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Michael
S. Adler
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Dr. Michael Adler worked at General Electric from 1971 until his retirement in 2000. Since 1985, he headed a laboratory of 150 people to develop power electronics, control systems, and high-density electronic assemblies. During that time he was involved in many product developments and understands what it takes to create value from the customer perspective.
Presently, Mike is Vice President of Technology of Mechanical Technology Inc. (MTI), and Research Professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. MTI is involved with starting new companies in the new energy area and is presently forming a company to develop micro fuel cells for cell phone use. At RPI, Mike is working on advanced power semiconductors. Overall Mike has had experience with large companies but also understands the issues associated with small companies and start-ups.
Mike graduated from MIT in 1971 as a PhD in the area of solid state physics. In his early career at GE, Mike was involved with the invention and development of a new generation of power semiconductors including the IGBT, the power MOSFET, and the power IC. He has published over 100 papers and was elected IEEE Fellow for his work in power devices.
IEEE History – (S’65-M’66-M’75-SM’79-F’85) Board Activities: Technical Activities, Vice President, 1999; Publications Activities, Vice President, 2000. 1999-00; Division I Director, 1996-97;Board Level Committee Activities: Transnational Committee Chair, 1998; Meetings & Services, Chair, 1998; Finance, 2001; Publications, Products & Services Board, Treasurer, 2001; Past Chair, 2001; Other Committee Activities: Regional Meetings, 1998; RAB/TAB Section & Chapters Support, 1998; Section and Chapter Activities: Schenectady: Electron Devices Chapter, Chair, 1982; Society Activities: Electron Devices: President, 1992-95; AdCom, 1990-96; Meetings Committee, 1986-92; Major Conference Activities: International Electron Device Meeting, Chair 1982; Awards: Third Millennium Medal, 2000; EDS Distinguished Service, 2000.
The IEEE is not immune to the rapid changes that are facing most companies and institutions. As an example, a recent survey shows that the IEEE is rapidly becoming irrelevant to industry with only 6% finding value from the IEEE in their jobs. The information technology field has grown by 10 times but the IEEE membership has largely remained the same. Less than 10% of the people in the information science field feel that the IEEE is relevant to their work. We are also receiving competition from both for-profit and not for profit entities. As an example Elsiever Science has the largest on-line offering and is spending 100’s of millions to further improve it. MIT Technology review has spent $12M over the last 3 years and now has a circulation similar to Spectrum.
We need to reinvent the IEEE to ensure that we offer products and services that bring real value to all of our members such as:
I believe my qualifications and record of accomplishments make me will serve me well as IEEE president.
My wide breath of IEEE experience has given me a good perspective on IEEE issues and problems and I have demonstrated that I am committed to driving necessary change. If elected I will provide the leadership and drive to ensure that the IEEE meets the challenges ahead and remains the pre-eminent professional society in the world.
Mike Adler can be reached at Mechanical Technologies Inc., 30 South Pearl Street, 9th Floor, Albany, NY 12207; Phone +1 518 433-2161; Fax: +1 518 433-2171; E-mail: m.adler@ieee.org.
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Paul Kostek
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IEEE Activities - (S’77-M’79-’89) COMMITTEES/BOARDS: Technical Activities Board, 2000-2001; President’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Board and Governance, 2001; Corporate Communications Advisory Committee, 2000; IEEE Board of Directors, 1999; President IEEE-USA, 1999; IEEE-USA Board of Directors, 1996-2000; REGIONS/Region 6: PACE Coordinator 1995-1998; Northwest Area Chair, 1993-94; Northwest Area Awards Chair, 1991-92; Northwest Area PACE Chair, 1987-90; SECTIONS/Seattle: Chair, 1990-91; Vice Chair, 1989-90; Secretary 1988-89; PACE Chair, 1986-88; DIVISIONS: PACE Coordinator, 1990-95; SOCIETIES: Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society Board of Governors, 1992-01; President, 2000-01; Executive Vice President, 1998-99; Secretary, 1996-97; Seattle Section Chapter Chair 1984-87; CONFERENCES: Intelligent Transportation Systems, General Chair 2004; Digital Avionics Systems Exhibits Chair, 1998, Publications Chair, 1992 & 94; Northcon, Board of Directors, 1993-97; REPRESENTATIVE: Board of Governors American Association of Engineering Societies, 1999; Judge, American Consulting Engineers Council Engineering Excellence Awards, 1999-00; AIAA Distinguished Lecturer, 2000-01. AWARDS: IEEE Millennium Medal 2000; IEEE-USA Citation of Honor 1994.
Since serving as President of IEEE-USA in 1999, and now as President of the IEEE Aerospace & Electronics Systems Society, I have focused on three issues: Technology, Business and Culture. Technology is what brings us together in IEEE. The opportunity to share our work, discuss technical problems and learn has been bringing us together since 1884. Changes in technology impact all of our careers, offering us challenges and opportunity. The range of technologies covered in IEEE publications and conferences can provide any member with the information to stay current or move into a new field. At the same time IEEE needs to continue to utilize new technologies to deliver information to members.
In the 90’s the concept of Internet time was applied only to the IT world. Short development cycles followed by short life cycles. This concept has now moved into more traditional fields. This offers challenges to IEEE in supplying information timely while challenging volunteers to find the time to participate in IEEE activities. While companies understand the value of the intellectual property we generate, they need to understand what participation in IEEE activities can do for the bottom-line. IEEE needs to explain what the return on investment from volunteering will be.
We also need to manage our own bottom-line. The volunteers and staff must manage what has become a large corporation. IEEE must be both efficient and responsive to the needs of the members and profession.
Finally there is the cultural issue. This takes two forms, attracting the new generation of members, and expanding the reach of IEEE beyond North America. Besides attracting and retaining the next generation of electrical engineers and computer scientists we also need to address how to handle other IT professionals. The issue we need to consider is should individuals without traditional technical degrees be full members of IEEE or continue to utilize the associate and affiliate grades. We need to decide what IEEE will be and what our future members will bring to the organization.
While we frequently espouse being a transnational organization we still have not taken the steps to prepare our members from outside North America to move up in the organization. Having leaders from outside the confines of North America will result in increased costs, but with the membership growth occurring in Regions 8-10 can we afford not to offer them the opportunity to serve and lead?
For IEEE to continue to grow and remain vital we must address the issues of Technology, Business and Culture. What is needed is the leadership to bring people together to achieve a common goal. I believe I have the ability and experience to do this.
Paul Kostek can be reached at 8014 Stroud Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98103; Phone +1 206 915-6645; Fax +1 425 373-7385; E-mail: p.kostek@ieee.org.
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Arthur Winston
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Thank you for this opportunity to make a few comments and to request your support in voting for me in the current elections. For more information, please see my web site at http://www.arthurwinston.com
There are several matters that I would like to see resolved by the end of my term as president. Three, in particular, are as follows:
The IEEE is a volunteer-driven professional organization but also a business with a large paid staff that has to implement the volunteer policies. We want it to remain volunteer-driven and not become a staff-driven organization. More responsibility has to be taken by the Board of Directors (BOD) and Executive Committee to set direction and policy to reflect the wishes of the membership. Considerations are being given to reduce the size of the Board and some of its committees. This is not my focus. Greater efficiency in a not-for-profit organization may not lead to greater effectiveness, since volunteers are not paid and reducing the number of active volunteers does not affect profoundly the bottom line.On the other hand, it would reduce greater participation by the membership in the governance of the Institute.
It is important for the BOD to understand the major issues and engage in decision-making for the Institute. To do this, the staff must provide more detailed and timely information to enable the Board to make the appropriate decisions. In particular, detailed fiscal information is needed for the Board to address the deficit spending that occurred in the past. If elected, one of my goals is to ensure that at the end of my term as President, a strong foundation for the future fiscal stability of the IEEE will be set in place. I will ensure that society interests are well considered.
Much effort has and will go into providing textual material on the WEB. However, it is more difficult to provide meaningful, efficient, web-based courses. I have studied many approaches from both the point-of-view of the creator and distributor of material as well as the recipient. The IEEE has much to offer to its members and the profession. Through web- based education, we can provide more services to our members and be of more value to industry. I would like to have a unified effort in this area, without duplication, and with meaningful participation by the IEEE technical societies and the IEEE educational organization.
A decade or more ago, we had many high level industrial leaders in the IEEE volunteer ranks. The coupling between industrial management and IEEE leadership has decreased over the years. We need to regain stronger support from industry for IEEE and its activities and encouragement of their employees to become active members in IEEE. I would want industrial leaders who are active IEEE members, who would help identify or develop course materials. They should also permit us to deliver tutorials and high technical content lectures to their employees. We need their participation in developing conferences and take advantage of the network IEEE has to offer and use its expertise to address problems, demonstrating to their employees the value of IEEE membership.
As President, I would endeavor to make these items a reality.
Dr. Winston is a Fellow of the IEEE and is a member of a number of societies. He has both technical and managerial experience and has held many positions in the IEEE.
He has a broad range of industrial and academic experience, including Bell Telephone Company (Canada), National Research Council (Canada), MIT, Schlumberger, National Research Corporation, and Allied Research Corporation (Boeing). He has co-founded several companies, and has served in high corporate and technical positions. He was responsible for the development of the Apollo Heat Shield Re-entry Temperature Measurement System, and the development of a worldwide nuclear test monitoring system simultaneously holding several positions at Northeastern University. He is currently Senior Associate Director of the Gordon Institute of Tufts University, where he developed the graduate engineering management school receiving an IEEE award. He is also a Research Professor in the EECS Department. He received the B.A.Sc. degree from the University of Toronto placing first over 800 engineering students, and was awarded 8 merit scholarships. His Ph.D. degree was earned at MIT. He has produced over 100 papers and holds three patents.
Arthur Winston can be reached at the Gordon Institute of Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155; Phone: +1 617 627-3112; Fax: +1 617 627-3180; E-mail: a.winston@ieee.org.