On
18 July, an administrative circular signed by Ronnie Amit, General
Secretary of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC),
announced that our own Don Heirman was one of two candidates that
were selected by the IEC Council Board to receive the prestigious
Lord Kelvin award. This is a major international standards award
recognizing Don’s technical contribution and leadership
in the IEC, especially the International Special Committee on
Radio Interference (CISPR) that he chairs.
Since its creation in 1994, the Lord Kelvin Award has become a
landmark within the global electrotechnical community. It takes
its name from the famous British scientist and engineer who achieved
celebrity by successfully laying the first commercial telegraph
cable across the Atlantic ocean and who played a major role in
the founding of the IEC in 1906, becoming its first president.
The Lord Kelvin Award is granted to individuals who have contributed
in an exceptional, dedicated way to the technical work of the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in the field of
electrotechnology standardization and related activities, for
a significant period of time (five years at least). Don has been
active in the IEC and CISPR since 1984, specifically, and in the
EMC Society since the mid 1970s.
Don joins Dr. Ralph Showers (awarded in 1998) and Dr. Bill Radasky
(awarded in 2004) of the IEEE EMC Society in receiving this honor.
There have been less than two-dozen awardees from all the participants
in IEC activity that have been granted this award. EMC
