IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - March 2016 - 6

President's Message

by Braham Ferreira

Expanding Power Electronics
Activities Across the Globe

members. Consequently, the Chapmunity program specialist; and newy first year as the president
ters will receive toolkits that include
comer Becky Boresen (Figure 1).
of the IEEE Power Elecan IEEE flag, PELS banner, memberAt the end of 2015, elections were
tronics Society (PELS) was
ship brochures, manuals, pens, and
held for seven positions in the Admina highly rewarding experience. In addiwriting pads with the PELS logo. For
istrative Committee (AdCom). Prof.
tion, it is a great pleasure to work with
better coverage in Asia, the MemberAlan Mantooth is the president-elect
enthusiastic volunteers. The engiship Committee under the chairneers, professors, and students of
manship of Jinjun Liu has been
our Society are passionate about
expanded, and regional chairs
their work and how they contribhave been added for South
ute to a greener world. VolunKorea (Sewan Choi) and Japan
teers are keen on getting involved
(Toshihisa Shimizu).
in our Society, and they particiA highlight of 2015 was the
pate with enthusiasm. It is gratifyfirst IEEE Southern Power Elecing when a vice president goes
tronics Conference (SPEC),
the extra mile to solve a problem
which was held in Fortaleza,
or start a new initiative. We have
Brazil, from 29 November to 3
a vibrant Society that is buzzing
December (Figure 2). In 2012, at
with activities across the globe.
the long-range planning meeting
The conversations between execin North Carolina, a need for a
utive team members, the techni- FIG 1 The IEEE support staff: (front) Mike Kelly, (standconference targeting the Southcal debates at conferences, the ing from left) Becky Boresen, Donna Florek, and Alicia
ern Hemisphere was identified;
discussions at committee meet- Tomaszewski.
the three IEEE Energy Converings, and the networking in the
sion Congress and Exposition (ECCE)
for 2016, followed by a two-year term
corridors of the venues are all signs of
conferences are all held in the Northas the president. We also welcome
an enthusiastic community that is full
ern Hemisphere-North America,
the elected AdCom members Liuchen
of energy.
Asia, and Europe. The first IEEE SPEC
Chang, William Gerard Hurley, KathI would like to thank our volunwas combined with the long-standing
erine A. Kim, Ernie Parker, Grant
teers for making it a joy to serve as
Brazilian Power Electronics ConferPitel, and Seung-Ki Sul.
your president, and I would also like to
ence (COBEP). Previously, Portuguese
The IEEE Transportation Electriacknowledge our terrific support team
was the primary language of COBEP,
fication Community (TEC), is off to a
at the IEEE: Mike Kelly, our dynamic
but, after teaming up with PELS, it was
great start. Phil Krein will continue
executive director; Donna Florek,
changed to English, thus transforming
as the chair in 2016, and Kaushik
who has been the anchor and a techa regional conference into an internaRajashekara continues as PELS repnical community program specialist
tional conference. Approximately 350
resentative of TEC and Pat Wheeler
for eight years; the always supportive
people registered for the conference,
becomes the chair for the TEC ConJo-Ellen Snyder, also a technical comwhich included a number of internaferences and Workshops Committee.
tional attendees. Fruitful discussions
One
of
the
Society's
priorities
for
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPEL.2015.2511600
were held with the Brazilian Society
2016 is to improve service for the
Date of publication: 7 March 2016

IEEE POWER ELECTRONICS MAGAZINE

 March 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power Electronics Magazine - March 2016