Editor's note: Usually the electronic bulletins are posted on the Region 8 Website during the first weekend of the month. Unfortunately the January and February 2001 issues were delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

This bulletin will print out to about 12 pages.

1. PROFESSOR A BILAL

2. PROFESSOR ZHORES ALFEROV SHARES NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS

3. IEEE SECTIONS CONGRESS 1999 ATTENDEES - WE NEED YOUR HELP

4. SECTION AND CHAPTER NEWS

Hungary

Nigeria

Ukraine

5. IEEE VOLUNTEERS TO HELP AT SCOUT JAMBOREE

6. STUDENT NEWS

United Arab Emirates

7. CONFERENCES

7.1 CALLS FOR PAPERS

History of Telecommunications

SSP2001

7.2 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

EUROCON 2001

8. NEWS FROM IEEE

8.1 Young Engineers Satellite Forum To Be Held In March

8.2 Nominations Sought For Education Awards

8.3 Accolades for "Engineering Tomorrow"

8.4 Definitive Telecommunications Resource Available

8.5 New Ethernet Study Group Approved By Standards

8.6 IEEE Awards Board Calls For Nominations

8.7 Conference Management Services' New Web Site

8.8 New Education Partnership Allows Members To Save

8.9 Online Research Tool for the Scientific Computing Community

8.10 Technical Symposia Grants Offered

8.11 Elevation to Senior Member

8.12 Young Engineers Satellite Forum

8.13 IEEE Foundation Grant News

It was with a sense of great loss and sadness that the Region 8 News learnt recently of the sudden death of our esteemed colleague and friend Professor A Bilal, Chair of the Egypt Section. Professor Bilal has been an active member of the Region 8 Committee for a number of years and has made valuable contributions to the work of the Committee.

We are all the poorer for his passing.

On behalf of his many colleagues and friends in Region 8 we extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues in Egypt.

A more fitting tribute will be published in the Region 8 News for May 2001.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2000 to scientists whose work laid the foundation of modern information technology (IT), particularly through their invention of rapid transistors and laser diodes.

The prize is being shared by Prof. Zhores I. Alferov (A.F. Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, Russia) and by Prof. Herbert Kroemer (University of California at Santa Barbara, California, USA).

The citation of the prize reads:

"for developing semiconductor heterostructures used in high-speed- and opto-electronics".

This year 's Nobel Prize recipients have invented and developed fast opto-and microelectronic components based on layered semiconductor structures, termed semiconductor heterostructures. Fast transistors built using heterostructure technology are applied in, for example, radio link satellites and the base stations of mobile telephones. Laser diodes built with the same technology drive the flow of information in the Internet's fibre-optical cables. They are also found in CD players, bar-code readers and laser pointers. With heterostructure technology powerful light-emitting diodes are being built for use in car brake-lights, traffic lights and other warning lights. Electric bulbs may in the future be replaced by light-emitting diodes.

The outstanding Russian scientist Prof. Zhores I. Alferov was born in 1930 in Vitebsk. He is the current Director of the A.F. Ioffe Physico -Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (since 1987), Academician (Full Member) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1979), and since 1989 Vice-President of this Academy.

He is author of 4 monographs, 400 articles and papers, and has 50 inventions to his credit. He is also editor-in-chief of several journals.

For his research Prof. Alferov has been awarded a number of national and international prizes and honorary memberships, among them are:

• Ballantyne Medal of the Franklin Institute (USA, 1971),
• Lenin Prize (USSR, 1972).
• Hewlett Packard Europhysics Prize (1978),
• State Prize (USSR, 1984),
• GaAs Symposium Award and H. Welker Medal (1987),
• Karpinskii Prize (FRG, 1989),
• A.F. Ioffe Prize (Russian Academy of Sciences (1996),
• Nicholas Holonyak Jr. Award (2000),
• A.S. Popov Gold Medal (Russia Academy of Sciences,2000),
• Medal of the Optical Society of America (2000).
• Life Fellow of the Franklin Institute (USA, 1971),
• Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Engineering (USA, 1990),
• Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences (USA, 1990), etc.

Prof Alferov is a member of the IEEE Russia Section (IEEE Laser & Electro-Optics Society Russian Chapter from Saint Petersburg).

On behalf of all members of the III, the IEEE Russia Section, friends, colleagues and pupils we warmly congratulate Prof Zhores Alferov for his achievements which culminated in a Nobel Prize in Physics for 2000 and wish him prosperity and new achievements in science and technology.

• The first Nobel Prize in Physics to a Russian was awarded in 1958 to Profs. Igor E. Tamm, Iliya M.Frank, and Pavel. A. Cherenkov for discovery, exact formulation, and explanation of the Vavilov-Cherenkov effect;
• In 1962 the Nobel Prize was awarded to Prof. Lev D. Landau for his pioneering research and contribution to condensed media, especially - liquid helium;
• In 1964 the Prize was shared by Prof. Alexander M.Prokhorov, Prof. Nikolay G. Basov, and Prof. Charles Townes (MIT, USA) for seminal contributions to quantum electronics, which resulted in creation of new types of masers and lasers;
• The last Nobel Prize in Physics (prior to that to Prof Zhores Alferov that is) in 1978 (22 years ago) was awarded to the outstanding Russian physicist Prof. Pyotr L. Kapitza for fundamental contributions to low temperature physics.

The IEEE Russia Section is indeed proud to have Prof. Zhores Alferov in its ranks.

Dr. Henrich S. LantsbergVice-Chair, IEEE Russia Section

E-mail: h.lantsberg@ieee.org

3. IEEE SECTIONS CONGRESS 1999 ATTENDEES - WE NEED YOUR HELP!Already less than two years away, the IEEE Sections Congress 2002 (SC'02) is scheduled for 18-21 October 2002 in Washington, DC. The process to shape and develop IEEE SC'02 has begun. Our first step is to determine the ideas and issues that are of the most importance to Sections. IEEE Sections Congress is an opportunity for the Section's leadership to improve its leadership skills, networking opportunities, financial and organizational knowledge, and to impact the future of the IEEE. We need your help in providing a direct influence on the program for SC'02.

As a SC '99 attendee, please feel free to consult with your other Section officers in completing the survey online at http://www.ieee.org/sc. Your participation and input are important to the SC'02 Program Committee, and on their behalf, I thank you for your participation in the planning process. We would appreciate your completed survey by 30 January 2001.

Thank you.Tracy HawkinsManager, Section/Chapter SupportSections Congress CoordinatorIEEE: Networking the World+1 732 562 5512+1 732 463 9359 (FAX)http://www.ieee.org/ra/scs

Professor Bruce A. Eisenstein, President of IEEE paid a visit to the IEEE Hungary Section in November 2000. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences invited him to present a lecture taking advantage of the coincidence of his visit with its 175th year anniversary. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences was established by István Széchenyi in 1825.

The meeting was organized by the IEEE Hungary Section. President Eisenstein gave his talk in the classical building of the Academy.

President Eisenstein also accepted an invitation to a big conference on telecommunications organized by the PKI Telecommunications Institute. He addressed an audience of more than 400 experts. Later he greeted the High-Speed Networks workshop organized jointly by the Ericsson Company and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. At the end of the visit he was taken to a sightseeing private tour in Budapest.

The IEEE Hungary Section was honoured by the President’s visit and can utilize it to extend its activity.

THE IEEE-PSI Week

As it is great to see increased action from Nigeria, please give this your special attention and tell this to anyone who might be interested and visit the event.

For details, please contact Oshiorenoya Agabi (oshiore@yahoo.com).

J.Hannemann@ieee.org

The Antennas and Propagation/Aerospace and Electronic Systems/Electron Devices/Microwave Theory and Techniques/Geoscience and Remote Sensing/Lasers and Electro Optics Society joint Chapter of the Ukraine Section (East) has changed status to include the Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society. The effective date of this Chapter change is 29 December 2000. Dr. Shifrin's email is shifrin@kture.khozkov.ua.

As an example of how IEEE members involve themselves in the activities of their communities, members will be assisting as volunteers at the Electricity and Electronics Merit Badge Booths at the 15^th Scout Jamboree in the USA. The IEEE is the title sponsor of the Electronics Merit Badge Booths and co-sponsor of the Electricity Merit Badge Booths. Volunteers are primarily needed for the position of merit badge instructor. While volunteers can volunteer for just one day, it is preferred that they volunteer for at least two days.

The National Scout Jamboree will be held from Monday, 23 July 2001 through Wednesday, 1 August 2001 at Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia. The Jamboree site is near Bowling Green, Virginia, which is between Richmond and Fredericksburg.

john_castelvecchi@dom.com

Two students at the United Arab Emirates have taken the initiative to establish a website to assist practising engineers and students. The website offers exam and course notes in electrical and electronic engineering, a dictionary and photos.

Maha and Aisha AL-Noaimi deserve to be congratulated on this pioneering effort.

http://communities.msn.com/TheCleverElectricalEngineer

25 - 27 July 2001

St. John's, Newfoundland

Canada

The IEEE Conference on the History of Telecommunications (CHT2001) will be held 25-27 July 2001 in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. CHT2001, is sponsored by the IEEE History Committee and IEEE History Center at Rutgers University. The emphasis of this conference will be on telecommunication events of the last 50 years, although papers on all periods will be considered. Most papers will deal, at least in part, with the technologies themselves; some of the participants will be engineers who have participated in the developments. The conference will consist of two and a half days of paper presentations and discussions, poster session, shared breakfasts and lunches, and optional evening activities and excursions.

Through a grant from the IEEE Foundation, CHT2001 will conduct a worldwide paper competition among the IEEE Student Branches and offer the winner in each of the 10 IEEE Regions an opportunity to travel to St. John's and present their winning paper at Poster Sessions during this Conference. In addition, each winner's Student Branch will receive an honoraria and the top three paper winners will win $200, $100 and $50 for First, Second and Third place papers, respectively.

Abstracts are due by 2 March 2001. Contact MailTo:history@ieee.org for

more information or check the web site at:

http://www.ieee.org/history_center/cht2001.html.

6 - 8 August 2001

Orchid Country Club

Singapore

11th IEEE Workshop on Statistical Signal Processing (formerly SSAP) 2001

The 11th IEEE Workshop on Statistical Signal Processing (formerly SSAP) will be held at the Orchid Country Club, Singapore, during August 6-8 2001. The aim of the workshop is to bring together engineers, mathematicians and scientists from all over the world to present their work in major aspects from theoretical and methodological developments to practical applications of statistical signal processing. The three-day workshop will feature plenary talks on key developments in theoretical and practical areas of statistical signal processing. The venue of the workshop offers a conducive environment for interaction, with on-site accommodation and excellent facilities amidst picturesque and tranquil grounds.

The workshop is sponsored by IEEE Signal Processing Society.

Deadline for Summary submission - March 01, 2001

For more information please refer to the web site for submission of Extended

Summary electronically: http://ssp2001.bizcal.com.

If you have any inquiries pertaining to the workshop, please don't hesitate to contact the General co-Chair, Dr. A Rahim Leyman, at leyman@ieee.org.

4 -7 July 2001

Bratislava

Slovakia

Our intention is to make a bigger event where participants will, in addition to the technical program, enjoy tutorials, invited lectures, student paper contest and after the conference an Accreditation Workshop. A rich cultural program is planned. Our guests in Slovakia will enjoy the experience of sharing time with us.

The Accreditation Workshop after EUROCON 2001 will show how the university programs in different countries are accredited. To be accredited is increasingly important since the mobility of engineers and students is growing and will be even more so in the future.

Reestablishment of the holding of EUROCON in Central and Eastern Europe is seen to be important for the development of our profession. We must show that such an event is needed, and worthwhile. Therefore we ask our colleagues and friends to spread this invitation in order to ensure the success of the Bratislava meeting and facilitate the holding of future EUROCONs in our part of the world.

A tip if we may - Slovakia in July also gives a great opportunity for holidays in the Tatra Mountains.

http://www.ktl.elf.stuba.sk/EUROCON/

8.1 Young Engineers Satellite Forum To Be Held In MarchThe IEEE is partnering with ASME International Professional Development to present the satellite broadcast, Young Engineers Forum, at noon EST on Wednesday, 28 March. The broadcast will be 90 minutes and include time for questions called in from the participants. GOLD Committee Chair Scott Blair will be one of the panelists.

The event is directed at engineering students and young engineering professionals with less than 10 years experience. The forum will cover topics such as networking, job searching, expectations of the professional world and keeping up with technical information beyond graduation.

For more information about pricing and downlink details, visit "http://www.ieee.org/organizations/rab/gold/satelliteforum.htm".

The IEEE LEADERSHIP WIRE12 January 2001Vol. VI, No. 18.2 Nominations Sought For Education Awards

A new Pre-College Educator Award - the first Educational Activities Board award to go to a non-engineer - has been established. It recognizes a current full-time teacher of math, science or technology who succeeded in making these subjects come alive to their students. The nominator must be an IEEE member. Student members and IEEE Sections are strongly encouraged to submit nominations.

In addition, Educational Activities Board (EAB) is currently accepting nominations for the following awards:

• Meritorious Achievement Award in Accreditation Activities
• Meritorious Achievement Award in Continuing Education
• Major Educational Innovation Award
• Meritorious Service Citation
• Employer Professional Development Award

The deadline for all nominations is 30 April 2001. In June, the EAB Awards and Recognition Committee will review all nominees and make recommends to the Board, which will decide upon the recipients.

All nominees will receive a certificate of recognition at the IEEE Organizational Units Meeting in November 2001. With the exception of the Employer Professional Development Award and Meritorious Service Citation each commemorative engraved plaque is accompanied by a $1000 honorarium.

Winners, their companion, and nominators will be the guests of the IEEE EAB for the trip and event.

For more information about the awards and the nominating and criteria requirements, visit

"http://www.ieee.org/eab/arc/awards/index.htm" or contact Rae Toscano, IEEE Educational Activities, at MailTo: "r.toscano@ieee.org" or tel.: +1 732 562 5482.

8.3 Accolades for "Engineering Tomorrow""Engineering Tomorrow," published in 2000 by IEEE Press, has been selected by "Choice Magazine" for inclusion in its Outstanding Academic Titles list. The list appears in the January issue of the magazine, which is a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries. Only three percent of the 25,000 titles submitted for review were selected.

"Engineering Tomorrow" is a lively status report on electrical engineering and its potential for human society, and features contributions from 50 technology leaders.

Learn more at "http://www.ala.org/acrl/choice/home.html".

The Society for the History of Technology also has selected "Engineering Tomorrow" as a winner of the 2001 Dexter Prize, which is given annually for the best book in the field published during the past three years.

A new resource, the "Hargrave's Communications Dictionary," contains simplified communications terms, definitions, acronyms, charts and equations. From ATM to Zone Paging, this volume includes more than 10,000 definitions of key phrases that readers in industry, government and academia need to understand.

For more information, visit "http://shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=PC5869".

The IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standards Committee announced a new study group to investigate the subject of "Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM)." The IEEE 802.3 Working Group chose the ELM designation to emphasize the fact that they intend to put their customers' needs first. The term "First Mile" refers to the all-important first link between a customer and its Internet Service Provider. The group has been chartered to develop a project proposal for a standard that will apply the proven and widely used Ethernet networking protocol to the customer initial access market.

For more information, visit "http://www.ieee802.org/3/index.html".The IEEE LEADERSHIP WIRE12 January 2001Vol. VI, No. 1

The IEEE Awards Board Nominations and Appointments Committee (N&A) is seeking nominations for these Awards Board positions for 2002:

• Award Board Vice Chair
• Awards Board Treasurer & Chair - Finance Committee
• Publicity and Presentations Committee Chair

• Medals Council Chair
• Technical Field Awards Council Chair
• Recognitions Council Chair
• (4) Members-at-Large

The submission deadline is 30 April 2001.

The Awards Board N&A Committee also is seeking the names of members who may be interested in serving on an IEEE Award/Medal Selection Committee. Nominations of individuals from all IEEE Regions are strongly encouraged. When submitting names, it would be helpful, though not essential, to mention if nominees have indicated their willingness to serve.

Submit nominees to Marybeth Denike, IEEE Awards/Fellow Activities, MailTo: "m.denike@ieee.org".

Information on the IEEE Awards Program is available at

"http://www.ieee.org/about/awards".

The IEEE Conference Management Services recently introduced a new Web site at "http://www.ieee.org/conferences/intro.html". The site includes a list of services, ranging from organizing the entire conference to managing any aspect of a meeting such as on-line registration, finances, exhibits or site selection.

For additional information, contact Mary Ann De Wald, IEEE Conference Management Services, at +1 732 562 3873 or send an e-mail message to MailTo: "m.dewald@ieee.org".

The IEEE LEADERSHIP WIRE26 January 2001Vol. VI, No. 28.8 New Education Partnership Allows Members To SaveThe IEEE is joining the National Technological University (NTU) partnership. Members can save up to 20 percent off on IEEE Professional Development Institute courses at NTU through 31 March

2001.

NTU has been a pre-eminent leader in e-learning and distance education since 1984. They offer graduate engineering and IT degrees with courses provided from 52 leading universities, including 25 of the top 50 engineering schools.

To learn more about the advanced degrees and professional development certificate programs available through the IEEE, go to "www.ieee.org/pdi/ntu". Registration for these courses can be made through this site.

For more information, contact Alan Trembly, IEEE Educational

Activities, at MailTo:"a.trembly@ieee.org" or +1 732 562 5488.

The IEEE LEADERSHIP WIRE26 January 2001Vol. VI, No. 28.9 Online Research Tool for the Scientific Computing Community

The IEEE Computer Society's Computing in Science and Engineering Portal (CiSE) is a useful research tool for the entire multidisciplinary scientific computing community, with experts in specific fields peer reviewing each domain. Domains already on the site include astronomy, chemistry, signal processing and visualization. Coming soon are biology, data mining, fluid dynamics and mechanical engineering. Selected materials from "Computing in Science & Engineering Magazine" can also be found throughout the site at

"http://www.computer.org/ciseportal/".

The IEEE LEADERSHIP WIRE26 January 2001Vol. VI, No. 2

8.10 Technical Symposia Grants OfferedThe IEEE Regional Activities Board has approved limited funding for a pilot program for Technical Symposia grants of up to $500 for the year 2001. The purpose of the program is to encourage IEEE geographic units to provide an opportunity for members to participate in more intensive technical presentations than is possible in a typical meeting, but short of a full-scale conference.

Guidelines that will be used in evaluating whether a grant will be provided in response to a proposal are given below. Also given is procedural information.

• The Symposium is expected to last a full day and should include at least 5 hours (300 minutes) of technical presentation. This might consist of six 50-minute presentations, four-75 minute presentations, or any of many other combinations. Networking during breaks should be encouraged but does not count as part of the 300 minutes.
• The Symposium should be planned or supported by at least one IEEE Technical Society or Chapter.
• The proposal should include sufficient information about technical content, possible speakers, and probable attendees (number and some demographics) to permit evaluation of the proposal. In particular, it is expected that the Symposium will encourage IEEE members with related technical interests to meet together, obtain technical information, and join appropriate Societies. Further, the Symposium could be a means to attract new IEEE members and/or start a Chapter.
• The proposal must include a budget for the Symposium. It is expected that the funds will be used to help subsidize meeting expenses and not be used for travel or payment to presenters. This program is meant to be a member service and not a means for a unit to raise money. The budget should not plan for a surplus.
• The grant will be provided after the IEEE RAB/TAB Section/ Chapter Support Committee approves a proposal. It is expected that proposals will be considered at least quarterly by teleconference until all budgeted funds have been committed. In the event that the Symposium is not held, the funds must be returned.
• A report must be provided within one month after the Symposium occurs. The report may be brief, but should include specific information about the program and a financial summary.

To apply:

• Sections and Chapters submitting proposals must be active and in good standing (all required reports current).

• Proposals should include information on budget, timeline, topic, etc. as described above.
• Send proposals to Tracy Hawkins at MailTo:t.hawkins@ieee.org, or via fax to +1 732 463 9359.

8.11 Elevation to Senior MemberIf you know of members in your Section who have been in professional practice for at least 10 years, you may want to make them aware that they are eligible for IEEE Senior Membership, the highest grade of membership for which an individual can apply. New Senior Members receive a wood and bronze plaque and a credit certificate for up to US$25 for a new IEEE Society membership. In addition, a letter will be sent to employers, recognizing this new status.

For more information on senior member status, visit http://www.ieee.org/membership/grades_cats.html#SENIORMEM.

To apply for senior member status, fill out an application at

http://www.ieee.org/organizations/rab/md/smelev.htm.

8.12 Young Engineers Satellite ForumIEEE is partnering with ASME International Professional Development to present a satellite broadcast Young Engineers Forum at 12:00 Noon Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, 28 March 2001. The forum will be a 90-minute program and will include time for questions called in from the participants to the panelists. IEEE is excited that IEEE GOLD Committee Chair, Scott Blair, will be participating as one of the panelists at this event.

Topics will include Keeping up with Technical Information after Graduation, Expectations of the Professional World, Networking Skills and Job Search Skills. The forum is directed to young engineering professionals with 0-10 years experience and engineering students. Details on the program will follow shortly as to how you and your Section, Student Branch or GOLD Affinity Group can link up and participate in this program.

For more information contact the GOLD Committee at MailTo:gold@ieee.org.

8.13 IEEE Foundation Grant NewsThe IEEE Foundation Board of Directors approved over US$150,000 in new grants at its November 2000 meeting. Helping teachers incorporate computational science skills into math and science curriculums, fostering information exchange through a journalism intern at IEEE Spectrum, sponsoring an IEEE Student Branch History Paper Contest ? these are just a few of worthy projects the Foundation is able to support because of the generosity of the our donors. To learn more about the IEEE Foundation and to view a full list of the grants awarded during 2000 visit us at our new web site http://www.ieee.org/foundation

The IEEE Foundation Board of Directors unanimously approved the streamlining of the grant application process at its November 2000 meeting. Prospective grantees are no longer required to begin the process by submitting a Preliminary Proposal Abstract. The option is now available to simply submit a Full Proposal for consideration. For those who wish to have their project evaluated by the Foundation's Grants Committee before crafting a Full Proposal, the opportunity to submit a Preliminary Proposal Abstract is still available. To learn more about applying for a grant from the IEEE Foundation, please visit us on the web at http://www.ieee.org/organizations/foundation/html/funding.html or call us at +1 732 981 3435.