Outstanding Section Industry Ambassador Award
Introduction
The IEEE Region 8 Action for Industry (AfI) Committee introduces this award with the goal of encouraging grassroot Section-level industry engagement activities and recognizing Section Industry Ambassadors (SIAs) who have made an outstanding contribution to improving industry engagement within their Section.
It serves to motivate SIAs, enhance membership value, and improve collaboration between IEEE Sections and industries, including corporates, SMEs, and startups. The Award is a USD 250 cash prize and a plaque.
Title
The award is known as the IEEE Region 8 Outstanding Section Industry Ambassador Award.
Eligibility
The following are eligible as candidates for the Award:
(a) An IEEE member of any membership grade who serves as a Section or Sub-Section Industry Ambassador in Region 8.
(b) The candidate’s volunteer work is, or has been, on behalf of a Section. The candidate must have been active in the SIA position for at least 1 year and is not currently the Section Chair.
(c) The candidate receives no remuneration for their work for the Section except possibly expenses.
(d) Current members of the Region 8 Awards and Recognition Committee, Region 8 Operations Committee, and the Region 8 Action for Industry Committee are ineligible for the Award.
Conditions for nomination
(a) Self-nominations are not allowed.
(b) Nominations must be submitted with an endorsement letter from the Section Chair or Secretary.
(c) The nomination must include at least two endorsement letters with at least one being from an industry partner.
(d) Nominations must be received through the IEEE OpenWater Platform (https://ieee.secure-platform.com/) as part of the annual Region 8 awards cycle.
(e) Nominations are expected to highlight significant tangible achievements as an outcome of the nominee’s program(s). Evidence is required to evaluate and verify any claims.
Basis of adjudication
The points which adjudicators will take into consideration include the following:
(a) Thoroughness and Clarity: The completeness of the provided information, ensuring it is sufficient to judge the nomination, alongside the overall structure and presentation of the nomination pack.
(b) Consistency of Activities: Whether the SIA consistently organized impactful industry activities and/or established or strengthened industry relations within the past year.
(c) Impact of Activities: Demonstrated contributions to IEEE and MGA goals, such as membership growth, enhanced member value, and fostering collaboration with industry. This includes the diversity of contributions, such as joint events, job fairs, promotion of entrepreneurship, and bridging the gap between academia and industry.
(d) Evidence of Accomplishments: The presence of clear, verifiable results and significant tangible achievements, such as new partnerships established, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed, internships or career opportunities facilitated, or the successful recruitment of new industry members. The focus is on results rather than merely the volume of events.
(e) Committee Engagement: The degree of the candidate’s involvement in IEEE Region 8 Action for Industry Committee activities, including attending training workshops, co-organizing webinars with partner companies, and similar initiatives.
Adjudication
The adjudicators are the members of the Awards Selection Committee, which consists of at least 4 members from the IEEE Region 8 Action for Industry Committee. The members are appointed by the Chair of the Action for Industry Committee for a one-year term. This committee is responsible for evaluating applications and providing the evaluated results to the IEEE Region 8 Awards and Recognition Committee, who manages the final awards schedule and presentation.