Volume 2, Number 2                               Fall 2000

The Official Publication of the Central Coast Section of the Los Angeles Council, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Find us on the Web at:https://www.ieee.org/central_coast

Get all the latest LA area news at the IEEE Los Angeles Council Electronic Bulletin

Central Coast Greetings
by Marty Kaliski, Section Chair
  mkaliski@calpoly.edu

    For us in the academic world, the new year begins in September---we have been conditioned to think this way. So let me begin by wishing you all a Happy New Year, as we come back from what has hopefully been a relaxing and enjoyable summer break from our daily routines. (Even industry slows down in summer---so my remarks extend to all of you out there!)

   Our goal for this year is to broaden and "fill out" what we do as a Section. We have already begun to see this and we hope that the pattern will grow. First, we are beginning to envision a continuation and growth of regular, if not monthly, talks in the Santa Barbara area (to complement what has been going on in San Luis Obispo for a number of years.) We hope to juxtapose the presence of a major research university (UCSB) with the IEEE's Distinguished Speakers Program, to develop some interesting and attractive talks in the year ahead. We hope that similar energy can be brought to the Vandenberg area as well.

   Second, we are strengthening the link between our professional section and the student branches at both Cal Poly and UCSB--- the students, after all, are our future. Our modest financial support for the branches will continue, of course, but over and above that, we have made a commitment to promote the Micromouse competition this year. This exciting program is of national stature, but our regional participation in it has seen a decline in recent years. We hope to reverse that trends.

   Finally-- and I pointed this out in our last newsletter ---we will be addressing some basic philosophical issues at a round-table meeting in San Luis Obispo on January 9. What is the purpose of our Section? What are our goals? How do we complement technical societies within IEEE? Note that the date will NOT be on the first Tuesday of the month ---an exception to the normal rule. With Cal Poly out-of-session until January 8, we would not have too many folks present at a meeting the day after New Year's Day.

   Let me reiterate my wishes for a healthy and happy autumn ---and, as always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

 We are now in the last quarter of the Financial Year. We are in the process of transferring our funds to the IEEE Concentration Banking Program. Our expenditures are within our budget. We should finish the year in excellent financial condition.

   The IEEE sponsors a Distinguished Lecturers Program where they have a list of approved speakers available to give a lecture on a very wide range of topics. The topics cover the interests of every society from aerospace and electronic systems, to vehicular technology. To get the complete list, send e-mail to info.distlec@ieee.org

   As you may know, the IEEE Central Coast Section usually has a speaker at its evening meetings that are held once a month. At the moment, the meetings are held in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.  We would be very interested in inviting a Distinguished Lecturer from one of the many available.  The IEEE will pay the majority of their expenses so it will not be a great burden on the local section.  What we need is some feedback on who might be of interest to the local section.  It would also be appropriate to have them talk in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, or even Lompoc, to maximize their exposure.

   I am sure we could schedule a speaker, but I would like to see some local interest to make sure that we can supply an appropriate audience.  I can think of nothing more embarrassing to invite someone and have only a half a dozen people show up.

Keeping You Informed
by John Armstrong, Computer Chapter Chair/Central Coast Representative
JTArmstrong@computer.org

Computer Society News

  We are starting a new academic year, and we would like to have some Computer Chapter sponsored meetings this year. In our summer newsletter, I described the Computer Society Distinguished Visitors Program, where they pay the air fare for world-class speakers to speak at local events. I only got two responses from people interested in hearing any of the speakers: one for Lotfi A. Zadeh, EE Dept., U. C. Berkeley, the founder of Fuzzy Logic; and the other for Norman Schneidewind, Naval Postgraduate School, Pebble Beach, an expert in Software Metrics.

  If we can get more people interested in either of these two world-class experts, it will be worthwhile inviting them here to speak. Let  me know at JTArmstrong@computer.org or Jerry Skarnulis at ajskarnulis@ieee.org
 

Los Angeles Council News

  I was fortunate to be able to help staff the IEEE booths at Wescon and at Autotestcon in Anaheim, Sept. 19 - 21. I met a lot of interesting people from all over the world ---and signed up several as new IEEE members in the process! I encourage anyone who has the time, to volunteer the next time you are given the opportunity.

  Unfortunately, only about 75% of the booths were sold, so the show was not a financial success. Most of the funding for the LA Council Bulletin, and half of this section's financial support, comes from the "profit" from these electronics trade shows. This will mean a tighter belt for the Section & the LAC next year.

   The next Wescon collocates with the EtroniX trade show on February 27 - March 1, 2001 in Anaheim, California. The combined event is billed as "Providing Complete Supply Chain Solutions," so it will be a very comprehensive exhibition. Watch for volunteer opportunities in the LAC Bulletin.

Santa Barbara News from Dick Griffiths
cgriffiths@ieee.org

    My contribution to the Section will be to arrange for stimulating speakers and challenging topical presentations in Santa Barbara. I look forward to meeting my professional neighbors.

The Student Chapter at UC Santa Barbara is looking forward to an active academic year consisting of lectures, field trips and other social events. The chapter hopes to increase the interaction between the professional chapter, faculty and students at UCSB. To achieve this interaction, an end-of-the-year banquet is currently being brainstormed. As of now, the plans are still being developed. Any suggestions for the banquet or other events are more than welcome and may be e-mailed to cutley00@umail.ucsb.edu.

Leadership Changes

It's election time again. All officer positions will be open for re-election and nomination instructions will be included in the January newsletter. Our plan is to hold elections in April and for new officers to take over in September. Marty Kaliski will NOT be seeking reelection as your Section Chair---after seven years, he feels it is time for a change in leadership. His term as chair will end with the publication of the July newsletter next summer. We are announcing this early so that our Section can continue to thrive despite (or perhaps because of) a change in its administration.

Senior Members Sought!

Did you know that becoming a Senior Member is easy if you qualify ---and that it can financially help the Section? If you think you might qualify, please notify Marty Kaliski and the Section can begin the process of nominating you. The following Web site will be of help:
www.ieee.org/organizations/rab/md/smforms.htm

March 18, 2000
   Present: Martin E. Kaliski (Section Chair), Jerome Skarnulis (Treasurer), John T. Armstrong (SLO Member at Large), David Braun (Guest), and Charles Radaz (Guest)
   Absent: Wally Kammer (Vandenberg Member at Large) and Ali Shaban (Secretary)
 

• Minutes of December 2nd 1999 meeting were approved without correction.
• Discussion Items
•  Wescon volunteers solicited for September 19-21 WESCON.
•  Reimbursements are per member, not per attendee.
•  Senior Members will be solicited.
•  Bylaws considered. If no opposition arises, we don't require a PACE chair, but will call for volunteers for PACE chair.
•   Section remains within budget.
•   Discussion of section rebates and the new business models proposed to the IEEE Board.
•   Awards distributed. Recipients thank the IEEE for the awards.

1. Cleon Anderson reported on the "Big Board" national IEEE issues:
• "New Financial Model" that eliminated section rebates defeated.
• "Branding" ---the kite+Rh rule logo was saved.
• There is a concerted effort to dismember the IEEE-USA over the H1B issue.
• Section Congress was well attended, but feedback asked for more issue discussion.
• Membership in Reg 6 is ahead of all other regions.

2. Larry Hamerman, the incoming Region 6 Director, gave his goal for his term, to increase the value to the IEEE membership by increasing electronic communications.

3. Leann Kostek, the Reg 6 Awards Chair, recommended each section nominate worthy candidates for the regional and IEEE-USA awards.

4. Howard Kohlbacher, Membership Development, presented stats that show IEEE is far more popular with "academic" engineers than "industrial" engineers. He pushed the "every member get a member" program and Senior membership, which includes $25 for the sponsoring section.

5. We voted for two to run for Reg 6 Director-Elect in the fall: Evelyn Hirt from Richland, Washington and Paul Willis from Pasadena, currently the Reg 6 PACE Chair.

6. Hadi Monsef presented the WESCON reorganization as reported widely in the Bulletin.

7. Bob Noberini from NY of IEEE-USA discussed how they spend the $27/yr assessment of US members; it is much more than H1B lobbying (only $20) They are getting a Web site discussion group going in order to get a wider input into their political stands.

8. Maynard Morris, Reg 6 Treasurer, reported expenses of $150K and balance of $270K.

9. Kip Haggerly gave the Southern Area report and highlighted our newsletter.

10. John asked the leadership about our problems with contested elections and term limits. They said the purpose is to force us to recruit new blood for the IEEE machine, staffing all the Regional activities that serve the membership. For instance, without an Awards Chair, the Reg 6 Awards person must deal with our busy Chair directly. John asked for help in recruiting additional volunteers, but they only had the suggestion of "personal contact" and "begging."
 

• Next Ex-Com meeting 2nd week of June for Solvang.

June 22, 2000

Present: Martin E Kaliski (Section Chair), Jerome Skarnulis (Treasurer), John T. Armstrong (Computer Society), Richard W. Griffiths (Santa Barbara Member at Large), Wally Kammer (Vandenberg Member at Large), and Ali Shaban (Secretary)

•  Minutes of March 18, 2000 meeting were approved without correction.
•  Carol Erickson will continue as the IEEE administration support staff.
•  SLO area had a meeting every month during the academic year 1999 - 2000.
•  SLO area has speakers for the months of October, November, and December meetings.
•  SB area will try to schedule meetings on a regular basis.
•  Vandenberg area organized a meeting last February.
•  Newsletter summer issue will be sent out by the middle of July.
•  Treasurer submitted a report showing the budget for the 1999 year. The 2000 year budget is similar to the 1999 year budget.
•  Junior engineers' participation in the IEEE activities was discussed.
•  Next Ex-Com meeting will be September 7th in Santa Barbara.

The following speakers are scheduled for Central Coast Section meetings through January 2001:

November 7,2000: Ron Alers of EMAT Ultrasonics Inc. on "Optimization of Angle Beam EMATs by Using Finite Element Simulations." CANCELLED

November 16,2000: Robert F. Rickets of Primerica Financial Services on "Protect and Prosper." Note: This Thursday meeting will be held in Santa Barbara at the UCSB Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), Room 2053, at the time listed below. It will NOT be held at the Engineering II Pavilion as previously planned.

December 5,2000: John Lindsey, marine meteorologist on Electronic Oceanographic Instrumentation."

December 12, 2000: Robert W. Lilley, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Engineer of Illgen Simulation Technologies, Inc. on "In Diversity, There is Safety: Navigation's Top-Five List." Note: This meeting will be held in Santa Barbara at the UCSB Engineering II Pavilion at the time listed below.

January 9,2001: Round-table discussion on the Section's purpose and goals.
 
 

If you are interested in speaking at a Central Coast section meeting  please contact Marty Kaliski at: (805) 756-2781 or mkaliski@calpoly.edu

    Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month from 7-8 p.m. in Engineering East Faculty Office Building 20, Room 206 at Cal Poly unless otherwise specified. Refreshments are available around 6:30 p.m. Meeting information will be announced via e-mail. If you are not receiving these announcements and you would like to, please notify Carol Erickson at cerickso@calpoly.edu.

IEEE Central Coast News is published quarterly by the Central Coast Section of the Los Angeles Council, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. in San Luis Obispo, California. Inquiries, comments and submissions may be e-mailed to Carol Erickson at cerickso@ee.calpoly.edu or mailed to the address below. Circulation: 1043

IEEE Central Coast Section
c/o Martin Kaliski, Section Chair
EE Department
Cal Poly State University
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407