Section Chair’s Welcome
IEEE membership across the UK and Ireland is professionally rich and diverse, including technologists and engineers, scientists and practitioners, students, young professionals and professionals. Our members contribute to society across government, industry, education and research as well as the not-for-profit sector.
The challenge and opportunity for Section Leadership is how best to support existing and prospective IEEE Members across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales who are at different stages of their careers.
2024 was a highly productive year with increased local engagement with our members and the wider communities we serve. We hosted the IEEE President Dr Tom Coughlin from 26 September to 04 October and organised a series of public, private and Student Branch meetings during IEEE Week in London, Liverpool and Dublin. To date 24 Organisational Units (Chapters, Councils and Affinity Groups) that report to the Section have completed leadership elections. We wish to congratulate the newly elected OU Leadership and thank those Officers whose terms have ended. Student Branches and Student Branch Chapters have been actively involved in local, Section and Region 8 activities. We wish to congratulate the 130 Section Members who were elevated to Senior Member Grade during 2024. Click here to learn more about 2024 Achievements.
We are fortunate to have active, dedicated volunteers with diverse experience and backgrounds, who can help us better understand the needs and expectations of current and prospective IEEE members. I look forward to leveraging my professional and volunteer experience, insight and networks to collaborate with and support our volunteers to effectively increase engagement with, and enhance the value delivered to existing and prospective IEEE Members.
Our Section has a proud history of organising and supporting impactful scientific and technical conferences and workshops. We will leverage our access to subject matter experts (both local and from around the world) to strengthen the potential impact of meetings (whether delivered by or targeting Students, Young Professional and Chapters) and add both a local and international perspective to IEEE and non-IEEE industry and government focused forums taking place within the Section.
As Section Chair (2024 and 2025), I very much look forward to collaborating with and supporting Chapter Leadership and Section Members, so that we can continue to both attract and retain members at all stages of their professional and personal careers.
During 2025, the IEEE UK and Ireland Section will continue to cooperate with local volunteers to organise Regional Member Engagement Meetings in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. If your organisation or institution is interested in collaboration or hosting one of these events, please contact me.
Paul M Cunningham
Chair, IEEE UK and Ireland Section
