IEEE Pittsburgh Section s1

IEEE Pittsburgh Section - Executive Committee March Meeting Minutes

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Meeting

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Panera Bread

20111 Route 19 Ste. 2
Cranberry, PA 16066
(724) 779-5060

Participants: Dave Vaglia, Frank Pietryga, Mike Hollis, Joe Kalasky, Gerry Kumnik, Joe Cioletti, Ralph Sprang, Louis Hart

General ExComm meeting

1.  Review /Amend/Approve March Agenda.

Moved: Dave V.

Second: Ralph S.

Approved: Unanimous

2.  Approve Minutes from Previous Meeting (February).

Moved: Mike H.

Second: Dave V.

Approved: Unanimous

3.  Officer Reports:

a.  Chair – Louis Hart

1) Region 2 meeting report and presentations – summary and commentary (see below)

An agenda with links to the various reports are at:

http://www.ewh.ieee.org/reg/2/R2M/2012/Feb%202012/index_meeting_1202.htm

I suggest all Pittsburgh officers and chapter chairs have at least a quick look at the agenda and reports. All were informative and helpful. The presentation on Geo Unit Reserve Sharing generated its share of discussion.

Petition Candidates

Charles Rubinstein wants to appear on ballot as petition candidate for president of IEEE-USA. He was at meeting both days. IEEE board has placed Gary Blank and Lee Stogner on ballot. Morning of 26 Feb, Gary Blank and Lee Stogner attended the meeting (having flown in overnight from west coast).

Howard Michel wants to appear on ballot as petition candidate for IEEE President Elect 2013. Distributed an information packet on his behalf with paper petitions. His petition is available at www.ieee.org/petition. IEEE board has placed 2 names on ballot.

I see no reason why their petitions to be put on the ballot should not be supported.

Two candidates for Region 2 Director Elect, Tim K(sorry – I forget his last name) and Gerard Christman spoke. The other candidate, Emilio Sigueiro was unable to attend due to illness. The 3 candidates have backgrounds that differ considerably from each other. The candidates have quite different backgrounds. Information is on the IEEE website.

Interesting points that may not have been emphasized in the presentations include

·  IEEE budget, and sources of income

·  observations that IEEE has a confusing array of services

·  a provision that Member and Geographic Activities will ‘borrow’ a few % of some section bank accounts to replenish MGA reserves- I say borrow, as my understanding is that the sections will be reimbursed next year; 9 of the 20 region 2 sections will contribute

·  Region 2 will have area meetings in the fall, for each of the 4 areas, to keep activities going without need for everyone to attend at a single location

·  IEEE has a Center for Leadship Excellence; not sure of the exact page but it is something like www.ieee.org/go/gle It can be useful in recruiting volunteers, apparently something for people to look at outside the confines of, for example, an executive committee meeting

IEEE USA meeting and subsidy

Murty Povalarapu discussed the IEEE-USA meeting (and later followed up with the email below). IEE-USA is subsidizing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd time attendees as described. Murty made the point at the region meeting that the attendee must be present Sunday morning to get the rebate.

Subject: Invitation for IEEE-USA Annual Meeting May 3-6, 2012 Cincinnati, OH

Dear Region 2 Section Chairs and PACE Coordinators:

I cordially invite you and your PACE Chairs to attend the 2012 IEEE-USA Annual Meeting: “Innovation Taking Flight" to be held on 3 - 6 May 2012 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The 2012 IEEE-USA Annual Meeting includes an exciting and informative program. Friday’s program will focus on fostering innovation in autonomous systems to dramatically advance aerospace technologies in cost-effective ways. The number and capabilities of autonomic systems are growing fast, but the roadblocks to their increasing use to augment human systems lies in the technology gap to ensuring trustworthiness of those systems. This is critical in aerospace systems, and must be considered in all phases of research, but also extends into private sector systems, as well. Attendees will be briefed on pressing social, economic and political issues surrounding aerospace technologies, as well as training in how to take outreach programs and ideas home.

Saturday’s program will provide sessions on volunteer training, interactive workshops honing leadership skills, exhibits on the latest IEEE products and services, IEEE-USA's current legislative priorities affecting technology and engineering careers, and information on how members may take part in an effective grassroots lobbying network as well as training in how to take outreach programs and ideas home to local sections. The luncheon will feature Joyce Tucker, Vice President, Boeing, Diversity and Affirmative Action, as a keynote speaker.

Friday’s technical program is included in full Annual Meeting registration. It is, however, also available as a separate one day registration.

Region Breakout Sessions are scheduled for Sunday, 6 May from 8:00 am – 9:30 am. You or your Section delegate must attend this session to be eligible for the travel subsidy from our Region.

Travel Subsidy from Region 2:

As announced at the February Region 2 Committee Meeting, we are making a concerted effort to incentivize first-time attendees to this conference. Each Section in Region 2 that sends a first-time attendee to this event, will receive a maximum of $750.00 to cover the actual costs of hotel, registration and travel. If a Section sends a delegate who is attending this event for the second time, the subsidy from Region 2 drops to $500 and for a third-time attendee it drops further to $250.00. I encourage you to infuse some new blood into your Section leadership and make maximum use of the subsidy from Region 2.

Registration for the Annual Meeting:

Registration for the Annual Meeting will be open in a few weeks. The discounted rate of $475.00 will be offered until 9 April 2012, The fee will cover attendance at the sessions and meals (Thursday dinner; breakfast and lunch on both Friday and Saturday; all coffee breaks; and admission to the IEEE-USA Awards Ceremony and Banquet to be held on Saturday, 5 May 2012 at 7 p.m.). After 9 April, the registration fee will be $550.00. There will be no refunds after Monday, 23 April 2012.

Registration for the Friday’s Program:

Registration for Friday’s program as a stand-alone event will also be open in a few weeks. The discounted rate of $175.00 will be offered until 9 April 2012, After 9 April, the registration fee will be $225.00. There will be no refunds after Monday, 23 April 2012.

Hotel Reservations

IEEE-USA has negotiated a very low rate of $145.00 per night (plus tax) at the Hilton Hotel. In order to secure these low room rates, reservations must be made prior to Monday, 9 April 2012. Please note that our contract is tied to the number of sleeping rooms we use. To ensure that we receive complimentary meeting rooms, please encourage everyone to stay at the Hilton. For details of the Annual Meeting, please visit: http://www.ieeeusa.org/calendar/conferences/annualmeeting/2012/default.asp

To help make maximum use of our travel subsidy funding, I ask that you let me know as soon as possible your Section’s plans to participate in this conference. I am available anytime to answer your questions.

I look forward to seeing you in Cincinnati!
Murty Polavarapu

Educational Activities

After the meeting A.B. Shafaye, Region 2 education activities chair, sent the following link to officer training modules. (It is one level down from the cle link referenced above.) He requested the section’s educational activities chair review that module. Unfortunately, it appears Pittsburgh does not have an educational activities chair. http://ieee-elearning.org/CLE/course/category.php?id=11

2) Pittsburgh may have need for ‘Education’ chair

In Region 2, 13 out of 20 sections did not have an Education Chair.

We need to determine what the “role” is of this position.

3) Did not meet ‘Jennifer’ at Science Center-still looking for WIE chair

Lou is still looking for someone to chair WIE.

4) Status of efforts to contact new members

5) Need to find out what members want

There are 99 new members in the Pittsburgh Section according to SAMI database.

Congressional Visit Day (April 25th and 26th), Lou to solicit ExComm and Chapter Chairs to see if there is anybody interested in attending.

b.  Vice-Chair – Jim Beck

No report

c.  Treasurer – Mey Sen

1) IEEE Pittsburgh Section - Treasurer’s report March 2012.

·  I have authorization to sign checks.

·  I received the IEEE CB card.

·  Section’s expenses incurred so far are:

-  12 January L50 reconciliation meeting ($202.00)

-  19 January Excom meeting ($129.43)

-  18 January PES/IAS meeting ($218.18)

-  Treasurer’s mailing expenses ($111.52)

-  2 February Communications & EMBS meeting ($113.42)

-  8 February Communications meeting ($90.00)

-  Dave Vaglia expense reimbursement ($1837.77) for 2011 IAS CMD training, Orlando, FL

-  16 February Excom meeting ($126.74 + $13.03 + $11.75)

-  18 February Robot Car Race, Gerry Kumnik ($405.00)

-  Publicity - Carnegie Science Center, Engineer’s Week Sponsorship ($250.00)

-  Publicity - Carnegie Science Center, Science Fair Sponsorship ($500.00)

-  18 February Robot Car Race, Tom Dionise ($311.23) – waiting for itemization

-  18 February Robot Car Race, Tom Dionise (288.48) – in process

-  18 February Robot Car Race, Rajiv Garg ($111.12) – in process

·  Section’s deposits so far $200 Westinghouse sponsorship for Robot Car Race.

d.  Secretary – Frank Pietryga

1) NetSuite training, see email snippet from Gerard Christman, Treasurer Region 2 below:

Dear IEEE Pittsburgh Section Leaders,
I need your assistance please. I am trying to coordinate a training session with IEEE HQ on NetSuite. Many of our units have expressed the need for training so this is in response to this seeming high demand.
To make the locale central to R2, I've selected Pittsburgh. I've confirmed that the IEEE Rep is willing to conduct the training there.
I need your help in organizing a venue. Do you have a recommendation please? It would be very helpful if the venue came at low or no cost as this is an unanticipated event in terms of budgeting.
The training will last no longer than 4 hours.
The target audience is all IEEE volunteers in R2 that are required to submit their reports using NetSuite so this includes Sections and Society Chapters. I would imagine that we would have no more than 100 participants but most likely it will be closer to 50. It would be great if there was WiFi available.
The concept is to start at noon on Saturday the 24th of March and end by 4PM. If some members have particularly difficult reports, the IEEE Rep will work with individuals until the reports are submitted on that day.
Thanks for your assistance and I look forward to your reply.

Look at SAMI database to ensure that officer information is up to date.

What happened to NetSuite training? Treasurer and Secretary should attend this

training session. Training is for submitting L50 reports. When is new training date?

e.  Immediate Past Chair – Bob Brooks

No report

f.  Upper-Mon Subsection – David Graham

No report

Committees:

1.  Student Activities – Rajiv Garg

No report

2.  PACE– Joe Cioletti

1) PACE chair meeting, see snippet from Murty Polavarapu below:

Dear Region 2 Section Chairs and PACE Coordinators:

I cordially invite you and your PACE Chairs to attend the 2012 IEEE-USA Annual Meeting: “Innovation Taking Flight" to be held on 3 - 6 May 2012 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Gerry to get costs to Joe for reimbursement

Maybe send 3 people to PACE chair meeting (Joe C., Frank P.?, Mike H.?)

The Section will pay up to $750 towards reimbursement

Joe C. would like to visit electronics recycling facility in Plum, PA

3.  Bulletin – Phil Cox

1) Communications Society: No definite activity, but we are looking at setting up at least one meeting this spring. We will probably be seeking funding from ComSoc for a visiting lecturer.
2) Bulletin: I published an edition of the Pulse of Pittsburgh this month. The deadline for the April bulletin is next Tuesday, March 20, 2012.

4.  Website – Gerry Kumnik

Look at the possibility of publishing minutes and “Pulse of Pittsburgh on the website.

West Virginia Update – David Graham

5.  Membership Development – Karl Muller

No report

6.  Publicity – Tom Dionise

All went well with the Robotic Car Race. Thanks to all who helped out!

Chapter Reports:

1. Communications – Phil Cox, Ajay Ogirala

No report

2. Components, Packaging and Mfg Technology / Electron Devices – Russell Dudek

No report

3. Computer – Ralph Sprang

1) Our section officer information is outdated in SAMIeee, so I assume we have not filed the "required" officer reports.

2) Some sections are having issues filing the L50s (which are now overdue and costing us rebate money)

Distinguished lecture – Computer Society

Concurrent with EDA, find a speaker (Dr.?)

4. Engineering in Medicine and Biology – Zhi-Hong Mao/Bob Brooks

No report

5. Electromagnetic Compatibility – Mike Oliver

No report

6.  Industry Applications/Power and Energy Society – Dave Vaglia

The following is our March report for IAS PES chapters

On February 22, 2012 we held our scheduled meeting. The presentation was an overview of support systems and facilities that serve the data center at Westinghouse headquarters complex. There were 27 total attendees of which five were guests. In addition to the presentation the group split into two and tours of the data center and the support facilities were given by Westinghouse personnel. The tour was to be limited to 20 people due to the security required by Westinghouse. A few extra cut in from the tour.

On March 14, 2012, another meeting was held at the Westinghouse headquarters building. Our guest speaker was Gerry Kumnik who talked about the Pittsburgh Section’s Robot Car Race for young students that has been held every year since 1993. The race has been held each year during Engineers Week at the Carnegie Science Center to promote science and engineering for students in the eighth and ninth grades. The presentation told the history of the event, the cars used, programming, organization and the volunteers. A demonstration of the Lego cars used in the race was presented. It was a beautiful evening which hurt the turnout. There were a few that signed up that did not show we had a total of 10 members attending there were no guests. Gerry gave an excellent and informative presentation for us.