Special thanks to our committee chairs this year:

• Lwanga Herbert - Nominations & Appointments Chair; Partnership Ad-hoc Committee Chair
• Simay Akar Koehler - Finance Committee Chair
• Stephanie Gillespie - Education Committee Chair
• Vickie Ozburn - Best Practices Committee Chair 
• Pritpal Singh - Events Committee Chair
• Adil Usman - Outreach Committee Chair
• Felix Vega - Programs Committee Chair

For those interested in learning more about humanitarian technology opportunities at IEEE, membership is available through the SIGHT program. Sign up today to join the global community.

The 2025 IEEE Tech4Good call for proposals is now open! This call is an opportunity for any active IEEE member to apply for funding to implement a project that uses technology to address a local challenge. For more information, I encourage you to visit the T4G landing page.

HTB is in various stages of partnerships with several IEEE Regions and Societies to support their existing programs, leading to more impactful, data-driven results and to amplify the success stories both within and beyond IEEE. We are also working to be able to offer two AI-based competitions together with external partners, so stay tuned for details on how to participate in the coming months.

HT is hard at work to finish up two new websites, for SIGHT and Humanitarian Technologies, and hopes to have them live by the end of the first quarter. Keep an eye out for the announcements in next month’s edition.

There are many opportunities for each of you to participate in humanitarian technology programs at IEEE. As most of you already know, the IEEE tag line is “Advancing Technology for the Benefit of Humanity,” and HT is strongly devoted to furthering this mission through its efforts. If you would like to get involved, please visit our website and participate in the many opportunities IEEE has to offer.

Sincere regards,
Grayson Randall

The 2025 IEEE Tech4Good call for proposals is now open! Tech4Good, an IEEE Humanitarian Technologies program, offers funding to support grassroots technological projects led by IEEE members to address local challenges related to sustainable development. Teams can apply for US$2,500 to US$10,000 to implement their project related to one of these themes:

• Agricultural Technology (SDG 2: Zero Hunger)
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) Technology (SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation)
• Clean Energy and Sustainable Power (SDG 7: Affordable & Clean Energy)
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Connectivity (SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure)

See the Tech4Good call for proposals landing page for more details to apply by 23 March.

Use technology to generate social impact in your community! The next IEEE Tech4Good Challenge is taking place in Lebanon and Tunisia, and participating teams have a chance to receive up to US$20,000 to deploy a project that enhances community resilience in the areas of water and/or energy. Teams must sign up by 28 March. Visit the HTB website for more information.

Want to know more about the MOVE disaster relief efforts? Join us for an inspiring MOVE Townhall Meeting on 19 March at 10:00 am EDT. Hear from IEEE leadership, MOVE volunteers, the American Red Cross, and others. Learn about the 2024 deployment highlights, plans for 2025, and about MOVE-USA, MOVE-India, and MOVE-Puerto Rico!

Register now to learn more about MOVE and the impact it makes – and then sign up to volunteer.

Nominations for 2024 SIGHT Awards are now open. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the contributions of IEEE SIGHT volunteers and Groups who have leveraged technology for sustainable development to make an impactful contribution to their local communities. Nominations must be received by 16 March; more information is available at sight.ieee.org.

The registrations for Empower a Billion Lives have been robust, with new registrations coming in daily, so the deadline has been extended to 31 March 2025. Register now to submit your proposal for scalable solutions to energy access.

The IEEE International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IHTC) is an interdisciplinary conference series organized by IEEE Region 8 (Africa, Europe, and the Middle East), IEEE Region 7 (Canada), and IEEE Region 9 (Latin America and the Caribbean). IEEE IHTC 2025 will be hosted at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) from 13 - 15 August. To register or submit a paper for the conference, visit the website for more information.

The 15th IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC 2025) is a flagship, international conference sharing effective approaches, best practices, and practical and/or scholarly technology-enabled interventions that address the needs of underserved and marginalized communities around the world. This year IEEE GHTC 2025 will highlight and explore “Technologies in Context” as its annual theme. The conference will be hosted at the Colorado School of Mines (Colorado, USA) from 22 - 25 October.

Full Paper and oral-only presentations should be submitted by 16 May. See the GHTC website to register and for more information.

Are you passionate about using technology to make a difference? Do you want to contribute to impactful projects that improve lives and empower communities? IEEE Region 4 (Central USA) is calling for dedicated volunteers to join its humanitarian technology initiatives and be part of a transformative movement! As an IEEE Humanitarian Technology volunteer, you will contribute to meaningful projects, gain hands-on experience, expand your network, and enhance your leadership, project management, and technical skills while making a tangible impact.

The Region is looking for volunteers to support various programs at the Section and Region levels. Students, young professionals, or seasoned experts are all welcome to apply. Those interested in volunteering should reach out to [email protected] and fill out a volunteer application form.

Important Dates & Upcoming Events

• January & February - SIGHT Groups to report any newly-elected officers
• 16 March - Deadline to submit a nomination for the 2024 SIGHT Awards
• 19 March - MOVE Town Hall
• 23 March - Deadline to apply for the Tech4Good call for proposals
• 28 March - Deadline to sign up to participate in the Tech4Good Challenge: Lebanon & Tunisia
• 31 March - Registration deadline to participate in Empower a Billion Lives
• 2 May - Paper submission deadline for the IEEE International Humanitarian Technology Conference (IHTC)
• 16 May - Paper submission deadline for the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference

Visit the HTB/SIGHT calendar for more humanitarian technology events and activities.