Former IEEE-USA President Highlights IEEE-USA Innovation Institute at IEEE Globecom 2007
WASHINGTON (30 November 2007) — Former IEEE-USA President Ralph W. Wyndrum highlighted the IEEE-USA Innovation Institute during a panel session on entrepreneurship at IEEE Globecom 2007 on Wednesday.

Wyndrum, who served as IEEE-USA president in 2006 and is now president of the IEEE-USA Innovation Institute, told attendees that “innovation is everything from invention to the final sale.”

The seven-person panel, sponsored by IEEE GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade), was designed to help graduate students and young professionals learn about what skills and techniques are key to the successful commercialization of research ideas.

Wyndrum’s presentation included information on the pilot Innovation Forum that IEEE-USA hosted in Falls Church, Va., on 6-8 November. Twenty-two people from organizations such as NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, the FCC and the Office of Naval Research, participated in the event. Attendees had the opportunity to earn either 1.5 CEUs or 10 PDHs.

Wyndrum revealed that three Innovation Forums will be held around the country in 2008, six in 2009. The forums are designed to promote the innovation process, highlight new technologies and trends, and help high-tech professionals improve their innovation skills. The faculty is composed of successful technology innovators.

The IEEE-USA Innovation Institute offer programs designed to advance the preparation of leaders responsible for the innovation of new products and services by sharing the experiences of successful innovators in a coordinated program of interaction, teaching, mentoring and networking.

Other key aspects of the Innovation Institute (http://www.innovation-institute.org/) include an online community; a clearinghouse of additional resources; e-books; and eventually, a national conference.

Innovators can also benefit from the IEEE-USA Entrepreneurs Village (http://www.ieeeusa.org/careers/entrepreneurs/default.asp). Introduced in May 2006, the village provides high-tech entrepreneurs with tools and resources conducive to innovation and company growth.

Wyndrum’s presentation highlighted IEEE-USA’s participation in IEEE Globecom 2007 at the Washington Hilton Hotel. IEEE-USA staff was on hand to provide attendees with information on the organization’s career resources and government relations activities.

IEEE Globecom 2007, held 26-30 November, was the IEEE Communications Society’s 50th anniversary of its Global Communications Conference. It is annually “the premier telecommunications event for industry professionals and academics from companies, governmental agencies and universities around the world.”

IEEE Globecom 2008 will be in New Orleans: http://www.comsoc.org/confs/globecom/2008/

IEEE Foundation Announces 2008 Application Deadlines
The IEEE Foundation, Incorporated, the philanthropic arm of the IEEE, is committed to improving the technological literacy of society from childhood through adulthood. One way the IEEE Foundation seeks to achieve this goal is by awarding grants to new and innovative projects. During 2008, unsolicited applications will be accepted in three cycles from IEEE units and other organizations working in areas of relevance and importance to the IEEE and its membership. Projects should achieve one or more of the following objectives:

– Improve primary and secondary science, technology, and math learning
– Encourage pre-university students to consider engineering as a career path
– Increase the public’s understanding of the role of engineers and technology in society
– Preserve the history of IEEE associated technologies
– Tap the technological expertise of IEEE members
– Demonstrate ability to be replicated

Application deadlines:
Deadline IEEE Foundation Meeting Date
4 Jan 2008 Mar 2008
18 Apr 2008 Jun 2008
5 Sep 2008 Nov 2008

Before submitting the online application, please review “How to Apply for a Grant” (http://www.ieee.org/organizations/foundation/grants.html). All applications will be considered for funding by both the IEEE Foundation Board of Directors and the IEEE Life Members Committee. Questions should be directed to the IEEE Foundation Administrator at +1 732 981 3435 or foundation-office@ieee.org

THE LATEST ISSUE OF IEEE’S “THE INSTITUTE” IN NOW AVAILABLE AT
http://www.ieee.org/theinstitute

Included in this issue:

– Model Stomach Takes Digestion Outside the Body After nearly a decade’s worth of research and more than US $2 million from the British government, scientists at the Institute for Food Research in Norwich, England, have built an artificial stomach. Read this IEEE Spectrum Online exclusive to find out how it works and why food engineers, pharmaceutical companies, and organic farmers are lining up for the artificial organ at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/8830/04824637

– WIE Launches Outreach Efforts: Responding to a survey, members of IEEE Women in Engineering said they wanted more networking events to raise the profile of female engineers and more outreach programs that encourage young women to pursue an engineering education. Find out what WIE has done to meet these requests at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/9187/04824637– Upcoming IEEE Conferences: Six IEEE conferences from February to April 2008 cover topics that include solid-state circuits, human-machine systems, and signal processing. Learn more about them at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/9189/04824637

– Robot Showdowns Sharpen Skills: IEEE student branches around the world are holding robotics competitions to put to use the theories they learn in class. Find out more about robots that can monitor a fire, shoot balls into a hoop, or thread their way through a maze at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/9190/04824637

– Part-time Passions: A Stage Star and a Triathlete: Read about two IEEE members who have taken up the hobbies of acting and competing in triathlons at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/9191/04824637

– Countdown to IEEE Award Nominations: Nominations are being sought for 2009 IEEE medals, awards, recognitions, and prize papers. The deadline for nominations is 1 July 2008. Learn how to nominate a colleague at http://bmsmail3.ieee.org:80/u/9192/04824637

18 January 2008 Deadline Looms for IEEE-USA Online Engineering
Video Scholarship Competition; $10,000 in Scholarship Awards Expected
The deadline for entries into the IEEE-USA Online Engineering Video Scholarship Competition on “How Engineers Make a World of Difference” is 18 January, with $10,000 in scholarship awards available. IEEE-USA launched the online video competition in October 2007, calling on undergraduate engineering students to create single 90-second video clips — aimed at 11-13 year-olds, that reinforce engineers’ contributions to the quality of life and that help debunk engineering stereotypes.

IEEE-USA will award seven scholarship prizes totaling $10,000 for the most creative and effective video clips that convey why undergrads think engineering is cool and that underscore “How Engineers Make a World of Difference.” The competition is open to all U.S. undergraduate students in engineering and computer science with at least one U.S. IEEE student member on a team.

All entries must be submitted through YouTube by midnight (Eastern time) on Friday, 18 January. The winners will be announced and winning entries will be shown during National Engineers Week, 17-23 February. To enter the competition, go to http://www.ieeeusa.org/communications/video_competition; or e-mail p.mccarter@ieee.org