IEEE JAMAICA SECTION ACTIVITIES

JAMAICA SECTION ACTIVITIES

2000

Highlights

ACTIVITIES-2000

The Section commenced activities for the new year with a meeting of the Executive Committee 16th January 2000. The new Chair was Dr Halden Morris. Six members were in attendance at the meeting held at the office of the National Water Commission (NWC). Matters discussed at the meeting were, formation of local technical society chapters, involvement of IEEE Jamaica members in Section activities, formation of IEEE student chapters at the University of Technology, Jamaica, (UTech) and the University of the West Indies-Mona (UWI), and plans for JamCon 2000. Plans for JamCon2000, the major event for the year, dominated the deliberations.

Excom members Dr Halden Morris (Section Chair), and Ms Carline Senior (Student Activities), visited the UTech campus early in the month to meet potential IEEE students members at the faculty of Computing & Engineering. The visit was to inform students about IEEE activities and benefits of IEEE membership. They 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, Wednesday 16th February. A presentation entitled 'Engineering Education at the University of Technology' was given by the head of the School of Engineering, 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. Organisations were also invited to sponsor events at the conference.
The main presentation at the April monthly Section meeting was -Frame Relay- by Mr Percy Chue, Engineering Network Systems Training Manager, Cable & Wireless, Jamaica. This was the inaugural meeting of the Jamaica Chapter of the IEEE Communications Society .

Discussion between the Section Chair Dr Halden Morris, and UTech officials commenced 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, 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 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). The venue was Le' Meridien Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, and the topic was: "Investment Options for Engineers.

JamCon 2000- An international engineering and computing conference and exhibition, was held at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande Resort, Jamaica 11-13, August, 2000.

The scheduled presenter for the monthly Section meeting was: Patrick S. Dallas, PhD. The topic was: DSL and its use in the Jamaican Environment.

The Jamaica Chapter of the IEEE Communications Society presented a lecture entitled: Internet Protocol (IP) Networking:Opportunities & Challenges -Dr Salah Aidarous, Director, Product Planning - NEC America- 18 Oct,2000 at the A.W. Sangster auditorium, 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.


If you would like to contact the IEEE Webmaster, email to webmaster@ieee.org © Copyright 1999, IEEE. Terms & Conditions. Privacy & Security.

(m.moore@ieee.org)
URL: http://www.ieee.org
(Modified:31-Dec-2000)