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 03.07
What
IEEE Membership Means to Me
By Liz Morel
I have found that the most important benefit of IEEE
membership may be summed up in one word: networking. Through
volunteering with committees, I have been able to network with
engineers and non-engineers alike. This aspect of IEEE membership
has been important to support both my transition from college to a
professional job in a new city far from home, and to fuel my passion
for engineering and public policy.
Working with IEEE-USA has helped me to learn the
importance of science and technology (S&T) policy. It is difficult
for the engineer with no formal S&T policy training to be cognizant
of the actions taking place on Capitol Hill. However, IEEE-USA not
only educates and conveys information to U.S. members about
legislative matters of interest to engineers, it also represents the
interests of the IEEE’s U.S. members to Congress.
The research lab or the engineering design firm can
seem worlds away from Capitol Hill, but decisions made by
politicians can have a significant impact on the ability of research
institutions and businesses to innovate and to be competitive on a
global scale.
To aid the career development of members who wish to
become further involved in S&T policy, IEEE and IEEE-USA connects
its members with intern and fellowship positions, and provides
volunteer opportunities through its many boards and committees. I
have personally benefited from these programs, because through
volunteering with committees, I have been able to network with
engineers and non-engineers alike.
IEEE is really here for its members, and there are
many opportunities to both gain experience and contribute to your
professional organization.
All you have to do is ask!
Liz Morel is a member of IEEE-USA's
Communications Committee, and IEEE-career policy for IEEE-USA
Today's Engineer. Comments may be submitted
to todaysengineer@ieee.org.
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