News
IEEE Election Results
In the recent IEEE elections, Prof. Roger Pollard, a former Chair of the UKRI Section and a long-term
active member and former President of the IEEE Microwaves Theory and Techniques Society was elected by
a large majority as Technical Activities Vice-President Elect for 2009. This is a very high-level
position in IEEE, and the first time that it has been filled by a member from Region 8.
Roger is Dean of Engineering at Leeds University in England, where he was previously Head of the School
of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
The new Region 8 Director-Elect is Marko Delimar, an active volunteer in the Region who has previously held office in various senior positions of the Region 8 Committee.
Sense about Science
A brochure and accompanying information has been produced by Sense about Science to assist the public to become better able to judge the claims made about possible dangers from electromagnetic radiation from electrical power lines, mobile phones, wi-fi access points, and to help them to understand that scientific knowledge and understanding about such matters has to be derived from careful and repeatable peer-reviewed experimental and theoretical studies.
Many poorly performed and invalidated experimental studies are repeatedly quoted by those who have vested interests in the sale of fake products to protect from non-existent dangers, for whom scaring the public is a successful marketing strategy. Such studies and quotations often get media attention because of their extreme claims. Media policies of giving 'balance' sometimes means that an equal amount of space is given to a true statement as to a misleading statement, which can mislead even more.
The Sense about Science brochure should be useful to IEEE members who are often asked for advice about the truth of 'scares' about dangers from electrical or electronic products, and to help them to explain why many of the products offering to provide "protection" cannot do what they claim and show how they use meaningless jargon to 'explain' their false claims. It may also help those who believe that they are suffering from the effects of electromagnetic radiation to seek help in finding the true causes of their problems.
Contributed by Tony Davies.
IEEE Career Horizons in London
This event was held on 1 Sept 2008 at Queen Mary, University of London, for budding developers, electronics engineers, ambitious researchers and IT journalists.
The event was attended by professionals from industry, senior academics from reputable universities, recent graduates and students from all over the UK.
There were exhibitor stands, speaker sessions, and training sessions on interviewing skills, CV writing and Global Career Strategies (Realities, Trends and Tips for Finding a Job Overseas).
For further details, see the Career Horizons website.
IEEE Region 8 Student Branch Congress 2008
The IEEE Region 8 Student Branch Congress was held at Queen Mary University of London from 28th August to 1st September 2008. This was the first time that there has ever been a R8 Student Branch Congress in the UKRI Section. A very successful SBC was held at York in summer 2007, but that was just 'national' whereas the R8 event pulled in IEEE students from as far away as Siberia, Sweden and South Africa. The R8 Gold Congress 2008 was also held in conjunction with this event.
Further details can be found on the SBC 2008 website.
Volunteer as a Speaker for Growing Ambitions
Growing Ambitions (growingambitions.org) is a UK based
online database of careers speakers for education. Its overall objective is to give young people
great career ideas and give them face-to-face insight into what different jobs entail.
Through the Growing Ambitions website people in every kind of workplace volunteer to speak about their careers on dates and times to suit themselves. Careers advisers in schools, colleges and universities, then select Speakers they need from their local area. This simple and effective tool brings the workplace and education closer together and helps prepare our young people for the world of work. By encouraging young people to aim higher, and achieve their full potential, the UK will see skills levels increase and the economy benefit.
The IEEE UKRI Section recognises that our members can make a real difference to young people in our local communities wherever you are. We encourage you to register as a speaker through the Growing Ambitions website and volunteer to go and speak about your job to young people in your nearby schools, colleges and university.
Working together we can encourage many more young people to take up careers in engineering and science.
Chartered Engineer Petition
The IEEE UKRI Section supported a petition asking the UK Government to introduce laws to protect the name 'Engineer' so that only "Chartered Engineers" IMechE, RAeS can use the title Engineer. This would give Engineers the same professional status in our society as doctors and lawyers, similar to the situation for engineers in Europe. Unfortunately the Government has rejected this petition - further details can be found on the Government's Petitions website.
IEE Merger
The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and IIE merged to form the new Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on 31 March 2006. The formation of the IET will no doubt be very significant to members of the IEEE, not only those who are IEE or IIE members.Now that the IET has been established, there is no longer a UK professional engineering institution with the words 'electrical' or 'electronic' in its title. Of course the IET does intend electrical and electronic engineering and much more besides to be a part of its scope. It may also be significant to note that IET does not stand for the Institution of Engineers and Technologists, but for the Institution of Engineering and Technology, a small but perhaps significant distinction.
The IET logo is a minor variation on the recently-adopted IEE logo. Other
than the change of the last letter from E to T, the main difference is
several rounded instead of sharp corners. The discarded lion of the former
logo has not returned.
Agreement with IEE
The Memorandum of Understanding between the IEEE and the IEE (now renamed the IET) was renewed on 1st January 2006 for a further 3 years. The purpose of the agreement is to "encourage the exchange and dissemination of technical information, and to promote understanding and cooperation between the members of The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) "A number of reciprocal arrangements have been agreed, in the following areas:
- Visiting Members
- Joint Activities
- Coordination of Technical Meetings
- Publications Exchange
- Standards Information
Simon Singh on the 'Big Bang'
Simon Singh gave a very well attended lecture on the 'Big Bang' to the autumn meeting of the IEEE
UKRI Section on 5th October 2005 at the University of Westminster, London
Simon Singh is an author, television personality, mathematician, with a
PhD in Particle Physics (Cambridge & CERN). His television documentary
"Fermat's Last Theorem" won awards world-wide, and his book about this
notorious problem became the first book about mathematics to become a
No.1 best-seller. "The Code Book" explained the history of codes,
code-breaking and showed how in the Information Age, cryptography is
more important to our lives than ever before.
Further details on Simon Singh can be found on his
Website.
"Big Bang" tells the story of cosmology - the idea of a universe born at a single instant in the past - "a day without a yesterday"- and expanding from that moment. IEEE UKRI Section is glad to invite everyone to an enjoyable evening to hear Simon Singh's entertaining and informative talk about one of the highest points of human achievement -the "Big Bang".
Here are two photos from the event:
PELS Chapter Award
The UKRI Power Electronics Chapter was nominated for the Power Electronics Society Best Chapter Award. This was announced at the Annual Power Specialist Conference in Recife Brazil on the 16 of June 2005.For further information on the activities of the UKRI Power Electronics Chapter, see the Chapter's website.
Women in Engineering
The University of Leicester is working in partnership with the IEEE UKRI Section to develop a mentoring scheme linking female Leicester students and student members of the IEEE to established female engineering professionals. This project is funded by the UK resource center for women in Science, Engineering & Technology (SET). One objective of this scheme is to develop a web-based record of the career paths of potential mentors.Further details about this scheme are available on the SET For Work website.
Section History
An interview on the origins and history of the UKRI Section was compiled in September 1995 as an Oral History. It was conducted by William Aspray who interviewed Bob Winton, Mick Byford and Robert Williams. Further information on oral histories can be found in the IEEE History Center.
New Bylaws
The UKRI Section has adopted new bylaws, which were ratified by the IEEE in November 2003.
UKRI Student Prize Contest
The UKRI Section is running a new annual UKRI Student Prize Contest - full details can be found here.
IEEE Personal E-Mail Alias Service
The IEEE now offers an Alias Service in which all IEEE members can register or update a personal alias of their choice (subject to availability and on a "first come, first serve" basis). Messages addressed to your.alias@ieee.org will automatically be forwarded to your real Internet e-mail address.
Your contact details
It is very important that the IEEE has up to date contact details for all members. If your e-mail or contact address changes, or you receive a mailing from the IEEE with incorrect details, please report this toAlternatively, you can amend your details on-line on the IEEE HQ change of address page.
Committee members please also inform the UKRI Webmaster of any changes.
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