IEEE South Australian Control, Aerospace and Electronic Society (CAES) Joint Chapter Hosts Gala Dinner

The 2025 CAES Gala Dinner was held on 14 June 2025 at the Adelaide Zoo, with 56 members and guests in attendance. The evening provided an excellent opportunity for networking, sharing knowledge, and celebrating achievements within the control, aerospace, and electronics communities.

The night began with pre-dinner drinks at the Bamboo Forest, home to the only two giant pandas in the Southern Hemisphere, Zing Qiu and Yi Lan. Guests enjoyed an exclusive panda talk delivered by zookeepers, who introduced the pandas and shared fascinating insights into their care, conservation efforts, and unique behaviours.

During the dinner, chapter chair Dr Waddah Al-Ashwal gave an overview of the joint chapter’s activities and achievements over the past 12 months. The program also featured four third-year University of Adelaide students—Jasmin Lu, Georgia Mason, Isabella Cordera, and Anwitha Aromel—who, together with Adelaide Zoo’s conservation manager Mr Mark Smith, presented their collaborative work on using computer vision to recognise Orangutan behaviours and emotional states.

The evening concluded with the annual dinner quiz, hosted by chapter treasurer Dr Xin Yuan (Vernon). The quiz challenged guests with questions on IEEE, as well as topics in control, aerospace, and electronics, bringing a fun and competitive end to a memorable evening.

The 2025 CAES Gala Dinner successfully combined a technical exchange, community engagement, and unique wildlife experiences, reflecting the Chapter’s commitment to fostering connections between academia, industry, and the wider community.