Yearly Archives: 2024

Local Activities

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IEEE Region 8 Programs for Local Humanitarian Activities


Humanitarian Student Ambassadors Program

R8 Humanitarian Awards

SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program

SIGHT Groups Monitoring and Support Program
Humanitarian Voices

An opportunity for SIGHT groups to share their activities in order to get published in R8 News and inspire volunteers across Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Regional SIGHT Groups Self-assessment Report

A gateway for SIGHT groups to dive into their operations and share their experiences with the R8 Humanitarian Activities Committee.


Act locally with SIGHT groups

SIGHT groups consist of at least six IEEE members who come together to learn about sustainable development, build relationships within their local communities, and implement SIGHT group projects that utilize technology to tackle key problems within the community. Non-IEEE members are welcome and encouraged to join their local SIGHT group. Groups can be formed at the professional or university level. SIGHT Group’s main purpose is to partner with underserved communities and local organizations to leverage technology for sustainable development.

In order for a SIGHT Group to be considered as active, the following requirements should be followed:

  • Membership: Should maintain a membership of not fewer than six (6) IEEE members.
  • Activities: Should hold not less than two (2) Group activities per year reported in vTools Events.
  • Leadership: Should hold elections regularly and report any changes in vTools Officers.

An integral part of IEEE HTB’s strategic mission is to offer educational resources and training to equip IEEE members and volunteers to impact their local communities through sustainable development activities. Webinars are one way that SIGHT members can learn new ideas, grow their professional acumen, and connect with an extended community of engineers affecting sustainable change around the world.


Awards and Recognition

The IEEE Region 8 Outstanding Section / Student Branch SIGHT Group of the Year Award was established to recognize the essential work of the existing section / student branch SIGHT groups in Region 8, but also to promote and encourage sections / student branches to create SIGHT groups. The purpose of this award is to recognize a Section / Student Branch SIGHT Group who has made an outstanding contribution to IEEE SIGHT and to the local underserved community by leveraging technology to accomplish a sustainable solution.

The IEEE SIGHT Group of the Year Award was established to recognize IEEE SIGHT Groups committed to impacting their local underserved community through the development or deployment of technology. The IEEE SIGHT Volunteer of the Year Award was established to recognize a professional or student member of IEEE who has made an outstanding contribution to IEEE SIGHT and a local underserved community through the development or deployment of technology.

Opportunities

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The IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board (HTB) inspires and empowers IEEE volunteers around the world carrying out and supporting impactful humanitarian technology activities at the local level.


The IEEE HTB mission is to support impactful and ethically informed volunteer-led initiatives, programs and projects, and mutually beneficial partnerships, as well as to inform policy formulation that harness technology and innovation to address societal challenges (including disaster recovery) in a responsive, effective, and sustainable way.

IEEE SIGHT

IEEE SIGHT is a global network of groups consisting of IEEE members and volunteers who identify and address local problems by applying their technical skills and partnering with their local communities. Its vision is for underserved communities around the world to be able to benefit from technology as they seek sustainable solutions to development challenges.


IEEE Tech4Good

A direct program of IEEE HTB, IEEE Tech4Good provides funding for grassroots projects that utilize technology to address the pressing needs of the member’s local communities. Projects must address one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Teams build relationships with local NGOs, government entities, schools and universities, neighborhood associations, or companies to identify a specific need and implement a plan to address it through technology development, customization, or deployment.


EPICS in IEEE

EPICS in IEEE empowers students to work with local service organizations to apply technical knowledge to implement solutions for a community’s unique challenges. In this way, EPICS in IEEE not only assists communities in achieving their specific local community improvement goals but also encourages students to pursue engineering for community improvement as a career.


IEEE Smart Village

IEEE Smart Village (ISV) has a unique approach to support the world’s energy-impoverished communities by providing a comprehensive solution combining renewable energy, community-based education, and entrepreneurial opportunities. ISV provides seed-funding to carefully selected community entrepreneurs based upon a credible business plan that will impact significant number of people with electricity, education and jobs.


MOVE Community Outreach

MOVE Community Outreach is an emergency relief program committed to assisting victims of natural disasters with short-term communications, computer, and power solutions. Natural disasters can severely impact individuals, families, and communities around the world. The restoration of electricity and communications is often of primary importance during these challenging times—because when power and connectivity is lost, people have no lights, no means to recharge mobile phones, and no way to reach out.


IEEE Empower a Billion Lives

IEEE Empower a Billion Lives is a global competition aimed at fostering innovation to develop solutions to electricity access. Solutions are expected to be scalable, regionally relevant, holistic, and leverage 21st century technologies with exponentially declining prices.


IEEE REACH

Understanding that technology and history are not mutually exclusive subjects, IEEE REACH provides pre-university teachers with free, open educational resources that situate science, technology, and engineering in their social and humanistic contexts. The program offers a one-stop shop of resources that bring to life the history of technology and engineering in the classroom, as well as an opportunity to expose students to the different ways that science and technology interrelate and play out in society.

Committee

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Composition (2025-2026)

Samarth
Theodoros
George
Lucija
Omar
Fairouz
Amira
Vasiliki
Kai

Programs and Activities


Community Support Program

Connecting Humanitarian Experts Webinars

Humanitarian Student Ambassadors Program

Projects Monitoring and Visibility Program

R8 Humanitarian Activities Congress

R8 Humanitarian Awards

R8 Humanitarian Technologies Hackathon

SIGHT Groups Accelerator Program

SIGHT Groups Coordination Workshops

SIGHT Groups Monitoring and Support Program

Goals

The IEEE Region 8 Humanitarian Technology Activities Committee (HTAC) mission is to inspire and empower IEEE volunteers around Europe, Middle East, and Africa carrying out and supporting impactful humanitarian technology and sustainable development activities at the local level. In particular, our goals include:

  • Supports SIGHT groups activities and encourage them to participate in Regional humanitarian technology activities,
  • Develops programs and initiatives to enable volunteer engagement in humanitarian technology activities,
  • Reviews and evaluates of the overall effectiveness of humanitarian programs,
  • Recommends best practices as they relate to programs and projects,
  • Evaluates of funding proposals for projects to be carried out at the local level,
  • Connects with humanitarian volunteers and builds the optimal humanitarian team in the Region,
  • Mentors existing SIGHT groups and prospective groups,
  • Increases visibility of humanitarian technology activities within the Region,
  • Encourages reporting of activities via vTools by monitoring and reaching out,
  • Raises awareness of ongoing HTB/SIGHT activities,
  • Encourages submission of HTB/SIGHT project proposals and proposals for funding of activities,
  • Encourages celebration of SIGHT Week/Day across the Region,
  • Encourages students and young professionals involvement in humanitarian technology activities,
  • Organizes R8 Humanitarian Activities Congress when budget allows and collaborates in organizing humanitarian conferences,
  • Recognizes exceptional SIGHT groups and volunteers,
  • Collaborates and establishes partnerships with other IEEE OUs, with external organizations and other entities with similar goals on humanitarian projects.

IEEE Fellow Elevation Process

 in Member Elevation

IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious grade elevation. IEEE Region 8 is keen on increasing the number of IEEE Fellow nominations and encourages Senior or Life Senior Members to examine the elevation process and pre-requisites available at IEEE Fellow Program Website.

 

Towards the goal of increasing the number of nominations for IEEE Fellow status, IEEE Region 8 has formed a dedicated Ad-hoc committee Fellow Members Search, currently chaired by Maria Teresa Correia de Barros (contact). The Ad-hoc has coordinated with Dr. Don Tan, Chair of the IEEE Fellow Committee 2023-2024, to organize an online presentation on the IEEE Fellow program process and best practices entitled “Towards the Fellow Grade”. It was held on 1-Dec-2023 and attended by nearly 160 participants, with a long Q&A part at the end. You can find the video and corresponding slides below, together with topic abstract and speaker’s biography.

Slides from the IEEE Fellow elevation process presentation are available here:

Slides – Don Tan – Towards the Fellow Grade

When these slides are used for presentations, please give credit to the IEEE Fellow Committee and Dr. Don Tan, IEEE Fellow Committee Chair 2023-2024, for having them prepared and made available.

Video on IEEE Fellow elevation process available here:

Video Recording – Don Tan – Towards the Fellow Grade

 

 

 

Abstract: IEEE fellow grade is a prestigious recognition by the Institute to a single individual for his or her technical accomplishments in impacting society at large. It is highly sought-after across the globe. How do you answer the question then: Am I qualified to be considered for an IEEE fellow? What is the best way to prepare a nomination package? This talk by Dr. Don Tan will provide a unique perspective from an IEEE Fellow Committee Chair’s viewpoint. It tries to demystify the fellow nomination and evaluation process. This is part of a continued effort to help increase the nomination pool size each year, particularly from underrepresented geographic areas, such as Region 9, African Council, Eastern Europe, Pacific Inlanders, etc. and underrepresented technical disciplines, such as industry, standards, education, etc. Topics include: 1) IEEE membership grades, 2) Relevant membership statistics, 3) Find a mentor/sponsor, 4) Judging yourself, 5) Importance of your nomination package, and 6) Reference resources.

 

Biography: Dr. Tan is with NGSS, where he served to executive level as Distinguished Engineer, Fellow, Chief Engineer-Power Conversion, program manager, department manager, and center director (acting). Don earned his PhD from Caltech and is an IEEE fellow. Well-recognized as a visionary leader in ultra-efficient power conversion and electronic energy systems, he has pioneered breakthrough innovations with high impact industry firsts and record performances that “significantly enhance our national security.” Recent launch of JWST Space Telescope represents human’s most power telescope for a historical mission. His suite of the world-class electronics performed flawlessly for JWST on orbit, one million miles sway, with record-breaking performances.

Don has delivered 70+ keynotes/invited global presentations. He is, among others, Chair, IEEE Fellow Committee, IEEE Board of Directors, Vice Chair, Industry Engagement Committee and Immediate Past Steering Committee Chair, IEEE PELS/PES eGrid. He was Director, IEEE Board of Directors, PELS Long Range Planning Committee Chair, Nomination Committee Chair, PELS President, Editor-in-Chief (Founding) for IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, General Conference Chair for APEC, Vice President-Operations, Guest Editor-in-Chief for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Fellow Committee, Vice President-Meetings, IEEE Chair for IEEE/Google Little Box Challenge (awarded $1M cash prize), and IEEE/DoD Working Group Chair, developed IEEE/ANSI stds 1515/1573. He also serves on many national and international award, review and selection committees.

IEEE Senior Member Elevation Process

 in Member Elevation

Senior member is the highest grade for which IEEE members can apply. IEEE members can self-nominate, or be nominated, for Senior Member grade. To be eligible for application or nomination, candidates must:

  • Be engineers, scientists, educators, technical executives, or originators in IEEE-designated fields
  • Have experience reflecting professional maturity
  • Have been in professional practice for at least 10 years (with some credit for certain degrees)
  • Show significant performance over a period of at least 5 of their years in professional practice

IEEE Region 8 is highly encouraging applications already from our Young Professional members who fulfill the above criteria and inviting everyone to learn more about the process at IEEE Senior Member Website. To facilitate the number of applications, IEEE Region 8 has formed a dedicated Ad-hoc committee Senior Members Search, currently chaired by Dusanka Boskovic (contact).

Humanitarian Technology Activities

 in Humanitarian Technology Activities / Main Menu

IEEE Region 8 Humanitarian Technology Activities

The IEEE Region 8 Humanitarian Technology Activities Committee (HTAC) mission is to inspire and empower IEEE volunteers around Europe, Middle East, and Africa carrying out and supporting impactful humanitarian technology and sustainable development activities at the local level.


IEEE Humanitarian and Philanthropic Opportunities

The IEEE Humanitarian Technologies (IHT) is a consortium of programs and initiatives-supported by a global network of volunteers and technical professionals-working together to apply technology to solve the world’s most pressing problems. In keeping with the IEEE mission of advancing technology for the benefit of humanity, IHT provides the framework, best practices, and tools for developing and deploying innovative solutions to advance sustainable development goals globally while achieving social and environmental impact locally, and the IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board (HTB) drives the work.


The programs and activities supported under the IHT hub are the following:


Interested in Humanitarian Technology Activities?

IEEE offers the SIGHT membership to everyone interested in sustainable development and humanitarian technology activities at no additional charge.


Membership includes:

  • IEEE HTB monthly newsletter providing the latest updates on IEEE humanitarian technology activities
  • First notice of HTB and SIGHT funding opportunities (including calls for project proposals) and events
  • Increased connectivity with the SIGHT Steering Committee and the large network of like-minded volunteers

History Activities – 2026

 in History Activities

Latest update 18-03-2026

Team

Martin BastiaansMartin

David DiasDavid

Evgen PichkalyovEvgen

Mathini SellathuraiMathini

 

The History Activities Committee is looking forward to assist you in your history-related activities. The 2026 committee consists of:

  • Martin Bastiaans, History Activities Coordinator (2021–2026)
  • David Dias, current IEEE History Committee member (2026)
  • Evgen Pichkalyov, past IEEE History Committee member (2022–2023)
  • Mathini Sellathurai, current IEEE History Committee member (2024–2026)

Feel free to contact us at [email protected], but include [email protected] in CC, just in case the email alias may not work properly.

IEEE Region 8 History webpage

The Region 8 History webpage is updated whenever new information becomes available.

News

  • † Death announcements
    Past Region 8 Director Paul Jespers, Region 8 Student Activities Chair in 1966–1969 and Region 8 Director in 1972–1973, passed away on 5 December 2025 at the age of 96.
    A few days later, André Vander Vorst, Region 8 Student Activities Chair in 1967–1968 (acting instead of Paul Jespers), 1972–1973, and 1978–1983, passed away on 25 December 2025 at the age of 90.

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  • HISTELCON
    HISTELCON – HISTory of ELectrotechnology CONference – was a flagship conference series of IEEE Region 8 held every two years and is dedicated to any aspects of the history of electrical engineering, electronics, telecommunications, computing, and their impact on social and economic development. HISTELCON 2025 in Bonn was the ninth HISTELCON, with predecessors in Paris (2008), Madrid (2010), Pavia (2012), Tel-Aviv (2015), Kobe (2017, together with Region 10), Glasgow (2019), Moscow (2021), and Florence (2023).
    As of 2026, HISTELCON will be an annual multi-regional IEEE conference (of Regions 7, 8, 9 and 10), with HISTELCON 2026 taking place in Tokyo, Japan, on 25–27 November 2026.
    [13-02] See the Call for papers for more information:

    • Paper/Abstract Submission by: 15th June 2026
    • Notification of Paper Acceptance: 1st September 2026
    • Final Paper Submissions: 30th September 2026
    • Early Bird Registration Deadline: 30th September 2026

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  • Recently added Oral Histories
    The List of Oral Histories related to Region 8 (.xlsx) on the Region 8 History webpage has been updated by adding the transcripts of interviews with

    • Moshe Kam, an oral history conducted in 2024 by Michael Geselowitz, IEEE History Center, Piscataway, NJ, USA,
    • Maria A. Stuchly, an oral history conducted in 2021 by Allison Marsh, IEEE History Center, Piscataway, NJ, USA.

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  • IEEE Milestones approved but not yet dedicated:

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  • IEEE Milestone proposals under consideration by the IEEE History Committee

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  • News Archive — News items about Milestones and Conferences are ordered by year: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2010.

Highlights from 2025 – see also News Archive: 2025

  • IEEE Milestones dedicated in 2025
    • Heverlee, Belgium: Rijndael and the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), 1995–1998
      Dedication ceremony: 18 November 2025 – Benelux Section
      In 1995-1998, Rijndael, an innovative and computationally efficient series of secure block ciphers for encrypting data and providing provable security against attacks, was created by Belgian cryptographers Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen. In 2000, their design won an international competition sponsored by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA). Rijndael became the basis of AES in 2001, leading to its worldwide use for data security, encryption, and authentication.
    • Haifa, Israel: Intel 8087 math coprocessor, 1980
      Dedication ceremony: 14 September 2025 – Israel Section
      Intel’s release of its 8087 math coprocessor vastly expanded the capabilities of its 8086 and 8088 microprocessors by enabling floating-point arithmetic, binary-decimal conversion, and transcendental functions, using special CPU instructions designed to invoke a coprocessor. The Intel 8087’s robust exception handling and breadth of features surpassed all existing computers. Its data types and arithmetic were the basis of the IEEE 754 Floating-Point Standard, and revolutionized computing.
    • Galway, Ireland: Anderson bridge, 1891
      Dedication ceremony: 5 September 2025 – UK and Ireland Section
      Developed by Alexander Anderson here, formerly Queen’s College Galway, the Anderson Bridge is a modified Maxwell Bridge specialised for measuring electrical inductance by comparing an unknown inductance value with the capacitance of a fixed reference capacitor. While operating in a manner similar to how the Wheatstone Bridge measures resistance, it was the first invention to enable precise measurements of inductance ranging from a few microhenrys to several henrys.
    • Antwerp, Belgium: Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) enabling broadband internet, 1993-1997
      Dedication ceremony: 4 September 2025 – Benelux Section
      In 1997, Alcatel’s A1000 ASAM product revolutionized broadband Internet access by providing multi-megabit per second downstream speeds over ubiquitous but decades-old and ill-conditioned subscriber telephone lines. A team based in Antwerp, Belgium began development of the product in 1993. The combination of ADSL technology, innovative signal processing, cutting-edge silicon integration, and a revolutionary architecture brought affordable broadband Internet to nearly one billion people worldwide.
    • Agrate Brianza, Italy: Integrated circuits for satellite digital radio, 1996–1997
      Dedication ceremony: 24 June 2025 – Italy Section
      In 1996-1997, STMicroelectronics developed three low-power integrated circuits (ICs) essential for satellite digital radio reception: a frequency demodulator, a baseband processor, and a compressed audio decoder. Their use in digital radio satellite receivers adopted by Worldspace and Sirius XM Radio provided inexpensive educational and entertainment services in Africa, India, and the United States, and addressed a United Nations humanitarian call for inexpensive radio service to less-developed countries.
    • Szczecin, Poland – Zielona Góra, Poland – Frankfurt am Main, Germany:
      Long distance electric power transmission using three-phase alternating current, 1891
      Dedication ceremonies:
      – 9 June 2025 – IEEE Poland Section
      – 10 June 2025 – IEEE Poland Section
      – 12 June 2025 – IEEE Germany Section
      The world’s first long distance (175km), high voltage (15kV), highly efficient (75%) electric power transmission of 300 horsepower using three-phase alternating current (AC) was demonstrated at the 1891 International Electrotechnical Exhibition by Oskar von Miller, German-Bavarian consultant; Michael Dolivo-Dobrowolsky, Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft (AEG), Germany; and Charles Eugene Lancelot Brown, Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon (MFO), Switzerland. This Lauffen-to-Frankfurt demonstration directly influenced the eventual worldwide dominance of electric power transmission using three-phase AC systems.

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  • HISTELCON 2025, Knowing the past for preparing the future: History of technology for meaningful goals in the age of AI, took place in Bonn, Germany, 30 September – 2 October 2025.

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  • Proceedings of HISTELCON
    The proceedings of HISTELCON 1 through 7, available at IEEE Xplore, are now freely accessible for everyone without any payment; see also the HISTELCON entry on ETHW.

    1. Paris, France, 11–12 September 2008
    2. Madrid, Spain, 3–5 November 2010
    3. Pavia, Italy, 5–7 September 2012
    4. Tel Aviv, Israel, 16–21 August 2015, held jointly with the 42nd annual meeting of ICOHTEC, the International Committee for the History of Technology: History of High-Technologies and Their Socio-Cultural Contexts
    5. Kobe, Japan, 7–8 August 2017, together with IEEE Region 10
    6. Glasgow, United Kingdom, 18–19 September 2019
    7. Moscow, Russia, 10–12 November 2021
    8. Florence, Italy, 7–9 September 2023 (not yet freely accessible)
    9. Bonn, Germany, 30 September – 2 October 2025 (not yet freely accessible)

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  • Minutes of the IEEE Region 8 Committee meetings
    With the exception of four Region 8 Committee meetings – in Geneva (7 September 1965), Leuven (16 September 1966), Tel Aviv (24 October 1968), and Dubrovnik (25–26 October 1974) – we have (scanned) versions of all meeting minutes; and of the above-mentioned meetings in Leuven and Tel Aviv, we have the agendas. The (scanned) versions have been collected in five pdf files, which are available for download:
    1962–1970 (.pdf), 1971–1983 (.pdf), 1984–1993 (.pdf), 1994–2009 (.pdf), and 2010–2022 (.pdf).

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  • Old issues of IEEE Region 8 News
    Digital versions of IEEE Region 8 News from 2002 onward can be found in the Region 8 News archive of back issues. All older issues of IEEE Region 8 News and its predecessors — IEEE Region 8 newsletter (1967–1986; issues 1–76) and IEEE Region EIGHT News (1987–1989; issues 77–85) — have now been scanned: 1092 pages with a total size of about 0.7 GB. Note that volume numbers were introduced in Region 8 News in 1998 with the August issue (Volume 1, Number 1); until then, the numbering was consecutively from 1 till 122.
    The scanned versions can be downloaded by clicking on the links in the table that can be found here. In addition to news about the IEEE and the activities that took place on the Region level, these old issues contain lots of information about our Sections and may thus form a valuable source of information, especially for those Sections who want to fill the gaps in their history. To help Sections, an index has been created to direct Section leaders to the relevant pages in the issues 1–122 (December 1967 – May 1998) where news about their Section can be found.

IEEE Milestones

Engineering and Technology History Wiki

Region 8 history book

  • The book A short history of IRE Region 9 / IEEE Region 8 (.pdf) presents a history of IEEE Region 8 spanning its origins from the IRE Region in Europe, through the IRE/AIEE merger forming the IEEE and subsequently to the present day Region 8 consisting of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
    Note that if you click on the link above and open the Document Outline in the left-hand side bar, you can immediately jump to any section of the book and easily navigate through it.
  • More information about the history of Region 8 can be found on ieeer8.org/history/

Documents archive

IEEE History Center – a selection of additional weblinks