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| Dear SSIT Members,
Spring is beginning to poke its head up here in Southern Ontario as the snow is receding and the snowdrops are taking its place. After a hectic past few months, I am pleased to be at last sending out our first SSIT Newsletter of 2023. Below you’ll find:
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Updates, Accolades, and Reports on recent SSIT activities (including a new chapter!);
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The latest news about SSIT’s upcoming conferences (mark your calendars for ETHICS 2023 in May and ISTAS 2023 in September; see the “Conferences” section for details about early-bird registration for IST-Africa!);
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Information about member-organized conference sessions and lecture series;
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Several Special Issue CFPs that should be of interest to many readers (including two that are affiliated with ISTAS 2023!).
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Additional ongoing conference and publication updates.
As always, I invite submissions from SSIT members for inclusion in future newsletters. Announcements for and reports on local Chapter meetings, events, or outreach activities are always welcome; in addition, I’d love to hear about upcoming events, webinars, and conferences that might be of interest to SSIT members.
To announce an event, news item, volunteer opportunity, CFP, award notice, or other items, please contact me at [email protected]. Submissions for each newsletter are due by the first week of the month.
Best wishes to you all.
Sincerely,
Heather Love
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We are pleased to recognize Wasan Awad of the IEEE Bahrain Section on the formation of a new SSIT Chapter, which became official on 1 February 2023.
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A belated congratulations to IEEE SSIT Board of Governors Member-at-Large and ISTAS 2023 Technical Program Co-Chair Miriam Cunningham, who was inducted into the Eta Chapter of the IEEE Honor Society (HKN) Board of Governors at the IEEE Educational Activities Board Series last November in Vancouver, BC.
In addition, Miriam has been recently appointed by the IEEE Board of Directors to serve on the newly formed IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board (HTB), which replaces the previous IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC).
Congratulations, Miriam, and many thanks for your service to SSIT and the IEEE community more broadly!
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Submitted by Haris Hamidovic
On 12 January 2023, SSIT Distinguished Lecturer Dr. Haris Hamidovic gave a lecture on cyber hygiene for educators from the region of northeastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, as part of the topic “Digital community of teachers and cyber security on the Internet,” which was organized by the International Association of "Interactive Open Schools" (MIOS).
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18-20 May 2023
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
The IEEE ETHICS-2023 Conference is fast approaching! All SSIT members are invited to register today and to spread the word about the event to colleagues who might be interested in attending.
The ETHICS-2023 Website includes detailed information regarding the conference theme (“Ethics in the Global Innovation Helix”), plenary events, special sessions, workshops and tutorials. Attendees at each workshop/tutorial are eligible to 1.5 IEEE PDH credits.
As part of the registration process, ETHICS-2023 attendees are invited to register for a one-day, pre-conference symposium on Norbert Wiener in the 21st Century; this multidisciplinary, discussion-based workshop focused on the Future of Work will take place on 18 May 2023, and will wrap up in time for the opening ETHICS-2023 reception and plenary talk.
Conference Overview:
IEEE ETHICS-2023: Ethics in the Global Innovation Helix will draw together the global community of technology and ethics practitioners and theoreticians from industry, academia, government, and civil society. Issues will be explored from industry, scientific and societal perspectives, in a global and multicultural manner.
ETHICS-2023 is a conference of the IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) (series originally launched in 2014). ETHICS-2023 is co-sponsored and hosted by the National Institute for Engineering Ethics in the School of Engineering Education at Purdue University, a leading land grant university with top-ranked engineering, technology, and computing programs, and an expansive portfolio of sponsored research and engagements in the ethics and policy realms.
The triple helix model of innovation was introduced in the 1990s, developed to theorize and understand interactions between academia, industry, and government. Since then, scholars have expanded it to include additional strands or sectors, including society or the public (quadruple helix) and the natural environment (quintuple helix). The conference theme, “Ethics in the Global Innovation Helix,” underscores questions about the role and place of ethics and related concerns (e.g., social responsibility, social justice, regulatory compliance, etc.) in interactions between these strands, especially in ongoing processes of technology innovation, diffusion, evolution, and maintenance.
For inquiries regarding the ETHICS-2023 Conference, please contact Murty Polavarapu ([email protected]) and include ETHICS-2023 in the subject line.
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13-15 September 2023
Swansea University, Swansea, Wales
SSIT’s flagship conference, the IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) will take place from 13-15 September 2023 in Swansea, Wales. ISTAS 2023: Technology and Analytics for Global Development is hosted by Swansea University; the Technical Program Committee is now at work reviewing submissions.
All SSIT members are encouraged to make plans to attend this first in-person ISTAS event since before the pandemic. You can visit the conference website to find out about the fantastic confirmed Keynote Speakers:
- Prof. Sajda Qureshi (University of Nebraska, Omaha)
- Prof. H. Raghav Rao (University of Texas at San Antonio)
- Adballah Badhrus (Muslim Education and Welfare Association [MEWA], Kenya)
Registration details
are available now; the registration portal will open in the coming months.
Note as well that the ISTAS 2023 committee is collaborating with the editors at Information System Frontiers and the Journal of Information Technology for Development on two special issues in affiliation with the conference. See the “Publications” section below for details about the CFPs, which invite submissions from scholars who are working on topics related to:
- Sustainable Development Through Technological Innovations and Data Analytics
- Indigenous Knowledge and Information Technology for Sustainable Development
Conference Overview
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global grand challenges that are inherently complex, multi-faceted and socially embedded (Corbett & Mellouli, 2017). The SDGs inevitably encounter tensions between their design and implementation, representing design-reality gaps (Pradhan et al., 2022; Heeks, 2020a; Dennehy et al., 2014). While optimism is relatively high about the role of technology and analytics in the context of global development (Smidt & Jokonya, 2022), significant learning remains about how best to use them as ‘platforms that mediate development’ (Heeks 2020b). Further, despite the efforts made by scholars to advance understanding about the role of technology and analytics for global development (e.g., Dwivedi et al., 2021; Khene & Masiero, 2022; Masiero & Arvidsson, 2021), a concerted effort within and between academic disciplines, policy-makers, practitioners, and the intended beneficiaries of the SDGs will help to discover and create better ways to achieve the SDGs.
ISTAS23 aims to bring together contributions from a variety of perspectives, disciplines, and communities for the advancement of knowledge regarding Technology and Analytics for Global Development. We invite participation from academics and practitioners who are engaged in current debates about the role and significance of technology and analytics, and who are interested in topics related to sustainability, ethics, equity, and social values for global development.
IEEE ISTAS 2023 is Technical Co-sponsored by IEEE Region 8, IEEE UK and Ireland Section, IEEE UK and Ireland SSIT Chapter and IEEE UK and Ireland Education Chapter.
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Submitted by Prasanta Ghosh
Submissions are invited for a session on “Effects of Climate Change on Health and Society” to be held at the 2023 IEEE Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE), from 13-15 August 2023, in Oshawa, Canada.
Session CFP:
COVID has forced us to rethink the impacts of climate change on individual and societal health. Researchers are working with all due diligence to reformulate the research direction to include the significant influence that climate change has on our lives. This trend of thoughts will help to enrich our understanding and in-depth knowledge on this subject matter and thus help us to prepare for future diseases, viruses and discovering clinical solutions.
We believe that it is time to create a platform for researchers and thinkers from different branches of study to meet, discuss and exchange ideas.
The proposed session will be organized by keeping in mind the above-mentioned platform for speakers from diverse areas of expertise. Presenters will talk about technology, climate change, diseases, and mitigation approaches. The discussions will include qualitative as well as quantitative impacts of the health-climate relationship on the individual and society. Understanding the climate change impacts on the veracity of any disease and the anguish of society will make it possible to discover solutions that have the potential to ease human suffering.
Important Dates:
- Submission Deadline: 25 April 2023
- Notification Date: 15 May 2023
- Camera-Ready Due: 5 June 2023
- Conference Dates: 13-15 August 2023
For additional information, please contact Prasanta K. Ghosh ([email protected]).
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Submitted by Miriam Cunningham
The IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board Ad Hoc Committee on SIGHT Best Practices is cooperating with a number of IEEE OUs including IEEE SSIT IST-Africa SIGHT, IEEE Bahrain Section SIGHT, IEEE Philadelphia Section SIGHT, IEEE Karachi SIGHT and IEEE UK and Ireland SSIT Chapter to organize a series of lectures during 2023.
IEEE Members, SIGHT Members and SSIT Members as well as non-IEEE Members are invited to Register and participate.
"Co-designing Ethical Interventions in Resource Constrained Environments" by Miriam Cunningham, IST-Africa Institute
28 March 2023 10am ET
Click here to convert to your local time.
Click here to register.
This SSIT Distinguished Lecture focuses on social implications and ethical issues to be considered when co-designing and implementing interventions in resource constrained environments. It introduces the concepts of collaborative open innovation, co-design and action research in the context of addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It then discusses socio-cultural differences, ethical conundrums and ethical research principles when engaging with local communities. It provides insight into building blocks to be considered when preparing an implementation plan for a community-based ICT4Development intervention.
"Avoiding a Graveyard of Solar Panels: How to make Solar Electric Systems Sustainable" by Dr. Pritpal Singh, Villanova University
17 April 2023 10am ET
Click here to convert to your local time.
Click here to register.
Solar electric systems offer the opportunity to provide electricity to communities that do not have access to electricity. However, there are many examples of well-intentioned systems being installed and then not being sustained. This leads to many solar panels not contributing to electricity production in these remote communities. In this talk, we will present strategies based on our experiences in the field to make solar electric systems long term sustainable so that communities can continue to receive the benefits of electricity for the long term.
Please contact Miriam Cunningham, IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board Ad Hoc Committee on SIGHT Best Practices Chair for further information on this lecture series.
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Guest Editors:
Overview:
Multimedia forensics is a subject area that is the need of the hour in this modern era of media-manipulation and the generation of fake images/videos assisted with artificial intelligence (AI) models. With the ubiquitous expansion of internet-enabled devices, there is a humungous amount of data available for the perusal of forensic experts. This data comprises audio, video, images, text, or a mix of those. Hence multimedia forensics, which involves a set of scientific techniques to collect, scrutinize and analyze this digital content, becomes highly imperative. The increasing threat of compelling media manipulations through machine learning-based technologies is making the situation more alarming. The most common instances are generative adversarial networks (GANs) (to generate artificial yet realistic images/videos) and DeepFake algorithms (to swap faces and expressions in videos). Furthermore, the ease of getting these manipulations done has lowered the skill required from the attacker’s end, which has intensified the problem manifold. With this special issue, we will try to motivate the research groups to publish their recent outstanding works beyond trivial research results, in order to push the border of the state-of-the-art and record the developments on this subject of research.
For more information on topics of interest and submission guidelines, please visit: https://dl.acm.org/pb-assets/static_journal_pages/tomm/pdf/TOMM-SI-Recent-Trends-Multimedia-Physics-1663096031390.pdf.
Important Dates:
- 31 March 2023: Submission deadline
- 30 June 2023: First-round review decisions
- 15 July 2023: Deadline for revision submissions
- 30 September 2023: Notification of final decisions
- December 2023: Tentative publication date
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This CFP is for a Special Issue that will be developed in affiliation with the IEEE ISTAS 2023 Conference.
Guest Editors:
- Antoine Harfouche, University Paris Nanterre, France
- Mohammad I. Merhi, Indiana University South Bend, USA
- Abdullah Albizri, Montclair State University, USA
- Denis Dennehy, Swansea University, Wales
- Jason Thatcher, Temple University, USA
Sustainable development builds on the premise that development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (United Nations). The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are global, grand challenges that are inherently complex, multi-faceted and socially embedded (Henriksen et al., 2021). The SDGs inevitably encounter tensions between their design and implementation, representing design-reality gaps (Pradhan et al., 2022; Heeks, 2020a; Dennehy et al., 2014). While optimism is relatively high about the role of technology and analytics in supporting sustainable global development (Smidt & Jokonya, 2022), significant learning remains about how best to use them as ‘platforms that mediate development’ (Heeks, 2020b).
There is increasing awareness and expectation that the academic community has an active role in achieving sustainable development that includes three interconnected elements, namely, economic well-being and social inclusion (Baghdadi, et al. 2020; Johnson et al., 2021), and environmental protection (Dennehy et al., 2021; Dwivedi et al., 2022). Despite the efforts made by scholars to advance the understanding of applying technology and analytics to encourage sustainable development and energy conservation (e.g., Albizri, 2020; Khene & Masiero, 2022; Masiero & Arvidsson, 2021), a concerted effort by academic disciplines, policymakers, practitioners, and the intended beneficiaries of the SDGs is required to discover and create better ways to build an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and planet (Harfouche et al., 2019; Harfouche et al., 2022).
This Special Issue of the journal Information Systems Frontiers brings together contributions from various perspectives, disciplines, and communities to advance knowledge of how to apply technological innovations and data analytics for sustainable development to make the world a better place for all (Walsham, 2012). Some organizations focus on driving business value and keeping ahead of competitors. At the same time, others focus on facilitating societal change by generating both business value and social value. For this reason, organizations are investing more in responsible technological innovations, including responsible AI (Johnson et al., 2021; Merhi, 2022) for an ethical and inclusive digitized society. To further understand how to apply technology innovation and analytics to encourage sustainable social and economic development, we seek interdisciplinary papers that bridge domains including information systems, organizational science, strategic management, and information science.
Important Dates:
- Submission deadline: 30th September 2023
- Notification of first round reviews: 15th December 2023 § Revised Manuscripts due: 15th February 2024
- Notification of second round reviews: 30th April 2024
- Final Version Due: 30th June 2024
See the full Special Issue CFP for details regarding topics of interest and submission guidelines.
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This CFP is for a Special Issue that will be developed in affiliation with the IEEE ISTAS 2023 Conference.
Guest Editors:
- Ransom Bawack, Audencia Business School, France
- Sian Roderick, School of Management, Swansea University, Wales, UK
- Abdalla Badhrus, Muslim Education and Welfare Association (MEWA), Kenya
- Denis Dennehy, Swansea University, Wales
- Jacqueline Corbett, Faculty of Business Administration, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
This Special Issue of the journal Information Technology for Development aims to stimulate rigorous scientific research on the role of indigenous knowledge in IT for sustainable development. Heading into the critical second half of the SDG 2030 agenda, this Special Issue focuses on how to leverage and integrate indigenous knowledge to increase the contribution of IT solutions to the achievement of the SDGs. It aspires to demonstrate how strengthening the involvement of indigenous peoples, local communities, and their knowledge can influence the impacts of IT-based development strategies that meet the needs of poor and marginalized communities. Thus, we welcome papers that reveal the positive and/or negative aspects of associating indigenous knowledge and IT for sustainable development.
This Special Issue welcomes papers from all disciplines and encourages multidisciplinary that apply quantitative, qualitative, design science or mixed-methods research approaches.
Important Dates:
- Deadline for submission: 15 January 2024
- Notification of initial acceptance: 31 March 2024
- Deadline for revised papers: 30 June 2024
- Notification of final acceptance: 30 September 2024
- Tentative publication date: December 2024
See the full Special Issue CFP for details regarding context, aims, and scope; topics of interest; and submission guidelines.
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IEEE TSM is SSIT’s award-winning flagship publication. It features peer-reviewed and general interest articles that explore and analyze the profound impacts of technology on our world.
Find out more about the publication’s scope, topics, and article submission guidelines here, and visit the IEEE TSM section of the SSIT website to read about current and past issues.
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The IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society publishes four issues each year (March, June, September, and December); submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.
The editorial team seeks research papers on the interactions among technology, science, and society; on the impact of such interactions on individuals and society; and on the ethical, professional and social responsibility in the practice of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Find out more about the publication’s scope, topics, and article submission guidelines here, and be sure to visit the Transactions section of the SSIT website to read about current and past issues.
For expressions of interest to serve on the editorial board as an ongoing reviewer or associate editor, or for other enquiries please email founding editor-in-chief at [email protected].
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IEEE ETHICS-2023: Ethics in the Global Innovation Helix
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18-20 May 2023
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
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Additional information about ETHICS-2023 is available earlier in this newsletter.
IEEE ETHICS-2023 is an SSIT conference that will draw together the global community of technology and ethics practitioners and theoreticians from industry, academia, government, and civil society. Issues will be explored from industry, scientific and societal perspectives, in a global and multicultural manner.
Conference details and Registration information are available on the ETHICS-2021 Website.
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IST-Africa: Early-Bird Registration Available until 10 April
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31 May – 02 June 2023
Tshwane, South Africa
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Hosted by the Government of South Africa through the Department of Science and Innovation and Supported by the European Commission (EC) and African Union Commission (AUC), IST-Africa 2023 is the eighteenth in an annual series of Technology Research, Innovation and Policy Conferences. IST-Africa 2023 is technical co-sponsored by SSIT.
Following three years of successfully organising IST-Africa as a virtual event to protect the health and well-being of IST-Africa Community Members due to the unprecedented circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, IST-Africa 2023 will take place as a physical in-person event in CSIR International Conference Centre, Tshwane, South Africa from 31 May - 02 June.
IST-Africa 2023 will provide a world-class international forum to showcase existing technology-enabled Research, Innovation and ICT4D activities and capacity in Africa, Europe and other parts of the world. IST-Africa directly supports Innovation, Science and Technology aspects of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) and national policies including ICT and Digital Economy Masterplan for South Africa, National Digital and Future Skills Strategy and Foundational Digital Capabilities Research – Decadal Plan.
IST-Africa 2023 Advance Program
The IST-Africa 2023 Conference Program incorporates a mix of strategic plenary sessions, complemented by a scientific program featuring technical and case study papers and oral presentations.
The IST-Africa 2023 Advance Program incorporates 31 thematically focused sessions featuring over 90 presenters from the public, private, education, research and societal organizations from 25 countries addressing eHealth, Societal Implications of Technology, Next Generation Computing (including Artificial Intelligence, BlockChain, Internet of Things), Cyber Security, eGovernment, Technology Enhanced Learning, eAgriculture, Environmental Sustainability, Global Development, Content Technologies and Collaborative Open Innovation.
Registration
Click here to learn more about registration.
Early Bird Delegate available up to 10 April.
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IEEE ISTAS 2023: Technology and Analytics for Global Development
13-15 September 2023
Swansea University, Swansea, Wales
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Additional information about ISTAS-2023 is available earlier in this newsletter.
The IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) is the flagship conference of the IEEE’s Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). ISTAS is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary forum for engineers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, philosophers, researchers, social scientists, and technologists to collaborate, exchange experiences, and discuss the social implications of technology.
ISTAS23 aims to bring together contributions from a variety of perspectives, disciplines, and communities for the advancement of knowledge regarding Technology and Analytics for Global Development. We invite participation from academics and practitioners who are engaged in current debates about the role and significance of technology and analytics, and who are interested in topics related to sustainability, ethics, equity, and social values for global development.
IEEE ISTAS 2023 is Technical Co-sponsored by IEEE Region 8, IEEE UK and Ireland Section, IEEE UK and Ireland SSIT Chapter and IEEE UK and Ireland Education Chapter.
Conference details and the full CFP are available at the IEEE ISTAS 2023 Website.
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IEEE SSIT organizes, co-organizes, and sponsors conferences focused on technology, society and ethics. IEEE SSIT is seeking expressions of interest from SSIT members interested in hosting the following conferences around the world.
IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS)
IEEE ISTAS is the annual flagship event of the IEEE Society on the Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). It is organized each year by SSIT in cooperation with SSIT Chapters and IEEE Sections. IEEE ISTAS brings together a broad range of disciplines (e.g., natural and social sciences, policy, ethics and education) to share research and experiences about the implications of technology adoption, adaptation and evolution.
SSIT is looking toward future ISTAS two to four years from now to allow planning and continuity between annual events. We are issuing a call for proposals for volunteers as organizers of ISTAS in 2023, 2024, and beyond.
IEEE Conference on Norbert Wiener in the 21st Century (21CW)
The 21CW conference series addresses the technical, social and personal legacy of the founder of cybernetics, control theory, and information ethics, Norbert Wiener. It has been held in Boston (2014), Melbourne (2016), and as a virtual event hosted from Chennai, India (2021), with satellite activities in India 2014, 2016, 2018.
Expressions of interest are welcome for 2025.
If you are interested in hosting one of these events, please contact SSIT Conferences Chair, Jay Pearlman at [email protected] to request SSIT’s Call for Proposals Guide, which provides:
- Guidance for conference organization and operations
- An overview of expectations for proposal content
- Background on ISTAS conference (including a list of recent events)
- A proposal template
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Thank you to the SSIT Members and Chapters who have responded to date to the invitation to contribute content for publication on the SSIT website. We look forward to receiving regular contributions. Please send articles, event notifications and other relevant content including pictures to Miriam Cunningham, SSIT Web Committee Chair.
SSIT Chapters, Distinguished Lecturers and SSIT supported Events are invited to provide Miriam Cunningham with recordings of Guest Lectures and other relevant content linked with SSIT’s Technical areas and field of interest for publication in the SSIT Society Channel on IEEE.tv. Please send a link by email to download the .mp4 file, include SSIT branding in the recording, and ensure that you have written permission from the speaker to publish it.
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IEEE SSIT has three major awards, all of which are open for nomination at this time.
The Carl Barus Award for Outstanding Service in the Public Interest is open to anyone, or group, who performs an important public service, possibly at the risk of career or reputation. This includes anyone, whether or not in the engineering profession, or a member of IEEE. Further information on recipients can be found at https://technologyandsociety.org/member-resources/awards-programs/barus-award-recipients/.
The Brian M. O’Connell SSIT Distinguished Service Award is for SSIT volunteers who have demonstrated outstanding service for the benefit of SSIT. More information on this award can be found at
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