News

For the updates of Region 8 events and activities scheduled for 2020, please click here.

For the complete list of Region 8 events in vtools, please click here.

The current situation caused by the COVID 19 pandemic has also affected the IEEE. Unfortunately, meetings involving physical gatherings were canceled, but IEEE volunteers did not lose the will and motivation to design new projects by adapting to imposed circumstances and constraints.

The IEEE R8 SYP Congress team, IEEE R8 SAC, IEEE R8 WIE, IEEE R8 CCT, and IEEE R8 YP introduce the IEEE R8 Virtual SYP in a hybrid format!

The first-ever virtual SYP congress of IEEE Region 8 will be held from the 14^th to the 26^th of September 2020. The program of the congress’s unique form will include the opening and closing ceremonies, keynote and plenary sessions, workshops, awards, and some unique social activities. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from experts and each other about IEEE and technology, whilst exchanging experience and networking, and of course having some fun along the way!

The event will allow for in-person local meetings where local government and health regulations allow, and the meet-ups will be broadcast to other local meet-ups through R8. Volunteers are encouraged to connect virtually from their homes where meet-ups are not allowed.

The vSYP Congress will be distributed across the entire Region 8. Each day will feature different host sections presenting SYP content to the young engineers of the region. Volunteer ambassadors representing the sections will be responsible for the implementation of local events, and the optional personal meetings in accordance with the local government regulations. In addition to attending online events, they will have the freedom to supplement the vSYP program with their ideas and thus putting their own personal stamp on the event.

The digital format, where there are no limits on the number of participants or geographical distance, will allow the congress to have a much larger audience, and enable attendees to grow their networks digitally. The organizing team is preparing a lot of exciting activities, so do not miss the opportunity to be a part of the IEEE Region 8 Virtual Student and Young Professional Congress. Register on the following website https://www.r8syp.com/virtual-syp.

TITLE: ALOHAnet IEEE Milestone Dedication Ceremony

DATE: Tuesday, October 13, 2020

TIME: 10:30 am – 11:30 am HST (3:30 pm – 4:30 pm EST)

GMT Reference:  HST is GMT -10:00

LOCATION: Virtual event broadcast live from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa College of Engineering

The entire IEEE ALOHAnet Milestone Installation ceremony will be live-streamed via the following UH streaming link:

http://www.hawaii.edu/itunesu/vlive/?s=alohanet.sdp

The live-stream link will go live 15 minutes prior to the ceremony and will be available to the general public for VIEWING only.

Streaming quality will be 1080p; in comparison, YouTube streaming quality is 720p.

Demonstration of the ALOHA Packet Radio Data Network, 1971
In June 1971, the ALOHA packet radio data network began providing inter-island access to computing facilities at the University of Hawaii. ALOHAnet was the first to demonstrate that communication channels could be effectively and efficiently shared on a large scale using simple random access protocols. It led directly to the development of Ethernet and personal wireless communication technologies.

Roberto Sorrentino
PAST CHAIR OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH ITALY SECTION
(1947 – 2020)

Professor Roberto Sorrentino passed away on Tuesday, 3 March 2020. He was an electronics engineer who had a distinguished career in the field of microwave and millimeter wave circuits and antennas.

He received his doctoral degree in electronic engineering from the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, in 1971 and he began his career as an Assistant Professor at “La Sapienza” University in 1974. From 1986 to 1990 he was a Professor at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and in November 1990 he became a Professor at the University of Perugia. Between 1983 and 1986 he was a Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2007 he founded a successful spin-off company from the University of Perugia. He was the author of more than 150 technical papers in international journals and 200 refereed conference papers.

Roberto Sorrentino was an active member of the IEEE, Chair of the Central and South Italy Section, and an active member of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) throughout his career. In 1990 he was elevated to IEEE Fellow. He has received several MTT-S Awards and in 2000 the IEEE Third Millennium Medal.

In January 2020 Roberto Sorrentino was awarded the prestigious honor of the Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic for his commitment in the field of research.

Roberto Sorrentino was an outstanding member of IEEE because his achievements combined excellence in different fields. He was a gifted educator and many of his former PhD students are now well-respected members of the scientific community, in Italy and internationally.

Elias Kyriakides
IEEE CYPRUS SECTION CHAIR
(August, 1975 – October, 2019)

IEEE Region 8 Committee lost on Monday October 28th, 2019, the Chair of the IEEE Cyprus Section, Elias Kyriakides, who passed away peacefully, after a long and courageous battle with cancer with his wife Stella by his side. Elias was an exceptional researcher, a great mentor, an example of a very active IEEE member, and above all a very humble and kind human being.

Elias was actively involved in IEEE, serving from January 2018 until its final days as Chair of the IEEE Cyprus Section. During May 2012-December 2017 he was chair of the IEEE Cyprus Section Power and Energy Society (PE-S) Chapter, where he received the IEEE PES High Performing Chapter Awards in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016, as well as the 2015 Region 8 Chapter of the Year Award. Elias had a significant contribution in Editorial Boards of various well established and known IEEE Journals. More specifically, he served as an Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, an Associate Editor of the IEEE PES Letters and IEEE Systems Journal and as Editorial Board member of the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. In addition to all these, he was also member of various IEEE Societies (e.g., IEEE Power and Energy Society, IEEE Industry Applications Society, IEEE Computational Intelligence Society (CIS), and so on). Elias served the scientific community and in particular the Cyprus Section with tremendous generosity and dedication.

Elias was a leading expert in the areas of electric power systems and critical infrastructure systems with an emphasis on wide area monitoring and control, power system operations, and the integration of renewable energy sources. His research contributions are immense and have been recognized and awarded multiple times at an international level.

He was a member of the faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department since 2004 and a co-founder of the KIOS Research and Innovation Center of Excellence. Elias was an extraordinary teacher and mentor. His students will remember forever his kindness, generosity and gentle spirit. He will be remembered with love and his legacy will carry on through the excellent work of his students and the support of his colleagues and collaborators.

IEEE Region 8 Operating Committee would like to express its deepest condolences to Elias’ family, students, colleagues and friends, and to the IEEE Cyprus Section. It has been a privilege to have him as member of the Region 8 Committee.