The IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc) has observed its 60th year dedicated to the development of communications professionals worldwide and the advance of the entire range of broadband, wireless, multimedia, data, image and voice technologies. Founded in 1952, IEEE ComSoc, which has over 50,000 members and stands as the second largest of IEEE’s 38 technical societies, is recognized internationally for its premier conferencing events, industry-leading technical publications and journals, world-class certification and educational programs, and global network of technical professionals and standardization projects.
“IEEE ComSoc is a truly global organization with nearly 60 percent of our membership representing countries outside of North America,” explains Vijay Bhargava, the President of IEEE ComSoc. “We have achieved this accomplishment by flexibly responding to the informational demands of our members, while creating an atmosphere of equitable participation that is actively producing a new generation of leaders and the means to affordably communicate among all different sectors of humanity.”
“As the world's leading communications engineering Society, we are proud to have maintained the highest professional standards, while operating in a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration" says Steve Weinstein, Chair of ComSoc's Communications History Committee. "As a result, our intellectual community benefits not only from global coordination with peers and colleagues on the latest technical trends, but also from the opportunity to develop long-term friendships and more successful careers through a well developed network of professional activities.”
Originally founded with the formation of IRE’s (the Institute of Radio Engineers) Professional Group on Communications Systems (PGCS), the organization was officially relaunched as the IEEE Communications Society and as an independent Society of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 1972. Beginning with 8,800 individuals, the Society’s membership has grown by more than 500 percent over the past 40 years and now includes more than 200 international Chapters and working relationships with an additional 30 international Societies to extend its international reach to another 500,000 engineers, scientists and industry professionals.
Since its inception, and most recently under Past President Byeong Gi Lee from Korea and President Vijay Bhargava from Canada, IEEE ComSoc has facilitated this tremendous growth through an unrelenting emphasis on globalization, the development of young leadership and industrial cooperation. This includes steadily incorporating global cultures and values into ComSoc operations; utilizing the best talent, education and training to secure open career paths filled with advancement; and working in direct conjunction with corporate leaders to create the next wave of technical innovations, products and services.
Recently, these efforts have resulted in a range of training programs and highly-informational forums developed to coincide with society’s shift from traditional telco-driven communications to the latest wireless and Internet-based applications and content. Among these successful new initiatives was the introduction of the Virtual Intensive Course on Wireless Communications Engineering and IEEE Wireless Communication Engineering Technologies (IEEE WCET®) Certification Program as well as the development of numerous new conferences and industry forums encompassing the growing research and development of cybersecurity, smart grid, green, cloud, vehicular and e-Health communications technologies.
According to Jack Howell, the organization’s Executive Director, IEEE ComSoc’s many achievements are also attributable to the “exemplary partnership” between the Society’s creative, dedicated volunteers and its hard-working staff. “Over the past few decades, research seems to have evolved from the collaboration among colleagues to much more competitive, company-based efforts often performed in proprietary environments. IEEE ComSoc has worked to overcome these limitations through open, healthy and diversified exchanges that embrace all sources and cultures. This includes the development of online, mobile and interpersonal resources that are increasingly enabling people to reach global neighbors without the limits of time or geographic separation.”
As for the future, IEEE ComSoc has already committed to a vision developed by IEEE ComSoc’s 20/20 Committee, led by Roberto Saracco, a 20-year organization member and the director of IEEE ComSoc Sister and Related Societies. Through this initiative, the Society has set its goals on leveraging the technology evolution and latest market forces to increase membership to approximately 80,000 members, eliminate the boundaries between computing and communications, and inspire economic development and the delivery of affordable services by the year 2020.
“For the past six decades, the IEEE Communications Society has driven the globalization of the technical community and spread of information services to leverage technology and improve human conditions worldwide,” offers Saracco. “Throughout this time, the Society has provided professionals worldwide with a multitude of interactive and extremely educational forums designed to promote the advance of all communications and its related disciplines. We are dedicated to moving forward into the next decade with programs that will create a truly Global IEEE ComSoc and opportunities that cross every demographic, time zone and geographic boundary.”
For more information on the IEEE Communications Society and the ongoing tributes to its 60th anniversary please visit www.comsoc.org or contact John Pape, the IEEE ComSoc Director of Marketing and Creative Services at 212-705-8950 or j [dot] pape [at] comsoc [dot] org. In the coming months, IEEE will also be releasing the 2nd edition of the extremely popular “A Brief History of Communications."
Founded in 1952, IEEE ComSoc is recognized as a major international forum for the exchange of ideas on communications and information networking. The society is also an international sponsor of global publications, conferences, certification and educational programs, local activities, technical committees and standardization projects.