December 2015 www.ieee.org/lmc Memories and Milestones 2014–2015 contents Joe Cruz, Chair, IEEE Life Members Committee Memories and Milestones his is my last arti- Members Affinity Group 2014–2015 1 cle as chair of the (LMAG) Achievement IEEE Launches Collabratec IEEE Life Members Award was established in Online Networking Tools 2 T Committee (LMC). It has 2015. The new award pro- Life Member Technical Tour been an honor and a vides an opportunity to Highlights IEEE Milestones 3 privilege to serve you— recognize an LMAG for its Boston LMAG Scores Inaugural the Life Members (LMs) leadership and innovation Achievement Award 3 of IEEE. Please allow me in the promotion of LM The Volta Battery Is a to highlight a few of my activities and/or the Life Commemorative Coaster 4 favorite memories from Members Fund (LMF). my time as chair. The first award was given Planned Generosity 4 Elevation of LMs to this year to the IEEE Donor Prole: Life Member’s LSM grade. Each year, Boston Section LMAG (see Reach Extends Far and Near 5 between 2,500 and 3,500 IEEE Life Members page 3)—well done! IEEE Life Members Fund Members attain the status Commissioning of Helping to Power-Up Committee Chair of Life Member. In previ- Joe Cruz the history of the LM Students’ Excitement about ous columns, I noted that grade. In 2014, the LMC Computing 5 more than 65% of those that attain the commissioned the preparation of the his- IEEE and HKN—Perfect status of LM do so at the Member grade, tory of the LMC. Under the guidance of Together 7 and only about 25% are recognized at the IEEE History Center, professional his- Renovation and Expansion of the Senior Member grade. Throughout torian Andrew J. Butrica chronicled the IEEE Archives Is Complete 7 my tenure, I encouraged those at the years 1884–2010 and assembled a 160+ Transform Lives while Member grade to examine their career page history. I urge you to read the sum- Conrming Your LM Prole 8 records to determine whether they qual- mary found on pages 13–15 of this issue Life Member Activities in ifed for elevation to Life Senior Member and learn about the profound impact LMs Region 8 9 (LSM) grade. Many of you have done so and the LMC have had on IEEE and its IEEE Student Members Get and are now LSMs—congratulations! For ability to fulfill its mission to advance “Mad” for Mobile Apps 10 those who have not yet applied for ele- technology for the benefit of humanity as Santa Clara Valley Is TOPS vation, I urge you to check out the a result of the philanthropic investments for Students 11 requirements at http://www.ieee.org/ made by the LMF—all thanks to mem- senior-member. bers’ charitable support. Tales from the Vault 11–12 Annual review of the LMC stra- Expanded size and coverage of IEEE Life Members—A 130- tegic plan. In 2013, my predecessor as the IEEE Life Members Newsletter. Year History of Philanthropy 13 chair, Lou Luceri, tasked Ralph Wyndrum The newsletter is highly regarded by Our Mailing List 16 and me with reviewing the committee’s IEEE LMs. During the last couple of Submitting Articles 16 strategic plan from 2006 and recom- years, the LMC has worked hard to Stopping IEEE Services 16 mending revisions. I am proud to say enhance and expand its contents by that our recommendations were adopted, increasing the number of stories IEEE Contact Center 16 and the committee approved a rolling focused on history, local LM activities, 2015 Life Members Committee 16 five-year strategic plan. The committee and the programs supported by the Qualifying for Life has continued to review the plan annual- IEEE LMF. The newsletter welcomes Member Status 16 ly and revise it as needed. To read the articles, categorized as “Tales from the Have Questions… 16 details of the strategic plan, visit http:// Vault,” that share your personal www.ieee.org/societies_communities/ involvement with technological geo_activities/life_members/strategic_ achievements that turned out to be his- plan.html. torically significant. Past issues are Creation of a New LM Affinity available on the LMC’s website at Group Achievement Award. A new Life http://www.ieee.org/lmc. 1 Reinvented IEEE Foundation/Life Members that is being provided will come from the IEEE LMF, Fund Grants Program. In 2015, the LMC partnered thanks to the generous support of many IEEE LMs and with the IEEE Foundation to reinvent the IEEE friends. To learn more about the Grants Program, visit Foundation/LM Fund Grants Program to focus exclusive- http://www.ieeefoundation.org/grants. ly on supporting projects of IEEE units within a pre- The LMC continues to encourage all LMs to remain defined theme of strategic importance to IEEE. Sixty engaged through activities of LMAGs. Just as importantly, grant applications were submitted in response to this the LMC urges you to continue your support of the fund- year’s theme: Increase the understanding of technology ing of focused projects through the IEEE LMF of the IEEE and its critical role in meeting global challenges and Foundation. These IEEE projects enable programs that improving the human condition. Several grants are improve access to technology, enhance technological lit- expected to be awarded for projects beginning on eracy, and support technical education and the IEEE pro- 1 January 2016. Approximately one-half of the funding fessional community. IEEE Launches Collabratec Online Networking Tools first heard of the IEEE Collabratec initiative from the Chapter. So I formed a private workspace (private group), IEEE New York City (NYC) Section chair, who asked inviting others (including the current chair) to join and I if I would be interested in volunteering to be a NYC share ideas on solving Chapter problems, suggesting topics community moderator. I’ve been deeply concerned over for technical sessions, and discussing the election of new the shocking decline in Chapter activities in our Section executive committee members. I formed another private and a growing lack of interest over the past 5+ years. This group of my consulting associates and interns that we use Spring, I decided to see if IEEE Collabratec would be a to collaborate on writing proposals, preparing engineering vehicle to get local Members more involved. reports, and general coordination tasks. I also formed a Launched in 2015, the web-based system (at ieee- separate private group of practitioners in the field of land– collabratec.ieee.org) features a suite of online tools that mobile radio engineering. These have all worked well. allows technology professionals around the globe to net- Activities: I like to peruse upcoming events to plan work, exchange ideas, collaborate, create, and discover on attending those of interest. These can be local to your new career opportunities. I really admire the develop- community or anywhere on the planet. ment approach taken with IEEE Collabratec; it started Questions: This is a fun part of the system. Here you with a pilot containing a constrained number of commu- can pose a question to your community...any kind of nities and a limited feature-set, and it obtained user feed- question (mind you, we moderators will take down inap- back throughout the development process. IEEE propriate items). Anyone can either expand on your Collabratec is an open platform, accessible to members question or comment on it. There are many other func- and nonmembers, and allows users to attach third-party tions available to the user; I’ve just scratched the surface services (such as Google Hangouts). myself. Although I’m a Life Senior Member, when I’m not sail- Some functions include: ing, I’m still very much engaged in consulting engineer- • search features to find others based on interests, ing, segueing from land–mobile radio systems engineer- Societies, membership, and grade ing to embedded systems engineering and the Internet of • updates on resources, events, and experts that match Things (IoT). Here is how I have found the system to be and advance your professional interests or career pur- useful so far. suits Networking: I have used the system quite well to dis- • access to research and collaborative authoring capabili- cuss problems related to the security of embedded sys- ties integrated within your professional networks (even tems and software used for the IoT, to ferret out which a suite of tools for managing your own personal online integrated development environment tools are best to use library that’s accessible virtually anywhere—even on a for ARM processors, and to trade ideas on the most flexi- sailboat). ble and efficient ARM processors. This was done by I have experienced a few challenges getting to know reaching out and networking with practitioners in the the platform, but the best way to learn the system is to business. I have also met some very interesting folks read the help aids and just dive in and start working. along the way. IEEE Collabratec offers a users group community, where Interest Groups: Having served as chair of the IEEE questions can be asked about the platform and timely Communications Society’s NYC Chapter for three years, I responses are received. am keenly aware of the health and goings-on in this —Warner Sharkey 2 Life Member Technical Tour Highlights IEEE Milestones EEE Milestones celebrate techno- logical breakthroughs or turning I points, around a number of which the IEEE Life Members Committee (LMC) has organized technology- themed tours. An IEEE LM Technical Tour was held in Europe 7–17 May 2015, with stops in France, Switzerland, and Germany. The tour included visits to IEEE Milestones and related muse- ums, as well as historical heritage sites in Paris, Geneva, and Munich.