IEEE Sections Congress 2017

Sydney, Australia; August 11-13, 2017

 

Primary Delegate Report by

Jacquelyn D. N. Cunningham, Primary Delegate for the IEEE Columbia Section

 

Thank you, IEEE Columbia Section, for the opportunity to serve as your Primary Delegate. The experience allowed me to view the operations of IEEE half a world away and to bring as many benefits to the Columbia Section as possible.

 

IEEE Sections Congress 2017 was held in Sydney, Australia and was attended by Primary Sections Delegates and other regional representatives from around the world. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to serve as the Primary Section Delegate for IEEE Columbia Section in Region 3 of IEEE USA.

As a USA Primary Delegate, I was fully funded by IEEE USA to attend Sections Congress.

Overall, the experience was beneficial, as every participant could find tools, resources, new information, and new peers with whom to share this triennial learning and governance experience. Sections Congress provided insights into how IEEE operates as a global organization and the roles of the various organizational units (Sections, Chapters, Affinity Groups, Societies, Communities, Student Branches, etc.). It was a very valuable opportunity to network with colleagues from around the world, learning from their experiences, sharing my own and that of Columbia Section, and discussing our experiences for moving forward and bringing new benefits to members. Above all, it was an excellent opportunity to gather tips and techniques for inspiring and training the next generation of leaders from within IEEE Columbia Section and its subunits, namely, its Student Branches and Branch Chapters. It was also an opportunity to continue to pursue ways to perhaps finally establish Society Chapters of Columbia Section.

Sections Congress began on Thursday afternoon, August 10, 2017, following 25 hours of travels from the USA to Australia. Registration and regional meetings were held, followed by dinner (on our own) and an opportunity to tour the city and to prepare for the Congress Opening Session on August 11th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primary Delegates from Central Savannah River, Columbia and Santa Clara Sections above (waiting at the airport for the shuttle to conference hotels)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sections Congress App was a tremendous aid for navigating the wealth of information, meeting new friends, identifying resources, and more!

On Friday, Regional group photos were taken on the steps of the Convention Center and followed by the Opening banquet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Congress hosted sessions to introduce IEEE activities and membership benefits. Special talks from IEEE Senior Members and IEEE Fellows allowed everyone to view the organization’s role in developing their professional careers. There were core sessions as well as sessions for Regions, Young Professionals and Women in Engineering.

 

Exploring the exhibits!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout the Congress Primary Section Delegates voted via the app on the IEEE SECTIONS CONGRESS 2017 Recommendations for future directions of IEEE, regarding members engagement. The IEEE Sections Congress Recommendations were the below, with #2, #5 and #16 being selected by Primary Delegates as future actions for IEEE.

  1. Review the Women in Engineering membership model – including dues structure – with the goal of sustainable increased member outreach globally.
  2. Develop an incentive program for corporations to join IEEE as ‘Corporate Member’.
  3. Improve IEEE service to industry professionals by offering reduced-cost access to standards with the goal of increased industry member satisfaction.
  4. Continuing education could be based on short courses presented by members. The implementation would provide the means for members who are current in academics or expert in tools, to enter a database for scheduling short courses by Sections. Funding might be provided to expand venues and extend to disadvantaged areas.
  5. Develop (or expand existing) training programs and/or create partnerships with external organizations to allow members to provide STEM activities to pre-college students. Provide ‘canned’ or ‘in a box’ style demonstrations and presentations that local Sections can deliver to pre-college students. Re-evaluate a ‘Junior IEEE’ membership program targeted at pre-college students.
  6. Create partnerships with successful online course providers (or develop courses in-house, based on the input of high-profile experts in all technical skills/fields) to offer members looking for specialized training with discounted professional educational opportunities.
  7. Create an IEEE training and mentorship program for members who want to translate their ideas into sustainable businesses.
  8. Create a mobile application, which provides general information, receive notification of preselected topics and pre-selected frequency and selected IEEE links.
  9. Assist Sections to develop a visibility campaign that reaches out to non-engineers to let them know what IEEE has done to make the world a better place; the result being that IEEE would be known in key countries for its wide breadth of fields of interest.
  10. Facilitate creating an array of MOVE Disaster Response solutions (i.e., vehicle, kit, or other appropriate capability) tailored to each geographic location to increase the visibility of the profession across the globe and provide disaster relief, STEM education, networking, and public service to our local communities.
  11. Identify technologies useful for prevention and relief of natural disasters and educate community leaders on operation and maintenance of those technologies. Identify opportunities for the development of low-cost technologies.
  12. Develop a knowledge base (best-practice guides, success stories, protocols) of solutions to common problems worldwide, based on the knowledge of different entities within the IEEE. The final product would be shared with public institutions through the Sections.
  13. IEEE recognizes members for seniority (Senior Member, Fellow, Life Member), but there is a large gap in recognition before senior membership. Create a merit-based system that recognizes young professionals by their publications and professional achievements and make the recognition easy to apply for.
  14. When getting nominated for IEEE Fellow, members outside the ‘Research Engineer/Scientist’ category such as industry, government, and military backgrounds, may encounter challenges due to proprietary or non-publishability constraints. To increase recognition and elevation of such members, the Fellow grade nomination form and process should be modified to fit each category.
  15. Invest in continued development/improvement of vTools beyond its current functionality to improve volunteer experience.
  16. Strengthen and recognize Industry/Academia/Government Collaboration/Partnerships
    • Create a Section Award for Industry/Academia/Volunteer collaboration
    • Organize multidisciplinary Industry/Academia/Government events focused on ‘hot’ issues – Develop a public communications platform to develop projects and share results
    • Create a ‘dating’ platform to communicate industry issues searching for solutions and possible ‘applications’ of research results.

 

Participants learned about IEEE INSIGHT, IEEE Standards University, and IEEEXTREME. From Sections Congress 2014 were IGNITE sessions. I attended as many sessions of various kinds as possible! All were very beneficial and well planned. Additionally, many videos of the Congress were recorded in-studio or posted in IEEETV for everyone to enjoy.

STUDIOS RECORDINGS

SESSIONS  ATTENDED OR VIEWED
1.       Susan Brooks: The IEEE Green ICT Initiative and Addressing Tough Social Questions — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
2.       Susan Brooks gives an important presentation on “The IEEE Green ICT Initiative” and “Addressing Tough Social Questions” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
3.       Marios Antoniou: Engaging Industry Corporations and Startups – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Marios Antoniou speaks about Engaging Industry Corporations and Startups during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
4.       Katina Michael: Pros and Cons of Implantables – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Katina Michael presents the pros and cons of Implantables during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
5.       Michael Condry: Technology and Engineering Management Society – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Michael Condry talks about the Technology and Engineering Management Society during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
6.       S.K. Ramesh: IEEE Educational Activities Board Awards Program – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
S.K. Ramesh gives a presentation on the IEEE Educational Activities Board Awards Program and why it is important to get involved during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
7.       Barry Shoop: Global Leadership Development – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Former IEEE President and CEO, Barry L. Shoop, discusses “Global Leadership Development” and how this type of initiative can diractly each individual person or entire programs, during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
8.       John Johnson: IEEE-USA Awards – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
John Johnson talks about IEEE-USA and all of the IEEE-USA Awards during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
9.       Kathleen Kramer: Lessons for Locals and Local Visibility – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Kathleen Kramer, a member of IEEE’s Public Visibility Committee, gives a presentation on “Lessons for Locals and Local Visibility” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia. Kathleen Kramer and Tom Coughlin both presented on this topic.
10.   A.G. Hessami: Developing Networking Skills – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
A.G. Hessami talks about Developing Networking Skills and everything else you might need to go along with them during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
11.   Christina Schober: Councils – How IEEE Technical Activities Support Local Technical Communities — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Christina Schober gives a presentation about “Councils: How IEEE Technical Activities Support Local Technical Communities” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
12.   Larry Bolsch: MGA Geographic Units, Financials, and Best Practices — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Larry Bolsch delivers an insightful presentation on MGA Geographic Units, Financials, and Best Practices during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
13.   Mats Edvinsson: Financial Management – Illustrations from IEEE Sweden — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Mats Edvinsson, Chair of IEEE’s Sweden Section, discusses “Financial Management – Illustrations from IEEE Sweden” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
14.   Marina Ruggieri: Ethics and Future Generations — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Marina Ruggieri, the 2017 Vice President of Technical Activities, talks about “Ethics and Future Generations” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
15.   David Green and Ron Jensen: Adapting Regions and Sections to Better Serve Members – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Dave Green and Ron Jensen work together to discuss Adapting Regions and Sections to Better Serve Members, each focusing on their respective regions, during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
16.   Tom Coughlin: Local Visibility – Leveraging IEEE Public Visibility Activities — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Tom Coughlin, Chair of the IEEE Public Visibility Committee, gives a presentation on Local Visibility and Leveraging IEEE Public Visibility Activities during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia. Tom Coughlin and Kathleen Kramer both presented on this topic.
17.   Marina Ruggieri: Technical Activities – Cooperation and New Challenges — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Marina Ruggieri, the 2017 Vice President of Technical Activities, discusses “Technical Activities – Cooperation and New Challenges” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
18.   Allan Tear: Entrepreneurs Among Us – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Allan Tear talks about the growing field of entrepreneurship and all the “Entrepreneurs Among Us” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
19.   Daniel E. Rivera: The CSS Outreach Program: Providing Community Service – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Daniel Rivera discusses the CSS Outreach Program: Providing Community Service during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
20.   Marina Ruggieri: Awards and Engagement in Technical Activities — Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017
Marina Ruggieri, the 2017 Vice President of Technical Activities, discusses the importance of “Awards and Engagement in Technical Activities” during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
21.   Nicholas J. Kirsch: Service Learning in EPICS in IEEE – Studio Tech Talks: Sections Congress 2017 x
Nicholas Kirsch gives a presentation on “Service Learning in EPICS in IEEE” which includes tons of information valuable to all those who have knowledge about EPICS, as well as those who are just beginning to get involved. This presentation was given during a Studio Tech Talk at the 2017 Sections Congress held in Sydney Australia.
IGNITE! SESSIONS

David Green presenting “Investing in Innovation: IEEE Foundation Grants Program – David Green – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017”

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22.   Engaging Young Professionals – Ravendar Lal Bhojwani – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
23.   Benefits of IEEE-HKN – Tim Kurzweg – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
24.   Supporting Your Technical Community Globally – Bill Moses – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
25.   IEEE Xplore Digital Library – Prakash Bellur – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
26.   Engaging Your Community: Events – Marie Hunter – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
27.   Standards: The Path to Industry Engagement – Don Wright – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
28.   IEEE Day – Bibin Parukoor Thomas – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
29.   5G Summits: Expanding Technical Communities – Susan Brooks – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
30.   Connecting Startups and Industry: How Sections Can Help – Simay Akar – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
31.   IEEEXtreme: IEEE’s Largest Programming Competition – Prasanth Mohan – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
32.   Audience Development For Your Conference – Lea Miller – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
33.   Engaging with Students at MIT – Soon Wan – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
34.   IEEE Women In Engineering – Bozenna Pasik-Duncan – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
35.   All About IEEE Smart Village – Karen Galuchie – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
36.   The Value of Conferences for Your Community – Fred Schindler – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
37.   Publishing with IEEE – Tiffany McKerahan – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
38.   Building Technical Communities Through Entrepreneurship Activities in India – Amit Kumar – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017

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39.   Smart Grid Success Story – Wanda Reder – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
40.   All about EPICS in IEEE – Nicholas Kirsch – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
41.   The Rock Star Event Series – Eric Berkowitz – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
42.   vTools Introduction – Mike Fallenstein – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017

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43.   Engineering Education Accreditation – Teofilo Ramos – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017

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44.   Organizing Conferences: Engage with the Local Community – Tommy Mayne – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
45.   The Ethical Imperative of Safety – Stefan Mozar – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
46.   Connect With Your Region Education Coordinator – Pamela Jones – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
47.   Meeting Member Needs Through Customized Solutions – Eric Berkowitz – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017

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48.   Add a Humanitarian Track or Session to your IEEE Conference or Event – Mario Aleman – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
49.   IEEE in the North and South Poles (INSP) – Tony Milne – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
50.   Broadcasting Section Technical Events Through IEEE.tv – Brad Kloza – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
51.   Is Your Algorithm Dangerous? Lyria Bennett Moses – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
52.   Building Your Technical Community in IEEE Collabratec – Fred Mintzer – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
53.   Tackling Cyber-Hate, Incitement and Dangerous Fake News – Andre Oboler – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
54.   Investing in Innovation: IEEE Foundation Grants Program – David Green – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017 x
55.   WIE-ILC: A New Conference Case Study – Beth Surmount – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
56.   Who Should the Car Hit? Javier Gozalvez – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
57.   Growing Student Communities Through Experiential Education – Rakesh Kumar – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
58.   Dronefest: Engaging the Local Community for Impact – Vince Socci – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
60.   Activities for Engaging with Your Members Locally and Globally – Javier Gozalvez – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
61.   Society Programs Tuned for Global Outreach – Rakesh Kumar – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017
62.   Engaging Young Professionals and Women Through Design Challenges – Alan Mantooth – Ignite: Sections Congress 2017

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63.   All About IEEE Sight – Timothy Lee – Sections Congress 2017 x
64.   Women In Engineering Focus on Technical Activities – Christina Schober – Sections Congress 2017 x
65.   Helping Your Members Building Writing and Presentation Skills – Ryan Boettger – Sections Congress 2017 x
MUST-SEE SC VIDEOS
66.   IEEE, Brighter Than Ever: Sections Congress 2017 Recap
67.   IEEE Humanitarian and Philanthropic Opportunities Initiative at Sections Congress 2017 x
68.   IEEE Sections Congress 2017 trailer x
69.   Brilliant Minds, Bright Futures: IEEE Sections Congress 2017
GRAND BALLROOM PRESENTATIONS
70.   Australian Indigenous Welcome Performance – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
71.   Better than Brilliant – Dr Alan Finkel – Opening Ceremony Keynote: Sections Congress 2017 x
72.   Jim Prendergast – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
73.   IEEE: The Force Behind Innovation – Karen Bartleson – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
74.   Kukjin Chun – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
75.   Welcome to Region 10 – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
76.   Building the Bridge to the Future – Mary Ellen Randall – Opening Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017 x
77.   26 Years of Risk Management Standardization – Kevin Knight – Closing Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017
78.   Vincenzo Piuri – Moving Our Ideas Forward – Closing Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017
79.   Final Remarks – Vaughan Clarkson and Mary Ellen Randall – Closing Ceremony: Sections Congress 2017
BRIEFS AND BREAKOUTS
80.   Educational Resources for Humanitarian Activities – Michael Lightner – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
81.   Young Professionals in Industry: Challenges and Needs – panel discussion at Sections Congress 2017 x
82.   Section Leader’s Guide to IEEE-HKN – Ron Jensen and Tim Kurzweg – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
83.   Tools for Section Chapter Meeting Recording and Distribution – Tom Coughlin – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
84.   Fundraising Tips: Soliciting Donations to IEEE – Rich Allen – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
85.   IEEE Academic: Bridging the Educational Divide – Rui Costa – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017 x
86.   MOVE: Mobile Outreach Vehicle – Grayson Randall – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017 x
87.   Attracting and Retaining New Members – Enrique Tejera – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
88.   Micro-volunteering: Answering the Needs of Young IEEE Volunteers – Flavia Dinca – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
89.   Engaging with Industry Professionals – Ademola Adejokun – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017
90.   Section-Student Branch Connection – Pat Donohoe – Brief Sessions: Sections Congress 2017

 

 

The Sections Congress 2017 showcase of videos can be found at https://ieeetv.ieee.org/event-showcase/sections-congress-2017.

 

The Sections Congress 2017 website can be found at http://sections-congress.ieee.org/.