IEEE Annual Election - Region 1 (Northeastern USA)

IEEE’s strength comes from having strong volunteer leadership, with the support of all IEEE members. During this one-hour WebEx forum, hear from the candidates themselves, and hear the candidates answer questions submitted by members like you. The forum was hosted by IEEE Region 1 Director Gregory Gdowski and moderated by IEEE Region 1 Director-Elect Bala Prasanna.

• View IEEE-USA President-Elect Candidates Forum

To ensure IEEE members are well informed about the Delegate-Elect/Director-Elect candidates for IEEE Region 1 (Northeastern USA), the three candidates provided their responses to four important questions.

• View Region 1 Questions and Answers Forum (PDF, 198 KB)

Charles Rubenstein, a tenured professor of engineering and information sciences at Pratt Institute in New York, has been a visiting professor at Farmingdale State College. He has an earned doctorate in bioengineering (Polytechnic Institute of NY) and a master’s in library and information science (Pratt Institute).

An internationally known distinguished lecturer for IEEE’s S-PAC program and Engineering Management and Computer Societies, he has delivered workshops and tutorials world-wide covering Android Application Design, IEEE Leadership Skills, HTML and eCommerce, wireless technology, and "Scalability of IEEE Membership."

Region 1 Director 2010-2011, he continues to have leadership roles in Region and conference executive committees. He is currently the Joint Region 1/Region 2 Strategic Planning Committee Chair whose responsibility it is to oversee the merger of Region 1 and Region 2 into a single Region, as well as being R1 Conferences Coordinator managing numerous co-sponsored conferences – some that he created and chairs.

Statement

I believe empowering IEEE member, section, and student branch activities is critical, and that the merger of Regions 1 and 2, effective January 2028, presents us an exciting opportunity for growth and development.

As a senior leader in Region 1, I have for more than a decade been actively involved in cross-region collaboration making invited presentations at Region 2 meetings, organizing joint Student Conferences and co-creating the joint R1/R2 WIE Forum USA East. The Long Island Systems, Applications, and Technology (LISAT) Conference - celebrating 17 years of service to local members - is a model for one-day IEEE chapter conferences.

My strong relationship with members and leaders in both regions have made me the ideal Chair of the Joint Region 1/Region 2 Strategic Planning Committee which is overseeing our merger. I am confident this merger will benefit all of our members, and that I am the best candidate to serve as Director during this critical transition period that will create a new region model to support our sections and members for years to come.

Throughout more than 30 years of dedicated IEEE volunteer leadership, I have planned and executed numerous successful activities. My commitment to action and follow-through earned me several prestigious IEEE recognitions, including the Robert S. Walleigh Distinguished Professionalism Award, IEEE-USA Citation of Honor, Third Millennium Medal, Centennial Outstanding Young Engineer Medal, and Regional Activities Board Innovation Award.

Some of my notable accomplishments include creating the Long Island Systems, Applications, and Technology (LISAT) Conference – in its seventeenth year, and serving as its General Chair - creating and coordinating the IEEE Booth at World Maker Faire New York (a joint effort by Region 1, IEEE-USA, and EAB) from 2012 to 2017; serving as treasurer for several IEEE conferences, including the IEEE ETHICS Symposium, the IEEE Wireless in Space and Extreme Environments (WISEE) Conference, the IEEE-USA Young Professional’s Future Leaders Forum, and the Joint R1/R2 Women in Engineering USA Forum East - now in its seventh year.

The upcoming Region 1 and Region 2 merger must continue to position our members as technology catalysts to create a more globally impactful IEEE.

IEEE’s future success requires maintaining IEEE-USA's presence in Washington, D.C.; empowering our students, young professionals, Women in Engineering, and Life Members; providing leadership training and opportunities to all our members; and increasing IEEE's global name recognition.

Statement

a)      Support the planning and activities associated with the merger of Regions 1 and 2.  A realignment of this magnitude requires strong leadership experience with the know-how in working with various IEEE stakeholders.  My volunteer record exemplifies that.

b)     Promote increased collaboration and partnerships with IEEE communities to further the member experience within the region. This means embracing diversity, equity & inclusion, breaking down silos, and working together to foster innovative solutions and opportunities.

c)      Increase the region’s commitment and investment on humanitarian initiatives and service activities.  Our members are equipped with problem-solving skills to make a positive impact in their communities.       

I ask for your consideration and vote.

I have extensive volunteer experience across IEEE and contributed to many activities that facilitated member growth and engagement.

COMMITTEES/BOARDS:

• MGA Vice Chair-Member Development, 2024
• IEEE Recognitions Council Chair, 2024
• IEEE-HKN THE BRIDGE Magazine Editor-in-Chief, 2023
• TAB/EAB Ad Hoc Committee on Continuing Education Development, 2022-present
• MGA Liaison to IEEE-USA Awards and Recognition Committee, 2022-present
• MGA Awards and Recognition Committee Past Chair, 2022-present
• IEEE-USA Awards and Recognition Committee Chair, 2021-present
• IEEE Awards Board Policy and Portfolio Review Committee Member, 2020-present
• IEEE Awards Board Member, 2020-present
• EAB Continuing Education Committee Member, 2020-present
• EAB Educational Products Editorial Committee Chair, 2020-present
• IEEE-HKN Regions 1-2 Governor, 2020-2022
• IEEE-HKN Public Relations and Communications Committee Co-Chair, 2020-2021
• MGA Member Engagement and Life Cycle Committee Member, 2020-2021
• MGA Awards and Recognition Committee Chair, 2020-2021
• IEEE Spectrum Editorial Advisory Board Member, 2019-present
• IEEE-HKN Strategic Planning Committee, 2019
• IEEE Tellers Committee Member, 2019-2021
• IEEE History Committee Member, 2017-2020
• IEEE History Committee Milestones Subcommittee Chair, 2018-2020
• EAB Educational Products Editorial Committee Member, 2017-2019
• EAB Committee on Global Accreditation Activities Member, 2017-2019
• IEEE-USA Awards and Recognition Committee Member, 2016-2020
• MGA Awards and Recognition Committee Member, 2016-2017, 2019
• IEEE Awards Board Presentation and Publicity Committee Member, 2015-2017
• MGA Admission and Advancement Committee Member, 2013

REGION:

• Region 1 Awards and Recognition Committee Chair, 2016-present
• Region 1 Northeastern Area Chair, 2014-2015

SECTIONS:

• Historical Milestones Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2023
• Past Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2014-2015
• Nominations Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2014-2015
• Historical Landmarks Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2013-2015
• Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2012-2013
• Treasurer, New Hampshire Section, 2010-2011
• Membership Development Chair, New Hampshire Section, 2009-2015
• Treasurer, Coastal Los Angeles Section, 2004

SOCIETY:

• IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society Member-at-Large, 2019-2020
• IEEE Engineering Management Review Associate Editor, 2017-present

CONFERENCES:

• IEEE TEMSCON Program Co-Chair, 2018-2019
• IEEE Region 1 Student Conference, 2012-2018

OTHER:

• ABET Electrical Engineering Program Evaluator, 2014-present

Ali Abedi received his PhD in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) from University of Waterloo in 2004. He joined the University of Maine in 2005 where he is currently Associate Vice President for Research, and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research includes wireless sensing for aerospace and biomedical applications resulting in 60 funded projects with total expenditure of over $34M. Dr. Abedi was a Guest Researcher at National Institute of Standards & Technology, and visiting Associate Professor at University of Maryland – College Park in 2012, and faculty fellow at NASA MSFC in Huntsville, AL in 2016. Dr. Abedi is Co-founder of Activas-Diagnostics, author of over 120 journals and conference publications including 6 books and 2 awarded patents with over 47000 downloads. He received a number of awards and recognitions from NSERC, JSPS, CSA, IEEE, and NASA. 

Statement

I had a balanced career in industry and academia, serving IEEE for 25 years at regional and technical capacities. I am honored to get this opportunity to put my experience to use in moving IEEE forward to a new era. The future of our profession is undergoing significant changes as cyber security, artificial intelligence, and online collaboration become mainstream. Jobs of the future are changing, and members’ needs are shifting. It is much easier to collaborate across the globe today than it was a decade ago. With information overload, IEEE can play an important role in curating accurate information based on sound scientific and ethical principles to help humanity around the globe.  IEEE members can lead the world, making it a better place to live, communicate and thrive. I strive to make a global impact while keeping local activities relevant to the local industry. My focus will be on members in industry, academia, and government, in a fair and equal manner no matter where they are coming from and what their field of interest. 

Accomplishments:

• Founded a society chapter, built succession, and sustained the local activities in the past 18 years with the latest events (IEEE UM AI webinars) attracting 4500+ registrations in 3 years;
• Founded IEEE International Conference on Wireless for Space and Extreme Environments (2013); grew it to 200+ attendees with participation from international space agencies and notable aerospace companies, while generating surplus in the past 10 years;
• Connected industry and IEEE by chairing the first IEEE Northeast Industry Day event which led into a series of similar events worldwide, bringing value to local industry members. 

Activities:

Local: Maine Section: Secretary 2006, 2015; Vice-Chair 2007, 2016; Chair 2008; HKN Faculty Advisor 2018-2023; Student Activities Chair, 2023.

Regional: R1 Professional Activities Committee for Engineers (PACE) Chair 2014-2015; Chapters Coordinator 2009-2011, 2018-2019; Board of Governors 2008-2011, 2018-2020; Executive Committee 2014-2015, 2020-2021; Northeast Area Chair 2020-2021; Student Conference Chair 2006; Paper Contest Chair 2012, 2017, 2018, 2023; Conference Committee Vice Chair, 2022-2023.

MGA: Committees: Geo Unit Operations Support 2014-2015; Center for Leadership Excellence 2012-2013; Volunteer Leadership Training (VOLT) Pilot 2013; Member Benefits 2012; AdHoc Conferences Committee 2012.

Technical: Founding Chair Maine Communications/Computer Societies Joint Chapter 2005-2007, 2013-2015; Vice-Chair 2010-2011; Treasurer/Webmaster 2005-2018; IEEE Communications Society, North American Region Board Member 2014-2016; IEEE Council on RFID VP of Conference, 2022-2023.

Conferences:  Chair, IEEE WiSEE’13 (Baltimore); IEEE Northeast Industry Day’10 (Portsmouth); IEEE Int'l Fly By Wireless’10 (Orono); Tutorials Co-Chair, IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference VTC’15 (Boston); PHY Track-Chair, IEEE PIMRC’14 Conference (Washington).  Publications Chair, IEEE Globecom’14 (Austin); and IEEE WCNC’22 (Austin). Technical Program (TPC) Chair, IEEE WiSEE’14-21; TPC member of numerous IEEE conferences.

Journals: Associate Editor: IEEE RFID Journal (2016-Present); IEEE/KICS Journal of Communications and Networks (2013-Present). Guest Editor: IEEE Sensors Journal Special Issue (2013-2014); Guest Editor-in-Chief JCN Special Issue on Cognitive Networking (2013-2014).