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Quick Time™a nd a TIFF ( Uncomp res sed) deco mpre ssor are n eede d to s ee this picture .
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IEEE Computer Society BoG Caucus
May 8, 2003, Vancouver, BC
Michael Lightner
VP IEEE Publication Services and Products Board
Candidate for 2004 IEEE
President - Elect
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My personal background
My professional background
My IEEE background
Some key issues for IEEE
Personal Background
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Born in Florida, 1950 - Region 3
Irish - German Family
Oldest of four children
Father and Mother worked for Telephone
Company
Grew up in Florida, moving every year for
12 years
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Telephone company moved employees when they
were promoted
Married, no children
Professional Background
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BS, MS in Electrical Engineering from
University of Florida
Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon University
Positions included
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Member technical staff - Bell Labs
Summer Faculty - IBM Research
Assistant Prof. University of Illinois
Visiting Faculty - University of British Columbia
Professional Background
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Have been at University of Colorado since 1981
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Professor, Director Graduate Studies, Associate
Dean for Academic Affairs
Currently have a joint appointment with our Medical
School - Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Started the University of Colorado Coleman
Institute for Cognitive Disabilities with $250M
private gift
Awards for Teaching and Service
Chair of the 4-campus University Faculty Grievance
committee - received Special Training in Mediation
Professional Background
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Research Interests
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Computer-Aided Design of Integrated Circuits
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Signal Processing
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Simulation, Statistical Design, Synthesis, Testing,
Formal Verification
Multi-objective design of digital filters, adaptive
filters
Technology for Cognitive Disabilities
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Working at the intersection of cognitive science,
cognitive neuroscience, learning science and
computer science and engineering
IEEE Background
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Member for 33 years
Primary Society - Circuits and Systems
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Also, Computer, Signal Processing, Education,
Communications, Engineering Medicine and
Biology
Helped found Signal Processing Chapter in
Denver
Have lived, worked (permanent, temporary,
or consulting), or had direct research
partners in every Region - except Region 9
IEEE Background
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Circuits and Systems
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Reviewer and Author
Technical Committee Chair
Associate Editor and Editor - Trans CAD
Technical and General Chair, ICCAD
Member BoG
VP Technical Activities
President
IEEE Background
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TAB
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Member
Division Director
Chair of Products Committee
VP-Elect, VP, Past VP
Management, Strategic Planning, Finance
IEEE Background
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Awards and Honors
Fellow
 Millenium Medal
 CAS Golden Jubilee Award
 Distinguished Service Award
 Best Paper
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IEEE Background
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Board of Directors
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Division Director
Member of Audit Committee
Member of Executive Committee
Member of Operations Review Committee - hire
consultants and oversee the review of headquarters
infrastructure - BDO Seidman Report
Member of the governance committee - part of
current strategic planning
Currently VP Publications Services and Products
Board
Key Issues for the IEEE
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Top operational issue - clear,
consistent, continuous communications
within the organization
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Absolutely necessary to build trust
Trust is absolutely essential to enable
change and growth
Key Issues for IEEE
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We must operate in a business like manner
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Analyze plans and opportunities
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What will something cost - life cycle costing?
Where will the money come from?
Is it part of our strategic plan?
What are the tangible and intangible benefits?
Can we scale an activity to support many members?
What are the costs of not doing something?
Key Issues for IEEE
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Finances continues to be a difficult challenge.
The latest results show a problem for 2003
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We are working hard on this
2004 will inherit some of the challenges
This one issue can tear us apart!
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We must communicate clearly and often - the issues,
reasons and what we are all doing to address the
problems
It is a challenge for us all in both IEEE and our
professional and personal lives
We will live through it and we must work to maintain
our key values and activities as we move forward
Key Issues for IEEE
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How can we share across our
organizations?
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Imperative for future success
First establish trust - communications
Develop understanding of opportunities
for mutual success
Build infrastructure to support sharing
Key Issues for IEEE
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Our entire business model is or will be facing
incredible challenges
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Publications
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Access all IEEE IP through IEL
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Raises issues of member in societies and even
membership in IEEE
Conference are in difficulty because of economy
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Will be available to all members (and non-members)
through a variety of mechanisms in the next 5 years
They may emerge with quite different characters
Continuing/Professional Education
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Absolutely required for our members - we must be part
of the solution
Key Issues for IEEE
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We need a continuing multiple year:
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Budget process
Analysis of risks
Analysis of multiple scenarios and generation of
potential responses
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We react to a problem, often too late - we must
become proactive
Planning for integration of projects/initiatives
across the Institute
We need to become much more data and
information driven in our decision making
We must have an informed BoD - we don’t!
Key Issues for IEEE
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Membership and Volunteers
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How many, how to grow into new areas, cost, benefits
While I stand firmly for a de-centralized and
locally driven structure the values of
centralizing some portions of the
infrastructure are clear - Pubs
One major challenge is to maintain the local
flavor while supplying appropriate centralized
infrastructure
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Insure that central infrastructure supports local
creativity
Operational Vision
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Creativity
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Driven from the Societies, Chapters, etc.
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Coherence
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As appropriate activities must be scalable across
the range of our organization
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Enable and Encourage
Coordinate at the OU level
Effectiveness
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Our activities have to work from a fiscal setting
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Coordinate between OU’s and BoD
A Personal Vision for IEEE
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In the many different areas I have worked technically
and geographically there has always been IEEE
IEEE has been the integrating thread, the constant, in
my career
I believe that IEEE can be this integrating thread in the
careers of all members
This is done by maintaining a highly diverse organization
of excellence which encourages, acknowledges and
rewards participation and is as broad as our growing field
We should ask what is needed to be a constant support
and point of focus and integration in the careers of our
members - not just what we can give them.
Summary
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Many problems/challenges
Cannot waste time and talent on trivial issues
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Must utilize talent from all parts of this vast
organization
There are excellent candidates for President-Elect,
Directors, VP TAB and all the other elected positions
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Must look forward, use current situation and facts and not urban
legends in our decision making
Think about running for a position yourself!
Must engage more of our membership in voting, voicing
opinions and knowing that they can make a difference
and their opinion is important - please vote