News

[singlepic id=1321 float=left]Dr. Saurabh Sinha, chair: IEEE South Africa Section; Józef Modelski, director: IEEE Region 8; Helena Coetzee, IEEE EAB Award recipient, IEEE South Africa Section; Nico Beute, IEEE EAB Award recipient, IEEE South Africa Section and Gerhard Hancke, vice-chair: Member Devt., IEEE MGA.

In January 2009 the Educational Activities committee was introduced as a standing committee of the IEEE South Africa Section. The committee is currently led by Excellent Sithole. The new committee coordinated two EAB award nominations in the earlier part of 2009, and the awards ceremony took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA on 20 November 2009. Volunteers of the IEEE South Africa Section were fortunate to receive both of the two awards for which nominations had been submitted. The first recipient was Prof. Nico Beute who received an award in informal education with the citation: “for exceptional leadership in pioneering, organising and managing the IEEE Teacher In-Service Program in South Africa”. Prof. Beute is the chairperson of IEEE’s Education Society Chapter in South Africa and also serves the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town. The second recipient was Helena Coetzee who received an award in pre-university education with a citation: “for creating opportunities for the engagement of South African pre-university students in science and engineering projects nationally and internationally”. Coetzee currently serves as the director: Academic Projects at Hoërskool Waterkloof, Pretoria, and is also the co-founder of the Expo for Young Scientists. Congratulations to our 2009 award recipients and we are calling for nominations for the 2010 EAB awards (see: www.ieee.org/eab-awards ).
Contact Excellent Sithole, IEEE, Tel 012 671-1882, [email protected]

[singlepic id=1320 float=left] IEEE emeritbadges.org Program
The IEEE emeritbadges.org program has developed hands-on electricity and electronics instructional material based on the Boy Scouts’ merit badge requirements. Instructional material for computer education is being developed. Any student, boy or girl can use the program to enhance technical literacy and learn more about viable engineering and other technical career options.

22 November 2009 – The IEEE emeritbadges.org project has updated its web site, www.emeritbadges.org, featuring hands-on, pre-college technology educational materials for boys and girls. The updated site will feature information on the program’s sponsorship of the Electricity and Electronics Merit Badge booths at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, to be held from 26 July to 4 August, 2010, at Fort A.P. Hill, in Caroline County, Virginia.

IEEE emeritbadges.org, which volunteers have developed and run, provides instructional materials based on the Boys Scouts’ Electricity and Electronics Merit Badge requirements. Materials are under development for the Computer Merit Badge. A team of emeritbadges.org Jamboree volunteers, recruited from across the United States and around the world, will teach Scouts the basics of electricity and electronics at the 2010 National Scout Jamboree. Scouts also will learn about technical careers and build a microprocessor-based kit that they can take home.

During the 10-day long-event, approximately 100 volunteers will be manning these two booths, using the emeritbadges.org-developed materials to help 1,500 to 2,000 boys learn about electrical fundamentals, simple electronic circuits and microprocessors. The course materials and tests reinforce and supplement the Boy Scout Merit Badge Pamphlet requirements and provide the necessary knowledge for the boys to earn these two badges.

Any student, boy or girl can use the program to enhance technical literacy and learn more about viable engineering and other technical career options. Similar to its counterpart, the IEEE GirlsGoEngineering.org mission is to energize girls toward careers in engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences. A major component is a volunteer developed and run website, www.GirlsGoEngineering.org, which provides science and engineering career and instructional programs, activities, materials and web resources of interest to girls, educators, and adult leaders. Other planned activities include participation in Girl Scout events and similar organizations to enlighten girls about careers in science and engineering.

To foster an interest in the engineering profession, IEEE serves students, members and colleges around the world. IEEE realizes that high school student exposure to the accomplishments of engineers is critical to increase engineering enrollment significantly at the university level. Thus, the IEEE created and sponsors the IEEE Scouting program, primarily through the Boy Scout organization and local Girl Scout groups. The program is designed to reach pre-university students and educators to “enhance the level of technological literacy of pre-university educators and students worldwide.”

The IEEE Greece Section closed its activities for 2009 with the annual main event taking place in Patras, at the University of Patras, on 14 December 2009. The theme of this year’s main event was the “Celebration of the IEEE’s 125th Anniversary”. The venue of the ceremony was the Museum of Sciences and Technology, located at the heart of the University’s Campus, where an exhibition for the evolution in telecommunication technology was taking place in parallel. Students from the University of Patras IEEE Student Branch visited the exhibition and learned from IEEE Fellows of the Greece IEEE Section the history of IEEE, while Penny Theologi-Gouti offered her valuable services as the Museum’s representative.

In the ceremony’s amphitheatre, the Rector of the University of Patras addressed a welcome speech to the IEEE members. The Vice-Chair of the IEEE Greece Section, Prof. Athanasios Skodras, presented a short annual overview of the Greece IEEE Section’s activities. The IEEE Region 8 Secretary Mr. Costas Stasopoulos represented the IEEE R8 Committee along with the IEEE Region 8 Committee Greece Delegate Dr. Athanasios Kakarountas. Mr. Stasopoulos referred to IEEE Region 8 and its significant role in the success of IEEE. Finally, Emeritus Prof. Vassilios Makios, CEO of Corallia Cluster Initiative, talked to the IEEE members about “Innovation: a tool of Development” and motivated young engineers to get actively involved with IEEE.

[singlepic id=1318 float=left] [singlepic id=1319 h=150 float=right] I am pleased and proud to welcome all of you in the new year 2010 with a handful of good news. Besides our 54 newly elevated Fellows, on top of more excellent news is the election of 2 IEEE Vice-Presidents, for the first time in the history of Region 8, amongst our volunteers. Roger Pollard (past UK&RI Section Chair) is a holder of this position in TAB and Tariq Durrani (past R8 VC/TA) serves on EAB. Roger, Tariq, please accept our heartiest congratulations and words of great appreciation.
Jozef Modelski
R8 Director

Read below the statements of candidature of Gerhard Hancke and Jaafar Ibrahim

GERHARD P. HANCKE’s POSITION STATEMENT

My vision for Region 8 is to enhance the IEEE Region 8 membership experience and make IEEE an integral part of the members’ profession through all phases of their career. Due to its geographical diversity, Region 8 is an exciting IEEE entity with a unique spectrum of challenges and it is indeed a great privilege to have been nominated a candidate for Region 8 Director-Elect.

If elected, I will ensure that leadership be aware and responsive to the challenges members across the Region face. Region 8 cannot afford to follow a ‘one size fits all’ approach if we are really serious about increasing the real value of IEEE membership. This is an important truth I have learned during my past 12 years of involvement with Region 8 and as MGA Vice Chair – Member Development and Member of the MGA Board (2008/09). As Chair of the Member Engagement and Life Cycle Committee I have initiated a number of projects aimed engaging the member and improving membership experience. I would like to be given the opportunity to apply this experience in Region 8.

An essential priority of Regional leadership must be to equip the local leadership with the required knowledge and skills to engage their members, and serve the profession and the society-at-large best. They must be made aware of the IEEE engagement opportunities available to their members and facilitate the process of implementing these at Section level. If I am elected to become R8 Director, I will give Section Chairs the opportunity to sensitize the Region 8 Committee on how to improve existing programs and introduce new opportunities as identified by their local constituency. I will ensure that Section volunteers be rewarded for their volunteer service to the profession and the society.

There should be a better balance between benefits and affordability of membership in all Sections of our Region. Currently, members in some Sections find it extremely hard to pay the dues, while the benefits are less than in some other regions of IEEE. More must be done to bring dues in line with the local economic reality and to deliver value, such as bringing more and relevant professional and technical activities and services to all parts of Region 8.

Recruiting new members is only the first step of member development. It is our duty to engage new and existing members and improving the quality of their IEEE member experience – only then will membership growth and retention be sustainable, as members experience IEEE membership as a vital component of their career development.

JAAFAR AL IBRAHIM’s POSITION STATEMENT

I have had the privilege of serving the IEEE in leadership positions at Region 8 for several years. This engagement has allowed me to meet with members from all parts of the Region and learn tremendously from these interactions. It is clear that we are a diverse group of individuals with diverse needs but with a common goal of serving the profession.

We are the largest technical professional association in the world but we must change in order to maintain this elite status. This change calls for increased focus on the members, their overall experience, engagement opportunities, and benefits. If we establish clear member focus we will succeed in growing the overall membership and society participation. By working together we can accomplish our core mission of fostering technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity.

I look forward to continuing my service for the benefit of the IEEE, its members and the humanity.

Beginning of January 2009, the Educational Activities committee was introduced as a standing committee of the IEEE South Africa Section. The committee is currently led by Mr Excellent Sithole. The new committee coordinated two EAB award nominations in the earlier part of 2009. The awards ceremony took place in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA on 20 November 2009. Volunteers of the IEEE South Africa Section were fortunate to receive both of the two awards for which nominations had been submitted. The first recipient was Professor Nico Beute who received an award in Informal Education with citation: “for exceptional leadership in pioneering, organising and managing the IEEE Teacher In-Service Program in South Africa”. Prof. Beute is the chairperson of IEEE’s Education Society Chapter in South Africa, the immediate past chairperson of the IEEE South Africa Section and the Chair: Nominations and Appointments Committee. Prof. Beute also serves the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.

The Second recipient was Ms Helena Coetzee who received an award in Pre-University Education with a citation: “for creating opportunities for the engagement of South African pre-university students in science and engineering projects nationally and internationally”. Ms Coetzee currently serves as the Director: Academic projects at Hoërskool Waterkloof, Pretoria, South Africa and is also the co-founder of the “Expo for Young Scientists,” a South African school science fair, initiated in the early 1980s. Congratulations to our 2009 award recipients and we are calling nominations for 2010 EAB awards (see: www.ieee.org/eab-awards).

For more information, please contact Mr Excellent Sithole, email: [email protected], Tel: +27 12 671 1882.

2009 recipient of the MGA Larry K. Wilson Transnational Award
Martin Bastiaans
(IEEE Benelux Section)
“For significant contributions to the IEEE volunteer experience and member engagement throughout the world.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
Joao Figueiras
(IEEE Portugal Section)
“For outstanding contributions to the public visibility of IEEE by creating the “GOLD Around the World” video.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
George Gordon
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For exceptional leadership and outstanding contributions to the development of the IEEE GOLDRush Newsletter.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
Lisa Lazareck
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For outstanding success in increasing GOLD activities within the IEEE EMBS Society.”

2009 recipient of the MGA Innovation Award
Marko Delimar
(IEEE Croatia Section)
Ricardo Varela
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For the creation, development, and implementation of the IEEEXtreme Programming Contest.”

2009 recipient of the MGA Achievement Award
2009 IEEEXtreme Team
(Everywhere!)
“For outstanding accomplishment and contributions toward the implementation of the 2009 IEEEXtreme Programming Contest.”

2009 recipient of the MGA Larry K. Wilson Transnational Award
Martin Bastiaans
(IEEE Benelux Section)
“For significant contributions to the IEEE volunteer experience and member engagement throughout the world.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
Joao Figueiras
(IEEE Portugal Section)
“For outstanding contributions to the public visibility of IEEE by creating the “GOLD Around the World” video.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
George Gordon
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For exceptional leadership and outstanding contributions to the development of the IEEE GOLDRush Newsletter.”

2009 recipient of the MGA GOLD Achievement Award
Lisa Lazareck
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For outstanding success in increasing GOLD activities within the IEEE EMBS Society.”

2009 recipient of the MGA Innovation Award
Marko Delimar
(IEEE Croatia Section)
Ricardo Varela
(IEEE U.K. & Rep Of Ireland Section)
“For the creation, development, and implementation of the IEEEXtreme Programming Contest.”

 2009 recipient of the MGA Achievement Award
2009 IEEEXtreme Team
(Everywhere!)
“For outstanding accomplishment and contributions toward the implementation of the 2009 IEEEXtreme Programming Contest.”

A joint scientific week comprised of two conferences:

18th International Conference on
Microwaves, Radar, and Wireless Communications MIKON-2010
June 14-16

11th International Radar Symposium IRS 2010
June 16-18

MIKON is a traditional conference of the Polish microwave community organized since 1969, which turned into an important biannual international event in 1989. The highlights from the last MIKON (Wroclaw 2008) can be found in IEEE Microwave Magazine, December 2008. Now for the first time, MIKON is organized outside the borders of Poland – this move being yet another proof  of vanishing borders in united Europe. Regardless whether you are a customary participant or a newcomer to MIKON, you are cordially invited to join us for this event of modern technology and tradition, vivid scientific discussions, and friendly atmosphere of getting together.

More Here:   CFP_MIKON_2010

The International Radar Symposium IRS 2010 is the continuation of the series of very successful radar symposia in Munich (1998), Berlin (2000), Bonn (2002), Dresden (2003), Warsaw (2004) Berlin (2005), Krakow (2006), Cologne (2007), Wroclaw (2008) and Hamburg (2009). Regardless whether you are a customary participant or a newcomer to IRS, you are cordially invited to join us for this event of modern technology and tradition, vivid scientific discussions, and friendly atmosphere of getting together.

More Here:  CFP_IRS_2010

www.cavmag2010.org.uk

An international conference on the origins and

evolution of the cavity magnetron

at

Bournemouth University, England, 19-20 April 2010

2010 marks the 70th anniversary of development of the high-power cavity magnetron by Randall and Boot at Birmingham University, made into a practical device by the GEC Company in England and put into large-scale production in the USA following the Tizard Mission of 1940. Its origins go back to the mid-1930s with key work being done in Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Netherlands,Switzerland and USA.

[singlepic id=1302 w=300 h= float=center]

The purpose of the conference is to bring together knowledge of all this early work and to learn how the magnetron has been improved and put into service since then and will include:

• Origins of the magnetron in the various countries involved
• Its subsequent development, both in early and later days and the latest trends
• Applications to civil and military radar systems
• Other uses, such as microwave ovens

More Here:  CAVMAG

IEEE France Section has organised an event for the 125th anniversary of IEEE on November 6th & 7th, 2009. This took place in a very prestigious historical monument, the Royaumont Abbey, the building of which was achieved in the 13th century. It is located some 40 km north from Paris, not very far from Charles de Gaulle Airport.

President Elect Moshe KAM crossed the Atlantic to attend both days of this very well attended series of conferences. He Himself gave a high level presentation on the IEEE strategy and challenges for its future.

IEEE Headquarters were represented by Peggy LEFKIN, whose workshop on the day-to-day operations of IEEE OUs was particularly well received.

Some 10 high level technical presentations were given by outstanding experts, highlighting many of the research topics in progress, both in the scope of IEEE and further (e.g. telemedicine, nanotechnologies).

This event has been very well attended; and the organisation has been absolutely perfect thanks to Daniel Pasquet’s efficiency.