ISA Story Submission Contest

A Personal ISA Story

I would like to share my personal ISA Story. My name is Ravindra S Gotavade and my journey in ISA Automation Professional community has been a rewarding odyssey of growth, learning, and shared success.

Background: Born and raised in Thane (Mumbai), I have always been driven by a passion for Cyber Security. From the early stages of my career, I recognised the profound impact mentorship can have on personal and professional development. This realisation became the catalyst for my commitment to fostering growth in others. I have now been part of the ISA Community for more than 3 years.

Professional Achievements: Over the years, I have – worked across various sectors like Pharma, Oil & Gas, Automobile, Food & Beverage, Big 4 consulting firms across key domains like Network Security, Governance, Vulnerability Assessment/ Penetration Testing, SOC operations, Cyber Forensics, Cloud Security, Operational Technology. These experiences have not only enriched my understanding of Cyber Security across those Critical Sectors but have also fueled my desire to pay it forward by guiding aspiring professionals on their own journeys.

How has your experience shaped your journey, both personally & professionally? : My mentorship philosophy revolves around offering support/feedback to colleagues, being innovative and Creative, staying positive, actively participating, Get to know each other, I believe in creating a supportive and inclusive environment where mentees feel empowered to explore their potential and take ownership of their success.

ISA has nurtured me along my journey in both ways with strong support from Community Members like H.S Pansare, Gurmeet Anand, Karam Rehani , Sujata Tilak and other fellow senior colleagues at ISA Pune Section.

What has been part of this community meant for you: The most fulfilling aspect of my career has been witnessing the growth and success of those I have had the privilege to mentor.

Examples:

1. My Mentees like – Sankara Narayana, Govind Joshi, Nikhil Mittal recently cleared the IC32 -Cybersecurity fundamentals specialist.
2. I also delivered a Cyber Security Awareness session for AISSMS Engineering College and Pune University.
3. Recently awarded by the ISA Pune Section for Automation Professional of the year 2025 (OT Security).
4. Conducted a few Online and in-person sessions on OT Cyber Security for the ISA Pune Section and a few Affiliated colleges near Pune.

Commitment to Excellence: I am committed to continuing this journey, inspiring others to reach new heights, and contributing to the legacy of excellence in mentorship.

PERSONAL ISA STORY

It was sometime around May-June 2020 when I became a sophomore, when I applied to the International Society of Automation – Student Section Manipal. I was a curious student looking to apply my hands-on experience and skills gained through my Mars Rover Club to research-based projects, through organisations like the International Society of Automation, where there was an added advantage of networking with like-minded individuals, which was essential during the pandemic days.

The student section, which was led by some of my own seniors from the Mars Rover Club, had three technical subsystems and three administrative subsystems, which seemed to offer great flexibility to expand my skills: Mechanical Subsystem, Electrical and Electronics Subsystem, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Subsystem, Human Resources Subsystem, Media and IT Subsystem, and the Marketing Subsystem. As I had already participated as a Mechanical subsystem member in the other club, I joined the Electrical and Electronics subsystem to help me gain exposure to newer technologies while helping me perform better in my academics in the Mechatronics department of my college. We were put through a task phase period, where through a short span of six months, I gained EEE-related skills like reading electrical drawings, circuit diagrams using TinkerCAD, Battery Management Systems, PCB Designing, and Embedded Systems using software tools such as MATLAB and Python. At this point, the ISA Manipal community was amazing with growth-minded individuals.

By 2021, the ISA Bangalore Section, led by Mr. Rajshekhar Uchil, had contacted all the ISA student sections, including ours, to participate in the ISA FIEPER competition. Since ISA Manipal believed in a self-paced, non-demanding work atmosphere, it was made voluntary to participate in the competition, and it was indeed heartening to see that most of the ISA Manipal members volunteered.

Four Problem statements were chosen by the board members of ISA Manipal, out of the list of problem statements given to us – Project GOERTZ – Design and Math modelling of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator, Project LUNOKHOD – Design and math modelling of an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), Project ARACHNE – Design and 3D printing a six legged bio-inspired robot and Project VISION – A machine vision proof-of-concept for remote area inspection. The competition was challenging and time-consuming in terms of all the video call sessions hosted by Mr. Anand Iyer of ISA Bangalore, internal team discussions and the completion of individual tasks. At the end of the competition, our student section won the FIEPER Competition, with individual participant certificates and awards, and a trophy given to our department.

It was time for a board transfer at this time, and I was elected as the President of the ISA Manipal student section with a new crew of subsystem leaders. I was narrated a story by my seniors about how a few years prior, there was only a single member in the student section with no activity whatsoever, and I was advised to take ISA Manipal to a whole new level, having accomplished a lot already. After a few discussions with my board, we identified the major shortcomings: Not taking full advantage of the resources of the International Society of Automation as a whole, not utilising department resources, lack of intent to execute robotics projects at a prototype level (have only been executing proof-of-concepts using software tools), lack of training with hands-on hardware such as embedded boards and 3D printers, and student outreach with workshops and collaborations.

As our first initiative, we increased our visibility within our college by inviting Mr. Vijay Varada, CEO of Fracktal Works, a 3D printing company born out of Manipal Institute of Technology. This indeed proved to be a worthy investment of our time and effort as the strength of the student section increased to sixty from thirty-five in the recruitment drive held a month after the talk. Our social media handles gained subscribers as well. Our next initiative was to invest in quality hardware for all the team members – 10,000 INR was spent to procure hardware and use it to train fellow subsystem members more rigorously, which also turned out to be very successful as it was coupled with the initiative of securing a state-of-the-art makerspace. In order to bridge the gap of connecting with other ISA Student Sections, we took the help of ISA Bangalore and collaborated with the ISA Manipal University Jaipur Student Section to give a technical talk on ‘IoT’ and ‘Math for Robotics’, where I was one of the speakers. At the end of my tenure, an Analog Electronics Workshop, followed by a talk on the entire process of graduate studies by one of our alumni, was also conducted, where students from multiple colleges and majors were invited to attend and were lauded by many.

A year had passed rather quickly, and it was time for me to induct a new board. It was an emotional moment as a lot of time was invested together to learn and grow, creating bonds for life and a thriving community born out of nothing but sheer will. We had fresh recruits, and we were more than ready to take on new challenges with ample resources at hand. The new team participated and won the ISA Automation games, invested in custom merchandise to boost marketing and even incubated various other organisations and startups. I am personally a proud member of ISA Manipal, and owe a lot to the organisation for grooming me to become the person I am.

USEFUL LINKS

1. Elected as the President of ISA Manipal Student Section for the Year 2021-2022: https://www.instagram.com/p/CP0hLUktRMG/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
   
   
2. Fracktal Works Talk: https://youtu.be/xtaDp26a2_I?si=79WMfYDPCYYhU6EY; https://youtu.be/7ee7rY45n5c?si=pzItcuFwENR4GBYr
   
   
3. Analog Electronics Workshop: https://youtu.be/pw2YFkNVv8Y?si=DBvnd-0y7B1P6PF3; https://youtu.be/KN3FTTKrwq0?si=RHmSzA2ufYTVtn60

4. IoT and Robotics Workshop: https://youtu.be/dx7y1ZFPepg?si=8QwyRgPeMa6eUjbA

5. Talk on Graduate Studies: https://youtu.be/SjMitEf_axI?si=4eH7am992ff-ydHa

Sukumaran Mathoor

Life Senior Member – ISA, Executive Committee Member – ISA Bangalore Section

ISA – The International Society of Automation helped me in my professional career, starting as engineer trainee and later, had many opportunities to work for companies in India as abroad, with different functional roles, working in manufacturing and project execution of industrial automation and process safety systems for Power Plants, Steel, Chemical, Petrochemical, Oil & Gas industries using instrumentation, DCS / PLC / SCADA, Fieldbus and wireless products, and also work in higher management role as director operations for a safety product manufacturing plant of an MNC company in India. ISA’s resources developed by subject matter experts, ensuring that engineers gain practical, up-to-date skills relevant to their functional roles in automation and process industries, helped me at various stages of my profession.

With 35+ years’ industry experience, 25+ years as a professional member of ISA (including 10+ years volunteer leader role in ISA Bangalore Section), Iam now working as trainer & engineering consultant, trying my bit to bridge the gap between industry and academia and assisting MSME companies in their business.

My interest in ISA started by reading InTech magazine during my initial career days. I joined ISA as a professional member, when ISA was known as the Instrument Society of America.

After working as installation & commissioning engineer of instrumentation and automatic control systems for thermal power plants, steel plant, and oil & gas projects while working for Keltron Controls, India., and getting specialized training at ABB Kent, UK., for engineering & software development of DCS, I joined S. A. Kent, Saudi Arabia, worked as a DCS / PLC design engineer for Saudi Aramco Gas Plant revamping project.

Later, I worked for an end user petrochemical company in Indonesia, P.T. Polysindo Eka Perkasa, as Manager Instrumentation, which provided me different experience in dealing with cultural, technical, and managerial challenges successfully. Worked during the project implementation as well as for plant maintenance.

Later, another opportunity came to work for a PLC / SCADA system integration company in Bangalore, manufacturing automation systems using Rockwell Automation products and supplying same to customers in India and abroad. I got another opportunity to work as an engineer responsible for design, engineering, procurement, system acceptance tests, installation and commissioning of instruments, process safety, functional safety, F&G and DCS for offshore platforms built by J. Ray McDermott, Dubai for Middle East projects.

Later, I got an opportunity to work for an engineering & construction Company in Bangalore as Head Instrumentation Dept., implementing design & engineering for Oil & Gas projects.

Subsequently, joined Pepperl + Fuchs India Pvt Ltd., as General Manager, leading a team of engineers & managers in technical support of P&F products in India, followed by the responsibility as Director Operations for plant operations & system improvements for the safety products manufactured in India, getting the plant operations, quality systems, and products meeting local & global standards.

The various functional roles provided me to become “Jack of All, Master of None Few”

1. Instrumentation Engineer / Control Systems Engineer / Process Automation Engineer / Maintenance Engineer: Specializes in the selection, installation, and calibration of instruments used to monitor and control process variables such as temperature, pressure, flow, and level. Designs and supervises the installation and maintenance of electrical/electronic controls and instrumentation for machinery and support equipment. Works on process control strategies, instrumentation tuning, and integration of new technologies. Responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining control systems such as DCS (Distributed Control Systems) and PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers). Involved in process optimization, troubleshooting, and supporting production operations. Provides hands-on support for installation, preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance of automation and control systems.
2. Automation Project Manager / System Integrator: Leads automation projects, from concept through commissioning. Manages teams, schedules, budgets, and ensures compliance with industry standards. Works for companies that design and implement automation solutions for clients in various process industries. Involves programming, system configuration, and commissioning.
3. Safety and Compliance Roles: Ensures that products and automation systems meet safety standards and regulatory requirements, especially in industries like pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil & gas.
4. Volunteer of ISA Bangalore Section: I could contribute to the membership growth, training programs, conferences, as well as student chapter activities. This association with ISA personally helped me to develop my leadership and public speaking skills, apart from large networking among students & teachers at academic institutes and working professionals in industries.

One of the programs which I could personally contribute significantly was organizing the Process Safety conference at Bangalore, while I was holding the position of President, ISA Bangalore Section. This event was executed with active participation by end users from process industries, engineering consultants, instrument manufacturers, automation system suppliers & system integrators, manufacturers of safety devices & safety systems, professors & students from academic institutes, etc. The leadership team and staff at ISA Bangalore Section supported very well to organize this event successfully.

ISA membership with the opportunities to get networking with professionals, availability of standards & technical articles, getting updated with the latest disruptive technologies like Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence, opportunities to participate in conferences, etc., helps me to continue my journey for “Building a better world through automation”.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukumaranmathoor/

Low-Cost Automation, High Impact: How ISA Shaped My Career

I didn’t start my automation career with big budgets or shiny platforms. I started with a stubborn machine, a relay panel, and a $350 PLC + HMI combo. That small win—making a struggling OEM evaporator safer, more reliable, and easier for operators—set my compass early: good automation doesn’t have to be expensive to be excellent. Today, I’m an ISA Senior Member and CAP®‑certified automation engineer with more than 15 years across Oil & Gas (LNG), OEM equipment, biotech, and pharma, supporting projects for National Grid, SI Group, Eastman Chemical, ENCON Evaporators, and teams at Bristol Myers Squibb (now Lotte Biologics at that site), Lonza, and Moderna.

If there’s a single throughline in my work, it’s discipline. When a plant is on the line, I lean on standards before I write a line of code. ISA‑5.1 gives me clarity on P&IDs. ISA‑18 anchors my alarm philosophy. ISA‑106 shapes procedural automation so startups and shutdowns are predictable. And ISA/IEC 62443 keeps cybersecurity in view as we connect more systems. Those standards turn good judgment into repeatable practice.

Beyond controls programming, a core part of my work is instrumentation engineering and procurement. I build ISA‑standard instrument specification forms (datasheets), run technical bid evaluations (TBE), and select instruments to match real process conditions and metallurgy while balancing performance, safety, and maintainability. That standards‑first approach is also why I’m comfortable across platforms—Allen‑Bradley/FactoryTalk (Rockwell), Emerson DeltaV, AutomationDirect, Foxboro, and Siemens. When the control narrative and alarm philosophy are sound, the platform is simply the tool.

At ENCON Evaporators, I led a controls re‑platform that traded complexity for reliability: clean ladder logic, modular options, black‑box data logging, and smart interlocks for foaming and over‑temperature. We added secure remote access so service issues could be diagnosed in hours, not days. The outcome was simple and measurable—fewer service trips, safer operation, and happier customers. I also captured the machine’s tribal knowledge in a formal control narrative, so what used to live in people’s heads lived in one definitive document.

On a forced‑circulation evaporator, I implemented a real‑world density‑based concentration control strategy. It looks straightforward on screen, but it represents dozens of small engineering decisions tied together—sensor selection, signal handling, interlocks, and operator experience. The payoff was tighter targets with better equipment protection. I also used ANSI/ISA‑5.1 to revamp the product line’s P&IDs.

I’ve been the person people call when a legacy asset needs to work like a new one. One of my favorite projects was helping bring a mothballed wood‑burning power plant in New Hampshire back to life after three years offline. That meant instrument sanity checks, loop tuning, and pragmatic controls work that respected both the original design intent and the realities of aged equipment. Old plants can be stubborn; sound fundamentals make them dependable again.

Most recently, at National Grid’s Providence LNG facility, I commissioned the liquefaction facility and serve as the point person for maintaining this critical infrastructure in New England. That work includes integrating a complex DeltaV environment, hardening instrumentation to prevent spurious trips, rationalizing alarms, and driving the roadmap to virtualization and better lifecycle management. It isn’t glamorous work—more elbow grease than buzzwords—but it’s how you keep critical infrastructure safe, available, and predictable.

Impact matters, but so does passing it on. I invest heavily in training young engineers—loop tuning, alarm philosophy, clean interlocks, and commissioning tactics that don’t show up in textbooks. Watching those engineers go on to deliver major projects for utilities and manufacturers is the best ROI I know. Mentoring isn’t charity; it’s capacity building for our industry.

ISA has been my proving ground as well as my guide. Earning the ISA Senior Member grade and the Certified Automation Professional (CAP®) credential pushed me to demonstrate breadth across the full automation lifecycle—from feasibility and definition to design, development, deployment, and operations/maintenance. CAP isn’t easy; it demands real depth across process control, instrumentation, systems integration, industrial networks, and safety and reliability. Volunteering around CAP content has been my way of giving back—helping keep the bar high for the next generation.

The thread through all of this is practical innovation. I prefer clear interlocks over clever code, robust HMIs over flashy ones, and architectures that technicians can own on day two. That approach scales because it’s grounded in principles, not personalities. When the stakes are high, I lean on ISA standards and codes—they’ve been my blueprint for doing it right.

Kamal Mani
Principal Automation Engineer
NationalGrid

Axis & ISA – A Journey Written in Innovation and Shared Purpose

There are events you attend because you have to and then there are events you attend because you want to. Anyone who has ever walked into an ISA gathering knows it belongs to the second category. It is never “just another industry event.” It feels more like stepping into a space where ideas spark, friendships begin and every conversation holds the potential to grow into something meaningful.

For Axis Solutions Limited, our association with ISA is not a chapter that began suddenly; it is a story that has unfolded gradually, becoming part of who we are. Since 2008, we have been present with ISA in almost 28–29 shows, sharing the same spirit and the same purpose. What binds us together is not simply technology or exhibitions, but a shared philosophy: “to the society, with society and for the society”.

The Roadshows – Knowledge on the Move

If you picture an ISA Roadshow, you don’t imagine a quiet conference hall. You imagine a morning where the venue is alive with energy, banners welcoming guests, coffee being poured and teams preparing their demonstrations with the same focus as musicians tuning instruments before a concert.

Axis never came with just brochures, but brought working models, live systems and real project data, the kind that makes engineers pause, lean forward and ask to see it again. Whether it was a passive-cooled Analyzer shelter, a real-time emissions monitoring dashboard or an explosion-proof HVAC designed for hazardous areas, our focus was on letting people experience technology rather than only hear about it.

I still remember one particular roadshow where a refinery engineer approached us after a demo. He said, “I have been struggling with this problem for six months and in twenty minutes, you have given me the answer.” That is the power of ISA’s platform, it brings need and solution face-to-face, without the layers in between.

Our First Steps with ISA

Our very first ISA experience was not a large exhibition, but a modest technical seminar many years ago. We had been invited to share our perspective on analytical solutions. At that time, Axis was still finding its footing in new markets, still learning the language of engaging with a diverse industry audience.

What stood out that day was the atmosphere. There was no competition in the air. Vendors, consultants, end-users and students all sat in the same room, asking questions, offering opinions and sometimes even debating solutions. It did not feel like a typical networking event, it felt like a collective workshop for solving industry challenges.

That was the moment we realized ISA was more than an association. It was a community where Axis could contribute meaningfully, not only as a company bringing solutions, but as a partner helping the industry move forward.

 Extending Beyond Industry – Reaching Students

ISA’s strength is not limited to industries and corporations. It has the remarkable ability to reach corners that often go unnoticed. Years ago, ISA came to Ahmedabad and hosted a program at L.D. College of Engineering. The focus was not on big projects or product launches, but on students, giving them exposure to automation and instrumentation, helping them connect theory with the real demands of industry.

That day reminded us that ISA is not only a platform for business; it is also a place where the next generation of engineers can find inspiration. For Axis, this alignment felt natural, innovating for industries, creating opportunities for students and building solutions that benefit society as a whole.

Why We Continue to Be There

The automation industry never stands still. Technologies change rapidly, regulations become stricter and expectations grow with every passing year. To stay relevant is to stay connected and ISA has been that bridge for us.

For Axis, ISA events are not only about showcasing our own capabilities, but also about listening. Listening to plant operators who keep processes running in extreme conditions, to municipal engineers working toward sustainability goals and to young engineers eager for their first opportunity in automation. Many of these conversations have shaped our R&D direction as much as any internal strategy session.

A Platform for Innovation

Over the years, ISA has given Axis the stage to lead discussions on subjects that matter deeply to us, water quality monitoring, emissions compliance, energy efficiency and industrial safety. In return, we have shared our decades of project execution experience across industries and geographies. Together, we have created a platform where innovation does not stay confined within companies but spreads across industries and even into classrooms.

ISA is, in every sense, the perfect platform for new ideas, a space where industries learn, students grow and solutions are exchanged with openness and trust.

Looking Ahead

If I had to capture our ISA journey in a single image, it would be this, a group of engineers standing around a demo place, debating with the same curiosity and excitement as they did on their very first day in the field. That is what ISA creates, an environment, where learning and innovation never grow old.

The future will bring its share of challenges, climate concerns, tightening environmental regulations and the accelerating shift toward Industry 4.0. But we know our path. Axis will continue to partner with ISA to take knowledge wherever it is needed most and to keep turning every mile of a roadshow into a mile of impact.

Because technology will keep evolving, but what endures are the relationships, the shared learning and the trust built over time. And with ISA, we are proud to say, that bond will remain a part of our story - always.

With Gratitude to ISA,

Axis Solutions Limited

ISA Story

The year after graduating from college (LaTech University May, 1965) I joined ISA in Birmingham, AL. A year and a half later I moved to Houston, TX and transferred my membership to the Houston ISA Chapter. I had difficulty attending meetings because they were on Wednesday evening, and I was the part time Music Director in my church. My work at NASA lasted for two years, and then I joined a private engineering firm and continued my ISA membership. The engineering firm was bought by the Ralph M Parsons Company. By that time I was the department director for the Instrumentation group. The Parsons Instrumentation Director, Raymond Kubick, Jr., and I chatted and he asked me to join the ISA Education Committee which he was chairing, and I did, and several years later became chair of that committee.

Later I became Director of the ISA Education Department. During that service ISA became a member of both the ABET (Accreditation Board of Engineering Technologies) and the NCEES (National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying). The former reviews and advises on college and university engineering programs, and the latter writes and issues professional licensing examinations. After a number of years an internal ISA committee was formed to devise an examination such that graduate engineers could register as professionals in States. I served as a Co-Leader of that committee with Dr. Thomas E. Stout, P.E., and that exam was first offered to the States’ Engineering Boards in the Fall of 2020. I was the first registrant of CSE in Texas that year when the Board allowed me to change my registration from Electrical to Control Systems, and since the letter-designator chosen for CSE was “X”, I rightfully claim to be the “First X-rated in Texas.” 

Herbert Baxter Williams

When I look back at my journey with the ISA, I sometimes find it hard to believe how far I’ve come. What began as a small spark of an idea has grown into something much larger—a movement, a family, and a purpose that continues to shape me every day from the day when I was with PETRONAS until the day when I am fully retired after 35 years in service with PETRONAS starting 1^st January 2025. I had been with PETRONAS for many years, starting as Project Engineer (Metering & Compressor) back in 1990 , until reaching climax of my career as Group Technical Authority and Custodian Engineer in instrumentation and control in 2019, and then Head of Technical Excellence in 2023.

My own ISA story began back in 27^th September 2012, when I was Principal Engineer, Instrument & Control, at PETRONAS Refinery Terengganu, my first ISA technical presentation at Orlando, Florida with the paper entitled “Instrument Asset Management: PP(T)SB Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.

The discussions, the energy, the collaboration—it struck me that ISA was more than a professional society. It was a global community, united by a belief in the power of automation to transform industries and lives. And in that moment, a thought took root: Why don’t we have this in Malaysia? Why can’t we build a platform where our engineers, our students, and our companies can be part of this global family?

That idea stayed with me all the way home on the flight from Florida. And by the time I landed, the seed for ISA Malaysia had been planted.

The following year I mentored my engineer, M Safwan M Shahid and convinced him to co-present paper entitled “ PP(T)SB Alarm Management – Towards Achieving World Class” ISA Automation Week 2013 Nashville, Tennessee, USA, 4-7 November 2013

After missing 2014 ISA event due to tight work commitment, I appeared for several conferences:

1. 2015 : “Towards Plant Instrumentation Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) Asset Mgmt Excellence” technical paper at ISA Process Control & Safety Symposium, 11th November at Houston, Texas (USA)
2. 2016: “Towards Plant Instrumentation Safety Instrumented Function (SIF) Asset Mgmt Excellence Case Study: P(T)SB’s Success Story in IPF Instrumentation Project Implementation” at ISA PCS, Abu Dhabi on 31^st May

• 2016: “Rejuvenated Tank Farm Oil_Movement Automation System Project: A Digital Transformation”, PSC2016, Houston, Texas (USA)

in 2017, ISA Malaysia Section was officially born. Our first president was my good friend, Ir V.R. Harindran, who brought tremendous leadership and credibility to the role. And later that year, we held our first automation conference and exhibition at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. I will never forget the pride of standing there, seeing students, professionals, and industry leaders all coming together under the ISA banner. That was history in the making.

Since then, the journey has been unstoppable —steady, sometimes challenging, but always rewarding. Our conferences grew bigger and Our programs became richer as we held Malaysia ISA Forum in 2018 and 2019 (with the exception of 2020 – COVID). Our community expanded from mere 30 members to 100 members. And eventually, I had the honor of stepping into the role of President of ISA Malaysia Section in August 2021.

Post COVID, as the new ISA President, Malaysia Section, despite COVID challenges, I had successfully organized Malaysia Digital Transformation ISA Conference in 2021 and 2022 online/virtual successfully i) 21^st Sept 2021: Organized joint ISA/PETRONAS Virtual Digital Transformation Conference 2021 with 745 registered participants ; ii) 5^th Oct 2022: Organized joint ISA/PETRONAS Virtual Digital Transformation Conference 2022 with 811 registered participants. We organized 2 days ISA IEC 62443 IC32 Fundamental Cyber-security physical training conducted by ISA Senior Fellow Mr Marco Ayala with 19 participants at PutraJaya Presinct 15 Embassador Building, Kuala Lumpur.

on 6^th Oct 2022, one day after the Virtual Conference, I organized joint ISA/PETRONAS in-person Round-table Panel Discussion “Future-Proofing Automation workforce towards Energy Transition and Industrial Sustainability “ at Sheraton Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. 90 attendees from automation vendors, ISA members and Academia.

I invited Madam Sujata Tilak, District Vice President ISA Asia Pacific that time to deliver keynote address.

My ISA Journey: From Shrimp Boil to Section President

My ISA story started in the most unexpected way—with a plate of shrimp.

Back in 2022, I went to the ISA Wilmington Section’s annual Shrimp Boil. At the time, I wasn’t an ISA member; I went to represent ACE, enjoy good food, and meet new people. I didn’t realize the giant pot of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes would also mark the beginning of my journey with ISA. I ended up speaking with a few of the Wilmington Section leaders that night, including former ACE engineer Shawn Coughlan, and suddenly ISA was on my radar.

Not long after, Shawn passed my name to the section president, and I was quickly “voluntold” to join the executive board. Before I knew it, I became the Membership Chair. For the next two years, I focused on welcoming new members and keeping our community engaged.

One of the highlights during this time was traveling to Colorado Springs for the Automation Leadership Conference in 2023, which was my first time seeing ISA at a national level. Between the technical sessions, the career development talks, and a volunteer workshop full of fresh ideas, I returned energized thinking about what we could do in Wilmington. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet people who are passionate about the organization. I was even able to reconnect with an engineer who I originally met while working on my first ever project in the industry.

In 2024 I stepped into the Program Chair role—planning meetings, lining up speakers for technical presentations, and helping organize events. This role also included taking a larger role in coordinating the beloved Shrimp Boil. It’s funny how my ISA journey started with that event, and now I can carry on the tradition that so many people look forward to each yar. For us, it’s more than just shrimp and corn—it’s the one night every year when people from all corners of our community come together to learn and connect.

Earlier this year, I learned that our section president was relocating, and I was asked to step up as Secretary/President-Elect. I’ll admit that at first, I was a little nervous to become next-in-line for the section presidency. But then I realized: if we don’t step up, the section fades. By summer 2026, I’ll be serving as president, and I’m excited to keep building on what we’ve started.

What makes me most proud right now is who’s sitting around the table with me. Our section board is young, energized, and—perhaps unexpectedly—we have three women in leadership. That’s not common in automation, and I love being a part of that change. We’re also making stronger connections with students at the University of Delaware, and it’s already paying off. Last semester we had our first student member join the section, and had other students attend a section meeting. Seeing that kind of impact firsthand is what it’s all about.

When I think about why ISA matters to me, it’s simple: it’s where my world of automation and my world of community come together. ISA develops the standards I use every day, but it also gives me a space to grow, learn, and give back.

And to think, I don’t even like shrimp!

My First ISA Symposium Experience

By Adriana Assef

 In 2016, while working with a bottling water company in Venezuela, I learned about a Symposium organized by the ISA in Orlando, Florida; the 2016 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium. The idea immediately fascinated me. During my time at the University of Carabobo in Valencia, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Controls and Automation, I often heard about the key role ISA plays in advancing the field. Attending one of their events seemed like an incredible opportunity.

I decided to go. To make it happen, I took PTO and traveled from Venezuela with my own resources. It was not only my first ISA event, but also my first time driving in the United States. I flew into Miami, rented a car, and made the trip to Orlando on my own. Looking back, I realize how bold that decision was—but it was absolutely worth it.

The symposium gathered 165 attendees and provided an outstanding learning experience. What impressed me most was how strongly the speakers emphasized the importance of Cybersecurity and SCADA systems. At the time, those topics felt visionary; today, I can clearly see how accurate and forward-looking those discussions were.

That experience left a lasting impact on me. Shortly after, I made the life-changing decision to move to the United States. The symposium not only connected me with inspiring professionals, but also gave me the confidence and perspective I needed to integrate into a new country both personally and professionally.

Reflecting on that experience now, I feel grateful and somewhat sentimental. It marked not only a step forward in my professional development, but also the beginning of a deeper awareness of how our world—and our industry—would continue to evolve.

My ISA Journey: From Seventh Place to Scholarship Winner

It all began on a quiet morning in my second year of college at VESIT, Mumbai, when I stumbled into a workshop hosted by the ISA student section. At that time, “ISA” was just another acronym to me, one of the many floating around in the world of engineering. I walked into the session with curiosity but little expectation. What I didn’t realize was that this step, seemingly ordinary, was the beginning of a journey that would shape not only my technical skills but also my friendships, confidence, and outlook on what it truly means to be part of a community.

The workshops themselves were lively, filled with hands-on learning and enthusiastic seniors guiding us patiently. Behind it all, our mentor, Gopalakrishnan Sir, was a constant presence. He encouraged us, corrected us when needed, and most importantly, believed in our ability to rise higher. His steady guidance, along with the support of seniors, gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself. I was fascinated—not just by automation itself, but by the atmosphere ISA created. It wasn’t a typical lecture or classroom; it was a room full of energy, teamwork, and people who genuinely wanted to help each other grow.

By the time I reached my third year, I had a chance to test myself in the India Automation Games, hosted by the ISA Maharashtra Section. It was a thrilling two-day competition with events ranging from robotics to pneumatics, PLC programming, and even LabVIEW.
LabVIEW, in particular, was my big discovery. I had never touched the software before, and when the task was announced, I remember staring at the screen for a brief second of panic. But something about that moment lit a fire in me—I clicked, tried, and experimented. To my own surprise, I was the first in my batch to finish the assignment. The inspector walked over, checked my solution, gave a nod of approval and simply said, “Good.” I quietly moved on to the hall, waiting for the next task. Yet in that silence, I felt something shift—I realized I had a knack for quick problem-solving under pressure. It wasn’t just a win on a screen; it was a quiet win inside my mind, a reminder that I could rise to unexpected challenges.

Then came the results. The top six performers would go on to the International Automation Games. My heart raced as names were called out in reverse order. Sixth, fifth, fourth—still not me. With each name, my chest tightened. When the announcer paused before the first place, my hands were already sweaty. I knew I hadn’t done perfectly, but hope is a stubborn thing. Maybe, just maybe, I thought.

But my name never came. I was seventh. Just one step away.

At first, disappointment stung. I had poured so much energy into those events, and to miss the cut by a single spot felt cruel. But then, I saw the joy on my friend Drushti’s face as she received the bronze medal and the giant cardboard check. We laughed together as we carried her prize home through the Mumbai subway, struggling with its sheer size and weight. Somewhere between those laughs, I realized that my journey with ISA wasn’t about one competition or one result—it was about the experiences, the bonds, and the growth.

That realization pushed me forward. Together with my friend Bipin, I dived into new challenges. We built drones, tinkered late into the night, and eventually developed a VR-controlled SLAM-based autonomous mobile robot for our college project. It was ambitious, messy, and at times felt impossible, but ISA gave us the network, the workshops, and the encouragement to believe we could do it.
As we gained confidence, we gave back too. Alongside our local ISA chapter, ISA VESIT, we organized robotics workshops on ROS2 and Robotics, helping juniors take their first steps—just like seniors had once helped us. Watching them struggle, then smile when they solved a problem, was as rewarding as winning any competition.

Then came one of the most defining moments of my journey: the ISA International Scholarships. Bipin, Drushti, and I decided to apply. Filling out the application, I reflected on the countless nights of work, the competitions won and lost, and the friendships forged. Still, when the acceptance email finally landed in my inbox, my heart skipped a beat.

We had all three won. Each of us had been awarded the $2,000 scholarship. I remember reading the congratulatory letter from ISA President Scott Reynolds over and over, hardly believing it was real. For me, it wasn’t about the money—it was about recognition. It was proof that our journey, with all its ups and downs, mattered. ISA had seen the effort, the learning, and the perseverance, and decided it was worthy of acknowledgment. That moment was worth more than any trophy.

Now, as I enter the final year of my bachelor’s in automation and robotics, my role has shifted. I find myself mentoring juniors, guiding them for competitions like the Automation Games, and leading workshops. I see the same spark in their eyes that I had when I first opened LabVIEW or touched a PLC board. And I realize the legacy of ISA is exactly that—passing the torch, building a community where every student feels supported, challenged, and inspired.
Looking back, ISA has been more than just an organization for me. It has been a stage where I discovered my strengths, a safety net when I failed, and a family that celebrated every milestone. My story began with curiosity, was shaped by near-misses and hard-won lessons, and continues today with a promise—to give back, to guide, and to carry forward the spirit of this community.

As ISA celebrates 80 years, I stand proud to say that I am a part of this legacy. Seventh place may have once felt like a loss, but today, it feels like the first step of a lifelong journey with ISA.

My Career Journey: A Telescopic View of an Instrumentation Professional

By Rajabahadur V. Arcot

My professional career and association with the automation technology started in early 1960’s when I joined the company, Instrumentation Limited, in India and I was then in my youthful twenties with a master’s degree in physics with specialization in electronics. India then was largely an agricultural country that was taking baby steps to develop its industrial base. In those days, it was difficult to for one find a job and I considered myself lucky when I got the instrumentation engineer’s job.

India was then embarking on its industrialization journey and the focus then was primarily on setting up basic industries, such as power plants, steel plants, fertilizer plants, etc. Instrumentation Limited was setup to cater to the operational and safety needs of these plants. Since the country, at that time, had neither the technology and nor the private capital, the State had to take the initiatives in establishing them. Thus, many of the industrial plants including Instrumentation Limited that came up then were state-owned.

The Company Where My I&C Journey Began - Instrumentation Limited

Instrumentation Limited (IL) was established to manufacture panel mounted electronic indicators & recorders, sensors such as resistance thermometers & thermocouples, and differential transformer transmitters. Russia, the then Soviet Union, as technology partner, provided the technological and engineering support, which included the supply of the required plant and machinery, design engineering drawings, and training of engineers. I was one among initial batch of engineers who joined IL and got trained in Russia.

At that time, the industry practice was largely for the engineering procurement consultant (EPC) to procure the instruments and controllers as discrete devices on behalf of the plant owner-operator. The concept of main automation contractor (MAC), who takes turn-key responsibility of providing all the main instrumentation and control devices as a system to meet the plant operational and safety requirements along with project management support services, was still evolving.

Alignment of My Career Path with Company’s Vision

The General Manager of IL, I would describe him as a visionary, realizing the benefits of turning the company into a supplier of comprehensive instrumentation and control (I&C) systems to plants, especially to process plants, such as power plants, steel plants, etc., which were coming up in significant numbers in India at that time, briefed me about this thought and entrusted me the responsibility of setting up a group, which he called the ‘System Engineering Group,’ that will focus on providing comprehensive automation solutions for thermal power plants, coming up then at numerous locations across the county. Similar group was also set to meet the requirements of steel and chemical plants. My role was to develop the necessary capabilities and expertise so that the group can provide system engineering / application engineering & project management services, negotiate & secure turn-key automation contracts, identify & supply automation devices that are required to meet the power plant operational & safety requirements, including those that are not in IL’s manufacturing range and thereby function as a main automation contractor.

Well-Thought-Out Empowerment Plan Results in Success

He empowered me to effectively play that role, by deputing me to a couple of thermal power plants, under construction then in India to study and understand the process & its automation system requirements and develop the needed engineering & project management capabilities and expertise. I spent about six months in those thermal power plants and had extensive and productive interactions with the plants’ process engineers, technology providers, control room operators, automation professionals, and others. They not only shared their knowledge and expertise about the plant process and its operational requirements but also provided me copies of engineering documentation, such as Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID), Instrumentation and Control Specification Sheets, Control Loop Diagrams, Installation Drawings, Control Room Panel & Layout Drawings, Cable & Impulse Pipe Drawings, and such others. The time spent at these plants was a highly rewarding and learning experience. To further empower me, IL also entered into a technical support agreement with the power plant design institute in Russia to depute an instrumentation and control application engineering expert to India and guide and support me in the design of I&C systems for process plants.

My initial trepidation soon gave place to enthusiasm and confidence when my group convinced a 60 MW thermal power plant owner-operator to trust our unproven capabilities and place the order on us for the supply of comprehensive I&C system. It was a new plant and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), another state-owned Indian company, was supplying boilers, turbines, and generators. The order materialized because all the stakeholders, such as the power plant owner-operator, engineering consultant, IL, and BHEL recognized the benefits of working together. We extensively collaborated, exchanged technical & engineering information, and took engineering decisions through mutual discussions. This process immensely helped me and my group to consolidate our engineering and technical knowledge and competence, management skills, and gain confidence.

The order included a range of I&C devices, including devices such as controllers, gas analyzers, control valves & actuators, annunciators, orifice plates/flow nozzles, and control panels, which were not in IL’s manufacturing range. We had to learn about them, identify potential suppliers, make proper selection, specify, and procure them while ensuring their integrability. This presented us numerous challenges. I began to read InTech, became a member of ISA, and consulted handbooks, such as Handbook of Instrumentation and Control by Kallen to help me to learn and gain the necessary knowledge. Continuous learning became a part of my life.

The engineering expert from the Russian power plant design institute was of immense help to us and my ability to speak in Russian language helped me in building a strong relationship with him. He actively helped me in almost all aspects of the project, such as the preparation of drawings, such as P&ID, panel layout and wiring, transmitter grouping & installation, & control loops, associated internal standards, such as use of symbols, wire-termination numbering, selection of instruments, and such others.

My Professional Journey – Memorable and purposeful

Successful implementation of numerous power plant I&C projects, over the years, resulted in IL, not only, establishing itself as a Main Automation Contractor and securing many turn-key project orders, but also in expanding its manufacturing portfolio to include control panels, gas analyzers, control valves & actuators, and flow devices, such as orifice plates & flow nozzles. It also gave the company the confidence to give me the responsibility to bid for power projects coming up in other countries. In that capacity, I successfully bid and secured orders for power plants in Malaysia and one such was a world bank aided project. This order included, for the first time for IL, the supply of first-up annunciator and Data Acquisition System (DAS). IL offer provided the customer the option of either choosing a DAS from a reputed global automation supplier or one built around IBM 1800 computer with software developed by IL. The customer, while placing the order on IL, indicated his acceptance of IBM 1800 computer-based DAS. To develop the DAS software, IL authorized me to set up the necessary software group comprising of around 10 engineers. I inducted few engineers with hands-on experience in developing application software, from a reputed domestic academic institution, which was offering software development courses. I negotiated the computer procurement contract that mandated IBM to train IL software group of engineers in the development of application software around IBM’s real-time operating software. IBM helped me with a special course in heading the software group.

After almost 15 years of fruitful and rewarding association with IL, I got an opportunity to work for other automation companies in senior executive positions: head the marketing operations of the System Engineering Group of Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL) and in that capacity I played a crucial role; role that made ECIL the first company in India to supply PLCs to steel, cement and power plants and SCADA to oil & gas pipeline and offshore oil platform projects: General Manager of Bells Controls, an affiliate of the then Foxboro Company, and in that capacity introduced in India the first open industrial DCS system, the I/A Series: established ARC Advisory Goup’s operations in India and served as Director of Indian Operations for over 10 years and during this period I wrote numerous market research reports, analytical industry insights and blogs, case studies etc., relating to process and enterprise automation.  

Thanks to ISA’s ‘Tell us your ISA story’ initiate, I looked through the rear mirror to recollect the journey that I had undertaken as an instrumentation engineer so that I can describe the challenges encountered and overcome, lessons learnt, competencies acquired, knowledge gained, our successes etc. I am truly happy about my journey, filled with challenges & opportunities and made possible by the values inculcated in me by my parents, the circumstances that made it possible for me to undertake this journey, the confidence reposed in me and my team by the managements of companies that I worked for, the excellent support that we received from them, the whole hearted commitment, resilience, and hard work that was displayed by the group of engineers who worked with me, and the valuable support and guidance provided by the I&C expert from the Russian power plant design institute. The journey has been truly memorable and thought me invaluable lessons that continue to shape and profoundly impact my life to this day.

Rajabahadur V. Arcot
Independent Industry Analyst/Columnist and Digital Transformation Consultant
Life Member of ISA and Member of ISA Smart Manufacturing & IIoT Division
He is an ISA accredited mentor and trainer. He authors industry and technology trend articles, market research reports, case studies, white papers, and automation & operational technology insights. rajabahadurav@gmail.com  

Recollection of 53 Years as an (ISA) International Society of Automation member (1972-2025)

First and foremost, without a doubt, a heartfelt thank you to my wife and family, for putting up with all those hours away from home. A career in automation required time away from home, at customers sites.

Please understand, this 53 year journey is in the first person, but certainly may be a shared experience with many other automation professionals over those 50+ years.

Essentially my career started in 1970,after a four year stint in the Air Force, as a radio tech. Following in late 1970,in Kansas City, Missouri, Harold Schwartz, President, of Kansas City Calibration Labs, offered me a position as a tech. This was an early orientation into instrumentation and calibration service. I learned the basics of repair and calibration during my employment at Kansas City Calibration Labs from 1970 – 1973.

With the encouragement from Harold Schwartz, an ISA Kansas City Section member , I joined ISA in 1972. I became a member of the Kansas City Section. Thank you also to Dick Roseberry of Foxboro and Dr Francis Winterberg, Professor at Kansas University (KU).

In 1973, I transitioned to a position as a field tech with Honeywell Process Control Division(PCD). The position was located in Omaha ,Nebraska. Thanks are due to Honeywell Regional managers, Fred Meiler, Chicago, Illinois, Max Frazier, Kansas City, Missouri, and Bill Willett, Davenport,Iowa . At that time Mr Ed Blend from the Kansas City Missouri office was the Senior Tech in charge.

It was then, that, with Honeywell process control service and calibration training, and a company car, a trunk full of tools and parts , and a territory from Kansas to Canada, Iowa to Colorado, I was initiated as a field service tech. Automation was essentially electro-mechanical, electronic, pneumatic, and analog. Test equipment was analog as well. Typical instrumentation included Honeywell Class 10 pyrometers, and analog circular and strip chart recorders. Vutronic and Dialatrol process controllers were common. It was the 1970’s, new products were being introduced. Honeywell’s DCP-7700 was all the rage as a time and temperature, ramp and soak ,profile controller.

Honeywell was transitioning to electronic and digital controllers. The TDC-2000 was popular and a system was installed at the Florence Water Treatment Plant of the Omaha Metropolitan Utilities District. Working with a Honeywell engineer from the Engineering and Construction Division of Honeywell, Chicago, was a valuable learning experience. The mainframe and remote control consoles and communication hardware required multiple service manuals ,schematics, and parts lists. And were in several large heavy binders to be stored on site, thankfully! From installation to startup was a lengthy process. It involved blending a digital controller to existing ,large butter fly valves with air over water hydraulic actuator operation.

During the 1970’s many water and waste water treatment plants were being built and/or retrofitted and required startup and commissioning assistance. It was a learning experience. Understanding the process of water treatment, helped with applying and servicing instrumentation control loops.

Another transition occurred in 1980. Lakeland Engineering Equipment Company ,Minneapolis, Minnesota, was hiring for the Omaha Branch office, for a Field tech. Thanks to Bill Fox ,CEO, and Garber Trambley, V,P, Control Assemblies and Dennis Ferrari President, Lakeland Omaha, I was hired for the Omaha Branch office as a field tech. We started the Lakeland Omaha, Control Assemblies Co. Division operation, to design, fabricate, startup and commission control panels for a variety of Manufacturers. During this time we became familiar with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) manufactured by Modicon. A model 484 system was my introduction to programmable controllers and associated hardware.

During 1982 Lakeland also opened a branch office for the Process Measurement Company Division(PMC) .Primarily as a sales ,service and calibration provider to industrial and municipal companies. Among them were Glenwood Municipal Utilities, Glenwood, Iowa, Nebraska City Utilities, Nebraska City, Nebraska, Omaha Public Power District, Kelloggs, Lucent Technologies, Heska,DesMoines, Iowa, IBP Dakota City, Nebraska, BD Medical and BD Pharmaceutical in Columbus ,Nebraska, Flexcon Columbus,Ne, Campbell Soup Co and Cargill ,Omaha and many others.

It was here that I transitioned to management as a V.P. and general manager of Process Measurement Co.(PMC),Omaha Branch. Regards to James Engebretsen,President ,PMC Minnesota,and Mike Hayden President,Lakeland Omaha.

Calibration and certification service for customers was an important part of Process Measurement Companies plans for the future. Work in the 1990’s was improved with PMC techs becoming certified as techs. ISA offered, in the 1990’s, certification for techs—the CCST program! CCST meant “Certified Control Systems Technician”. ISA’s CCST program was pursued by, and all PMC Omaha became certified As CCST’s. Personally, I was certified as a CCST ,Level 3 tech. Phil Bachenberg also qualified as a CCST Level 3 tech. Soon after, both Anna Spargo and Chuck Pilgren attatined CCST Level 1 status. PMC Omaha could claim 100% participation!

In addition, Process Measurement Co(PMC) pursued ISO 9001 certification and followed up with ISO/IEC 17025 certification. CUSTOMERS DEMANDED IT! Certainly as important was the ability and requirement to provide certified traceable calibration service ,utilizing certified traceable ,calibration standards. At minimum Process Measurement Companies standards were re certified annually. All certification documents were always accessible to our customers.

Also, naturally, ISA’s interest in education has a long track record for many hours of classroom and internet learning sessions. ISA has always promoted ISA Student membership for colleges and universities that are involved in automation education. ISA Omaha Section ,since the 1980’s,has supported studying instrumentation and automation. Northwest Iowa Community Collge,(NCC) Sheldon,Iowa was the earliest. Of note, NCC during the International Student Competition, in Houston, Tx, won THE SILVER MEDAL! ISA President in 2007, Stephan Huffman, and ISA President Elect 2008,Kim Miller Dunn, presented the medals to the Northwest Iowa Community team members. Tim Floen, NCC instructor and ISA member, and Mark Bohnet NCC instructor and ISA member, deserve all the credit for teaching the student team members who excelled! Currently, Russ Gaalswyk, is the instructor at NCC and an ISA member.

ISA Omaha Section is privileged to work with Vance Vesey, ISA member,and instructor at Bismarck State College (BSC),Bismarck, South Dakota. Recent, multiple ISA Student Competitions have consistently been won by BSC student members. Congratulations Vance! and BSC!

ISA Omaha Section has had the privaledge to work with North Dakota State College of Science,Wahpeton,North Dakota, and Mitchell Technical Institute ,Mitchell, South Dakota. Also Dordt University, Sioux Center, Iowa, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, and South Dakota School Of Mines, Rapid City, South Dakota.

Reflections of almost 54 years with ISA definitely involves many personnel and a multitude of Thank You’s to our ISA International Headquarters folks! They are the ones who keep all the Sections in line—or wishing they were in line! What we “senior” members all refer to as “ RTP” has the most difficult work. If what we do here in the Omaha Section has a difficulty rating 10 to 100, then ISA Headquarters can relate to that X 1000!

WE need to thank Rachael McGuffin ,and associates, to keep us heading in the right direction,by keeping us informed and educated and sighted on the ISA Mission!

A side note—For someone from the ISA Class of 1972, imagine for a moment, all the technological innovations that have, and continue to occur. “AI” for an example!

For many of us “ Senior Techs” AI was the autotune button for optimum control—well at least IF the actual loop could withstand jogging the control output –on its own—0-100% to determine response parameters.   Don’t walk away—water flow or level loops with butterfly valves were interesting .

Also—for the Class of 72—we did not have personal computers, cell phones, Ipads, pocket calcualtors, or the Internet or Google and Google maps! However we found our customers , completed our work and made it home on those two lane roads.

And we would gladly do it all over again!

Personally, now as a Life Senior member, initially from the Kansas City Section, regards and a thank you is due Harold Schwartz, of   Kansas City Calibration Labs, for encouraging ISA membership back in 1972.

And to the ISA Omaha Section, thank you to Bob Plumb, Henry Klug, John Strever, Casey Finch, Roy Talmadge, Dick Edwards, Elden Plettner, Anna Spargo, and Chris Majeres, to name a few whose names are representative of dedication to ISA and ISA Omaha Section.

With Regards,

Leland H.”Bud” DeGraaf

Life Senior Member # 000434300

ISA Omaha Section

Membership Chair

My ISA Story

by Joseph S. Alford, Ph.D

Engineering Advisor (retired), Eli Lilly and Co.

ISA Fellow

It all started back in 1961 when heading off to college to study engineering (at Purdue U.), based on little more than interest and proficiency in math and science. What resulted was a degree in chemical engineering and a passion for process control, electrical systems, and computer programming.

Could a career combining some of these interests and skills be in the offing?

Interest in these topics then intensified while serving in the Navy as an engineering officer on an aircraft carrier in the Viet Nam War. While on engineering watch duty, responsibilities included the operation of most of the major machinery on board ship, including the ship’s steam generation, propulsion, and electrical systems, much of it manually controlled by more than 200 enlisted men on watch duty at any one time. I often wondered what would be needed to automate such operations.

Much time when not on watch was spent as the Electrical Division Officer, administratively overseeing 120 men responsible for the ship’s electricity generators, thousands of circuits, and about 200 miles of wiring. It was a great learning experience, contributing much knowledge that I would use later (in addition to learnings from ISA and elsewhere) in implementing automated process control in industry.

Passion for process control and computer systems further intensified during graduate school while earning advanced degrees in chemical engineering. Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Indiana occurred soon thereafter. Fortunately, there were some process control questions on the exam.

Interviewing for a job in 1972 at Eli Lilly and Co., a large pharmaceutical company, included a tour of the production plant’s bioreactors for making antibiotics such as penicillin. Control was mostly manual, with little more than a pneumatic temperature controller and strip chart recorder on each vessel. Lilly scientists were frustrated in having little idea of what was going on with the microorganisms inside the bioreactors during fermentations. I was told the monitoring and control of the process was 95 % art and 5 % science and was challenged to join the company and change some of the art to science. My career was then spent doing just that.

The most obvious choice of a professional society to support my career initially seemed to be AIChE, given my academic chemical engineering degrees. This, surprisingly, was not a very good fit, as their activities mostly emphasized chemical engineering theory and research with relatively little focus on process automation and its practical application in industry.

But, saving the day was a society called ISA, then called the Instrument Society of America. I joined in the 1970s, read Intech every month, and soon determined that ISA’s focus directly supported my mission in industry, i.e., to automate Lilly’s many different batch (and fed-batch) bioprocesses. As opposed to how academia taught process control, focusing on theoretical aspects of continuous linear processes operating at or near steady state, ISA dealt more broadly with process automation and focused on the practical application of automation technologies.

In the 1980s, I joined ISA’s Intech Editorial Advisory Board and served on the Board for over 25 years, receiving ISA’s Distinguished Service Award. An extended part of this has been helping ISA’s Publications Department for the past several years in reviewing selected submitted book proposals.

In the early 2000s, I became aware of ISA’s Certified Automation Professional (CAP) program, spent a summer (after working hours) preparing for it, attended a 3 day ISA course from Vern Trevathan (the original Editor of ISA’s AutoBoK) to prepare for it, and then passed the exam. This was followed by an invitation to submit test questions for subsequent CAP exams.

In about 2004, an invitation was received to join a new ISA committee developing an alarm management standard (i.e., ISA 18.2). The 18.2 committee was interested in my 1) industrial experience in the pharmaceutical industry in general and batch processes in particular, 2) experience with alarm management (for which I had corporate responsibility at Lilly), 3) familiarity with cGMPs (which are regulatory requirements for certain industries) and 4) use of advanced process monitoring and control methods. I have been a member of this committee ever since (i.e., for 20 years) and view this committee as one of the most professionally run and productive of any I have been associated with. It has been led throughout this time by Nick Sands and Donald Dunn, with committee members being highly knowledgeable SMEs (who are also good team players) from a variety of industries. ISA has assisted the work of such committees with staff support and with documented expectations on how such committees need to operate (e.g., with use of formal commenting spreadsheets during document reviews). I authored one of the clauses in the 18.2 standard and then served on most of the 8 subsequent spin-off committees that developed and published technical reports (TRs) in support of the standard, co-chairing two of them (one with Bridgett Fitzpatrick and one with Graham Nasby), earning several ISA Standards and Practices Department Awards. It was especially rewarding that the 18.2 standard was subsequently adopted (with minor changes) as an IEC (i.e., international) standard. The two TRs I co-chaired were each completed within 3 years – a time duration goal of many such committees but which is not often achieved. It was also a pleasure mentoring Graham Nasby, relatively new to ISA at the time, who subsequently rose up the ISA volunteer organizational ladder in filling various Director and VP positions.

Working as part of the 18.2 committee eventually led to participation on other ISA standards committees, such as 101 (HMIs) and 88 (Batch Control). Regarding ISA 88, I helped identify and drive the need for a TR on exception event management – which led to the organization of a committee in 2023 to develop ISA 88 TR4 (Exception Event Management for Batch Processes) - on which I am serving as a charter member and co-author.

While working on standards and Intech at ISA, my career back at Lilly involved taking bioprocesses (which are typically non-continuous, non-linear, and non-steady –state) from a largely manually controlled operation (with little on-line monitoring and automated control) to highly instrumented and controlled unit operations. Technologies used included 1) use of digital control systems (i.e., DCSs, PLCs, and data historians), 2) customizing such systems to accommodate the nuances of batch control, 3) on-line analytical systems (e.g., process mass spectrometers), and 4) utilizing advanced monitoring and control technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Some of this made use of existing literature co-authored by ISA members and some of it was information I contributed back to ISA.

My involvement with on-line mass spectrometry helped revolutionize the monitoring and control of bioprocesses in the pharmaceutical industry, with about ten new process variables becoming available continuously and on-line for operators and tech service personnel to use, many of which were soft/virtual sensors related directly to the mass, viability, and performance of the microorganisms in the bioreactor. This resulted in far earlier detection of many abnormal situations (especially ones involving the living cell cultures inside the bioreactors), significant reduction in batch process lot to lot variability, yield increases, and other benefits.

Lilly’s use of AI included 1) neural nets for use in developing soft/virtual sensors and 2) real-time expert systems for monitoring, analyzing, and alarming bioprocesses. It was the first known use of such technology in pharmaceutical industrial manufacturing. Some of the AI technology and applications used for Lilly bioprocesses was published in two Intech articles in 1999.

In recognizing my Lilly team’s pioneering work in the pharmaceutical industry in automating bioprocesses, using technologies such as noted above, I was presented with ISA’s Douglas Annin Award in 2001 and elected as an ISA Fellow in 2003. The picture below shows receipt of the Annin award from the ISA President, Robert Bailliet.

The Annin Award was presented at the ISA convention in Houston, which was coincident with the 9-11-2001 tragedy when many convention attendees watched (on TV) the New York Trade Center Towers fall, followed by cessation of all air travel in the US for several days. It was a trip never to forget – for many reasons.

Election to Fellow was followed by a three year term on ISA’s Admissions Committee.

In the mid 2000s, per ISA invitation, work with George Buckbee began in co-authoring the 2008 publication of a new ISA book, “Automation Applications in Bio-Pharmaceuticals,” - as shown below. This book is still available today from ISA.  

In 2010 came induction into Control’s “Process Automation Hall of Fame”, based on automation contributions to the Pharmaceutical Industry, ISA, other organizations, and the literature.    

Since retiring from Lilly in 2006, but remaining active in ISA and other volunteer professional activities, I have focused significant time on the gap between academic teaching vs. industrial application in process control that I sensed when starting by career and which, unfortunately, has only grown wider ever since. E.g., industry and ISA deal with process automation topics such as ISA/ANSI/IEC standards, alarm management, HMIs, batch process control, safety instrumented systems, digital control computers, connectivity between plant automation and IT systems, cybersecurity, and automation project management, NONE of which are mentioned in most undergraduate engineering process control courses or elsewhere in undergraduate engineering curriculums. Instead, as confirmed from my years serving on ABET accreditation teams, process control is taught in academia much as it has for the past 70 years, focusing on continuous linear processes with topics including Laplace transforms, Bode plots, Root Locus analysis, and other techniques rarely used by process or automation engineers in industrial practice. Most of my ISA and pharmaceutical industry automation colleagues have indicated their undergraduate academic process control course DID NOT prepare them very well for the process control portions of their industrial jobs. Further, audits of many industrial plants have indicated that about half of all control loops are found to be in manual mode, rather than automatic or computer mode – a testament that control loops have not been properly designed, implemented, tuned, or maintained. So these are some of the reasons process engineers in industry need to know about and get involved with ISA. My current focus is to encourage universities to modernize some of their engineering courses, including the process control course. This has included partnering with several ISA colleagues in publishing (in Intech and elsewhere) articles on this need. Also, most of my guest lectures at universities are directed at teaching students how process automation is actually practiced in industry – which happens to be ISA’s main focus.

I remain indebted to ISA which provided some of the knowledge subsequently applied to industrial batch process control during my career at Lilly and which provided opportunities to meet and work with many SMEs from many industries in developing books, articles, standards and other documents for use in automating processes . These included learning from, working with, and/or consulting with ISA members such as Prof. Tom Edgar (U. of Texas), Prof. James Riggs (Texas Tech U.), Prof. Russ Rhinehart (Oklahoma State U.), George Buckbee, Nick Sands, and Greg McMillan, all of whom significantly impacted my career, either personally or as a result of their books and other publications.

Also, having some of my contributions to ISA published as well as the new colleagues I met while working on ISA standards were very helpful in landing consulting gigs after retiring from Lilly.

In summary, I was happy to learn about and support existing industrial control systems when my career started. Since then, Lilly and ISA have progressively helped give me the knowledge, contacts, experiences and confidence to successfully take on bigger opportunities and challenges in advancing the state-of-the-art in automating industrial bio-processes, consistent with all the regulatory, safety, and other constraints associated with such processes. In short, ISA has been a “gold mine” in supporting my industrial automation career, in formally recognizing key contributions, and facilitating the sharing of “lessons learned” with others.

So, YES, in the continuing absence of a university undergraduate “degree” available in automation engineering, but with the help of ISA, there are careers in the chemical process industries that enable one to combine passions for process engineering (of which process control is a part), electrical systems, and computer configuration/programming - in a way that benefits society as well as a corporation’s manufacturing productivity. And this, to me, is what automation engineering in the chemical industries is all about.