1. What is the IEEE?
2. What is the Nebraska Section of IEEE?
3. How are the IEEE and the Nebraska Section financed?
4. What are the advantages of joining the IEEE?
5. Can anyone join the IEEE?
6. At what stage of my career should I become a member?
7. How much does it cost to be a member of IEEE?
8. Do I qualify for senior member status?
9. How do I join the Nebraska Section of IEEE?
10. What types of meetings are held by the Nebraska Section and when do they take place?
11. Can non-IEEE members attend meetings of the Nebraska Section?
12. I have an idea for a meeting. To whom could I send that suggestion?
13. How can I sign up to attend Nebraska Section events?
14. How can I be added to (or be removed from) the Nebraska Section email list?
15. What can I do to assist, volunteer, or otherwise get more involved with the IEEE or the Nebraska Section?
16. What is a Support Club member and how does a company or individual obtain that status?
17. What advantage is there in having my employees be IEEE members?
18. How can I encourage or support my employees who are IEEE members?
19. I've read all of these questions but I don't see what I wanted to ask. To whom may I pose my question?

What is the IEEE?

"IEEE" (Eye-Triple-E) stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. IEEE has more than 365,000 members world wide and is composed of 307 sections. Although it is called the "Institute", it is not a school, a university, or a union of any sort. It is a professional association which publishes 128 transactions, journals, and magazines. The IEEE produces 30% of the world's published literature in electrical and electronics engineering and has in excess of 1.1 million documents available in its' on-line electronic database. The IEEE and its predecessors date back to 1884. Its' mission is to promote the engineering process of creating, developing, integrating, sharing, and applying knowledge about electro and information technologies and sciences for the benefit of humanity and the profession. Although an international organization, the IEEE has an operations center located at 445 Hoes Lane Piscataway, NJ 08854. More information and history on the IEEE can be found at this link.

Because the IEEE covers such a broad scope of electrical engineering, the organization currently has 39 societies within it which concentrate on one particular technical area. A list of these societies can be found at this link.

What is the Nebraska Section of IEEE?

The Nebraska Section includes all IEEE members within a specific geographic area. This area is generally central and eastern Nebraska plus Pottawattamie County in Iowa. The section has about 775 members as of June, 2005. There are three active societies within the Nebraska Section. They are the Communications Society, the Computer Society, and the Power Engineering Society. There are also two student charters - one in Omaha and another in Lincoln.

The Nebraska Section, its' societies, and student chapters have regular meetings. These meetings are required in order to maintain the section, society, or chapter status and they provide their members with opportunities to network, get continuing education, and to socialize. These meetings generally consist of a dinner followed by a technical presentation constituting continuing education on an engineering subject. Recent meetings topics and schedules can be found at this link.

The section's financial and administrative affairs are cared for by an executive committee consisting of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary-Treasurer, and four Members-at-Large. A list of the section, society, and chapter officers can be found at this link. The section's by-laws can be read at this link.

How are the IEEE and the Nebraska Section financed?

The IEEE is a not-for-profit organization. Its' activities are financed by means of member dues, subscriptions, publication sales, conventions, and investments. The IEEE's annual financial report may be found at this link.

The Nebraska Section receives funds from the national organization based upon its' membership and the number of societies and student chapters. The event fees for the regular meetings and seminars help to offset costs but generally do little to generate funds for the section.

What are the advantages of joining the IEEE?

IEEE membership bestows the following:

• Membership in one or more of 39 IEEE Societies and three Technical Councils spanning the range of electrotechnologies, information technologies and more.
• More than 300 local organizations worldwide for member networking and information sharing.
• Educational opportunities to ensure engineers' technical vitality.
• More than 1,300 student branches at universities in 80 countries.
• Public advocacy for U.S. member interests, for women in engineering, and ethics.
• Special cost-saving and value-added benefits for MEMBERS ONLY.
• Prestigious awards and recognition of technical and professional achievements.
• Opportunities for volunteering, leadership, and participation in a variety of IEEE activities.
• Electronic commerce with the IEEE through a variety of Web-based Services.

Can anyone join the IEEE?

No -- membership in IEEE is open to individuals who by education or by experience give evidence of competence in Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technology, Physical Sciences, Biological and Medical Sciences, Mathematics, Technical Communications, Education, Management, Law, or Policy. A comprehensive list of current membership requirements may be found at this link.

There are several different levels of IEEE membership. Briefly they are:

Student Member: Students carrying at least 50% of a normal full time academic program.

Associate: Those who do not meet qualification for membership grade, but would benefit through membership in IEEE.

Member: Those who have met education requirements or have demonstrated professional competence in IEEE designated fields of interest.

Senior Member: Those that have been in professional practice for at least ten years and have shown significant performance over a period of at least five of those years.

Fellow: The grade of Fellow recognizes unusual distinction in the profession and shall be conferred only by invitation of the Board of Directors upon a person of outstanding and extraordinary qualifications and experience in IEEE-designated fields, and who has made important individual contributions to one or more of these fields.

Honorary Member: Honorary Members are elected by the Board of Directors from among those individuals, not members of IEEE, who have rendered meritorious service to humanity in IEEE's designated fields of interest.

Affiliate: A non-IEEE professional who is generally a member of another professional Society and wishes to affiliate with one of IEEE's Societies.

A full description of the different membership grades may be found at this link. You are also welcome to contact a member of either of the two student chapters to learn more from active IEEE student members.

At what stage of my career should I become a member?

You can begin reaping the benefits of IEEE membership while still a student in college. IEEE Student membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in at least 50% of a normal, full-time course of study in electrical engineering, electronics, computer engineering, computer science, in an allied branch of engineering technology, or in related arts and sciences. IEEE Student Membership includes all the benefits that a regular, full-paying member enjoys, at a fraction of the cost. Student membership is more fully explained at this link.

Student membership benefits include information on career opportunities, subscriptions to IEEE Spectrum and IEEE Potentials magazines, opportunity to join IEEE Technical Societies in areas of interest, access to world-class technical information and on-line resources provided by IEEE, opportunity to network with peers and potential future employers, discounts on technical literature and self-study courses, reduced IEEE membership dues for first year after graduation, opportunity to participate in regular IEEE programs such as credit cards and insurance. Information on these and other student membership benefits can be found at this link.

Student full year membership dues are $30.00 compared to $156.00 for regular membership dues. Student half year membership dues are $15.00 compared to $78.00 for regular half year membership dues. There also is a comparable reduction in Student membership dues for membership in IEEE Technical Societies. A table that provides a comparison of membership dues can be found at this link. Students can join IEEE by following this link and applying on-line or by hard copy application.

How much does it cost to be a member of IEEE?

Basic membership for a regular adult member is currently $156 per year. As noted in question #5 above, there are seven different types of membership. For an additional fee, you may also join one or more of the 39 societies that focus on your particular profession or field of interest. Follow this link to a page where you can find a current membership fees as well as the society add-ons. Members may also subscribe to periodicals from societies which they are not members of.

Do I qualify for Senior Member Status?

To be considered for Senior Member status, a candidate shall be an engineer, scientist, educator, technical executive or originator in IEEE-designated fields. The candidate shall have been in professional practice for at least ten years and shall have shown significant performance over a period of at least five of those years. In order to qualify for Senior Member status, an individual must also provide three references from IEEE members holding Senior Member, Fellow, or Honorary Member grade.

To Apply For Senior Member Status, simply visit the IEEE Web Site and fill out the online application form, download the PDF application form, or request an electronic file via e-mail. The Nebraska Section has created a Senior Member review committee to assist qualifying members in obtaining references. Simply e-mail a copy of your Senior Member application form to . The committee will review your qualification and provide you with the necessary references.

The A&A Committee evaluating your application will count the years you have been in professional practice. Your educational experience is credited toward that time as follows: 3 years for a baccalaureate degree in an IEEE-designated field; 4 years if you hold a baccalaureate and master's degree; and five years if you hold a doctorate.

Many prospective applicants make the mistake of assuming that "significant performance" requires special awards, patents or other extremely sophisticated technical accomplishments; such is not the case. Substantial job responsibilities such as team leader, task supervisor, engineer in charge of a program or project, engineer or scientist performing research with some measure of success (papers), or faculty developing and teaching courses with research and publications, all are indications of significant performance.

How do I join the Nebraska Section of IEEE?

All you have to do is join the IEEE and you are automatically a member of the Nebraska Section (assuming you are in the territory covered by the Nebraska section). The URL application page for IEEE membership can be found here. There are (2) selections for on-line application. If you want to go the paper route, you may obtain a hard-copy application by sending an e-mail to or by downloading an application (Adobe PDF format).

What types of meetings are held by the Nebraska Section and when do they take place?

The IEEE Nebraska Section has technical, professional, and social meetings. Some technical meetings specialize in topics from the (3) active Professional Societies in the Nebraska section. These are the Computer, Communication, and Power Societies. Nearly all meetings are dinner meetings although some are presented as seminars. The majority of meetings are held on Thursday evenings from approximately 5:30 to 7:30 but the days and times do vary to some extent. Effort is made to hold meetings so that all in the section have an opportunity to attend conveniently. Nevertheless, the vast majority of meetings do occur in the Omaha/Lincoln vicinity.

Can non-IEEE members attend meetings of the Nebraska Section?

Multiple choice: [Yes] [Affirmative] [Absolutely] [Yep] [Please Do]

I have an idea for a meeting. To whom could I send that suggestion?

You could email it to any of the officers or to the . You may also speak about it directly to any of the officers during one of the regular meetings or snail mail it to the current Section Chair.

How can I sign up to attend Nebraska Section events?

Typically this must be done by noon 2 days prior to the event and can be done by filling out the sign up form of the event you want to attend or by filling out a generic form on the Reservations page.

How can I be added to (or be removed from) the Nebraska Section email list?

To be removed contact (402)533-7381.

Please keep in mind that we send out e-mails as a group listing to your e-mail server, as such, your SPAM filter may be blocking our E-mails. If you are sure this is not the case, you can be added to the list by either:

Updating your account with National IEEE to your current information or by contacting (402)533-7381 (your national information will NOT be updated this way). When you update your national account contact information, we will be informed of the change and update it locally too.

What can I do to assist, volunteer, or otherwise get more involved with the IEEE or the Nebraska Section?

There are many opportunities to assist at the local level. Our regular meetings require much work to prepare and organize. The newsletter, website, and section and society operations all require much effort to maintain, improve, and implement. You can offer suggestions or feedback on our activities which might help us to improve service to our members. You may submit articles which you think might be of interest to the newsletter. There may be ways in which you can promote the IEEE or the Nebraska Section to increase our visibility. Every year, seven individuals are needed to volunteer for the positions on the executive committee.

Why not approach your local high school and ask to be allowed to speak to the students about engineering careers during National eWeek? Could you volunteer to serve on your town's building committee? Do you know other engineers, electrical professionals, or students that you could encourage to become members? All such public activities will benefit the IEEE and the Nebraska Section.

Please email any of the officers or approach them during a regular meeting. Let them know whom you are and what you have to offer. You never know what skill might be of need within the Section.

Volunteer activities on the national level usually start at the local level. Experience gained locally provide you with qualifications to reach out for larger positions in the national or international association. Learn more about IEEE volunteer opportunities at this link.

What is a Support Club member and how does a company or individual obtain that status?

Any individual or company which contributes $200 or more to the Nebraska Section during any one year period becomes a Support Club Member for that calendar year. A link to the sponsor's web site will be provided on this site and the sponsor's business card will be included on our section newsletters. The money contributed is used by the section for our scolarship fund. Contact one of our officers to make arrangements for a donation.

What advantage is there in having my employees be IEEE members?

A great deal - but it requires a long-range open-minded view to see the full benefits. If your employees are qualified to be IEEE members, they must be in a work environment requiring engineering skills and a knowledge of engineering practices or management. Likely, they received those attributes from a combination of education and experience which is why you hired them to begin with.

You don't need anyone to tell you that technologies revolving around electronics, computers, controls, power, and lighting are in constant flux. An IEEE membership and active participation within the Nebraska Section will provide your employees with some of the continuing education so important to maintaining competency and stay relevant in these professions. If your employees have obtained their PE licenses, the meetings can be the sole source of their required PDH certificates.

IEEE membership also puts your employees in a position to access IEEE publications which could expose them to an important news item or technology which proves to be crucial to your business. IEEE meetings are also a great way for your employees to network and benefit from mentoring activities. Some employers are frightened to think of their employees networking since they might be solicited to other jobs. Think positively about this though - why should your employees want to leave? Perhaps their networking will prove to be the best source of recruitment for your company. Besides, the Nebraska Section is hardly 100% composed of your competitors. There are many professionals here in non-competing fields that your people can learn from.

How can I encourage or support my employees who are IEEE members?

Certainly the best way is by example. If you are qualified to be a member, joining and participating in local events will be the very best way to encourage your employees to do the same. The knowledge, experience, and continuing education you gain will allow you to be a better mentor to your people.

Many employers encourage their employees by compensating them some or all of their IEEE dues or reimbursing them for the cost of the local events. Others also reward their employees for being IEEE members during annual assessments where they are given praise and/or larger wage increases for maintaining their memberships. By sponsoring some of the local events with door prices, those employees are also encouraged by the resulting company pride. If your employees are reluctant to join or to attend local events because they feel the subjects presented are irrelevant to your work, remember that you can submit suggestions for local events. Perhaps even a tour of your facility or one of your projects.

I've read all of these questions but I don't see what I wanted to ask. To whom may I pose my question?

Drop an email with your question to the . The executive committee will have someone provide you with an answer. If the question is a good one and we feel others may benefit from seeing it, we will add it to this FAQ page permanently and you'll have bragging rights to it.