Please join us on Saturday, September 12th, 2026 for an in-person 4-hour tutorial/workshop by Mr. Ken Cureton of the LA chapter on analyzing complex system problems using AI. This event will be held at the Sorrento Valley Modern Lounge & Suite in Sorrento Valley (San Diego) from 10am – 2pm and will include lunch and soft drinks. Coffee will also be available at the suite. Prices are $30 for INCOSE members and students, $40 for non-INCOSE members.

If you own a laptop, please bring it with you. Email us with any questions at: info@sdincose.org.

VITAL INFORMATION

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 10am – 2pm. Please arrive by 9:45am as the workshop will start promptly at 10am.

Location: Sorrento Valley Modern Lounge & Suite, 6195 Cornerstone Ct E STE 105, San Diego, CA 92121 (Google Maps)

Cost: $30 for INCOSE members and students, $40 for non-INCOSE members

Parking: Free. We will have a sign in front of the suite to help you find the right spot.

SYNOPSIS

This workshop provides a practical exploration of using Artificial Intelligence (Large Language Models such as ChatGPT) to speed up and improve analysis of complex Systems Engineering problems, both in personal and professional areas. Participants work in small teams to:

1. Understand the basics of using AI for analysis
2. Prompt engineering
3. Determining the REAL problem to be solved
4. Hands-on analysis of a representative problem statement, and
5. Lessons-learned from this experience (and any prior experiences)

At the conclusion of the workshop, attendees will understand the basic principles of AI for SE and can then more effectively tackle personal and/or professional challenges for which classic Systems Engineering methods take too long or are confounded by too many options.

SCHEDULE

• 10am Start: Introductions
• Breakout sessions: using AI to better understand the problem
• Problem statement report-out by each breakout group
• Presentation of prompt engineering methods
• Breakout sessions: using AI to identify and rank likely solutions to the “real” problem
• Lunch (breakout groups can continue working during lunch)
• Presentation of typical problems encountered with using AI
• Progress and lessons-learned report-out by each breakout group
• Closing Presentation: ‘What’s next?’

PRESENTER: Mr. Ken Cureton

Kenneth L. Cureton holds a BS in Physics from California State University Los Angeles and an MS in Systems Architecting and Engineering from USC, where he has served as a part-time lecturer since 1996. He retired from Boeing (heritage Rockwell) after 29 years, with additional experience spanning 16 years in commercial and government sectors. His expertise includes enterprise systems architecting and engineering, system-of-systems modeling and integration, complex networked systems interoperability, resilience engineering, and avionics design for manned and unmanned space systems.

Mr. Cureton chairs the INCOSE Resilient Systems Working Group and serves on AIAA Space Settlement and Systems Engineering Technical Committees. He previously co-chaired the IEEE SMC MBSE Working Group and served as Technical Council Chair Emeritus for the NCO Industry Consortium.

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Join us at our annual STEM Recognition Celebration on SUNDAY, October 4th, 2026, from 4:30-7:30pm at the CITY FUN CENTER in Poway !

INCOSE SD’s STEM program provides STEM awards to schools and groups, including the 2025-2026 school year, and the students will present their projects. Everyone – students, teachers, family and friends – is welcome to attend and see the awesome work our next generation of systems engineers.

Come celebrate STEM and have a blast! Food and Toy/Gadget Raffle included!!! Visit their webpage at CityFunCenter.com

All kids receive a free $20 game card as part of their registration !!!!!!!!!!!!!

VITAL INFORMATION

Date: Sunday, Nov 4th, 2026, from 4:30-7:30pm

Location: The City Fun Center, 12900 Gregg Court, Poway, CA 92064 (Google Maps)

Cost: $20/person, $70 Family of 4. Register below!

Food: Pizza, Popcorn, Drinks!

ABOUT THE CITY FUN CENTER

Located in Poway, the City Fun Center offers a unique blend of fun activities including mini-bowling, mini-golf, and private party rooms. The center has over 100 exciting games, including driving, pinball, and video games, using game cards and e-tickets.

Fun includes:

• 4-player PACMAN SMASH air hockey
• Classic AIR-HOCKEY
• 4 MINI-BOWLING lanes
• Walk-In Interactive games including LASER FRENZY and TIME FREAK
• Two player FAST-N-FURIOUS driving simulator
• 9-hole black light glow-in-the-dark MINI-GOLF COURSE

FOOD

Join us for plenty of Pizza, loads of Popcorn, and soft drinks!

RAFFLE

We will once again hold a RAFFLE for toys, gadgets, and extra game cards! Everyone will receive one free ticket when checking in, and extra tickets will be available for sale for $1 each, 6 tickets for $5, or 15 tickets for $10. Good luck to all!

ABOUT THE INCOSE SD STEM Program

The San Diego chapter is a yearly sponsor of Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) for local schools. Each year, the chapter solicits short proposals from area teachers who teach after-hours STEM classes to students, helping prepare the next generation of systems engineers for our country. In 2025, the chapter awarded the following schools:

• Ada Harris Elementary Schools
• Poway High School
• FRC Team NOMAD
• Double Peak

Come see what the schools’ DEMOS!

If you would like to make a contribution to our INCOSE San Diego STEM fund, it would be warmly appreciated! Please select Donation to STEM Fund in the registration below – Thank you!

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This conference is now available both in-person and remotely.

The INCOSE Los Angeles and San Diego chapters cordially invite you to join us at our HYBRID In-Person 2-Day INCOSE 2026 Joint Technical Conference from November 7-8, 2026 at Caltech in Pasadena, California.

This year’s conference theme is 250 Years and Beyond of Systems Engineering. Please join us!

Please go to the following page to see full information on submitting an abstract! Deadline: Sept 8th, 2026.

*** HOW TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT ***

Please Note: this event is Hybrid, but presenters are expected to present in-person at Caltech. Please get with us for special circumstances.

WHY ATTEND THE 2026 CONFERENCE?

• 2 full days of insightful presentations, hands-on tutorials, keynotes, and panel discussions
• Now a HYBRID event!
• At $99 for INCOSE members, this is an exceptional value at a time when most conference fees are increasing substantially
• After-conference events
• Opportunity to network and exchange ideas with other professional Systems Engineers
• Paper exam for INCOSE SEP certification (to be offered on Friday, Nov 6th, the day before the conference)
• Free parking

WHEN & WHERE

DATE: 9am-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday, Nov 7th and 8th, 2026

LOCATION: Caltech University in Pasadena, CA.

Building Name: The conference will take place at the Gates-Thomas Lab (TOM) Building at Caltech
Address: 370 S. Holliston Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106 (Google Maps)
Building Number: 44
Map Grid: C4
Main Hall: Jim & Sandy Hall Auditorium (135 – 1st floor)
Coffee breaks (morning/afternoon) and lunch will be served on the second floor in George W. Housner Lounge (235 – 2nd floor)
1st breakout room: 235 Gates-Thomas (2nd floor)
2nd breakout room: TBD

Map of Campus Area

Directions from Lot 4:  Once parked, please make your way to the 1st floor and exit the door on the Southwest side of the parking structure. Head south on Holliston and make a right westward, onto campus at San Pasqual.  Follow the path past Browne Dining Hall and make a left (South) after you pass Hameetman Center (Red Door).  From there you will make a right into the courtyard.  Gate-Thomas Laboratory will be on your left.

Here is the interactive campus map to assist participant travel to and from campus: https://www.caltech.edu/map/campus

Parking is free on weekends.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL (SEP) PAPER EXAM

We’re also offering the INCOSE Systems Engineering Professional (SEP) paper exam the Friday before (Nov 6th). This test will begin promptly at 10am, so all students must arrive by no later than 30 minutes prior (9:30am) for pre-test brief and seating. The test will conclude by approximately 12 noon.

The cost for taking the exam is FREE for INCOSE Los Angeles and San Diego chapter members, $30 for other INCOSE chapter members, and $40 for non-INCOSE members.

• Address: 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (near S. Holliston Ave), Building 79
• Room: PB 100 (Room 100) is a lecture and seminar room located on the ground floor of the Caltech Powell-Booth Laboratory for Computational Science

Parking and finding the building: We recommend parking in Structure 4 on South Holliston Ave as it is the closest to the Powell-Booth Building. https://www.caltech.edu/map/campus/holliston-parking-structure Since it is a weekday, a permit will be required. Individuals will be able to purchase parking on the HonkMobile App: https://www.honkmobile.com/ Here is the interactive campus map to assist participant travel to and from campus: https://www.caltech.edu/map/campus

Please note that exam seating is limited. If you are interested and prepared to take the exam, please email us at info@sdincose.org. We expect the exam registration webpage to be available by early September.

CONFERENCE PRICE

The following prices are In-Person or Remote:

Regular INCOSE Member: $99, Non-INCOSE Member: $149, Senior (65+) INCOSE Member: $39, Senior (65+) Non-INCOSE Member: $59, Student: $25.Register below (uses PayPal).

NOTE – please sign up in advance! This greatly helps us in planning the food orders (thank you!)

Note that presenters (up to 2 per presentation) receive a 50% discount. Please contact us for Discount Code.

AFTER HOURS EVENTS

Saturday, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Yard House, 300 East Colorado Blvd Suite 220 Pasadena, CA 91101

PARKING

Caltech parking is FREE on weekends.

FOOD

More information on conference food and refreshments is forthcoming.

KEYNOTES

Keynote information is forthcoming.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The program schedule is forthcoming.

SPONSORS

We will be posting more on our 2026 conference sponsor packages soon. In the meanwhile, please see the following sponsor tiering. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Rich Hefner at: rhefner@caltech.edu

HOTELS

There are many hotel options in the greater Pasadena/Caltech area. Please see below for several good options:

Hilton Pasadena
168 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena
About 1 mile from Caltech. Full-service hotel with restaurant, pool, fitness center. Convenient for both Caltech and Old Pasadena.

Pasadena Hotel & Pool
928 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
About 0.8 miles from Caltech. Walkable to restaurants and shopping on Colorado Boulevard. Outdoor pool, modern rooms, good value for visitors to campus.

Pasadena Rose & Crown Hotel
1203 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
About 0.8 miles from Caltech. Free parking and breakfast. Budget-friendly option with strong guest reviews.

Langham Huntington, Pasadena
1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena
About 1 mile from Caltech. Luxury resort-style property. Spa, gardens, multiple restaurants, elegant accommodations.

Howard Johnson by Wyndham Pasadena
1599 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena
About 0.9–1.0 mile from Caltech. Budget-friendly. Free parking and breakfast.

Hotel Dena, Pasadena (Tribute Portfolio)
Downtown Pasadena, 303 Cordova St, Pasadena, CA 91101
About 1.2 miles from Caltech. Stylish Marriott-affiliated hotel. Easy access to restaurants and shopping.

Courtyard by Marriott Pasadena/Old Town
Old Pasadena, 180 N Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
About 1.7 miles from Caltech. Great location for dining and evening activities. Marriott rewards eligible

CONTACT US

Please feel free to contact us anytime at info@sdincose.org. Thank you.

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