Virginia Mountain Section of the IEEE Activity Report for 2004 Section Officers: Chair: Cyrus D. Harbourt, P.E., IEEE Senior Member cdharbourt@ieee.org Vice Chair: Dr. James Squire, P.E. squirejc@mail.vmi.edu Sec/Treas: Dr. Jan Helge Bohn bohn@ieee.org This report covers the year 2004 plus the first quarter of 2005. The Section was active in holding seven dinner meetings/presentations during 2004 and 2 so far in 2005 as well as accompanying ExCom meetings. Topics were chosen to appeal to a wide range of interests for industry, academic, and student participants. For 2004, the subjects included FACTs devices, Digital Photography, Photovoltaic Applications, a joint meeting with ACS where U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte spoke, the National Lambda Rail, Mid Atlantic Terascale Partnership and VORTEX, and finally Wind Power and Renewable Energy Technologies. The Wind Power and Renewable Energy Technologies presentation by Dr. Jim Lyons drew the largest attendance. The presentation on Digital Photography by Kevin Hurley and the Spring Picnic in May at VMI specifically invited spouses to attend and were well received. During 2004 and 2005, the student paper competition was hosted in February, with cash prizes awarded to all presenters. The Computer Society, Industrial Electronics Society and Control Systems Society chapters had two meetings over the course of 2004, one of which was a joint section meeting. The Electron Devices and Microwave Theory and Techniques Society chapters had one meeting in 2004. Other Activities included awarding the first grants from the Dan Jackson Memorial Fund at local science fairs. The section also funded part of the Virginia Tech Hardware Team project which was presented at Southeastcon 2004. The year 2004 was successful in maintaining or achieving a number of administrative milestones. A break even budget was achieved, and the L-50 and L-31 reports were submitted early in 2005. A Fellow nomination is now pending. Regular meetings were conducted as scheduled using a Clarion Hotel as a central site. The monthly Newsletter was expanded and the Section WEB page was updated. The VMS election of officers occurs every November. The past few years, a new secretary/treasurer is nominated, the vice chair is nominated for chair and the old secretary/treasurer is nominated for vice chair. This "system" produces a three year term for each officer, serving all three positions in his term. Other sections may do this differently and have more success in recruiting/retaining officers. There are significant challenges being addressed at the present time. Presently the Membership Development position and the Virginia Council Representative position are vacant. Searches are underway to fill these immediate openings. We would like to have greater attendance at meetings as well as more active student participation. An inordinate amount of effort is being provided by a small core of dedicated individuals instead of spreading tasks more widely among volunteers. We don't seem to be attracting younger members from industry or academia. In 2005 the section is going to hold 2 meetings at VMI and one at Virginia Tech in a change of the recent trend to hold all meetings in Roanoke. This is a deliberate effort to encourage meeting attendance from both Virginia Tech and VMI. Our Industry Applications Chapter lapsed by not having regular meetings in 2004, but a new Chapter Chair has volunteered and been elected, and we are hoping for a reinvigorated IAS chapter in the VMS this year. Respectfully submitted, Cyrus D. Harbourt 2005 Virginia Mountain Section Chair cdharbourt@ieee.org 540-387-8941