IEEE Canada Newsletter

The IEEE Canada Board Meeting took place on Friday May 2nd, 2014 in Mississauga, Ontario. Delegates from across the country gathered for training workshops and strategic planning for the upcoming year.

Renew Your Membership for 2014

You can start renewing your membership for 2014. Remember, IEEE membership can connect you with professionals who can open doors to many opportunities. There are also many online resources available to members (e.g. online books and publications). Use your IEEE Web Account and password to renew online at http://www.ieee.org/web/membership/renew/index.html

Membership Dues in Special Circumstances

IEEE realizes that economic circumstances may impact some members' ability to pay the full amount of IEEE membership dues. For this reason, the following special circumstance categories have been established. Special circumstances are not available to Student members. Only one category may be claimed in any year.

- Minimum Income Provision

- Retired Provision

- Unemployed Provision

- Permanently Disabled

Ø IEEE Canadian Foundation

Donate by IEEE Membership Renewal

The IEEE Canadian Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the IEEE in Canada, is happy to accept your contributions when you renew your IEEE membership in the fall each year.

Just select the IEEE Canadian Foundation as your choice when you complete your annual IEEE membership renewal form (paper or web version).

Please note that this method enables you to make a contribution to the IEEE Canadian Foundation General Fund only. To make a contribution to one or more of our other funds, please consider donating online or donating by mail.

If you are a Canadian IEEE Life Member and wish to participate in our Canadian Life Member Fund "Thank You" program, please view this web page.

IEEE Canadian Foundation Needs Your Support

Is somebody close to your heart graduating this year from a Canadian University or College engineering or science? In recognition of their success, consider a donation to the IEEE Canadian Foundation (ICF) to support the vital role IEEE has in the professional development of so many students. Get an early start on your 2013 donations - your donation to ICF, a Canadian registered charity, is tax deductible.

IEEE Canadian Foundation - Submission

IEEE Canadian Foundation held its 2014 Annual General Meeting, at the Delta Airport West, Toronto, on April 16, 2013. The Board supported by the external auditors, recognized 2013 as another good year for philanthropic activities, exemplified by prudent financial management, rigorous review of applications and broadening of development activity.

At the ICF Board of Directors Meeting which followed, the Board approved one-time Special Grants in the amount of:

$1,500 to the McGill Robotics Engineering design team
$500 to the IEEE Canada Humanitarian Initiatives Committee 2014 for the support of student registrations and/or prizes consistent with the ICF mission
$1,500 to the University of Waterloo NanoRobotics Group, and
$1,000 to the Concordia University Student Branch field trip initiative

Five 2013 IEEE Canadian Foundation Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each (total $25,000) were approved for

Sri Selva of University of Ontario Institute of Technology, nominated by Dr. Vijay Sood, Student Branch Counselor (SBC)
Francis Nguyen of University of Alberta, nominated by Dr. Jeremy Sit, SBC
Emily Miao of University of Toronto, nominated by Dr. Olivier Trescases, SBC
Karen Innes of University of Saskatchewan, nominated by Dr. Francis Bui, SBC; and
Amente Bekele of Carleton University, nominated by Dr. Calvin Plett, SBC

The 2014 Dr. Robert T. H. Alden Scholarship was awarded to Sri Selva of University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

Endowed Grants

WIE

IEEE Canada Women in Engineering Prize for 2014 in the amount of $1000 was awarded to Lydia Chioukh of the Montreal Section
ICF has revised the WIE scholarship eligibility to “All female IEEE Canada members who received their first professional degree within the last fifteen years and who are active in IEEE activities.”

Power Quality
The IEEE Power Quality Award for 2014 in the amount of $1,500 was awarded to Shafi Khan of the University of Alberta.

IEEE Vehicular Technology Travel Award
No applications have been received. This award will remain open per established practice.

Ø IEEE Sections Congress 2014

Ø Your News

Section Events Online

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Kitchener Waterloo Section: http://www.ieeekw.com/activities.php

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Hamilton Section: http://ewh.ieee.org/r7/hamilton/currentevents.htm

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Kingston Section: http://sites.ieee.org/kingston/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the London Section: http://london.ieee.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the New Brunswick Section: http://nb.ieee.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the South Alberta Section: http://sites.ieee.org/southern-alberta/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Winnipeg Section: http://winnipeg.ieee.ca/calendar

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Northern Canada Section: http://northerncanada.ieee.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Northern Saskatchewan Section: http://northsask.ieee.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Vancouver Section: http://www.ieeecontact.org

Please find the IEEE Montreal Section Newsletter (Issue 6, January 2012): http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r7/montreal/files/IEEE_Montreal_Newsletter_Jan_2012.pdf

The IEEE Montreal Section ExCom would like to thank to all contributors and editors.

The previous issues (# 5, Nov. 2011) can be accessed through: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/r7/montreal/files/IEEE_Montreal_Newsletter_Oct_2011.pdf

http://ewh.ieee.org/r7/montreal/index.php

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Ottawa Section: http://www.ieeeottawa.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the Toronto Section: http://toronto.ieee.ca/

Please refer to the following link for the latest activities hosted by the St-Maurice Section: http://www.sm.ieee.ca/evenactivites.html

Ø Your Career

New online tool - IEEE RésuméLab

To help you make a great first impression, IEEE partnered with OptimalResume, a career services company in Durham, N.C., to create IEEE RésuméLab, an online program that helps you with the many tasks needed for landing a job. This includes writing better résumés and cover letters, creating a portfolio or a video résumé, and improving your interviewing skills.

Launched in January, IEEE RésuméLab is free to all IEEE members.

Positions available from Engineering Careers!

For more information: look up a job under the following link http://www.engineeringcareers.ca/.

Ø Students' Corner

IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative Application is OPEN

The IEEE PES is now accepting applications from undergraduate students in the US & Canada for the PES Scholarship Plus Initiative. This scholarship provides multi-year scholarships and career experience opportunities to qualifying U.S. & Canadian electrical engineering undergraduate students. As long as the scholar continues to meet renewal standards, he or she will receive up to three years of funding — US$2,000 the first year, $2,000 the second year and $3,000 the third year — interspersed with up to two years of valuable, hands-on career experience.

The deadline to submit an application is June 30, 2014. For detailed up-to-date information about this new initiative, including application requirements and how to apply, please visit the PES Scholarship website.

Ø Our Members in the Spotlight

Newly elevated senior members in Region 7

Haque Israat from Northern Canada Section was elevated in April.
Congratulations on the achievement!

IEEE Canada Award Winners Banquet

The IEEE Canada Awards Dinner was held on Monday May 5th, 2014 in Toronto as part of CCECE 2014 activities. Seven achievement awards as well as 4 service awards were presented at this Dinner. Congratulations to the award winners!

Photo Credits: Glenn McKnight

Ø Your Benefits

The Personal - Home and Auto Group Insurer for IEEE members

A partnership you can trust
The Personal is proud to partner with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers to bring you home and auto insurance designed to suit your needs. Since 1974, members and employees of over 600 professional organizations like yours have made The Personal their trusted partner.

Exclusive group rates and discounts
As a member of IEEE, you are entitled to exclusive group rates plus a suite of discounts on both your home and auto insurance. What's more, your spouse and dependants can benefit from your group offer.

An accurate quote in minutes
Get a home or auto insurance quote in as little as 10 minutes. They'll ask the right questions to provide you with the best insurance protection.

Get your exclusive quote:
thepersonal.com/ieee
1-888-476-8737
Extended hours to match your busy schedule
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

MEET YOUR MATCH CONTEST - $50,000 in prizes available to be won!*
You could instantly win 1 of 100 $150 gas cards and also be entered into the grand prize draw to win your choice of a Ford Explorer, Ford Fusion Hybrid or a Ford Super Duty Truck! Get a home or auto insurance quote to enter or click here for more details: thepersonal.com/meetyourmatch.

The Personal refers to The Personal General Insurance Inc. in Quebec and The Personal Insurance Company in all other provinces and territories. Certain conditions apply. Auto insurance is not available in Manitoba, Saskatchewan or British Columbia due to government-run plans. No purchase required. Contest closes December 31, 2013. For instant prizes: one entry per person per e-mail address. For the grand prize: one entry per person per type of insurance. The grand prize draw to take place on January 17, 2014.* Total prize value is $50,000: car valued at $35,000, plus $15,000 in gas cards. Complete rules available at thepersonal.com/meetyourmatch. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited is not affiliated with this contest or with The Personal.

MBNA Credit card for Members of IEEE- Canada

Every time you use your card for a purchase, a financial contribution will be made to the IEEE on your behalf!

Plus you can enjoy the benefits of:

No annual fees
Low introductory promotional rate
Around-the-clock fraud protection
Unparalleled 24-hour customer service

To learn more about this card and to apply in English or in French, go to https://www.applyonlinenow.com/CACCapp/Ctl/entry?sc=cgpt&lc=en_CA

Canada Professional Liability Insurance

Thanks to recent insurance carrier negotiations, IEEE members residing in Canada (except Quebec) now have access to a comprehensive and competitive alternative for their professional liability coverage. The new plan provides coverage for technology-related services and is ideal for Canadian members who are self-employed, moonlight, or work for a firm. For more information, visit: www.ieeeinsurance.com/canadapl or call Erin Flett at 1-416-865-3353.

This coverage is available to residents of Canada through R&Q Risk Services Canada Limited. Scott Saddington, Chief Executive Officer of R&Q Risk Services Canada Limited, acts as an agent with respect to residents of Canada.

IEEE has selected Certain Lloyd’s Underwriters for this insurance program. Alternative insurance products may be available in the insurance market place. R&Q Risk Services Canada Limited is providing this single insurer option on behalf of IEEE.

Name Change for IEEE Member Group Insurance Provider

The IEEE Member Group Insurance Program administrator changed its name effective January 1, 2014. Members will see the rollout of the administrator's new business name from Marsh Consumer, a service of Seabury & Smith, Inc. to Mercer Consumer, a service of Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC. This name change reflects a transfer of business channels to an affiliate company under the parent company, Marsh & McLennan Companies (MMC). (www.ieeeinsurance.com/canada):

Mercer Consumer will continue to deliver the same level of service and dedication members have come to expect. Under the new name, the company will still operate at the same location with the same dedicated team and notable integrity.

Please note there will be no change to the customer service toll-free number. It will continue to operate at 1-800-493-IEEE (4333). However, going forward the customer service email address will change to IEEE.service@mercer.com. The old email address will continue to operate with all emails being routed to the new email box.

IEEE Member Group Insurance Program administered by Mercer Consumer, a service of Mercer Health & Benefits Administration LLC.

New Professional Liability eTool for IEEE Members-ProLiabilitySmart

Today's business world can look like a lawsuit "war zone." Disgruntled former employees. Dissatisfied customers. Project errors leading to missed completion dates and cost over-runs.

But there are some simple strategies you as a technology professional can put in place today-to help you and your firm avoid the headaches and expenses of a potential lawsuit tomorrow.

They're outlined in an easy-to-use, interactive quiz on the NEW ProLiabilitySmart eTool. In addition to helping you understand strategies to protect your firm against a lawsuit, ProLiabilitySmart highlights the exclusive coverage available to technology professionals in Canada (excluding Quebec) through the IEEE-sponsored Professional Liability Insurance Plan, underwritten by Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's of London.

To learn more, visit http://IEEEInsurance.com/CANPLguide.

Ø Call for Papers

36th Annual INTELEC® Conference on Energy for Communications

Date: September 28 - October 2, 2014
Location: Vancouver Convention Centre (East), BC

The 2014 INTELEC® Conference on Energy for Communications will be held at the spectacular Vancouver Convention Centre (East), BC, Canada from September 28 to October 2, 2014. The conference will focus on "Resilient Communications Energy for our Connected World”.

Last date for submitting the abstracts: March 14, 2014.

For detailed up-to-date information about Intelec®, please visit the Intelec® Conference Web site :
http://www.intelec.org

2014 Electrical Power and Energy Conference (EPEC)

Date: November 12-14, 2014
Location: Calgary, AB

Fourteenth annual Electrical Power and Energy Conf erence (EPEC 2014) will take place in Calgary, AB, Canada from November 12 to 14, 2014. The objective of EPEC 2014 is to provide a forum for the exchange of electrical applications technology rela ted to electrical power and energy generation, distribution systems and utilization. The focus for this year ’s conference will be on partnerships between industrial users and power providers by bringing togeth er industrial users, power providers, ma nufacturers, consultants and academia to discuss cutting edge topics of interest to all stake holders

In addition to making technical contri bution to EPEC 2014, bring your family to enjoy the culturally diverse, creative and cosmopolitan city with a warm welcoming spirit.

For detailed up-to-date information, please visit:
http://sites.ieee.org/epec2014/files/2013/10/EPEC-2014-Call-For-Papers_Final.pdf

CCECE 2015

Date: May 3-6, 2014
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia

The 2015 Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada from May 3rd to 6th, 2015. CCECE 2015 provides a forum for electrical and computer engineering research and development from Canada and around the world. All papers accepted by CCECE 2015 will be indexed by EI and included in IEEE Xplore.

For detailed up-to-date information, please visit: http://www.ccece2015.org/

Ø Conferences

Upcoming IEEE Conferences in Canada

27th Biennial Symposium on Communications (QBSC 2014)

Date: June 1-3, 2014
Location: Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront, Kingston, Ontario

QBSC 2014 continues a tradition begun in 1962. Founded to address the need for developing Canadian expertise in the new field of telecommunications, the symposium is the first of its kind in Canada and continues to foster greater understanding in the fields of coding and information theory as well as telecommunications and signal processing.

QBSC 2014 is initiating a number of new features. For further information, please see the QBSC website http://www.ece.queensu.ca/apps/symposium/

2014 IEEE Canada International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IHTC)

Date: June 1-4, 2014
Location: OMNI Hotel, Mont-Royal, Montreal

Cosponsored by: IEEE Canada, Montreal Section, Ottawa Section, Toronto Section,Vancouver Section, Northern Canada Section, and Newfoundland and Labrador Section

The 2014 IEEE International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IHTC) will be held in Montreal, Canada from June 1-4, 2014. The conference will focus on humanitarian applications of technology in the general areas of technologies for improving the lives of underserved peoples (including aboriginal/indigenous peoples), technologies for the disabled, health-related technologies, humanitarian engineering educational programs, and technologies to assist in disaster situations. The conference will feature outstanding keynote speakers, workshops, a student paper competition and peer-reviewed papers. Technology-oriented papers and papers describing social and economic factors related to humanitarian technology implementation are welcome for the conference.

For detailed up-to-date information, please visit the IHTC2014 Conference Web site:http://www.ihtc.ieee.ca

12th IEEE International New Circuits and Systems Conference (NEWCAS) 2014

Date: June 22- 25, 2014
Location: Trois-Rivières, Québec

For detailed up-to-date information, please visit the NEWCAS2014 Conference Web site:
http://www.newcas2014.org/

2014 IEEE 15th International Conference on High Performance Switching and Routing (HPSR)

Date: July 1 - 4, 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC

2014 IEEE 15th International Conference on High Performance Switching and Routing will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from July 1 to July 4, 2014. Vancouver is world renowned for its diversity of many cultures and ethnicities. It is an ideal place for scientists and engineers from around the world to gather and share their ideas. Past HPSR events were held in Heidelberg (2000), Dallas (2001), Kobe (2002), Torino (2003), Arizona (2004), Hong Kong (2005), Poznan (2006), New York (2007), Shanghai (2008), Paris (2009), Dallas (2010), Cartagena (2011), Belgrade (2012), and Taipei (2013). With the unprecedented growth of the Internet as a backbone for communications and information services, it is essential that researchers gather to share their ideas and progress on solving the future challenges that the Internet faces. They include bridging the digital-divide and providing advantages of the Internet to developing countries; handling the bandwidth and delay requirements of multimedia, P2P, and cloud computing applications; implementing IPv6 and migrating from IPv4; deploying large data centers and enhancing their switching capabilities; and achieving energy efficiency of switching and routing equipment. These are only a few of the topics that have demanded switching and routing capabilities that are more intelligent, efficient, and reliable then ever before.

For detailed up-to-date information, please visit the HPSR 2014 Conference Web site:
http://www.ieee-hpsr.org/

All IEEE Conferences in Canada

Find information about these and all IEEE Conferences in Canada here.

Upcoming Events

Many IEEE Canada sections maintain their own listings of upcoming events:

Canadian Atlantic

Hamilton

Kingston

Kitchener-Waterloo

London

Montreal

Newfoundland and Labrador

New Brunswick

Northern Canada

Ottawa

Southern Alberta

Toronto

Vancouver

Winnipeg

Submission Information

I look forward to receiving news/article(s) from your sections and/or yours or other IEEE colleagues' achievements for the newsletter. Please forward any such correspondence by the 20th of the month to the Editor at
newsletter@ieee.ca