, where Bill Ott will provide a vision of the future of digital power management. IBM's Vice President of eServer xSeries and IntelliStation Development, Bill brings a wealth of knowledge based upon his experience leading the development of IBM's entire range of industry standard architecture Servers and Workstations, including BladeCenter. Download the presentation in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Version 5 or later required to view and print.

Dr. Ray Ridley will close the first half of the plenary with his view on the future of electric vehicles (EVs). Undoubtedly, many attendees will be familiar with Ray's power supply design software, courses, and magazine Switching Power (SP). The excellence of his presentations, publications, and designs is recognized worldwide. In a recent article in SP, Ray provides a candid assessment of existing EV technology and the technical and policy hurdles that are barriers for their widespread use. Here he will expand upon his views, which represents a terrific opportunity for those developing their short- and long-term research and market strategies. Download the presentation in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Version 5 or later required to view and print.

Following an extended coffee break to digest the first three presentations and catch up with colleagues, the second half of the plenary will open with Dr. Milan Jovanovic's views of technology drivers for power supplies in the computer and telecommunications industries. As Chief Technology Officer of the Power Supply Group for Delta Power, Dr. Jovanovic brings 29 years of experience to help project the future of power conversion and management issues for portable data-processing equipment, low-voltage power supplies, and distributed power systems for server and telecom applications. Download the presentation in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Version 5 or later required to view and print.

After gaining insight into the technology drivers in power supply designs, Dr. Marty Schlecht will provide a look at the opportunities and challenges of starting a business in the power electronics industry. Arguably there are few more qualified to speak on such a topic, as Marty left a highly successful career as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at MIT to form SynQor, a world-class supplier of DC/DC conversion equipment. Download the presentation in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Version 5 or later required to view and print.

The final presentation will be a report on the PSMA 2006 Power Technology Roadmap Workshop, which will be held the day before APEC. Talk about HOT OFF THE PRESS-it's hard to conceive that a more valuable and timely presentation could be arranged. Moreover, the report will be presented by Bob White, staff engineer in the Technology Group at Artesyn Technologies and a champion of PSMA, APEC, and the power electronics field in general. From Bob's technical experience, knowledge of markets, and dedication to APEC, one can guarantee that his report will be a dessert to the plenary that should not be skipped! Download the presentation in Adobe Acrobat format. Acrobat Version 5 or later required to view and print.