Exploration of the Solar System at the End of the Millennium: Current and Future NASA Missions

DATE: Tuesday, February 24, 1998

TIME: Cash Bar 5:30

Dinner 6:30 (Advance Registration required)

Program 7:30

LOCATION: Bernhard Center

West Michigan Avenue

Western Michigan University

See insert for additional information and reservation form. Reservation due February 17.

January 28: Speaker from ERNST & YOUNG

February 25: Speaker from INDUSTRIAL CONTROL,

March 25: DR. SANJEEV BASKIYAR

Meetings will be on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., Room 3002, Kohrman Hall, Western Michigan University

Contact Dr. Hossein Mousavinezhad for additional information.

(616) 387-4057

Last November we ventured outside of the West Michigan Section territory while remaining in West Michigan!

Kent Frye along with Paul Fidlin, Don Keele, Steve Riggs, and Bill Spence of EVI Audio (Electro-Voice) gave a company tour of their Research and Development facilities in Buchanan, Michigan. We had 30 attendees.

In addition to our gratitude to the hosts, I also thank Ben Lund of Calvin College and Tom Yackish of Grand Valley State University who assembled groups from Grand Rapids; and Brian Watson who represented the Western Michigan University Student Branch. Participants also represented the University of Notre Dame, Smith Industries, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Dwyer Instruments, Cole Associates, Hinckley Research and Aeromag.

I enjoyed the passion exhibited from the convergence of engineers working with audio, electronics, packaging, and materials. In addition to the development of speaker systems, microphones, noise cancelling headsets - - I saw a "green weed" (Vietnam era) listening device. Actually, I had seen one before (J.B. at Smith’s) from the safety of a U.S. of A. office.

-- Kevin Davis

The West Michigan Section extends it’s gratitude and sympathy to the friends and family of Richard Lee Haken who passed away December 1, 1997. The Section has utilized his memorial contributions in the form of additional support to the Southwest Michigan Engineering Societies Nineteenth Annual Engineers Week Dinner Scholarship Fund.

IEEE-USA has produced a new publication, "1997 Salary Benchmarks: A Personal Workbook," that will allow engineers to compute comparative estimates of pay for any of thousands of different employment situations. The new publication uses the results of a regression analysis of factors influencing compensation to generate a computational formula that estimates median salaries for engineers. The workbook also includes a brief summary of the complete survey, guidelines on how to interpret and use results from the computational model, and tips for obtaining more information from the World Wide Web. For a copy of the workbook, call 1-800-678-4333 ($14.95 members, $19.95 nonmembers).

-- Mike Chaykovsky, IEEE-USA Staff

Looking for tools to help develop career skills and explore managerial and entrepreneurial spirit? Does your organization employ at least 100 engineering professionals?

If the answer is yes to both of these questions, a group subscription to Today’s Engineer could be the answer.

Since the Fall of 1996, a process for on-line IEEE membership applications has been developed and expanded. Using the Web, the on-line service accepts new applications, allows student branch counselors to view and approve student applications, provides IEEE staff access to electronic applications and statistics, and for applicants within the USA and Canada, permits electronic submission of credit card payment using a secure toll-free telephone service sponsored by AT&T. Payment can also be faxed or mailed. Applicants can also track their application status. This service improves accuracy of submissions, increases speed in processing applications, and provides continuous tracking of application status.

The service is available for higher grade members at: sandbox.ieee.org:9200/apply/.

For student branches, the service is available at: sandbox.ieee.org/ieee_membership.html.

Results from a recent IEEE Strategic Planning 1997 Member Needs Assessment survey on electronic communications, products and services show 84% of IEEE members use the Internet, 72% considered themselves "expert users", and

73% enjoy full Internet access at home. 18% said they spend 11 or more hours per week on-line.

These "quality-time" hours are spent using e-mail, obtaining information and conducting research. Most members do not purchase products over the Web due to lack of trust in security.

Major reasons for using the Internet: 77% - E-mail, 66% - Quick access to information, 59% - Research,

53% - Obtain current information and industry news, 51% - Download software.