IEEE Elections at both the national and local level are held in the fall. I would like each member of the NoVA IEEE section to consider if they can contribute to the section by volunteering to be nominated for one of our positions. Volunteers are welcomed and encouraged. The only volunteer requirement is IEEE membership and a desire to be involved. 

There are two tracks that a volunteer can pursue. You can serve in one of the technical chapters or at the section level. 

Those with a strong interest in a specific technical area, can work within the appropriate technical chapter. A list of the chapters and their leaders can be found at https://r2.ieee.org/nova/about_us/chapters/. Note that some chapters are ran jointly by NoVA and Washington sections because of our geographic proximity. The volunteer leaders of the chapters work to organize programs that interest its members so as a volunteer you can identify topics that are current and important to technical specialists like yourself. 

Those who want to understand the overall picture of activities in the Northern Virginia area can join the NoVA Executive Committee, also known as the ExCom. The Executive Committee’s role is to assist via advice and funding the activities of the chapters. The elected Officers of the Section are: Chair, Vice-Chair (Chair-Elect), Secretary, Treasurer, and Past-Chair. In addition, the Section membership elects eight Directors, on alternating two-year terms. We elect a Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer each year for one-year terms and four Directors for two-year terms. The Vice Chair automatically become Chair in the year following their term as Vice Chair. More information about the current officers and directors as well as a discussion of their roles can be found at https://r2.ieee.org/nova/about_us/excom_adcom/. 

As you probably assumed, the Chair and Vice Chair work together to run monthly Executive Committee Meetings and coordinate overall section activities. The Secretary is responsible for preparing meeting agendas and minutes. The Secretary’s role is a good one for a newcomer because it lets an individual learn the processes of the IEEE and the issues of the section. The Treasurer is responsible for preparation of the section’s annual budget and monthly financial reports as well as disbursement of funds. The Directors are either individuals with experience in other roles or new volunteers. If they are experienced, they use their background to help and encourage the section and chapters organize activities. If they are new volunteers, they add a new perspective to our efforts. 

The benefits to you of holding an IEEE position is that you can help your professional organization better meet your needs. It also gives you the opportunity to network with a broad group of engineering professionals in the area. 

Please contact me at nova.chair@ieee.org to learn more about these roles in the organization or to volunteer to be nominated for one of them. 

Section News 

The fall is one of the times of the year when the chapters hold many sessions. Please check the list below for one that fits your technical interest. 

Volunteering 

IEEE NoVA always welcomes new volunteers. In addition to the elected officers discussed above, the section has multiple committees, led by appointed chairs, which deal with specific issues. Again, please contact me at nova.chair@ieee.org to learn more about these roles in the organization. 

Upcoming Events 

The best way to stay informed of local activities is to visit the NoVA website’s pages https://r2.ieee.org/nova/events/ that lets you search for events of interest, or https://r2.ieee.org/nova/calendar/ that provides a list of the next 2 months events. 

Note that if you have trouble getting to events that interest you (and who doesn’t have trouble commuting in the DC area!), many events are broadcasted via WebEx and you can attend virtually. You must register and under Special Instructions request WebEx login information. 

The events currently scheduled for next few months include: