NEWSLETTER
A
House Journal of
IEEE
Kerala Section
Volume
14 Number 3
July
- September 2005
Contents
Chairman's Message
Dairy of Events
Forthcoming Events
Students Activities
To be a Professional
iSec 2005
Editorial
Global News- News Around IEEE
Dear Friends of IEEE :
You would have by now come to know that our Section has been honored by Distinguished Large Section Award of Region 10 for the year 2004. This award recognizes the work done by Your Section Executive Committee - an outstanding team of volunteers. This is the first time ever, our Section wins this recognition after its formation more than two decades ago. Needless to say teamwork won the day. Volunteering has never been easy. An effective volunteer needs to have great order in his personal life. Proper priorities and ability to manage time effectively are crucial. A volunteer cannot afford to compromise performance at the work place. Doing volunteer work without affecting quality of personal and family life is an art indeed. The recognition by the awards committee of Region 10 is indeed a big encouragement for even better performance during the years to come.
Very soon, you would have an opportunity to vote in the election for Region 10 Director. This time around, all the Sections in India are working together for a consensus candidate from India. If only all the Members in India would vote in this election, surely we would have an Indian as Region 10 Director. I appeal to you to watch out for the dates and fulfill your sacred duty.
Finally, please plan to attend the annual general body meeting tentatively scheduled for January 14, 2006 at Trivandrum. May I request everyone of you who have not been attending these annual meetings to send a short email, what we need to do to facilitate your active participation in the AGM.
With warm regards,.
EE. Rajakumar
Announcement
Slate for 2006
The Nomination Committee of the IEEE Kerala Section has decided on the following slate of office bearers for 2006.
Chairman: A. K. Unnikrishnan (Senior Member 2960169, CDAC)
Vice Chairman: Amarnath Raja (Member 41431378, Inapp)
Secretary: Aju Thomas (Member 04088746, TCS )
Treasurer: Unni Sankar (Member 41481981, Nest)
If there are any additional nominations by petition, it may be submitted to the Nomination Committee, P. O. Box 77, GPO, (Harmoniee, TC 25/2696-5, Ambujavilasom Road), Thiruvananthapuram – 695 001.
Kindly note that five or more voting members or 2% of Section membership, whichever is fewer, must sign the petition. If only one nomination is made for each office, the election will be made at the Annual meeting. If additional nominations are made, election will be by ballot, mailed to the membership with the vote counted by a Tellers Committee appointed by the Section Chair.
Important Dates:
Close nominations by petition : 03 December 2005
Ballots to be dispatched by (if required) : 10 December 2005
Ballots to be returned by : 27 December 2005
J. Muraleemohan Lal, K. G. Satheesh Kumar, R. Narayanan
(Nomination Committee Members)
| 06-07-2005 | ‘Ageing World’ – talk by VSSS Nair. |
| 13-07-2005 |
‘Digital Preservation’ and ‘Disruptive Technology’ – talk by N.T. Nair. |
| 16-07-2005 |
Executive Committee Meeting of IEEE Kerala Section at Harmonieee at 17.00Hrs. |
| 20-07-2005 |
‘Micro-mouse’ – talk by Manu Chandran and Aswin and ‘Modern Substation Equipments’ – talk by Sivapriya. |
| 27-07-2005 |
‘Probe Based Storage Arrays for High End Applications’ – talk by Manu Avinash. G and ‘Segmented Rail Phased Induction Motor’ – talk by Jinee Joy and Abhilash. M |
| 03-08-2005 | ‘Granite Tiles’ - talk by B. Suresh Kumar. |
| 10-08-2005 |
‘A Look at the Worlds Largest Hydro Power Project – The Three Gorges in China’ – talk by V.K Damodaran. |
| 15,18-08-2005 |
All Kerala Students Congress hosted by FISAT – Federal Institute of science & Technology, Angamali. |
| 17-08-2005 |
‘Computer Related Health Problems – An Overview on Cause and Prevention’ – talk by S. Mahesh Kumar, MS, D. Ortho. |
| 24-08-2005 | ‘Strategic Planning’ – talk by T.R. Gopalakrishnan Nair. |
| 31-08-2005 | ‘Will this Bull Face in the Stock Market Continue’ – talk by Rajendran. V. |
| 2&3-09-2005 |
National Seminar on ‘Information Security” (i-SEC) organized by IEEE Kerala Section at Thiruvananthapuram. |
| 07-09-2005 | ‘Identity Management and Data Integration’ – talk by Anil. G.S. |
| 24-09-2005 | Student activities board meeting at Travancore Heritage Resorts, Chowara, South Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram at 10.00Hrs. |
| 24-09-2005 | Executive Committee Meeting of IEEE Kerala Section at Travancore Heritage Resorts, Chowara, South Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram at 11.00Hrs. |
| 28-09-2005 | ‘Computer Viruses and Their Prevention’ – talk by K.S. Sujith. |
|
|
IEEE All Kerala Student Congress (AKSC’05) – A Report
The IEEE All Kerala Student Congress was hosted by the IEEE Student Branch of Federal Institute of Science and Technology, Angamaly on 15th and 16th of August 2005, along with “Nautilus-the convergence”, the technical festival of IEEE Student Branch of FISAT.
The event was inaugurated by E.E.Rajakumar (Chairman, IEEE Kerala Section). It was also attended by Aju Thomas (Secretary, IEEE Kerala Section), K.N.Prem Kumar (Students Activities Chairperson, IEEE Kerala Section), Prijoe Philips Komattu (Student Representative, IEEE Kerala Section) and K.S.M Panicker (Principal, FISAT).
The IEEE AKSC’05 had two parallel stages of which one was exclusively for the Office Bearers of various Student branches which consisted of a management workshop, leadership workshop handled by Prijoe Philips Komattu, SR and the LINK meeting in which the LINK office bearers for 2006 were elected. This function of the LINK was presided over by Prem Kumar, SAC. The LINK executive committee for the year 2006 is:
President : K.N. Premkumar
Vice President : Mathew Joseph (FISAT)
Secretary : Jaison Abey Sabu (CEC)
Treasurer : Shyam Varma (AWH)
Web Master : Nithin Sha (MES)
The second stage was for the other IEEE members and also for the non IEEE members. It consisted of technical quiz, paper presentation, technical talk by K.S.M. Panikar on Power Grid”, management workshop by Sunil Gregory and Pratheek Thomas from Infosys and Prayware respectively. The most attractive function of the event was an open forum on “Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)”, which was presided over by Girish Babu, CEO Infopark.
The event schedule for other students included a paper presentation contest and few seminars. The event saw a total participation of around 120 students. 14 student members from College of Engineering, Chengannur participated in the event. The IEEE AKSC’05 was held by the entire participant. The organizing committee would like to thank all the people and organization for their support to the conduct of IEEE AKSC’05.
Visan Kozhy Varghese
Chairman, Organizing Committee, IEEE AKSC’05
IEEE All India Student Congress 2005 – A Report
The IEEE All India Student Congress 2005 was hosted by the IEEE Student Branch of Pune Institute of Computer Technology on 20th and 21of August 2005. The event was started with the inaugural function, which was attended by Ravi Pandit (President MCCIA), Asthana (IEEE India Council Chair), N.Ramakrishna (Chairman, SCTR), R.Murlidharan (Former Chairman, India Council), M.M.Shah (Vice Chair & Student Activities Chair).
The event included a talk on SPAC, talk on “How to have a vibrant Student Branch?” and a technical seminar in the morning session of the first day. A paper presentation contest was conducted in the afternoon session of the first day. The second day included a technical lecture, a technical quiz, panel discussions and two seminars. The event ended with a concluding session, which included reports of events, prize distribution and vote of thanks. More than 100 delegates attended the event. Thirteen student members from College of Engineering, Chengannur attended the event.
Award 2004 Prijoe Philips Komattu, Student Representative of IEEE Kerala Section has selected for Larry K Wilson Award 2004 of IEEE. He has received the award at the Annual Kerala Student Congress 2005 held at FISAT, Angamaly. Congratulations ! May this be an inspiration as well as motivation to all the newly embedded IEEE Volunteers !! |
To be a Professional
K P Mohandas , Senior Member IEEE, Professor, National Institute of Technology, Calicut
2. Who is a Professional?
It has been accepted that professionals in sports or games play for monitory rewards rather than fame and recognition, even though the latter comes automatically. In a general sense, a professional is required to undergo a specialized training programme or education for becoming a professional. The training or education of a professional is more intensive and rigorous, than that of a non professional. Most of the professional education is residential and almost all the twenty four hours of the day are likely to be used in the learning or training mode unlike the education in Arts and Science colleges.
Occupation fetches you the money for the needs of your life, but a profession gives you much more than that. Monetary benefits are not necessarily the primary aim of a professional. Professionals are dedicated to their profession and the primary objective is to serve the humanity. Once they have acquired the education/ training for the profession, they can practice their profession. In many professions like medical or legal profession, a formal registration is required. For example, a medical doctor has to register himself with Indian Medical Council and satisfy the conditions of registration. Similarly, lawyers have to register or enroll as lawyers after their legal education. Professional architects and engineers have to register. Registration here means acceptance of certain norms and code of conduct. In the event of a violation of these codes of conduct, the registration can be suspended or cancelled altogether, in which case he or she will not be allowed to practice in their profession. Occupation, on the other hand, needs no such registration. Once the person is capable of doing the job, he or she can be ‘occupied’ by the job and receive monitory rewards for their efforts. In rare instances, engineers may work as clerical staff and this can only be called an occupation rather than a profession. A professional can opt for an occupation that does not necessarily be related to his chosen profession.
4. Behaviour of Professionals
Professionals have to set examples for their behaviour in the society as perfect human beings and therefore some important behavioral traits of professionals are discussed below.,
Honesty and Integrity
These are expected characteristics of every human being, but for a professional, it is a must. A professional has to be honest and honorable in his deeds and honour brings honour as reward. Integrity is a word often used, which broadly means moral soundness or by definition, it can be: an unreduced or completeness or totality OR moral soundness in the behaviour.
Responsibility and accountability
It is natural that a professional is responsible for his actions and behavior. He or she has to be ready to accept responsibility for their actions and they have to be accountable. Accountability is a term usually forgotten in the day to day activities, particularly for government employees as many of them find an excuse for being accountable for the deeds. Accountability is associated with responsibility. The importance of accountability has been accepted in government establishments now as promotion and other incentives are based on what you do rather than when you have joined an establishment. There was a time when promotions to higher posts was simply based on the length of service, rather than the amount of work that you have put in during the period. Norms have been evolved to give incentive for extra work and people who cannot deliver cannot go up the ladder even in government institutions. Of course, private institutions pay well; to those who do well and those who do not perform will be shown the exit door at the earliest. In these days of high competition, accountability is the watchword. These are days of consumer courts and consumer protection societies and doctors and other professionals who deal with human life has to be very careful in their decision making. Some decisions may go wrong, even if you have taken it in the best of faith, but some times, it will not be possible to prove your best intentions in a consumer court.
In general, a professional has to be accountable:
to the institution to which he / she is attached or working
to the public at large and
to himself or his conscienceRespect
Respect others if you want others to respect you. Some people may respect you because of your position and power you have, but true respect should come from within, because you deserve to be respected. Respect your elders even if they are in a lower professional cadre than you are.
Excellence and scholastic
Leadership
A professional should be able to lead. Leaders are not born. By taking initiatives to do things in the early stages, you can develop your leadership qualities. It is easy to follow some one who is leading, but leading a group successfully to a destination requires skill, tenacity and initiative. Reluctance to make decisions in the proper time may result in your chance to lead a group. Please note this statement is no applicable to political leaders who get leadership thrust on them by sycophants for short term benefits. True leader comes up because of his abilities and leadership qualities, not by sponsorship from his kith and kin.
Remember the message “ LEAD, FOLLOW or GET OUT OF THE WAY ”. The leaders lead and the followers follow, but there is a group, though small who will do neither. These people become an ultimate nuisance to the society if they are allowed to continue.
Altruism or selfless ness is :
This can do a long way in building up the career of a professional. The world has given us so much, at try to pay at least something back to the world. Any act done without expecting a reward will be ultimately be rewarded by some one else. Things done without ulterior motives or without guilt feeling and without expecting a reward is real altruism.
The ultimate reward for such selfless act will only be ‘ a feeling of goodness or satisfaction’.
Caring, Compassion and Communication
These are again essential qualities a professional should develop. He should be caring and considerate to their subordinates and should show compassion and sympathy to those who are in distress. The fact that one cares for others should be expressed in a suitable way, so that the person in distress will feel the comfort of being cared for. Sometimes, even verbal or physical expression of compassion can sooth the person to a significant extent. Mere expression of sympathy with hollow words cannot be of any use and can be easily detected by an intelligent person, even when he is in distress. Proper communication thus will go a long way in alleviating the distress of the person.
Now as a sample for mode of conduct of a professional engineer, let us consider the Code of Conduct of IEEE, the largest professional society in the world.
In accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, we do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct
IEEE Annual Election 2005
Letter from Lyle M. Smith
Dear IEEE Voting Member,
This is the time of year to choose whom you would like to see in leadership positions at the IEEE. The opportunity to vote in the annual IEEE election is a privilege of your membership. We hope that you will take the time to complete and submit your ballot.
Election ballots have been mailed to all IEEE members who are eligible to vote. If you have not already received yours, it should be arriving soon. Contact the IEEE at corp-election@ieee.org if you do not have your ballot by 23 September. To help you make an informed decision this voting season, please visit the election Web site at: http://www.ieee.org/elections
There, you can link to the candidates' statements and their background
information. In 2005, members may choose from one of several ways to cast their ballots. You may transmit your ballot electronically. To access materials electronically and be authenticated to vote, you must have your IEEE member/pin numbers, or your web account username/ password, or the Control Number and E-signature provided by the election vendor as part of your paper ballot. Or You may choose to mail your ballot. To ensure that your paper ballot is counted, you must sign and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided in the ballot package. If you do not use the envelope provided, you may mail your
signed ballot to:
Survey & Ballot Systems, Inc.
P.O. Box 46430
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-6430 USA
Mail early to allow for delivery by the deadline. All ballots must be received by 1 November 2005 by 12 o'clock noon, Central Time USA (18:00 GMT). If you transmit your ballot electronically, it is NOT necessary to return a signed ballot by postal mail. If a member casts ballots both ways, only the first ballot received will be counted.
Please take this opportunity to make your voice heard as an IEEE member. Thank you.
Thank you
Best regards,
Lyle M. Smith, Staff Director, IEEE Corporate Activities
National Seminar on Information Security
iSec 2005 - A Report
The IEEE Kerala Section organized a two-day National Seminar on Information Security – iSec 2005, on 2 nd and 3 rd September 2005 at Hotel Mascot, Thiruvananthapuram. In keeping with the tradition of choosing a contemporary theme for this flagship event of Kerala Section, the theme chosen this time was Information Security. The seminar, aptly titled iSec 2005, witnessed many quality papers being presented by invited speakers from across the country. There were around 130 delegates drawn from top industrial houses, research establishments, Armed Forces, IT companies, Engineering Colleges and the media. The event was co-sponsored by IBS Software Services (Platinum Sponsor), Tulip IT Services (Gold Sponsor), NeST, Asianet and Kerala IT Mission (Silver Sponsors).
Inaugural Session
The program was formally inaugurated by N. Balakrishnan (Chairman, Division of Information Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) in a simple ceremony on the evening of 2 nd September. A recipient of the coveted Padmashree Award from the President of India and member of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Union Cabinet (SAC-C), Balakrishnan delivered a thought-provoking keynote address on the Trends in Information Security. The talk really set the tempo for the rest of the seminar, by putting Information Security in the larger context of the convergence of Computer, Communications and Biological Sciences. Balakrishnan shared his insights on various trends in technology (processing power, miniaturization, memory chips, bandwidth, wireless, nano-technology), economics, law and governance, and elaborated how these trends are affecting the security paradigm.
The inaugural session was presided over by E. E. Rajakumar (Chairman, IEEE Kerala Section, and Group Director, Computer Information Group, VSSC). In his brief presidential address, Rajakumar touched upon the growing importance of the problem of Information Security, and the pressing need to understand how it can be resolved effectively. He also pointed out that the global economy powered by the Web did not recognise geographical borders, thus heightening the need for assessing and understanding the risks involved. A. K. Unnikrishnan (Chairman, Organizing Committee and Additional Director, C-DAC) welcomed the audience and Unni Sankar(Convener, Organizing Committee and Associate Project Manager, NeST) delivered the vote of thanks. Day One of the seminar ended with a sumptuous buffet dinner, co-hosted by the Platinum Sponsor, IBS Software Services.
Tutorials
Earlier on Day One, there were tutorials covering the fundamentals of Information Security, to equip the delegates appreciate the more advanced topics planned for Day Two. The pre-lunch session was a tutorial on Internet Security Solutions, handled by N. Rajarathnam (Senior Manager - Technology, Tata Infotech Ltd). An architect of security solutions for Government and Defense organizations, Rajarathnam talked about what is Internet Security and why it is so important. The common vulnerabilities and threats were discussed, along with various protection mechanisms like Firewalls, Anti-Virus Software and Intrusion Detection Systems.
In the post-lunch session, Satish Babu (President, InApp and Chair, IEEE Computer Society, Kerala Chapter) delivered a tutorial on Application Security. Pointing out that the attackers are shifting their attention from infrastructure-based security to application-based security, Satish explained in detail the most common application security issues that are in vogue. Spiced with practical demonstrations of how security can be breached in popular web-based applications, the session proved to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller for many in the audience.
Conference
Day Two of iSec ‘05 was set aside for paper presentations from invited speakers. First speaker of the day was C.N. Krishnan (Director, AU-KBC Research Centre, MIT Campus, Anna University) who talked on Application Security. Krishnan called for a holistic approach to security whereupon the Application is secured after securing the network and the host. Guidelines for designing, developing and maintaining robust applications were discussed, logically divided into several categories like input validation, authorization, authentication, configuration management and so on.
Presenting a paper on Self Defending Networks, Y.V. Rao (Senior Manager - Engineering, CISCO systems) pointed out that as the threats gets increasingly sophisticated and faster than ever before, handling threats is no longer the function of point products, but of all elements in the network. Emphasizing on the necessity of a network security architecture where the sum is greater than parts, Rao outlined the key elements of a self-defending network, which includes among other things the end-point security software, network access devices, policy servers and anti-virus servers.
Amarnath Raja (CEO, InAppand Co-Chair, Organizing Committee, iSec ‘05) presented a paper on Open Source and Information Security, examining the implications of deploying open source systems to Information Security. Raja build a strong case for why open source alternatives need to be embraced in favor of proprietary systems by government, military and corporate houses solely on the basis of the better security on offer. The punch line of the session was a quote from the honorable President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam advocating open source solutions for the country’s defense requirements.
Next on the agenda was a paper on Encryption technologies by Dr. N. Krishnan Moothathu (Ret. Director, Joint Cipher Bureau, Ministry of Defense, New Delhi). Engaged in Cryptographic and Cryptanalytic research since 1963, Krishnan gave an overview of the encryption technologies and their evolution. The paper touched upon the development of cryptography, stream and block cipher algorithms, public key encryption and its advantages and disadvantages vis-à-vis secret-key cryptography. A set of practical considerations before one may use a particular cryptosystem for applications in the Government were discussed at length.
Post-lunch session began with Davies K.T. (Promoter, Pioneer Micro Systems, Pune) presenting a paper on Emerging Trends in Malware. Himself a pioneer in the anti-virus software field by developing a utility to combat the Brain Virus way back in 1988, Mr. Davies gave an account of the evolution of malware from the first generation boot-sector viruses to the present-day mass-spreading internet worms. The challenges faced in checking the spread of spams, viruses, worms etc were discussed, especially in relation to the concepts of vulnerability window and vulnerability exploit cycle. The paper reemphasized the need for a holistic approach to address the threat of malware, involving improved infrastructure, updated technology and sound policies.
Next paper was on Wireless Security, presented by Satish P (Vice President – Embedded Software, NeST, Thiruvananthapuram). An engineer with 23 years of experience in designing, implementing and managing embedded software projects, Satish spoke about the proliferation of IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs, the serious security issues they pose, and its solutions. The vulnerabilities in the base protocol, and how they are addressed in the wireless security standards such as 802.11i and WPA2 were discussed. To illustrate the points, a new generation secure Wireless Access Point developed at NeST was presented as a case study.
The concluding paper in the conference was on Cyber Crimes, Cyber Forensics and Technology, delivered by a well-known expert in the field, N. Krishnan (Additional Director, CDAC, Thiruvananthapuram). Krishhan said that while Information Technology has been advancing for the benefit of whole mankind, a few individuals have been striving to personalize these advancements for their own personal benefits by committing what is popularly known as cyber crimes. Governments world over are enacting new laws, while criminals find out newer ways to circumvent them, and the law-enforcers in turn make use of technology for collecting impregnable digital evidence, giving rise to a vicious cycle of events. According to Krishnan, cyber crimes are neither forward nor backward, but awkward! Several interesting case studies were discussed throughout the course of this lecture.
Open Forum
The concluding session of the national seminar also proved to be one of the most memorable – an Open Forum on the topic Information Security, Privacy and The Citizen. Intended to address Information Security and Privacy concerns from the larger context of society as a whole, the session started off with a panel discussion chaired by G. Vijayaraghavan (Member, Planning Board). The panel comprised of a cross-section of experts in various related fields, comprising of P.P Vijayan (Cyber Law expert), N.T Nair (Chief Editor, Executive Knowledge Lines), Rane (Life Member IEEE), Amarnath Raja (CEO, InApp) and Srivathsan (Director, IIITMK). Several interesting thoughts were aired during the course of the discussion, ranging from national security to individual privacy, and from commercial frauds to legal reforms required to address this menace. The session also witnessed a healthy participation from the audience, many of whom posed well-founded questions to the panel, as well as contributed with ideas to the points mooted.
Conclusion
The event turned out to be a big success on every count. The selection of topics and speakers were quite balanced, as the feedbacks from delegates indicate. Feedbacks also suggest that the delegates have gained much by attending the seminar, and that they look forward to more such programs from IEEE. The organizers also received excellent feedback from the speakers on the way the event was organized and on the arrangements made regarding their travel, boarding and logistics support.
The heavy turnout of delegates, with participation from all major industrial houses and research establishments in the state, indicate that the program was well received by the professional community in the state. Among the organizations represented include central government establishments such as C-DAC, VSSC, Indian Navy, BSNL; Technopark based companies such as NeST, IBS, US Software, TCS and RM Education and several engineering colleges across the state. The delegates were seen making use of the networking opportunities that any IEEE program like this offers.
Good support from the sponsors – all of them operating mainly from the region - helped to conduct such a high profile program at a very affordable delegate fee. The support from volunteers, especially the student volunteers from TKM Institute of Management also deserve a special mention here. The media gave extensive coverage to the event, with reports appearing prominently in National Dailies like The Hindu on both days.
Media Coverage:
http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/03/stories/2005090318530300.htm
We won Region 10 ‘Distinguished Large Section Award’ for the year 2004. This award is recognition of Kerala Section’s meritorious activities not only for the year 2004 but also from its inception. The honorable services and excellent professional activities of the Section are incredible and surprising. Superb team work and networked activities of the members especially the office bearers of its different chapters are the source with unchallengeable leadership. In this context, I would like to note that the present achievement is through vibrant activities, cooperation and commitment of the IEEE volunteers contributed through many years so far and not a spur-of-the-moment. We could however, never forget those noble and talented personalities possessing unmistakable leadership with quality and innovations who found IEEE avenues to horn their skills.
The announcement from the headquarters that Prijoe Philips Komattu the Student Representative of IEEE Kerala Section, who has been selected for ‘ Larry K Wilson Award 2004’ of IEEE is also a global recognition, rather an ‘award-in-award’ for us. This may be an inspiration as well as motivation to all newly embedded IEEE volunteers of our Section . He has received the award at the ‘Annual Kerala Student Congress 2005’ held at FISAT Angamaly, in a colorful gathering, recently. Both awards could motivate IEEE Kerala Section and influence its history.
The LINK activities of Prijoe and his team are innovative and enthusiastic, led to win international credibility. Above all, the team activities provided tremendous exposure among professional student community. It also brought significant changes in the attitude of young people in the Engineering colleges towards IEEE activities. We really feel glad and proud about him and the team. They went a step further as a model to others. Will mere congratulations suffice for them!
To emphasize, the need to stay abreast of technical advances is quiet important. Practicing professionals as well as students have to cultivate this practice aside. Ultimately, students have a moral responsibility to instigate it during the course of their career. They must be anxious in knowing more than what they get from class room study. Many options are before them to choose for. Imaginative and creative tendencies should be developed in solving problems too. This only helps them to fulfill their ambition to become an engineer. Needless to say, the ultimate purpose of education is learning by student and not teaching by the teacher, be reminiscent.
The trend is quite discouraging. In recent years the facilities for engineering education sprouted spontaneously. There has been manifold increase in the Professional Education facilities. More and more institutions are being set up every year, which are almost alike with respect facilities. Also the course content and strategies of course offering are identical. So the ambition of many parents to become their brood an engineer is enormously grown as they could choose institutions conveniently despite desire is not coming from the student. Mere fondness and soundness of the parents dominate over original talent. Such students feel uneasiness and create unrest in the classrooms. In many occasions this will reflect outside the class rooms also. One may deeply touched with the hazardous activities seen in many new institutions by such team. Authorities find difficulties to manage the situation in many cases. Will such inspirations mould an engineer?
May this be a minority, but enough to spoil the situation in the campus. Disciplining their thinking and correcting their weakness are the basic needs to survive others. They must get realized who and what they are. Developing respect on themselves and their profession is also important. Changing their mannerisms providing adequate elements to drive them when they need it is the most significant to improve their motivation in learning. These elements have never been taught. They come from within in different forms to direct and drive them when needs it, are most imperative. They should not remain less active in the learning process. The concept of getting through the examinations, studying few days before or maximizing learning on the day of examination or by hook or crook is strictly eliminated. Evaluation should be rigorously based on class-room activities in phase with learning performed by individual students. The relevant subjects of study could be taken up as self study exercises and included with presentations by themselves for such activities and assessed appreciably. Need based topics to improve their skill-set for future requirement can also be incorporated. This will form a source to focus their attention on creative activities and will liable to change their behaviour totally.
Eventually, the role of ‘LINK’ formed by Student chapter of various engineering colleges in Kerala headed by Prijoe and the team with an epicentre at Chengannur Engineering College is a need based innovative one. Now its important activities in motivating students towards professionalism achieved global reputation. LINK programs produce excitement in students for solutions in their self study exercises, presentations, facing the uncertainty or the unknown and improving the qualities like team work, professional ethics, etc in the frustrating phase of their academic life. Consequently they always remain more and more active and feel manners and professionalism by acquiring skills and competencies required for better employment. It is pertinent here to congratulate this enthusiasm and devotion behind LINK activities in addition to the maternal drive by the Section. Global News- News Around IEEE1. Steering Students Toward Science And Engineering
When it comes to reaching out to teenagers and talking up careers in engineering and science, IEEE members around the world are deeply involved. They realize that the future of the institute depends on it. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/833/01224104
2. Searching for Gravity@Home:
The Einstein@Home project asks that you lend the idle CPU time of your home or work computer to physicists and astronomers now searching the sky for evidence of gravitational waves. The waves could result from stars exploding, black holes engulfing each other, or other acts of astronomical violence. Plus, you get a jazzy screen saver. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/834/01224104
3. IEEE Milestones Selected for Physics and Power:
Two historic sites -- one in Switzerland and the other in the United States -- have been named Milestones in Electrical and Computer Engineering by the IEEE History Center. One was cited for its breakthroughs in the design of detectors used in elementary particle physics research, the other for its hydroelectric power-plant design. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/835/01224104
4. Members-Only Site Adds New Features:
MyIEEE, the members-only Web site, now groups benefits so that you can quickly find everything you need related to the IEEE and to your professional, community, technical research, and volunteer activities. Links have been added to email addresses of all IEEE section leaders, sorted by country and IEEE region. Members can access online benefits such as email aliases and manage various aspects of their membership such as subscriptions, all from one Web site. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/836/01224104
5. Attention, Members Affected by Hurricane Katrina:
Information about IEEE conferences that were scheduled for New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf Coast region, as well as how members in that area can access IEEE membership information and services has been posted at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/837/01224104. Also, if your IEEE section, chapter, or student branch is assisting survivors of the hurricane, or if you are helping to rebuild the affected areas, The Institute would like to share your story. Contact Editor Kathy Kowalenko at mailto:k.kowalenko@ieee.org
6. Sign Up Today for the IEEE Spectrum Career Accelerator Forum:
Time is running out! Tomorrow, 20 September, IEEE Spectrum will host its first online Career Accelerator Forum. The forum, which is free, will offer advice on such topics as going for an advanced degree, staying ahead in your field, landing your dream job, and switching careers. You'll also be able to ask questions of an expert panel from the convenience of your desk. For more information, as well as a list of panelists, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/838/01224104
7. Asia Gets Its Own Circuits Conference:
Now that Asia has become a major player in circuit design, it's time the region got its own conference highlighting the work done by researchers at some of the area's leading chip makers. That's why the IEEE Solid- State Circuits Society is sponsoring the first IEEE Asia Solid-State Circuits Conference, to be held 1 to 3 November at the Ambassador Hotel in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/841/01224104
8. Proceedings of Consumer Communications Conference Available:
The proceedings of the 2005 IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking Conference, held last January, are now available for purchase. The conference presented the latest approaches in consumer networking, multimedia, and novel applications and services. To purchase the complete proceedings from ShopIEEE, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/842/01224104
9. The Candidates Take on the Issues :
Leah H. Jamieson, Gerald H. Peterson, and James M. Tien, all running for 2006 IEEE President-Elect, delivered their views on outsourcing, continuing education, free access to IEEE publications, and more at a June forum hosted by the Philadelphia Section. Each of the candidates hopes to succeed Michael R. Lightner, who will be president in 2006. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/742/01224104
10. So Now You Are a Manager:
Not all engineers promoted to management love the job, and some don't like it at all. The likely reason for dissatisfaction is a lack of training. All managers must learn the importance of communicating effectively, building relationships, using time efficiently, and seeing the big picture. Find out how at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/743/01224104
11. Marketplace of Ideas:
The Court's Downloading Decision. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that companies offering Internet file-sharing software may be sued for copyright infringement if they have encouraged their users to illegally download songs, movies, or television programs, even if the software has other, legal uses. What do you think of this decision? Weigh in at < mailto:institute@ieee.org>
12. Taking the Pulse of the Earth:
The IEEE has taken on an important role in support of an ambitious 60-nation enterprise to create a worldwide Earth-monitoring network to address climate, drought, and air and water quality. The decade-long project, known as the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, will bring together data gathered by thousands of gages, sensors, buoys, weather stations, and satellites measuring conditions across the land, oceans, and atmosphere. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/745/01224104
13. New Journal Sheds Light on Display Technologies:
As electronic control spreads to all sorts of products, more displays are needed to tell us what those items are doing or what we've commanded them to do. With the market for displays at nearly US $100 billion and rising, and with technology research growing apace, there's a need for the new IEEE/OSA Journal of Display Technology. The quarterly, to be unveiled this month, is sponsored by seven IEEE societies and the Optical Society of America. Learn more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/746/01224104
14. Five New Journals Due in 2006:
Product safety, vehicular technology, and information forensics are just some of the topics that members can explore in five new journals from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society, the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, and the IEEE Signal Processing Society. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/748/01224104
15. Sign Up Today for the IEEE Spectrum :
Career Accelerator Forum: Time is running out! On 20 September, IEEE Spectrum will host its first online Career Accelerator Forum. The forum, which is free, will offer advice on such topics as going for an advanced degree, staying ahead in your field, landing your dream job, and switching careers. You'll also be able to ask questions of an expert panel from the convenience of your desk. For more information, as well as a list of panelists, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/749/01224104 To sign up, go to http://boldfish.ieee.org /u/750 /01224104
16. IEEE Hires New Executive Director:
Jeffry W. Raynes will be the IEEE's next executive director. He succeeds Daniel J. Senese, who retired in December. Raynes, 51, will take over the position in November. He will serve as the organization's chief operating officer and will manage the IEEE's staff of approximately 900 employees in several U.S. and overseas locations. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/ 644/01224104
17. Pekarek Goes From Cattle to Computers:
In his early years, he was a farm boy on a remote cattle ranch in South Dakota. But now IEEE Member Joseph Pekarek is running a multimillion-dollar computer software company outside Los Angeles. The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society noted Pekarek's achievements in June and named him the Outstanding Young Engineer of the Year during its annual symposium in Long Beach, Calif. Learn more about Pekarek at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/645/01224104
18. Yahoo Service Searches for IEEE Articles :
A new search engine, Yahoo Search Subscriptions, is now available to help members find IEEE papers in periodicals to which they subscribe. Previously, searches for IEEE papers could be done only by IEEE Xplore, the institute's document-delivery platform. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org /u/646/01224104
19. Women in Engineering
Recognizes Its Outstanding Groups: IEEE Women in Engineering in June selected two of its local groups - one in Winnipeg, Man., Canada, and the other in Kerala, India – to receive Group of the Year Awards. The new awards recognize groups that have organized innovative programs in support of female engineers or that have developed outreach efforts to encourage girls to pursue a science or technology career. WIE hopes the annual awards will encourage its other local groups to emulate the award-winning initiatives. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/648/01224104
20. Tell Us About Your Plant Tours:
The Institute wants to interview members who have organized tours of such facilities as power plants, wind farms, planetariums, and manufacturing plants as a way to boost their section or chapter membership. We're especially interested in hearing from members outside the United States. Contact Editor Kathy Kowalenko by e-mail at < mailto:k.kowalenko@ieee.org> or by phone at +1 732 562 6825.
21. Accelerate Your Career
at the IEEE Spectrum Online Forum: On 20 September, IEEE Spectrum will host its first online Career Accelerator Forum. The forum, which is free, will offer advice on such topics as going on for an advanced degree, staying ahead in your field, landing your dream job, and switching careers. You'll also be able to ask questions of an expert panel from the convenience of your desk. For more information, as well as a list of panelists, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/649/01224104
22. Symposium Links Nuclear Science and Medical Imaging:
Radiation technology and medical imaging have been linked since 1895, when Roentgen discovered X-rays. So it's no surprise that medical imaging and nuclear science would be combined in an IEEE conference, the Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference, to be held from 24 to 29 October in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Find out more at http://boldfish. ieee.org/u/652/01224104
23. Proceedings of Circuits and Systems Symposium:
Released New medical technologies - involving such things as biomedical circuits and systems, very-large-scale-integration systems and applications, and bionics and biomedical applications -- are addressed in the newly released proceedings of the 2005 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems. The proceedings is available through ShopIEEE at http://boldfish. ieee.org/u/653/01224104
24. Ceremony Honors Visionaries:
Some inventors are so far ahead of their time that it can take several decades for their inventions to be turned into practical applications. That was the case for a number of those who received awards at this year's IEEE Honors Ceremony for such technologies as voicemail and hybrid cars. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/596/01224104
25. Video on Nuclear Fusion Wins Prize:
A video project outlining the benefits of nuclear fusion power won a student-teacher team from Washington High School, in Pensacola, Fla., the Vinny 2005 Grand Prize of US $1200. Named after Leonardo da Vinci, the Vinny is a worldwide competition for pre-university students in which teams of three students and one teacher produce a 1-minute video that explains how science, technology, engineering, or mathematics can help solve, or is helping to solve, a global problem. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/598/01224104
26. Marketplace of Ideas:
Secret Surfing. Millions of homes around the world have wireless networks that extend far enough beyond the premises that neighbors and even passersby can connect to them and surf the Internet for free. Is there anything wrong with tapping into a neighbor's Wi-Fi network? Weigh in at < mailto:institute@ieee.org>
27. Members' E-Mail Messages Now More Secure:
The privacy and security of members' e-mail communication with the institute have been strengthened, thanks to recent revisions to the lEEE Electronic Mail Policy. The policy sets out the responsible use of electronic communications in the administrative, business, and technical operations of the institute by both members and staff. Read about the changes at http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/600/01224104
28. Accelerate Your Career at the IEEE Spectrum Online Forum:
On 20 September, IEEE Spectrum will host its first online Career Accelerator Forum. The forum, which is free, will offer advice on such topics as going on for an advanced degree, staying ahead in your field, landing your dream job, and switching careers. You'll also be able to ask questions of an expert panel from the convenience of your desk. For more information, as well as a list of panelists, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/603/01224104 To sign up, go to http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/604/01224104
29. New How-to Consulting Book Available:
IEEE-USA has released its first electronic book, "The Best of IEEE-USA Today's Engineer: On Consulting." The PDF file includes information on how to manage the transition to consulting from your current job, and how to make sure you get paid for your work. It also provides sample consulting contracts. Members pay US$ 4.95, a discount on the nonmember price of $14.95. Visit http://boldfish.ieee.org/u/605/01224104 log in using your IEEE Web Account, and look for product number UH3010.
30. New Site Searches for Job Listings Far and Wide:
If you're looking for a new job, you've probably found a few Web sites that list positions in your field, but with more than 100 000 job sites on the Internet, you can't possibly peruse them all. Wouldn't it be great if there were an IEEE site that gathers the pertinent information for you? There is. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1007/01224104
31. IEEE Press Seeks Book Proposals:
Want to be an author? IEEE Press is looking for proposals for how-to books on power engineering, electromagnetic wave theory, microelectronics, biomedical engineering, and communications. As part of a new three-year strategic plan, IEEE Press also plans to ramp up its new-title output to 35 releases a year and focus on emerging technical areas. Read about other developments at IEEE Press at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1008/01224104
32. 2006 Membership Renewal Kicks Off:
The IEEE encourages members to renew their 2006 membership electronically. More than 198 000 members renewed online for 2005, a 9 percent increase over 2004. Those who renew online by 15 November at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1009/01224104 will be entered in a drawing to win a Dell Inspiron laptop. Find out about renewing and what new benefits are being offered at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1010/01224104
33. Marketplace of Ideas:
Do Computers Help Make Kids Smarter? Computers have been a common sight in pre- University classrooms for more than 20 years, but often they are used only for word processing and topical Internet searches, according to a study of technology in Wisconsin schools conducted by the U.S. Department of Education. The study's findings raise the question: How much do computers aid learning? Weigh in at < mailto:institute@ieee.org>
34. IEEE Journals Take Top Spots
in Annual Citation Report: Our IEEE journals are once again the most cited electrical and electronics publications, according to the most recent study released by Thomson/ISI. And the most cited journal of all was the monthly IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, which bounced up from the No. 3 position it held in 2003. Find out more at http://boldfish. ieee.org:80/u/1012/01224104
35. Explore IEEE Spectrum's New Interactive Site:
Discover the new IEEE Spectrum Online, a vital resource where technology insiders can listen to IEEE Spectrum Radio, read the Spectrum editor's bog and post comments, get headlines by RSS, sample articles from the IEEE's digital library, and sign up for newsletters, Web casts, and online events. Start exploring today. Visit http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1013/01224104
36. Time to Vote in 2005 IEEE Annual Election:
The election ballot packages have been mailed to all eligible voting members. Take a moment to read the instructions in the package, and then vote. If you have not received your ballot yet or have questions, contact the IEEE at < mailto:corp-election@ieee.org>. To find out more, visit the election Web site at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1016/01224104
37. Virtual Conference Gets Careers in Gear:
How does the quality of online degree programs stack up against traditional degree programs? Does an engineer really need an MBA? Is it important to your career to belong to a professional association? A panel of experts tackled these and other topics at a Web seminar called the Career Accelerator Forum, hosted by IEEE Spectrum magazine. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1158/01224104
38. Now Playing on IEEE Spectrum Radio:
Iraq Reconstruction Just back from Iraq, Glenn Corvette, IEEE Spectrum's executive editor, interviews Army National Guard Col. Frank Gonzales about efforts to reconstruct Iraq's electric power grid. Listen now at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1159/ 01224104. Check out what's new every day on IEEE Spectrum Online at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1160/01224104
39. IEEE Member Applies Brain Power to Power Control:
An electric power grid generally consists of generators, substations, and lots and lots of transmission lines. It is an intelligently designed system, to be sure, but is not intelligent by itself. At least until recently, a power grid could not, for example, learn from its mistakes and avoid repeating them; nor could it repair itself after a failure. Not until, that is, IEEE Senior Member Gnash Kumar Venayagamoorthy started applying theories of computational intelligence to the field. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1161/01224104
40. 2006 INTERNATIONAL CES: -
January 5-8, Las Vegas In early 2006, 5,000 industry leading engineers and developers are coming to CES - are you? Explore 2,500 technology exhibits, attend the IEEE: International Conference on Consumer Electronics and EE Times' Great Minds, Great Ideas TechZone/conference. In addition, take part in 100 conference sessions. Discover the future of the industry at the International CES. http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1162/01224104
41. Mumbai Student Branch Wins Web Site Competition:
A multifunctional Web site designed by an IEEE student branch in India took first prize in the IEEE Student Branch Web Site Contest. The site, built by Vivekananda Education Society's Institute of Technology, Chembur, in Mumbai, known as IEEE VESIT, allows visitors with visual problems to get around. The site's designers included a wireless application, so that those with mobile phones can access the site, and the information on the site is translated into eight languages. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1163/01224104
42. Get Bonus Months on New Societies and Subscriptions:
IEEE members who renew now can receive several free months of new technical society memberships, journal subscriptions, or both when they are adding new services to their memberships. Any society or subscription added now will be active for the remainder of 2005. For details on IEEE societies and technical publications, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1164/ 01224104
43. Giving Back to the IEEE:
If the IEEE has had a positive impact on your professional life, consider making a donation to the IEEE Foundation. The foundation has more than 80 charitable funds that support a variety of educational, historical-preservation, and peer-recognition programs. Pick the one that best fits your personal interests, and make a gift. Find out more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1165/01224104
44. Conference Focuses on Nanoelectronics:
Make things small enough, and their properties -- physical, optical, chemical, electrical, and thermal -- change. Not only that, says Tan Cher Ming, general Co-chair of next January's IEEE NanoSingapore 2006 conference, but when you get down below 100 nanometers, "a lot of those properties become tunable: mechanical strength, melting point, electronic structure, chemical reactivity." NanoSingapore will concentrate on nanoelectronics, the first conference on this subject to be held by the IEEE in the country. Read more at http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1167/01224104
45. Proceedings From Computer Graphics Conference Now Available:
The proceedings of the 2005 Computer Graphics International conference, which covered a diverse range of the latest innovations in computer graphics design and technology, is now available. The conference, which took place in June, featured papers in all areas of computer graphics, including geometric computing, image-based techniques, and human-computer interface. To purchase the complete proceedings of the conference, visit http://boldfish.ieee.org:80/u/1168/01224104