IEEE Vancouver Section is planning to introduce two new technical chapters this fall. We’ll need your support, as outlined below. Please let me know if you can help. The proposed IEEE Joint Applied Physics Chapter will represent the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society, the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society, the IEEE Magnetics Society and the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control Society in Vancouver. Companies and organizations who have expressed interest in supporting the proposed chapter include TRIUMF, Honeywell and D-Wave Systems.

20 April 2010 - IEEE Canada President Om Malik announced today that IEEE Vancouver Section has won IEEE Canada's 2010 Exemplary Section Award.

Vancouver Section had an outstanding year in 2009 as evidenced by substantial increases in the Section's membership, formation of new subsections in Northern BC and the Okanagan, creation and expansion of its technical chapters, etc.

Section History Committee

IEEE Vancouver Section's new History Committee has achieved remarkable success during the past few months.

IEEE Milestones Program

A few months ago, we proposed three electrical and computer engineering accomplishments for consideration for recognition by the IEEE History Committee as IEEE Milestones:

Vancouver Section Executive Committee would like to announce that this year's Annual General Meeting will be held in June. Starting this year, our operational year has been aligned with the calendar year to be in compliance with IEEE bylaws. Elections for Vancouver Section officers will be announced at a later date this year, therefore there will be no transitioning to new officers at this special AGM. The business part of the meeting will include reports on Section operations and finances for 2009. More details coming soon!

Meliha B. Selak is a Specialist Engineer with BC Hydro where she is working in the Power System Protection & Control Planning group. She holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sarajevo and has over 30 years of experience in various aspects of power systems engineering including utility protection, research & development, project management and consulting on international projects.

Improving our support for members, academic institutions and industry in the Interior of our province has become a key Section priority in recent years. As noted in the December 2009 issue of Contact, this has led us to support the formation of IEEE Okanagan and Northern British Columbia Subsections. The formation petitions were approved by the Section EXCOM and submitted to IEEE MGA in December 2009. The IEEE MGA board formally approved establishment of the new  subsections on 13 February 2010.

Background

Getting Involved

with IEEE Vancouver Section As our 100th anniversary approaches, IEEE Vancouver Section can look back on an outstanding record of providing:

Can you or a colleague speak to any of the following issues concerning preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics?

• City development and infrastructure in preparation for the Olympics
• Handling communications during the Olympics
• Cell phone usage during the Olympics and how wireless companies prepare
• Prosthetics as they relate to the Paralympics
• Product developement and engineering for Olympians gear
• Development and coordination of simulation centers at the Olympics

Many people in the Vancouver Section have wondered why the SFU student branch (SB) became dormant in the last couple of years, to a point when the student branch website disappeared, and the student executives were nowhere to be found. Not too long ago, as our branch counselor Dr. Glenn Chapman recalled, SFU SB was one of the most active branches in western Canada, and it had collected many awards. Indeed it was true. In the mid-90s, SFU SB was awarded the best Student Branch Award.

One of IEEE Canada's most important roles is to recognize the achievements of its members through its extensive program of awards. Sections play an important role by ensuring that deserving and qualified members are nominated before IEEE Canada's 30 November deadline. A listing of the IEEE Canada Achievement Awards is given below. More information is available at http://www.ieee.ca/awards/nominate.htm