IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - January 2023 - 3

the disruption to conferences that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, but in practice the community has proved remarkably
flexible and resilient in switching to virtual and hybrid conference formats.
Publications, too, have been fundamentally important in providing a peer-reviewed archival record of research results in
our domain, and the IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems journal has become established as the premier
journal in this subject. A new Transactions on Radar Systems is about to be launched. The IEEEAESMagazine (this publication)
has also developed over the years to provide a monthly offering to all AESS's members with high-quality technical
articles and news.
AESS has a significant program in support of education, comprising online resources and in-person events. The Distinguished
Lecturer Program has been a core offering for many years, allowing experts in AESS technical fields ofinterest share
their knowledge and expertise with society members around the world. More recently, AESS has launched summer schools,
boot camps, and challenge events to help strength the technical community within the society. AESS regular hosts webinar
events and hosts a large collection of educational resources on the IEEE Learning Network, allowing society members to
access educational resources from wherever they are in the world. In addition, the society funds scholarships and travel
grants to support members in engaging in the society activities. It is also worth noting that AESS has an unusually high proportion
of its members from industry, which gives a special focus to the practical implementation of new ideas and
technologies.
The heart ofAESS lies in the chapters that have been established worldwide and the membership that they foster. These
chapters are supported by the Technical Panels. The piece by German Cabuya, Sandra Rodriguez, and Camilo Vergara
describes the establishment of the AES Chapter in Columbia and its activities over the past eight years.
AESS has established and administered a series of awards to recognize outstanding achievement in AESS's various
domains, also including early- and mid-career awards, and the nomination and selection process for these is rigorous. The
winners of these various awards over the years are listed on the AESS website and, of course, such awards can have a significant
positive impact on an individual's career.
INTERVIEWS
This issue also contains two other interviews. The first is with Judy Scharmann, who served for many years as Executive
Assistant to the Board of Governors until 2020, giving her a unique insight into the operation and the key figures in AESS
over this period. The second is an interview with Dale Blair conducted by Peter Willett, both of whom have been involved
with AESS for a good proportion of the 50 years.
The last contribution, from Wolfgang Koch, reminds us of the responsibilities of decision makers in a military context,
and the use of artificial intelligence in sensor data fusion and automated resource management.
Finally, we should remember that the work of the society is done on a voluntary basis, and we acknowledge the contributions
of so many people worldwide who give freely of their time and their expertise to promote the work ofAES.
All of this paints a picture of a society in robust good health. We look forward to the challenges of the next 50 years with
confidence and anticipation, but tempered with a certain amount of caution. We recall the mission statement of the IEEE:
" Advancing Technology for Humanity. "
JANUARY 2023
IEEE A&E SYSTEMS MAGAZINE
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IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE - Aerospace and Electronic Systems - January 2023