The Board of Governors approved the following changes to the highly successful LEOS student programs:
The Graduate Student Fellowship Program was established to provide Graduate Fellowships to outstanding LEOS student members pursuing graduate education within the LEOS field of interest. Fellowships have a value of $5,000, and an additional $ 1000 travel grant is available to attend the LEOS Annual Meeting for the award presentation. Two Fellowships are awarded every year in each of the main geographical regions: Americas; Europe/Middle East/Africa; Asia/Pacific. The closing date for nominations is 30th May.
It is intended that the Fellowships be awarded to outstanding students, and that the students should benefit from the Fellowship whilst studying. The BoG has therefore clarified the eligibility criteria as follows: a candidate must be an IEEE/LEOS student member pursuing graduate education within the LEOS field of interest and should normally be in their penultimate year of study at time of nomination. Fellows will therefore normally be in their final year of study during the period that they hold the award.
The Student Projects Program provides financial support to allow a team of students to develop a photonics systems project. The program provides for three awards to be made annually, each of $1500, to support the development and demonstration of the project.
At present there is a single submission date for project proposals each year, and the BoG recognizes the long lead-time may inhibit submissions from student groups. The BoG has resolved that, in future, there will be three closing dates per annum for project proposals. The Membership Committee will evaluate proposals, and normally one project will be funded in each round, with other promising proposals carried forward to the next submission date.
The criteria for selection include merit and significant of the proposed project, thoroughness of the plan, number of the students involved and the feasibility of completing the projects with available resources. Winning groups are invited to present their results and demonstrate the project at the next appropriate LEOS Annual meeting, for which an additional $500 travel grant is provided.
Closing dates and full details for all of the LEOS student programs can be found at:
http://www.ieee.org/organizations/society/leos/students.htm
John H. Marsh
VP Membership & Regional Affairs -
Europe, Middle East & Africa