Region 2 Issues and Solutions

Region 2 Issues and Solutions

Engage the member Our members will realize the full value of their membership if they are better engaged in the entire spectrum of IEEE activities at all levels. I will work with local sections to develop and disseminate toolkits documenting model technical and professional events that can be replicated across the region. This will result in improved member engagement opportunities while minimizing duplication of effort and learning curve.

Involve industry I will nurture programs reaching across sections, academia and local industries which focus on practical applications of emerging technologies while offering needed professional development for practicing engineers.

Spread the word  There is a lot of good work done through our Sections and Chapters that if communicated better inside and outside IEEE will improve member experience and IEEE image.  I will expand outreach via social networking channels and electronic newsletters while enhancing appropriate print communications to reach members and the public.

Enhance the value of membership. There have been quite a few surveys that addressed this issue. We need to make the existing or prospective members feel that they are getting “their money’s worth”. We also need to be mindful of the observation made in the 2005 IEL Impact Study that, “potential members …do not see the value of social capital that professional societies provide generally”. We need to create a vision of such value that could be different across different parts of the world.

Provide the right tools for local leaders. The organizers of local technical and professional meetings are hampered by lack of management tools such as meeting invitation and management software (that would let the members respond to and add meeting invitations to their calendars). The quality and timeliness of local IEEE websites also varies widely. The local Sections also face difficulties in accepting credit cards for their events. The easier we make it for local leaders to organize events, the more enthusiastic they will be in organizing more events and the spirit catches on.

Promote stronger Technical Society – Geographic Area Relationships. This may include, for example, rejuvenation of local Chapters and involvement of local Sections in technical conferences. Some Societies are better at these than others and sharing of best practices will be helpful. I also believe that this might help reverse the decline in the Society memberships.