MGA Outstanding Large and Small Section Award Recipients

Large - IEEE Taipei Section, Region 10

Congratulations to the following officers for their efforts.

Small - IEEE Richland Section, Region 6

Congratulations to the following officers for their efforts.

 Large Section = membership greater than 500 members

IEEE Taipei Section (R10) members contribute to universities and industry in varied key positions.  For years, they have been actively participating in community service programs.  For example, there was a program by major universities to demand their students to provide the community professional service for 18 hours per year.  Taipei Section members in university have conducted such programs and devised various service activities.  Moreover, most leaders in electronics industry are members.  They have set up various kinds of foundations for contributing to community.  As a result, electrical and electronics professionals are highly respected and a positive impact to Taiwan general society.

The IEEE Richland Section (R6) primarily uses an e-mail flash e-newsletter (Stray Currents) to inform members of upcoming events and meetings.  An annual hardcopy newsletter (The Relay) is distributed to members with an overview of the Section’s activities during the year, current news items, and the election ballot.  The IEEE Richland Section web site is regularly updated with news, events, and general information about the Section.   A new cross-cutting communication medium was started by the Section - the Pacific Northwest Technical Societies (PNTS) Virtual Community.  The PNTS virtual community helps communicate within the Section and among Sections/Chapters across the Pacific Northwest and also provides a technical community service.

The IEEE Croatia Section (R8) organizes membership desks at technical meetings and conferences to promote IEEE and recruit new IEEE members and Section volunteers. To recruit new student members, the Section also has advertising boards and membership desks at universities.  Section leaders also acknowledge that personal contacts are very important in retaining and recruiting members.

The IEEE Princeton/Central Jersey Section (PCJS) (R1) had its annual awards ceremony on 16 May 2008.  IEEE PCJS continues to award its volunteers and students for their volunteer work.  Section Leadership, Outstanding Volunteer, and Exemplary Service awards were presented.  Student poster paper award winners were also given plaques during the ceremony, and new Senior Members were recognized.  The Section also plans to award the most active Chapter and most active Chapter Chair.  Section leaders recognize that these awards motivate the awardees and other volunteers, which has resulted in retaining the existing volunteers in the Section and attracting more volunteers.  As a result of this, the Section has gained four more Groups/Chapters, and is in the process of establishing the Education Society.  The Section also recognizes that IEEE recognition helps the volunteers succeed in their careers.

The IEEE Guadalajara Section (R9) is a founding member and part of the executive board of UJAI (Conglomerate of Engineering Associations of the State of Jalisco).  The UJAI has periodic meetings with the other engineering associations to discuss the problems that affect the engineering disciplines as a hole and to organize joint events.  One key event is the celebration of "National Engineers Day" on 1 July, in which every organization (including IEEE) recognizes a member as the engineer of the year for the organization.

The IEEE Daytona Beach Section (R3) received a grant of USD$11,000 from the IEEE Life Members Fund to purchase a Small Radio Telescope (SRT) kit in 2008, after three years of preparatory work.  The SRT will be used as a research and teaching tool in the areas of radio astronomy, electronics, communications, antenna theory, and data processing.  In parallel, the project leader and a small team pulled together the supporting infrastructure for the SRT project.  Computer programs were obtained for managing the SRT, and a plan developed for installation and deployment.  A personal computer was donated for the project's use. The SRT kit was assembled in a development laboratory facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  After assembly, the computer was connected, programs debugged, and operability of the SRT demonstrated. A preliminary plan for permanent housing and use of the SRT was developed and will be carried out in 2009.