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Dear SSIT Members,
Greetings and Happy September! It’s an exciting month for SSIT, with the first in-person IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS) since the pandemic taking place in Swansea, Wales next week. In addition, we have a packed newsletter for you.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading through the Announcements section, which includes a memorial to SSIT co-founder Stephen H. Unger (published previously on the SSIT website), information about a new SSIT fundraising challenge (donate today and double your impact!), introductions to the incoming Young Professionals and Student Activities leaders, several calls for engagement, and the first installment of a new newsletter “column” focused on SSIT’s Standards Committee.
Within the Publications and Conferences sections, be sure to check out the approaching CFP deadlines, and don’t forget to browse the Ongoing Calls section, which includes invitations to host future conferences, submit content to the SSIT website and social media channels, and nominate outstanding colleagues for SSIT awards.
As always, we invite submissions of content for inclusion in future newsletters. We welcome announcements for and reports on local chapter meetings, events, or outreach activities; in addition, we would love to hear about upcoming events, webinars, and conferences relevant to SSIT members.
Please send proposed content via email to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions for the October issue is 29 September 2023.
Best wishes to you all.
Sincerely,
Heather Love (IEEE SSIT Newsletter Editor in Chief)
Shannon Lodoen (IEEE SSIT Newsletter Associate Editor)
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All SSIT members are invited to submit brief reports and updates about upcoming and completed presentations and activities you are part of that are relevant to SSIT!
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Submitted by Terri Bookman
Stephen H. Unger, one of the founders of the IEEE Society (and earlier Committee) on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT and CSIT), Life Fellow of the IEEE, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at Columbia University, champion of engineering ethics, and a prominent figure within SSIT, has died at the age of 93.
His death on 4 July 2023, was reported to SSIT by his son, Donald Unger. Donald Unger noted that while his father “started his career at Bell Labs—where he was part of the team that brought ‘direct-dial long distance’ calling to life—and spent the bulk of it at [Columbia University]… on some level, his connection to the IEEE was the most durable and important affiliation he had.
“One of the things that he was most proud of … was his role in creating the Society [on] Social Implications of Technology.”
Stephen Unger’s impact on SSIT is hard to overstate. He contributed to and helped drive the formation of CSIT at the time when an IEEE-based group related to social implications of technology was only an idea [1].
In the early years of the organization, Unger served as “Vice-Chairman” of CSIT in 1980, and after the group became a full IEEE Technical Society in 1982, he served as the second SSIT President in 1985-1986. He also helped establish, and often contributed articles to, the group’s publications, the CSIT Newsletter and IEEE Technology and Society Magazine [2]-[11]. He also helped establish SSIT’s first, and its perhaps defining award, the Carl Barus Award for Service in the Public Interest, given, as he stated, “in recognition of courageous actions to protect the public health, safety, or welfare, despite risk to their professional career” [7].
Within the broader IEEE, Unger served on the IEEE Board of Directors and various iterations of IEEE ethics committees, and fought for years to establish and maintain support for ethical behavior by IEEE members including an IEEE Ethics Hotline.
A principled man of great integrity, passion and honesty, who did not duck controversy or hesitate to speak truth to power both within and outside the IEEE [8], [11], Unger inspired respect from students, peers, and fellow SSIT members.
In a 1987 Technology and Society Magazine article titled, “Would Helping Ethical Professionals Get Professional Societies into Trouble?” [9], Unger concluded, “Ethics support should be carried out prudently, but vigorously, by engineering societies… when threatened with lawsuits, they should make it known that the full resources of the law will be utilized… The time is ripe for action in this area. It is up to engineers, standing together in their professional societies, to see to it that they are no longer subjected to agonizing choices between sacrificing either conscience or career.”
Unger studied as an undergraduate at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, and received the Sc.D. degree from M.I.T. He was also a high school graduate of Brooklyn Tech.
Links to references mentioned in this article are available on the SSIT Website version.
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As we move into conference week, we send our best wishes to all organizers, presenters, and attendees at the 2023 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society!
IEEE ISTAS 2023 takes place at Swansea University, Wales from 13 - 15 September. IEEE ISTAS 2023 is the flagship conference of IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT). The theme of IEEE ISTAS 2023 is "Technology and Analytics for Global Development."
The IEEE ISTAS 2023 Program incorporates a mix of keynote presentations, paper sessions, workshops and interactive panels, which are aligned with SSIT's Technical Activities. Several sessions will be recorded, so if you aren’t able to make the trip to Swansea, stay tuned to announcements in future newsletters about accessing those recordings.
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. It is financially supported by Meet in Wales, IEEE Humanitarian Technologies, the School of Management (Swansea University) and the Intensive Learning Academy (Swansea University).
Note that the ISTAS 2023 conference is associated with multiple CFPs for journal special issues, which are open to all authors, not only conference presenters. See the “Publications” section below for details, and note that submission deadlines are approaching soon.
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We are pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous offer from an anonymous donor, all donations made to SSIT through the IEEE Foundation between now and 31 December 2023, will be matched, up to a total of US$5000. Donate now to double your impact!
SSIT brings together interdisciplinary communities to support and inform our understanding of:
- Sustainable Development & Humanitarian Technology
- Ethics and Human Values
- Technology Access
- Societal Impact of Technological Innovation
- Protecting the Planet
- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
We work within the technology community, but draw our ideas from practitioners, researchers, inventors, policy makers, professionals and students across many fields. We also influence the direction of technology adoption and development, from awareness and concepts, to standards and professional practice.
These programs are making a difference! Funds will be invested in further strengthening and expanding:
- Standards development related to social impacts of AI, ethical design, human-robot interaction, and more
- International Chapter, Young Professional and Student Activities
- Conference and Distinguished Lecturer Programs addressing society’s most pressing issues
- related to technology
- Online Publishing and Education Programs
Ways to Contribute
Donate to SSIT online at https://ieeefoundation.org/ieee_ssit
You can make a gift to SSIT in honor or memory of someone who has touched your life.
Note that donations to SSIT are managed by the IEEE Foundation, the philanthropic arm of IEEE. IEEE and the IEEE Foundation are U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. For more information contact: [email protected] or +1 732 465 5871.
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Submitted by Luis Kun
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SSIT is pleased to share that Danny Xie-Li has been appointed to the position of SSIT Young Professionals Chair. Danny is pictured here with SSIT President Luis Kun in Puebla, Mexico at the LAEDC 2023 meeting.
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SSIT members who are beginning their professional careers are invited to get in touch with Danny ([email protected]) to find out more about how you can engage with SSIT activities and networks.
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We are also pleased to welcome Anusha Vishwanthan as the next Global Student Activities Chair. Anusha moves into this position from her previous role as Vice Chair, where she consistently exhibited exceptional leadership skills and a genuine passion for our society's mission. She possesses a deep understanding of our organization's values and has proven her commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community.
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SSIT student members are invited to get in touch with Anusha either via email ([email protected]) or through LinkedIn.
SSIT thanks the outgoing Chair of SSIT’s Global Student Activities Committee, Saiteja Goud Karingu, for his tireless efforts and valuable contributions in this role, and for assisting with the search for potential successors. We would also like to thank Kalyan Sen for his outstanding leadership in coordinating activities with Saiteja.
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The IEEE Computer Society invites SSIT members to participate in its 2023 Tech Forum on Digital Platforms and Societal Harms. The event takes place on 2 and 3 October at American University in Washington, D.C. It will feature keynote panels available in hybrid mode to enable online attendance and local in-person events that can be hosted by IEEE Sections or Chapters anywhere in the world.
Featuring international speakers with backgrounds in public policy, government, artificial intelligence, and other computing technologies, this event will focus on solutions to the challenges of hate speech, extremism, exploitation, misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms.
We invite you to join us by running a local in-person event to view one of the panels, either live or through a recording at a time that works for you during October 2023. The local event should feature a viewing of one of the three keynote panels, followed by in-person discussion.
The topic is of particular interest to government and industry and is an opportunity to engage with members and potential members in these sectors.
As you can set your own price for attendance (or make it free), you can reduce the cost of attending this event for your members / local community substantially.
This is an opportunity to access multiple world class speakers, combined with local knowledge and discussion to make it an effective local technical event.
Requirements for Section / Chapter local events:
- Email Yuhong Liu ([email protected]) by 11 September to confirm your interest, the panel you want to host, and the date in October you want to run your event.
- Arrange to pay the flat fee of US$200 to participate in the event; you can absorb this or charge a fee to participants.
- After the event, complete an online form to provide details of your attendance numbers and key points from the local discussion.
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Submitted by Ramalatha Marimuthu
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Dr. Bozenna Pasik-Duncan
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Nominations for the Bozenna Pasik-Duncan Humanitarian Mentorship Award are invited from mentors of all science and technology backgrounds, sectors, and regions. Self-nominations are accepted. Nominees should submit a brief statement outlining their mentoring philosophy, achievements, and the impact they have made in the lives of their mentees in the template provided at the link above. Two endorsements or letters of support from mentees or colleagues should also be included.
The submission deadline for nominations is 22 September 2023.
The recipient(s) of this award will be selected by a panel of distinguished experts in the field and will be honored at a special ceremony during the Returning Mothers Conference, where they will receive a recognition plaque, certificate and a cash prize of US$1000. They will be provided registration and accommodation for attending the ceremony.
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Submitted by Clint Andrews, SSIT Past-President and Nominations Chair
Call for SSIT Board of Governors President-Elect Candidates: Nominations due 30 September 2023
SSIT is seeking candidates for President-Elect (2024); this position is a voting member of the SSIT BoG.
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The 2024 President-Elect is a five-year commitment:
- One year as President-Elect (2024)
- Two years as President (2025-2026)
- Two years as Past President (2027-2028)
The President-Elect should expect to spend two to four days per month on SSIT-related activities. As the Society President, this time will increase to four to eight days per month. The President leads the monthly BoG conference calls. Additionally, the President attends three two-day Technical Activities Board (TAB) meetings per year, usually held in February, June and November. Travel expenses associated with attendance at the TAB meetings are provided by SSIT.
The deadline for nominations for President-Elect is 30 September 2023. For more information, potential candidates for either position are welcome to contact the SSIT Nominations Committee Chair Clint Andrews at [email protected].
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This is the first installment of a new column introducing SSIT members to our Standards Committee. We are delighted this month to feature Committee Chair Ruth Lewis, whose comments “set the stage” for upcoming Q&As with chairs of the committee’s Working Groups.
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What is the SSIT Standards Committee? What are its aims?
The SSIT Standards Committee is a community of experts who develop global technical standards and recommended practices on behalf of the SSIT. These global standards, developed under the auspices of the IEEE Standards Association, will drive a uniform approach to developing emerging technology and data use that enables consideration of people and planet as part of the engineering function. They can be useful not only for engineers and technologists, but also for broader audiences such as policy makers and executives who are looking for guidance.
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Ruth Lewis, IEEE SSIT Standards Committee Chair
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What areas or issues does the Standards Committee create standards for?
Our standards development activities span the breadth of SSIT’s Technical Activities, including sustainable and humanitarian technology, and applying ethics and human values to emerging technologies such as AI. The standards that we develop answer difficult questions, such as: what is the safest, most sustainable and ethical way to acquire, develop and deploy technology systems and so that the individual, our society and the planet can flourish? With a large and diverse portfolio of projects concerning AI, neurotechnology, affective computing, extended reality and the Metaverse, robotics, personal privacy, and data provenance, we have expert contributors from a broad range of fields.
Why did you take on the role of SSIT Standards Committee Chair?
I am an academically qualified futurist with a long career as telecommunications engineer and an IT consultant involved in system and service development. I realised that our traditional engineering practices focus on getting things to work, but that there are wide gaps in guidance for the practitioner in dealing with the ethical, moral and environmental aspects of their work, or in helping us to understand that there are societal impacts and consequences to the work that we do. With the development of advanced technologies such as AI, which produce opportunities to increase productivity and enhance automated decision making, we urgently need to look closely at how we develop and deploy these emerging technologies so that the outcomes are beneficial for people and the planet. We need to find ways to solve the biggest problems in the world, but not create additional burdens for others.
I am interested in questions such as: As an engineer, how can you know that what you are developing or designing is going to unfairly benefit the few at the expense of the environment or marginalised communities? How can you employ processes that will allow you to think broadly and deeply about how you design and use technology to enable consideration of human needs and the long-term impact on the future of society? These issues have existed for a long time, but the advent of emerging technology such as AI and its applications adds urgency to our pursuit of solutions.
My mission as a futurist is to answer these questions. The IEEE Standards Association is a long-time leader in raising these issues to the public and putting in place the mechanisms to support and educate engineers and technologists through standards. As a telecommunications engineer, I am deeply familiar with the importance of technical standards to drive efficiency and interconnection amongst industry players. With the extension of this background, I am deeply impressed by the commitment of both SSIT and IEEE SA to tackle these wicked problems with practical, standardized solutions.
What type of people might be interested or well suited for working with the Standards Committee and its working groups?
If you are passionate about making a positive difference in engineering practice, if you are worried about the rapid development and adoption of new technologies seemingly without any consideration except for maximizing profit, and if you are fascinated with a particular emerging technology or concept that you think may address some of these issues, you may find a home in the SSIT Standards Committee. We are dedicated to developing technology standards as solutions to responsible, sustainable development and use of technology and data.
We welcome volunteer contributors from a diverse background, who bring their own experience and knowledge to developing practical solutions though standardization. As well as engineering and technical people, we have contributors from broad and diverse backgrounds including law, social policy, philosophy, environmentalism, accounting, and academia more broadly. It’s a great place to learn from others, collaborate, and be a part of giving back to the industry and to society.
How can folks who are interested get involved with the Standards Committee and its working groups? What opportunities are currently available?
At this stage, all of our standards work is based on individual contributions. Anyone can join a Working Group of their choice. To find out more info, visit the “Working Groups” tab within the SSIT Standards Committee webpage. Here, you can see the opportunities that each working group offers. When you identify an area of interest, you can follow the link to their webpage and indicate your interest by clicking on the provided ‘call to action’ button. If you have a new idea that you think might be suitable for developing into an industry standard, please get in touch.
The SSIT Standards Committee organizes a monthly meeting for the various Working Groups officers under our portfolio, but it is open to all interested in our work. This meeting deals with the more formal aspects of reporting of activity, but also provides a forum for officers to peer mentor each other. Similarly, the SSIT Standards Committee is investigating issues associated with the development of ‘ethically aligned’ standards, by developing a ‘best practice’ guide through our Industry Connections program IEEE SA - Best Practice Guide to Developing Ethically Aligned Standards.
If you would like to get in touch, please email me as Chair, IEEE SSIT Standards Committee at [email protected], or contact the IEEE Standards Association Program Manager, Christy Bahn, [email protected] to indicate your interest.
Why are you excited about this new “column” featuring the Standards Committee working group chairs?
This new column is a great opportunity to showcase the exciting work that the SSIT Standards Committee and its working groups are doing. We are creating real solutions to really complex and ambiguous problems with new and emerging technology. We are helping engineers and technologists, vendors, governments and individuals to deal with some of these problems. It is a fascinating and constantly changing area.
We welcome broader engagement, visibility within SSIT, the IEEE and IEEE SA, as well as the global arena. Some of our working groups are already showcasing their work, inviting a broader input into aspects of their draft standards and processes. Ethics, morality, culture, human values and the environmental sustainability and long-term viability of our planet represent our shared goal and shared investment in our future. We look forward to continuing the conversation on how to promote flourishing for all, and how we as technologists can contribute to this.
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Information About the Journal
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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Information About the Journal
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 inquiries please email the founding editor-in-chief at [email protected].
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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: 30 September 2023
- Notification of first round reviews: 15 December 2023 § Revised Manuscripts due: 15 February 2024
- Notification of second round reviews: 30 April 2024
- Final version due: 30 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 ISTAS 2023: Technology and Analytics for Global Development
13-15 September 2023
Swansea University, Swansea, Wales
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Note: additional information regarding ISTAS 2023 appears 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. Participation is invited 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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2023 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)
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12 - 15 October 2023
Villanova University, USA
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IEEE GHTC focuses on advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. This cross-disciplinary annual conference provides the perfect venue for those interested in humanitarian projects to join their peers in October 2023 at Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
GHTC is an international flagship conference, focused on bringing together people working on the application of technology to address critical issues for the benefit of the resource-constrained and vulnerable populations in the world. It is a forum where IEEE works with developers and NGOs to identify the most pressing needs. We encourage participants from academia, for-profit and non-profit businesses, governmental and non-governmental organizations to attend and present research, ideas, and other considerations for the creation of effective humanitarian technology. We also invite participants to share case studies and lessons learned from the deployment and application of humanitarian technologies.
For more information, visit: https://ieeeghtc.org/
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2023 IEEE International Humanitarian Technologies Conference
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1-3 November 2023
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
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The IEEE International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IEEE IHTC) is an interdisciplinary conference series organized by IEEE Region 7 (Canada), IEEE Region 8 (Africa, Europe, and the Middle East), and IEEE Region 9 (Latin America and the Caribbean). IEEE IHTC 2023 will be hosted at Corales de Indias Hotel (Cartagena, Colombia) on 1-3 November.
The conference series focuses on showcasing challenges, success stories, lessons learned, case studies and technological innovation related to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ICT4D and the application of Humanitarian Technologies (including Disaster Relief and Disaster Recovery) and facilitating engagement by stakeholders from the public, private, education and research and societal sectors around the world. There is a particular emphasis on facilitating participation and sharing of experiences by key stakeholder groups from low and lower middle-income countries as well as low-resource communities.
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Evolution: IEEE Life Members Conference
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14-16 April 2024
Hyatt Regency, Austin, TX
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We are excited to announce the inaugural Life Members Conference, designed to strengthen the engagement of IEEE's 38,000 Life Members in shaping our collective future. Life Members represent all disciplines across the IEEE's fields of interest. We are also dedicated to giving back and sharing our expertise with the next generation.
The conference has three tracks:
1. Emerging Technologies – that impact seniors
- Technologies of the Future and the Next Chapter
- Aging Society and Technology Progress
- Renewable Energy and Sustainability
2. Applications – technologies used by aging populations
- Financial and Investment Strategies
- Smart Systems, Infrastructure, Equipment and Living
3. Contributions – members sharing resources with future leaders
- Mentors and Influencers in the Modern Society
- Professional Development, Sharing and STEM Education
Our growing list of speakers include Rodney Brooks (iRobot), John McDonald (GE), Whurley (Strangeworks), Manuela Veloso (JP Morgan), Bernie Sander (AMD), Julie Shah (MIT) (and more!). Speaker commitments are ongoing and over the summer and fall, we’ll have a large list of exciting and engaging speakers, keynotes and topics to share.
Join other Life Members, Senior Members, influencers, innovators, technical professionals, and members of the STEM community in Austin for this inaugural event. Registration will be limited, so be sure to secure your spot early. Stay tuned for further details about the conference and our social media channels.
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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 2025 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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