Fanny Klett (right), Chair of IEEE-Germany Education Society Chapter, invited Michael Auer (center), Chair of the recently formed Austrian Chapter, and Matjaz Debevc (left), Chair of the recently formed Slovenian Chapter, to a meeting to discuss chapter management issues that they have in-common. The meeting began with a general introduction, and the chapter chairs discussed the primary efforts each chapter employed to increase services to their members, opportunities for effective students exchange in the Framework of European Mobility programs, establishment of student awards, and, possibilities to send out a call-for-participation to internationally recognized Education-related conferences for students.

In the photo, the meeting organizers presented IEEE President Michael Lightner with an EIT Conference bag. They also discussed a number of topics of mutual interest with the IEEE President.

Jeremiah Woolsey (second photo from the left) is Manager of Instructional Technology with the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, where he leads in the analysis, design, and development of engineering courseware. His research has focused on interactive engineering graphics and data visualization, most recently on a project with Bombardier Aerospace---analyzing the use of 3D digital mockups for task visualization in aircraft assembly and maintenance. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Central Florida.

Tracy Zhang (third photo from the left) holds a Master of Arts degree in Education Technology from Concordia University and a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Harbin Institute of Technology. She is currently an Instructional Designer with the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Her current job responsibilities are designing and developing multimedia courseware, instructional tools, and interactive virtual lab tutorials in the improvement of engineering education. Her research is focused primarily on computer-based learning, multimedia development, collaborative and distance learning, educational evaluation, and new technologies for engineering and computer science education.

Professor Osborne received the BSEE from the University of Kentucky in 1966, followed by the MSEE in 1967 also from UK. He moved to New Mexico State University, working on a NASA Grant in Space Communications, while earning a PhD in Engineering in 1970. In 1970 he joined the telecommunication industry serving in a variety of roles over the next 20 years, including R&D engineer, Engineering Director, Vice President of Engineering, Division General Manager, and President of a telecommunications start-up company.

In 1990, he returned to the academic world as a Chaired Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at New Mexico State University and Director of the Center for Telemetry and Space Communication receiving over $5M in research funding in the next 5 years. In 1995, Dr Osborne assumed the role of Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Texas-Dallas which became the fastest growing Engineering School in the country in the late 1990's. From 2002 to 2005 he served as the founding Dean of Engineering at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and moved to Carbondale as Dean of Engineering at SIUC in the fall of 2005.

His technical interests include modulation and coding theory, wireless communication, space communication as well as the telecommunication and semiconductor industries in general. He is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Missouri and sits of the board of SigmaTel, a public semiconductor company in Austin, Texas. He is a native of Paducah, Kentucky.

For outstanding leadership, contributions and valued service to the IEEE through coordinating Student and Young Professional Activities.

• IEEE should expand its presence through increased alliances with local organizations and further development and positioning of its products and services. Intensive use of the Internet and other appropriate media technology is a key element of the success. IEEE can facilitate world-wide access to its products and services by enhancing web-based distribution systems.
• IEEE should develop a coherent strategy to improve membership growth in new countries, empowering a dedicated business development program for new markets. Region 10 is a new market for IEEE since it is growing faster in membership and economy than those of any other region.
• IEEE is surrounded by global trends such that membership growth potential in Brazil, Russia, India and China is appealing. Increasing affluence in emerging economies, faster pace of technological change and innovation, growing low-cost manufacturing in emerging economies and need for technical knowledge and training, aging population in developed world, economic liberalization, and greater capital and labor mobility.

In the photo Kleber Ferraz (electrical engineer student - director of the student branch), middle: Marcelo Castro, right: Natalia Reolon (IEEE Student Branch President).

I began my service as the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of IEEE Transactions on Education on January 1, 2000. In looking toward the future of the publication as well as my retirement plans, I have determined that I will step down as Transactions’ EIC effective July 1, 2007. Therefore, I have asked that the leadership of the IEEE Education Society to begin looking for a successor so that the selected person can work in parallel with me for a period of time before assuming full responsibility for the publication on July 1, 2007.

1. The EIC should have broad experience in the breadth of topics found in the fields of electrical engineering and computer engineering and should have experience in developing engineering education programs.
2. The EIC should have an outstanding command of the English language; have a knowledge of the various, complex rules of grammar and punctuation; and be able to know how to correct writing errors in complicated, compound-complex sentences.
3. The successful candidate should be willing to make, at minimum, a three-year commitment with the opportunity for continuation for additional years if agreeable to the Society President. (My service as EIC will cover six and one-half years.)
4. Since the EIC is responsible for selecting all Associate Editors (AEs) that serve on the Transactions’ editorial staff, the new EIC will have the opportunity/responsibility to decide how to subdivide the discipline for manuscript review consideration and recruit appropriate AEs.
5. The EIC is responsible for selecting (hiring) an Editorial Administrator (EA), who will be responsible for overseeing manuscript files and handling the “English review” of all accepted manuscripts. [Note: The EA must have archival-journal editorial experience and have a competency in English grammar, punctuation, spelling, and word usage.]
6. The EIC will have the responsibility of negotiating annually with the IEEE Education Society Treasurer for an IEEE Purchase Order Contract to support EIC office activities (i.e., remuneration for the EA, funding for office supplies and expenses, and a travel-expense stipend). This “contract” can be directed toward a uni- Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TE.2006.865174 versity or to an independent business—depending on how the EIC office is organized.
7. Since the EIC will be a member of the Education Society Administrative Committee, the EIC will be responsible for attending its two yearly meetings—one in conjunction with the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Meeting in June and one in conjunction with the Frontiers in Education Conference in the October/November time frame of each year. [Travel expenses for attending these meetings will come from the IEEE Purchase Order Contract.]
8. The EIC serves as Chair of the Annual Transactions’ Best Paper Committee and oversees the selection of the best paper from the previous year’s published papers.
9. The EIC is expected to attend each IEEE Panel of Editors Meeting. These meetings are held at least once every two years and often on an annual basis. These meetings are normally in the March/April time frame. [Travel expenses to this meeting are covered from the IEEE publications budget.]
10. The EIC is responsible for interfacing with the IEEE Staff Editor assigned to prepare each issue of the Transactions for publication. The current Staff Editor is Christine Vartanian.
11. The EIC also serves on an advisory committee to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) relative to its publication of engineering education research papers. (Papers from the IEEE Transactions on Education are selected for inclusion in an electronic journal of NAE. The journal reprints Abstracts of selected Transactions’ papers and provides readers with the URL for purchasing a copy of the full paper electronically from IEEE.) The advisory committee meets once each year in conjunction with the ASEE Annual Meeting in June. Travel expenses are paid by NAE.
12. Finally, the IEEE Transactions on Education utilizes IEEE’s Manuscript Central software to manage manuscripts. This system, which is authored by ScholarOne, is continually being improved and will be the editorial environment utilized during the term of the Transactions’ editor.

High quality laboratory experiences enhance the learning of model-based knowledge domain concepts and theories and provide the bridge from concept to practical understanding. However, access to real-world laboratories is limited because of the number of students who need access and the cost of equipment, supplies, and maintenance.