The Jamaica Section commenced its activities for the year with a meeting of the Executive Committee on January 16, 2000. The new Chair (Dr Halden Morris) and six other members were in attendance at the meeting which was held at the office of the National Water Commission (NWC). Matters arising at the meeting were; the formation of local technical society chapters, the involvement of IEEE Jamaica members in Section activities, plans for reactivation of the IEEE student chapter at the University of Technology, Jamaica, (UTech), and the formation of a student chapter at the University of the West Indies-Mona (UWI). Plans for JamCon2000, the major event for the year, dominated the deliberations.
Dr Halden Morris (Section Chair), and Ms Carline Senior (Student Activities), visited the UTech campus in February to meet with students in the faculty of Computing & Engineering interested in becoming IEEE students members. Students were informed about IEEE activities and the benefits of IEEE membership. Dr Morris and Ms Senior were well received and encouraged by the interest shown by students at this institution.
The first monthly Section meeting for the year was held at the Le' Meridien, Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, on Wednesday 16th February, 2000. A presentation entitled 'Engineering Education at the University of Technology' was given by the head of the School of Engineering at UTech Dr Mervyn Curtis. The meeting was attended by over 50 students in the Faculty of Computing & Engineering. Excom members Dennis Hartley and Wilfred Roberts gave an overview of the IEEE mission and activities, and extended an invitation to students present to join the Institute.
The organizing committee for JamCon2000 met at the NWC in order to advance plans for the conference and exhibition. To increase public awareness of IEEE Jamaica Section, Chair Dr Halden Morris and life member Mr Wilfred Roberts, met and discussed Section activities with representatives of The Gleaner Company Ltd. Following their visit a feature promoting JamCon 2000 was published in the Daily Gleaner.
A presentation on Cable modems and high speed Internet access was given by SpeedNet Communications Ltd at the monthly Section meeting, Wednesday 15th March, 2000 at the Le' Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
The JamCon 2000 organizing committee sent letters and registration forms to Jamaican organizations encouraging participation in the conference and exhibition. The organisations were also invited to sponsor events at the conference.
The main presentation at the April monthly Section meeting was on Frame Relay by Mr Percy Chue, Engineering Network Systems Training Manager, Cable & Wireless, Jamaica. This presentation was given under the auspices of the Jamaica Chapter of the IEEE Communications Society .
The Section Chair Dr Halden Morris, and UTech officials commenced discussions re joint hosting of JamCon 2000, and the establishment of a permanent UTech/IEEE relationship (a Memorandum of Understanding), through the Jamaica Section. Dr Curtis, head of the School of Engineering, was co-opted as the UTech representative to liaise with the Jamaica Section on this matter. Plans for re-establishing the IEEE student chapter at the University were also discussed.
A presentation entitled -Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)- by Mr Winston Browning, Engineering Network Systems Training Executive, Cable & Wireless, Jamaica was delivered at the monthly Section meeting at the Le' Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, on June 21, 2000. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Jamaica Chapter of the IEEE Communications Society. Students of UTech and the UWI were among the attendees. Section members and visitors attending the meeting were also updated on plans for JamCon 2000, and their assistance in staging the conference and exhibition solicited.
The JamCon 2000 organizing committee continued to hold weekly meetings re staging of the conference in August. Preparations moved into high gear in July. The main presenter for the monthly Section meeting was Ms Janice Gayle, Public Relations Manager, Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB). Her topic was:Investment Options for Engineers. The venue was Le' Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
IEEE Jamaica Section and The University of Technology, Jamaica presented JAMCON2000 an international conference and exhibition on engineering and computing technoloigy, at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort, Ocho Rios, Jamaica 11-13 August. The conference brought together engineering and computer technology professionals to share their knowledge and experience of ways to utilize technology to promote economic development.
The topic for presentation and discussion at the monthly Section meeting was: DSL and its use in the Jamaican Environment. The presenter was Patrick S. Dallas, PhD.
The Jamaica Chapter of the IEEE Communications Society organized the presentation of a lecture entitled: Internet Protocol (IP) Networking: Opportunities & Challenges - by Dr Salah Aidarous, Director, Product Planning - NEC America- 18 Oct,2000 at the A.W. Sangster auditorium at the University of Technology, Jamaica.
The presenter for the monthly Section meeting was: Mrs Camela Rhone, Director General, Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Technology. Her topic was: "How can organisations such as IEEE contribute to the technological development of Jamaica".
Annual General meeting/Social was held in December 2000.