Well, we have just finalised the TNCC for the 2024/25 session and just had our first big online meeting, so I wanted to introduce you to our committee.
For those not in the know, what exactly is the Technical Network Community Committee (TNCC), where do we fit, what are we doing and who are we?
What is the TNCC?
The TNCC comprises IET volunteers who support the Technical Network (TNs) across the globe. The aim is to facilitate communication between communities and share best practice. TNCC Terms of Reference
The (TNCC) is part of the IET Governance (https://www.theiet.org/about/governance/boards-and-committees/communities-resourcing-committee-crc/technical-networks-communities-committee/ and our committee members are all IET volunteers.
Where does the TNCC sit in the IET framework?
The TNCC reports to the Communities Resourcing Committee (CRC) who is the overarching group responsible for leading the work of the IET’s volunteer communities around the world, including its Local and Technical Networks.
Purpose
Our key purpose is to:
- To support communities activities; to facilitate effective communication between communities and the sharing of best practice on community matters.
- Supports all IET technical communities.
For a list of our TNs, please find them here .
2024/5 Plans
TNCC’s 2024/5 workplan includes reviews of:
- Production of Best practice guides
- Reviews of current TNs with named contact
- LN Technical sub-group links
- Better geographic representation
- Terms of Reference for TNs
- Revise planning for the Technical Networks for 2025
Who is on TNCC
Chair: Richard Furey
Committee
Dave Davis MBE BSc(Hons) CEng FIET FITP
Dave Davis is ex-military (1988-2003) and a Chartered Engineer with a seasoned background in Satellite Communications (Satcom). He is now providing technical leadership on global government and defence activities at ST Engineering iDirect. Dave is the past-chair of the Satellite TN and joined the TNCC to use that experience to support the wider TN community. Dave sits on various national and international panels as a technical advisor and is a non-exec Director on the board of the Institute of Telecommunications Professionals (ITP). In his spare time, Dave volunteers with the IET and ITP as a Mentor and Professional Recognition Advisor and Assessor. He also volunteers with the Newman Holiday Trust (www.newmantrust.org) and RE:ACT Disaster Response (www.re-act.org.uk), both organisations are always looking for new volunteers.”
Dr Rebecca Walton
Rebecca Walton (MIET - 1995) received the MEng (Hons) and PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from The University of Birmingham in 1995 and 2000, respectively. She has worked for BAE SYSTEMS since 2001 in both the Air Sector and at Head Office. During this time Rebecca has worked in the areas of Electromagnetics, Engineering Integration (including Capability and Strategy) and Product Environmental Sustainability.
As an Electromagnetics Specialist her role involved installed antenna performance, computational electromagnetic modelling and radio-wave propagation for legacy and new Air platforms. In her current role as Product Environmental Sustainability Lead she is responsible for developing capability across BAE SYSTEMS in support of environmental sustainability activities such as, materials management; product carbon foot-printing; understanding the impact of current and future legislative change; data management and resource upskilling.
She is a member of the International Aerospace Environmental Group (IAEG) and the ADS Sustainable Materials Working Group. She is also a mentor for the Women's Engineering Society (WES).
Rebecca joined the IET’s Technical Network Communities Committee (TNCC) in 2023 and is also a committee member of the IET Antenna and Propagation Technical Network.
Professor Ebrahim A. Mattar, professor of Cybernetics and Robotics at University of Bahrain (lecturing for Robotics, Control Engineering, Computational AI). He has received the B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (Bahrain University-1986), for M.Sc. in Electronics (Southampton University-1989), Ph.D. (Reading University-1994, thesis written under professor K. Warwick) supervision, was also awarded of the Gulf Executive Program (University of Virginia, Darden School of Business-2000). His research and publications frameworks have been focused on computational AI, robotics, and biomedical engineering. Worked on a few research projects, including the face neural recognition, the King Saud University (KSA) Robotics Project during (2010-2014), the Robotics Project at UoB and the CERN project related to UoB. He has supervised several thesis-projects, and is currently working on multi-dimensional Brainwaves, biometric data mining, decoding and learning robotics control and intelligence. Editor board member of a few journals and conferences. He has been awarded several awards, including University of Bahrain, best research in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2017 UoB Hackathon award, and an IET award during 2018. He is a member of several professional bodies, MIET, SMIEEE, IFAC affiliate, and Bahrain IET Local Network H. Chair; IEEE Control Society, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS), affiliate member of IFAC, an active IET member, IET– Bahrain Network Honorary X-Chair, X-member of IET EMEA Regional Board, X-member of IET Knowledge Program Advisory, and currently member of the IET TNCC. He has been elected as Bahrain honorary chair for the IEE (earlier) and IET for two sessions; Responsible body for eight IET colloquiums-forums held in Bahrain held during 2008 till 2016. In addition, a responsible body for major symposiums-conferences. Served as the organizing head for the International Conference on (Millennium Dawn in Training and Continuing Education), 16-18th of April 2001. Served as the technical committee head member of IET ICIS-2008 International Conference on Intelligent Systems and responsible body for eight annual IET symposiums-colloquiums in Bahrain. Organized vast number of IET events in Bahrain since 2006 till today. Responsible body for the Annual IET Smart Cities Symposium and the Annual IET-GCC Robotics Challenge. Prof. Mattar has authored many journals publications, conferences, chapters of book, and authored four complete books (three) in Arabic and (one) in English related to Robotics. Computational Skills: (open CV library), Dynamic Programming, (OOP), Optimization, Mathematica, MatLab, Python, LabView, NAG and LaTex.
Dr Chris Brunskill
Dr Chris Brunskill is an expert in delivering innovative new mission concepts. He has a Masters of Engineering degree in electronics and satellite engineering from the University of Surrey and a PhD in space robotics from the Surrey Space Centre. His experience includes leading the development of a programme of CubeSat IOD missions and management of innovative missions for last-mile delivery and responsive hosted payloads for in-space computing and AI. He is now working on solving the next big challenge in space, creating in-orbit assembly solutions to ensure long-term sustainable access to space.
Ashvin Selvakannan
A highly driven mechanical engineer with a strong passion for engineering and a profound interest in developing sustainable technologies. Proven ability to align project objectives with established and emerging engineering paradigms, maximizing operational impact while minimizing resource expenditures.
An avid public speaker with a strong interest in leadership and organizational roles, as well as in CAD design and engineering simulation software.
Co-opt
Bhagvat Joshi is an expert in identifying disruptive technology trends, innovative business opportunities and technology commercialization. He brings a unique mix of international technical and business acumen. Bhagvat’s experience includes strategic planning, policy development, product management, pre-sales engineering, program management and product development as founder, senior manager and individual contributor at: early-stage VC funded start-ups, world-class networking vendors and leading technology and management consultancies in Canada, Silicon Valley, US and Cambridge, UK.