IEEE Awards Booklet - 2023 - 12

2023 IEEE MEDALS
IEEE Theodore W. Hissey Outstanding
Young Professional Award
Sponsored by the IEEE Young Professionals,
Photonics Society, and Power & Energy Society
IEEE President's Award
Sponsored by IEEE
Anna Zakrzewska
Doreen Bogdan-Martin
For contributions in telecommunications
research and innovation, leading to
global commercialization, while inspiring
tomorrow's young technology leaders
through STEM volunteering work
In the early stages of her career, Anna Zakrzewska has already
made significant contributions to the telecommunications field,
developing technologies that have improved service for users
around the world. She continues to make an impact in the field,
not only through her own research but through her dedication to
STEM education and nurturing the careers of future engineers.
As a senior principal engineer in Dell Technologies' Telecom
Systems Business, Zakrzewska leads the company's standardization
efforts in the O-RAN Alliance and has been a vital asset there.
She authored Dell's first contributions to the O-RAN Alliance
Working Group 6 (cloudification and orchestration) that were
accepted to standard specifications released in 2021 and 2022.
Her effectiveness owes to her willingness to listen and understand
many points of view, and to work with customers, partners,
and competitors to find common ground upon which to build
standards and products that will serve the industry's needs now
and in the future. Zakrzewska is also an inventor with five granted
patent families and several more patent applications pending. Her
inventions focus on self-organizing network (SON) techniques
enabling zero touch automation. Three of her patents were commercialized
allowing
for optimization of multi-vendor small
cell deployments through Small Cell SON Engine of AlcatelLucent
and enhancing Nokia Wi-Fi Beacon access point product
portfolio. These tech transfers introduced diff erentiating features
that brought market advantages and are now used by major
telecom operators worldwide. To have achieved tech transfers at
such an early stage of her career counts as an exceptional success.
Parallel to her research work, Zakrzewska is an active mentor and
STEM ambassador, always seeking out opportunities to counsel
students, especially young girls and women. She's an exemplar of
the early-stage STEM engagement that's crucial to nurturing the
next generation of engineers and scientists, many of whom may
one day be IEEE members themselves.
An IEEE Senior Member, Zakrzewska is a senior principal engineer
at Dell Technologies, Dublin, Ireland.
For distinguished leadership and
contributions to the public
Doreen Bogdan-Martin has held leadership positions in the
field of international telecommunications policy for over two
decades, with a track-record of brokering innovative partnerships
to expand digital inclusion and connectivity for everyone
around the world. Following her historic election in September
2022, she became the first woman ever to head the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and was sworn in as
Secretary-General in January 2023. Previously, she was Director
of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. BogdanMartin
spearheaded the Partner2Connect initiative, which has
mobilized unprecedented pledges of funding and support for
meaningful connectivity. She was instrumental in establishing
the ITU-UNESCO Broadband Commission for Sustainable
Development, now serving as Co-Vice Chair; contributed to
the success of ITU's Global Symposium for Regulators as the
pre-eminent worldwide meeting for digital policy makers; and
established ITU's youth engagement strategy. She also pioneered
ITU's ongoing contribution to the EQUALS Global Partnership
for Gender Equality and initiated ITU's collaboration with
UNICEF on the Giga project to connect all schools to the
Internet. A designated International Gender Champion and
Member of the World Economic Forum 2030 Vision Leaders
Group, Ms. Bogdan-Martin is also an affi liate of Harvard
University's Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society.
Additionally, she is a UNICEF Generation Unlimited Champion
and a Champion of the EDISON Alliance to promote quality
digital education for all. Bogdan-Martin holds a Master's in
International Communications Policy from American University
in Washington, DC, a post-graduate certifi cation in Strategies for
Leadership from the Institute for Management Development in
Lausanne, Switzerland, and a certifi cation in Accountability and
Ethics from the UN Leaders Programme. She is also a qualifi ed
amateur radio operator.
An IEEE Member, Bogdan-Martin is the Secretary-General
of the International Telecommunication Union headquartered in
Geneva, Switzerland.
Scope: For contributions to the technical community and IEEE
fields of interest.
Scope: May be awarded to individuals, not necessarily members
of IEEE, for distinguished leadership and contributions to the
public.
12 | 2023 IEEE AWARDS BOOKLET
IEEE Awards Booklet - 2023

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