January 2022

In 2022, we are starting the year with a great team, who will continue to grow the portfolio of impactful programs aimed at strengthening IEEE‘s position as a world leader in the sustainable development space. The incoming committee is already working on defining a productive roadmap to make 2022 a record-breaking year as well. To achieve that, we are meeting with key leaders from across the Institute to define joint partnership programs. HAC will keep collaborating, both within and beyond IEEE, to foster a community of technologists ready to volunteer in the sustainable development space.

One result of a collaboration is the ongoing IEEE Antennas & Propagation Society (AP-S) and IEEE HAC Call for Proposals. I’m delighted to start off the year with a funding opportunity in partnership with AP-S, and I strongly encourage AP-S Members to participate.

At the beginning of the month, I had the opportunity to present at the IEEE Rising Stars conference, where I shared about HAC/SIGHT. There was a terrific response and a lot of interest from the attendees to learn more about humanitarian activities within IEEE. On 27 January, I will be joining the Engineering Global Development (EGD) Stakeholder Summit as an invited participant. There, I will join experts representing academia, industry, philanthropy, multilateral agencies, and other professional associations to imagine the future of the global engineering workforce’s contributions to the SDGs. Coming up next month, IEEE HAC will be hosting a general session at the IEEE Board of Directors February Meeting Series. For those who are attending the meeting series, I heartily invite you to register for the session and visit us at the HAC/SIGHT virtual table.

I am truly grateful to our SIGHT members, and all who took part in HAC activities, who made 2021 a great success. I look forward to your continued participation in HAC’s exciting initiatives this year.

Stay safe and healthy,
Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan
2021 - 2022 IEEE HAC Chair

At this juncture, I wish to inform you that I have been given an additional period of time to serve as SIGHT Chair through 2022. I look forward to your continued cooperation and support so that together we can further the SIGHT mission to leverage technology for sustainable development.

I wish you all a happy and prosperous 2022.

Best regards,
Lwanga Herbert
2021 - 2022 IEEE SIGHT Chair

FEATURED STORIES

Introducing the 2022 Humanitarian Activities Committee!

• Sampathkumar Veeraraghavan, Chair
• Kartik Kulkarni, Immediate Past Chair
• Simay Akar
• Mei Lin Fung
• Lwanga Herbert
• Jayakrishnan MC
• Karen Panetta
• Pritpal Singh
• Lucia Pia Torres
• Rabab Kreidieh Ward
• Corresponding Member - Ajay Poddar

Visit the HAC website to read a short biography of each Committee member.

Appointments to HAC/SIGHT Subcommittees

If you were one of the nearly 65 applicants from eighteen countries and seven IEEE Regions to apply to volunteer on an HAC/SIGHT Subcommittee this year - thank you! Applications are being carefully considered and appointments are expected to be completed by the first week of February. 

Extended! IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (AP-S) and IEEE HAC Call for Proposals

IEEE AP-S and IEEE HAC are currently offering a special Call for Proposals to support AP-S Chapter projects that utilize AP-S-relevant technology to address local community challenges. The Call deadline has recently been extended through 28 February 2022, so there is still time to submit a proposal. Awards of up to US$3,000 will be made to selected projects that present a convincing plan to a) understand the real needs of a local community or local stakeholder organization and b) complete in no more than six months’ time a pilot project utilizing AP-S-relevant technology to address those local community challenges.

The Call for Proposals is supported in part by the IEEE SIGHT Fund of the IEEE Foundation. If you would like to support future SIGHT Fund efforts, please visit the Fund donation page.

IEEE Membership Renewal - Significant Savings for Students

IEEE Membership puts you in control of your career. Join IEEE or renew your Membership and explore an online interactive catalog to customize your Membership (like adding SIGHT). Also, students can save 50% on IEEE Student Membership by using the code FUTURE50.

HAC/SIGHT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Read the IEEE HAC/SIGHT Success Story Portfolio, which showcases grassroots IEEE Member projects, funded by IEEE HAC/SIGHT, that utilized technology to address local challenges that were primarily related to the COVID-19 situation. HAC/SIGHT is proud to share the stories of these humanitarian technology and sustainable development projects, the amazing efforts of our volunteers, and a summary of each activity’s initial impact.

To see all the projects that received HAC/SIGHT funding in 2020 and 2021, and their current status, see this list.

SIGHT GROUP CORNER

Updating SIGHT Group Chairs with IEEE vTools

If your SIGHT Group will be selecting a new Chair and/or Officers for 2022, please be sure to report these changes through the IEEE vTools Officer Reporting. SIGHT Group Chairs can enter the Group’s Officers for the positions of Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. Other members can also be listed. Not familiar with vTools? See these tutorials on the different functions. If you have any further questions, you can write to [email protected].

Recruit New Members for Your SIGHT Group on the IEEE Volunteering Platform

Are you looking to publish a “call for volunteers” for your SIGHT Group? Now with the IEEE Volunteering Platform, it is easy to create opportunities and match with Members who are interested. This platform is open to all types of opportunities, be it short- or long-term, local or remote, or requiring different skills. Go to volunteer.ieee.org to get started today!

2021 SIGHT Group of the Year Announcement

The 2021 SIGHT Group of the Year will be announced in early February - be sure to keep an eye on the SIGHT Facebook page to congratulate the recipient!

GET INVOLVED WITH IEEE HAC/SIGHT

Important Dates & Upcoming Virtual Events

• 11 February  - IEEE HAC/SIGHT General Session at the IEEE Board of Directors February Meeting Series

Visit the HAC/SIGHT calendar for more humanitarian technology events and activities (all virtual for now).

Support IEEE SIGHT

Your donation of any amount to the IEEE SIGHT fund of the IEEE Foundation will help form the IEEE sustainable development leaders of the future and incubate projects that support IEEE’s mission of advancing technology for the benefit of humanity in communities around the globe.

HAC/SIGHT Education Resources

See the free HAC/SIGHT resources on the IEEE Learning Network (ILN) and SIGHT website to equip participants with a basic understanding of humanitarian technology and sustainable development topics.