APEC Organizers, Vendors Take Virtual Route to Reveal Latest Trends in Power Technologies and Products: A Cancelled Conference Taps Alternate Methods to Disseminate Cutting-Edge Information

With the growing concerns of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, the IEEE Power Electronics Society/Industrial Applications Society (PELS/IAS) and Power Supply Manufacturers Association-sponsored 2020 Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC 2020) in New Orleans, Louisiana, was cancelled for the safety of the attendees. While it was a difficult decision, the health, safety, and welfare of the community was paramount for the organizers and sponsors of the 15-19 March 2020 conference. Although this was the first such cancellation in APEC's 35-year history, the organizers were quick to offer a virtual conference to those registered. In addition, peerreviewed papers accepted by the conference committee were submitted to IEEE Xplore and are available to all.