Edmonton Data Society - Overcoming Contextual Challenges in LLM Applications
The Edmonton Data Society is thrilled to kick off our 2026 presentations with a deep dive into one of the most pressing challenges in modern AI systems: context management in Large Language Model (LLM) applications.
🧠 Presentation
Context Is the New King: Overcoming Contextual Challenges in LLM Applications
Abstract
As Large Language Models (LLMs) evolve from simple chatbots to powering complex, production-grade systems, one challenge consistently rises to the top: managing context. Whether it's a single-turn query or a multi-step agentic workflow, the ability to maintain and manipulate context is critical to building reliable, intelligent applications.
This talk introduces the emerging discipline of context engineering—a set of principles and practices for designing LLM systems that are robust, scalable, and context-aware. We will explore real-world challenges and practical strategies for handling context in LLM-based applications, including agent-based architectures where LLMs must reason, plan, and act over time.
🎤 Speaker
Pallavi Srivastava
Speaker Bio
Pallavi Srivastava is an AI engineer who turns machine learning into scalable, production-ready systems. She builds cloud-native platforms that combine microservices, LLMs, and vector search—most recently leading AI platform engineering at Cvent, where her work powers semantic search agents, client intelligence services, and insight-generation tools used across the business. Her career spans finance, telecom, and event technology, delivering recommendation engines, document intelligence pipelines, and risk modeling systems. With a PhD from IIT Bombay and research experience at the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University, Pallavi blends deep scientific rigor with practical engineering execution in complex environments.
📅 Event Details
Date: Thursday, January 22nd, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Singhmar Centre for Learning (SCFL), Room 3-091
10215 108 St NW, Edmonton, AB
🗓️ Event Schedule
Doors Open | 5:30 PM
Organizer’s Welcome | 6:00 – 6:05 PM
Main Presentation | 6:05 – 6:50 PM
Networking & Socializing | 6:45 – 8:00 PM
🤝 Sponsor Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the continued support of our community partners:
NorQuest College – Supporting accessible, industry-aligned education and providing a welcoming space for community learning.
KPMG – Empowering data-driven decision-making and innovation across industries through advanced analytics and AI expertise.
📌 Special Notes
🚨 Room change reminder: Our room is now SCFL 3-091 (previously 3-071).
Doors open at 5:30 PM—come early to grab a seat and say hello!