IEEE Schenectady Section members are invited to the talk TITANIC: The Truth Behind the Myths presented by The University Club of Albany Foundation and co-sponsored by IEEE Schenectady Section on Wednesday, June 19, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Engineer and historian Phil Barker will discuss TITANIC: The Truth Behind the Myths at the National Register-listed University Club of Albany, 141 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210. The evening begins with a networking reception with light fare and cash bar at 5:30 p.m. followed by the illustrated presentation at 6:00 p.m. with time for a question and answer period.

Barker has long been a student of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City in 1912. He will discuss the vessel and the tragedy in ways that will appeal to people from a variety of backgrounds and provide historic context for the tragedy. He’ll share rare photographs of the opulent interiors for architectural historians, provide technical details of the ship’s design relevant to engineers, and discuss health and safety regulations from the annals of maritime law. He’ll even discuss elements of the Academy Award-winning 1997 film Titanic, written and directed by James Cameron.

With 30 years of experience in the electric power industry, Barker received his Bachelors and Master’s Degrees in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University with a concentration in electric power systems. He was a consulting engineer at Power Technologies, Incorporated (PTI) for 14 years. Later he worked for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI PEAC Division) where he focused on advanced research related to distributed generation, power quality, and distribution reliability.

In 2003, he founded Nova Energy Specialists (NES), a consulting company that provides engineering services to the utility sector in the areas of power systems, distributed generation, and emerging technologies. Throughout his career, he has been involved in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and has published over 30 papers and/or technical articles. Barker received the IEEE PES Excellence in Power Distribution Engineering Award in 2010.

The event is hosted by the University Club of Albany Foundation and one need not be a member of the Club to attend. The program is free but reservations are appreciated and may be made by calling the Club at 518-463-1151; by sending an email to mfahy@universityclubalbany.com; or on the Club’s website at www.universityclubalbany.com.

The University Club of Albany Foundation is a 501c3 corporation formed in 2009 to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the National Register-listed University Club building, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901. Support for educational programming at the University Club is provided by AT&T.

For more information about the University Club, visit www.universityclubalbany.com.