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You are the new program chair; well what can we do to find
interesting events, programs and activities for your group?
Each officer in the organization has asked this question
and depending on the experience of the individual each person responds with
a different answer or method of finding meeting topics. Here are a few
suggestions I can make to help organize meetings.
- Be
aware of your surroundings. Participate in Engineering Week activities
http://www.eweek.org/. Join the Engineering Foundation or
Engineering Community in your area or find someone that belongs to
multiple engineering organizations and seek their advice http://www.engineeringfoundation.com/.
Join the Chamber of Commerce in your area http://www.chamberofcommerce.com/. Have joint meetings with other
Engineering, Architecture and Construction Groups in your community.
- When
you become involved, be alert to people making comments that indicate
their special interests also check for Conferences and Technical
Seminars in your city. Do an IEEE conference search as a starter http://www.ieee.org/conferencesearch/.
- Take
notes. At meetings use a Pocket Card handout that identifies the
person and allows him or her to comment and suggest future meetings
and prospective members. Keep a list of people that attend meetings by
phone number and email listing for future reference.
- Survey
your membership and publish the results. Town Hall meeting are good
for immediate results.
- Use
the Page Header link to IEEE “Societies”
to review the Society Information that my lead to a new chapter or
ideas for activities for your chapter.
- Use
the Page Header link to Region 5 “Sections.” These
Section Web sites list current activities, contacts and meeting ideas
being conducted in near by cities. Have joint meeting with other
Sections and Chapters.
- Use
the Page Header link to Region 5 Student “Branches.”
These Student Branch Web sites list other current activities and
meeting ideas. Consider having a joint Student Branch Section
meeting. Consider conducting a
Section or Branch Undergraduate Student Paper Contest. Joint Branch
Robotics contest are popular.
- Talk
to the Student Branch Counselor they usually interface with industry
and can provide meeting opportunities or at least meeting contact
information.
- Universities
have local speaker lists - investigate.
- Use
the column on the left it lists generic meeting ideas and links to
speakers that have volunteered to speak locally.
Well this should get you on your way to finding ideas
and activities for meetings. If you
would like to add a topic or know someone that would like to make a
presentation locally please have him or her send an Abstract and Bio to R.Scolli@ieee.org.
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Technical
Programs