Membership Contacts:

Hunter J Boudreaux – East Area Chair

Maciej J Zawodniok– North Area Chair

Christopher B Sanderson– South Area Chair

Faye Kann– West Area Chair

R5 EXCOM Roster can be viewed here: https://rosters.ieee.org/home.html

R5 EXCOM Meetings

Audit Committee

1. Treasurer: Paul Cassingham.
2. Audit Committee Chair, 4th Year: William Wylie (North) Billwylie@ieee.org
3. Audit Committee, 3rd Year: Silke Spiesshoefer (East) Silke_Spiesshoefer@ieee.org
4. Audit Committee, 2nd Year: Ernest X Njouondo (South) njouondo@ieee.org
5. Audit Committee, 1st Year: Patterson, Tristan Hunter (West) tristanpatterson10@hotmail.com

POC: Director Bob Becnel bob.becnel@ieee.org

Spotlight

CHIPS is more than chips… Workforce, Research and Innovation

Region 5 and IEEE-USA in DC to Meet with National Science Foundation and collaborate on bridging technology gaps

 

Brittany Hillyer (AR EPSCoR Outreach Director), Director Elect Matt Francis, Jennifer Fowler (AR EPSCoR Program Director), Dr. Kelvin K. Droegemeier (Past Chair, National Science Board) and Ed Palacio (IEEE-USA President) meeting at NSF EPSCoR Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

While many have heard of the CHIPS and Science Act, it is about much more than just semiconductors.  Building a modern semiconductor industry requires a STEM workforce, and is critical to almost every industry in our region, including semiconductors.  IEEE Region 5 is partnering with IEEE-USA on several initiatives to bring innovators together – from all sectors, and taking full advantage of the STEM focus provided by the CHIPS act.

On May 15-16, Region 5 Director-elect Matt Francis was joined by IEEE-USA President Ed Palacio as guests of the Arkansas National Science Foundation EPSCoR program at the annual NSF meeting in Washington DC.   EPSCoR, Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, is one of the many focal points of enabling Innovation within the CHIPS and Science Act.  This program focuses on enabling research and technology development in areas that are historically underinvested in.  Under CHIPS, 20% of NSF’s budget is to go to EPSCoR states by 2030 – a significant increase from today.  Region 5 includes parts of 8 of the 26 national EPSCOR jurisdictions, including the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.  Many Region 5 members are or have been EPSCoR funded researchers and students, and help grow the STEM workforce and related industry in their respective communities.  During the meeting the IEEE team met with program directors from NSF and many states on ways IEEE-USA and Region 5 could help grow STEM workforce and bridge technology gaps.

2023 Region 5 Student Competitions

The 2023 IEEE Region 5 Student Competitions were held on Saturday, April 22, as part of the R5 Annual Meeting. Nearly 125 students from 25 colleges and universities across the region took part. Students competed in four events –

Circuit Design – Students were bused to the Colorado School of Mines for this event. The event was chaired by Dr. Hisham Sager, Asst. Professor of Electrical Engineering at CSM.

 

Ethics – Ten teams competed in this event, which was chaired by Dr. Steve Watkins, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

 

Poster/Presentation – Seven winners from the Area competitions competed (eighth entrant was unable to attend due to weather). This competition was chaired by Dr. Neill Kefauver of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Robotics – Fourteen teams competed in two rounds of competition. This competition was chaired by Dr. Mike Mattice and Mr. Jim Harrer, supported by a team of fifteen volunteers

 

 

   

Graduating Seniors – The Graduation Class of 2023 was also recognized during the Awards Banquet with a token of recognition from Region 5.

 

Articles and Photos contributed by James Sipes: jsipes@ieee.org

Membership Development

Know someone who is not an IEEE member and has been waiting to join?

Join now with ½ year dues!  Join IEEE and receive 8 months of membership for the price of six.  If you have been away from IEEE for more than a year, you can re-join for half price! www.ieee.org/join

Did you know about IEEE – IEEE Virtual Events

IEEE has many member benefits. One such benefit through the IEEE Education Activities is the ability to participate in virtual events.  These events allow members and, in some cases non-members, to engage with industry experts and innovators on the latest advancements in technology and engineering, STEM education, and more.  Several recent events are listed below:

• The Growing Role and Effects of Data Privacy Engineering on Technology
• IEEE TryEngineering Tuesday: Photonics
• IEEE Virtual Tech Talk: IEEE 802 Networking Standards— 802.11 Wireless LAN Standards
• And may more

 Checkup out the many on-demand recorded panel sessions or register for upcoming events with industry experts IEEE Innovation at work.

Become an IEEE Senior Member

Senior member is the highest grade for which IEEE members can apply. IEEE members can self-nominate, or be nominated, for Senior Member grade.  A few of the benefits include:

• Benefits of being an IEEE Senior Member
• Professional recognition by your peers and the IEEE
• Letter of commendation will be sent to your employer
• Senior Member Plaque to display
• More

Begin the process by asking your section leaders for support in reference writing and going to the IEEE Senior Member Website.

Region 5, Membership Development Chair J.Redfield@ieee.org 210-744-2968

R5 Conferences, Webinars and Professional Activities

Region 5 makes funds available for the support of professional activities in IEEE R5 Sections, Chapters, and Student Branches. The funds are managed and distributed through the Region. To obtain funding, a Section, Chapter, or Student Branch must complete a Project Plan and Financing Request form, obtain supporting signatures, and file the form with the Region 5 PACE Coordinator. For R5 PACE Form (includes program details) and project ideas, https://r5.ieee.org/member-opportunities/professional-activities-pace/.

R5 Sections and Formation Date

	Section	Date
1	Arkansas River Valley	June 20, 1994
2	Arkansas	April 23, 1947
3	Baton Rouge	February 5, 1955
4	Beaumont	June 27, 1945
5	Central Texas	May 23, 1930
6	Corpus Christi	October 25, 1951
7	Dallas	March 18, 1928
8	Denver	May 18, 1915
9	El Paso	March 7, 1940
10	Fort Worth	January 5, 1956
11	Galveston Bay	January 1, 1980
12	High Plains	February 13, 2010
13	Houston	August 7, 1928
14	Kansas City	April 4, 1916
15	Lafayette	November 11, 1970
16	Lone Star	November 23, 2019
17	New Orleans	December 8, 1933
18	Oklahoma City	February 16, 1922
19	Ozark	April 20, 1966
20	Panhandle	June 12, 1947
21	Pikes Peak	May 22, 1978
22	Saint Louis	January 14, 1903
23	Shreveport	January 14, 1903
24	South Plains	May 4, 1955
25	Southwest Missouri	February 14, 2009
26	Tulsa	October 1, 1937
27	Wichita	September 16, 1937

IEEE USA News

One example of IEEE-USA’s collaborations to support CHIPS in our region is the IEEE-USA  Innovation Workforce and Research Conference (IWRC).   IWRC will be held 13-15 September, 2023 in Little Rock, Arkansas.  IEEE-USA is partnering with Arkansas’ NSF EPSCoR program to further connect industry, academia and government through the 2023 IEEE-USA through this three day event.  IWRC will bring together stakeholders from academia, government, and industry to bridge the gap between research and commercially viable products. Experts from our region and across the country will discuss research grants, technology transfer programs, start-up funding, intellectual property, and a host of other topics related to inspiring and empowering true innovation in the Heartland and Delta Regions

Based on the success of a session held at the 2023 Region 5 annual meeting, Director Elect Matt Francis and Pikes Peak Section Chair David Bondurant will review details of the $52B CHIPS Act in the context of the fifty-year history of semiconductor and computer technology in a free webinar sponsored by IEEE-USA in July. You can register today at https://lnkd.in/gnq7bguF

IEEE-USA MOVE Vehicle

We are very short on drivers right now. We have had to turn down some deployments due to the lack of qualified/certified drivers. If you are at all interested, please contact me. Region 5 is anticipating an IEEE-USA MOVE Vehicle to be stationed within the Region in the near future. https://move.ieeeusa.org To prepare for the truck, R5 is working with the larger MOVE team to train volunteers to operate and drive the trucks. Two trucks already exist, stationed in San Diego and Raleigh. The trucks are primarily focused on supporting disasters across the US in coordination with the American Red Cross. The trucks are also used for various STEM events. There are many opportunities to volunteer, truck drivers/operators, radio team, truck maintenance team, weather team, STEM volunteer, media coordination, etc. If you are interested, take a look at the MOVE web site, click on “volunteer” and enter your information. Or, contact Gerry Ourada, gourada@ieee.org for assistance or questions.

IEEE MGA News

IEEE Educational Activities Board (EAB) Awards recognize and honor individuals, companies, and IEEE Societies, Sections, and Councils for major contributions to engineering and technical education. Awards are given for meritorious achievements, professional development, and service that advance the practice of engineering and of engineering education.

Do you know deserving individuals? Who will you nominate? For complete details or to nominate, visit https://www.ieee.org/education/awards/index.html

By Susan Kathy Land, Chair, 2023 IEEE Nominations and Appointments Committee Volunteers are needed to serve as corporate officers, committee chairs, and members. IEEE depends on volunteer members for many things, including editing IEEE publications, organizing conferences, coordinating regional and local activities, authoring standards publications, leading educational activities, and identifying individuals for IEEE recognitions and awards. The Nominations and Appointments (N&A) Committee is responsible for developing recommendations to the Board of Directors and the IEEE Assembly on staffing many volunteer positions, including candidates for president-elect and corporate officers. Accordingly, the N&A Committee is seeking nominees for the following positions:

2025 IEEE President-Elect (who will serve as President in 2026) 2024 IEEE Corporate Officers

• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Vice President, Educational Activities
• Vice President, Publication Services and Products

2024 IEEE Committees (chairs and members)

• Audit
• Awards Board
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Election Oversight
• Employee Benefits and Compensation
• Ethics and Member Conduct
• European Public Policy
• Fellow
• Global Public Policy
• Governance
• History
• Humanitarian Technologies Board
• Industry Engagement
• New Initiatives
• Nominations and Appointments
• Public Visibility
• Strategy and Alignment
• Tellers

DEADLINES Nominate a Colleague

• March 15 – Vice President and Chair positions
• June 15 – All other positions

Submit Biographies/Self Nominations

• March 30 – Vice President and Chair positions
• June 30 – All other positions

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

Anyone may submit a nomination; nominators need not be IEEE members but must meet specific qualifications. Self-nominations are encouraged. An IEEE organizational unit may submit recommendations endorsed by its governing body or the body’s designee.

A person may be nominated for more than one position. Nominators need not contact their nominees before submitting the form. The IEEE Nominations & Appointments Committee will only contact eligible nominees for their interest and willingness to serve.

HOW TO NOMINATE For more details about position eligibility and the time commitment of the positions, check the Guidelines for Nominating Candidates. To nominate a person for a position, complete the form. NOMINATING TIPS

• Check the eligibility requirements at the N&A Committee websitebefore submitting a nomination.
• Volunteers with relevant prior experience in lower-level IEEE committees and units are recommended by the committee more often than volunteers without such experience.
• Individuals recommended for president-elect, and corporate officer positions are more likely to be recommended if they possess a strong track record of leadership and relevant accomplishments within and outside IEEE.
• Recommended candidates often have significant prior experience as members of IEEE boards and standing committees.

More information about the duties associated with the different positions, qualifications, and eligibility requisites (such as prior service in certain positions or IEEE grade) can be found in the Guidelines for Nominating Candidates. For more information, please contact Yerjeny Diaz Committee & Program Administrator IEEE Corporate – Corporate Governance 732-465-6648 y.diaz@ieee.org

Frequent Links

The Full ExCom Roster can be viewed here: https://rosters.ieee.org/home.html

MGA https://www.ieee.org/communities/geographic-activities.htm

IEEE USA https://ieeeusa.org/

IEEE Region 5 https://r5.ieee.org/

IEEE OU Analytics https://mga.ieee.org/resources-operations/volunteer-tools/samieee

vTools: https://events.vtools.ieee.org/

The Newsletter is sent to all current members in Region 5

Newsletter Editor: Ademola Peter Adejokun

newsletter@ieeer5.org