IET EngX® Community Insights

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Spotlight on our Exec team member - Ebrahim Mattar

The first in an occasional series focuses on Dr Ebrahim Mattar , exec team member resident in Bahrain. Dr. Mattar, (Nickname: Al-Gallaf), has followed an academic career pathway. Mattar is currently University of Bahrain Assoc. Professor of Cybernetics & Robotics. Mattar is also a candidate for the full rank Professor. He started his career pathway back on 1986 as he received University of Bahrain BS.c. in Electrical Engineering, he then pursued his studies for MSc. in Electronics in 1988, University of Southampton, in 1994 he was awarded University of Reading Ph.D. in Cybernetics (more on Robotics Control). In 2001 he was selected with 30 others for the Gulf Executive Program conducted in USA, he received MBA from Darden School, Virginia University, USA. Mattar has interests in Cybernetics…

Joanne Longton
HELP! - At Safety Event For Primary Schools

ELECTRICITY CAN KILL! That’s why IET Kent supports the “Safety In Action” event for Primary School children each year. To do this we need YOU to Volunteer. Just give up one day – to give advice to 10 – 11 year olds. We give you a script ( so no deep knowledge of electricity required ) – you work in pairs AND it's fun and rewarding. Safety in Action is organised by Maidstone Council for local primary schools across the two week 2nd June to 13th June 2014 ( 09.00 to 15.00 each day ). It is held at Invicta Barracks Maidstone. Many organisations attend (e.g. Lifeboats, Fire & Rescue, Railways etc). IET Volunteers give electrical safety advice - In pairs, by delivering a 10 minute presentation about electrical safety to small groups of children. ( A Disclosure and Barring Service Check [formerly…

Brian Dury
For women in business, there's no such thing as 'harmless banter'

Roma features in a very interesting article from the Guardian - Women in Leadership Innuendos and sexualised language undermine women's achievements and hold us back from attracting new talent to male-dominated industries, says Roma Agrawal ''I would like to thank the Evening Standard for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to raise the profile of engineering and women in leadership , but next time, let's do it without the p**** jokes.'' To read the article...

Former Community Member
Your Control & Automation Community needs you!

Are you working or studying in the field of Control and Automation? Are you passionate about supporting the community? Do you have 3-4 days per year that you can volunteer to attend committee meetings and organise activities? We’d love to hear from you! The IET Control & Automation Network is seeking professional engineers working in this field to join our Executive Team. By volunteering for this role, you will be representing the interests of the community as a member of the IET and a registrant of the Network and we would like to invite you to put yourself forward for this very rewarding opportunity. What is the role of the Network? The role of the Network is to provide a platform that enables the exchange of knowledge and information amongst the community through a variety of networking…

Joanne Longton
IET Control & Automation Doctoral Dissertation Prize, 2014

The IET Control & Automation TPN invites submissions for the IET Control & Automation Doctoral Dissertation Prize, 2014. The prize recognises the novelty and contribution of the outstanding PhD dissertation in the field of Control & Automation The closing date for submission is 29 th August 2014. The candidates should have submitted their dissertation for a PhD, or equivalent higher research degree, in the field of Control & Automation for examination at a UK university during the calendar year prior to closing date. This is an exciting opportunity to get your research recognised and rewarded by professionals and academic experts widely recognised in the Control & Automation field. You can access the nomination form here . Further details Nirav Chokshi PhD CEng MIET

Joanne Longton
IET Northern California Visits The NIF

Message of the Chairman of the Norcal Chapter: The Institution of Engineering and Technology. (IET) I am delighted to announce the inauguration of the Northern California chapter of the IET with a bang by visiting the National Ignition Facility , the world’s largest and highest –energy laser system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore California. Our special thanks go to our chapter board member Mr. Allan Casey, CEng, MIET, who organized the visit. The Norcal Chapter is also proud to announce that Mr. Allan Casey is an employee of The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The visit was very well organized and the following members and scientists participated: Ben Venktash Allan Casey Stuart Marshall Panagiotis Petratos Jonas Neubert Andrew Manuel Joseph Modro Sheron Wylie…

Allan Casey
CPD Monitoring Scheme – the first review cycle gets underway

We are about to embark on the first review cycle of the IET’s new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Monitoring Scheme . Members of the scheme will receive an email this week inviting them to submit their 2013 CPD records for review. About CPD CPD is the process of developing and maintaining competence; a set of recognised skills needed to reliably perform the occupation of your choice. It’s how you keep up-to-date with current practice; it drives you to improve your skills and progress into new roles and keeps you employable throughout your working life. CPD is a professional obligation for all IET members, as featured in the IET Rules of Conduct . “Members shall keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date through planned professional development and seek to broaden and deepen that knowledge…

Former Community Member
Preparing the IET’s next generation of volunteers for leadership

As an opportunity to provide the region’s engineering students with project management, teamwork and leadership experience, IET Victoria, Australia launched a Young Professionals Section (YPS) leadership programme. The brainchild of long-term IET Victoria committee member Denise Lam, the YPS leadership programme was launched this summer at the State Library in Melbourne, Australia. Running between six to eight months, participants are paired with a mentor from the YPS committee and develop their soft skills whilst helping to organise and run events for the YPS of IET Victoria, Australia. The aim is to see the students learn the skills necessary to successfully manage projects and how to apply them to their studies, but also hopefully bring fresh blood onto the committee. YPS succession planning…

Former Community Member
''Rebel Toy Company Launches New Quest to Turn Princesses Into Engineers''

NEWARK, California — When GoldieBlox tried to launch its line of engineering and building toys for girls, Lindsey Shepard says she heard one thing over and over from the rest of the toy industry: “Girls don’t want them.” It seems that someone forgot to tell those girls. In the past seven months, GoldieBlox has raised more than $285,000 on Kickstarter, garnered millions of views for a video about its toys (thanks in part to a brilliant re-imagining of the Beastie Boys’ song “Girls”), pre-sold more than a million dollars’ worth of products, and parlayed that groundswell of support into winning a contest for a Super Bowl commercial slot. Its toys are stocked by big retailers like Toys R Us and Target, even expanding into the United Kingdom and Australia. And now, it’s filming the follow-up to…

Former Community Member
Manchester From the Air

30 fascinating aerial pictures of Manchester city centre from the 1920s, 30s and 40s http://t.co/xrmNsJpb6l pic.twitter.com/RW06j5SJiG — Manchester News MEN (@MENnewsdesk) April 3, 2014 Thought I'd share this tweet in relation to old photos taken in the 20s, 30s, 40s, of Manchester from the Air. Can't believe how much pollution there is in some of the images.

Deborah-Claire McKenzie
And Then There Was Light...!

It always takes me at least a week to adjust to the clocks going forward, as they did last weekend. Avid readers of this blog will know that I’m solar powered and, as with all solar powered devices, am affected by levels of light. Darker mornings = harder to drag myself out of bed, lighter evenings = still buzzing at 11pm when I really should be feeling sleepy... It does help that orientation of my house is East-West so I wake up in the East side of the house to the rising sun. Although in Mid-Summer I’m usually woken up around 4.30am as the sun rises and streams in through the window! During the winter months our electricity consumption increases partially due to the fact that we need our lights on for longer during the day. Those of you, like me, with modern 50W tungsten halogen spotlights…

Lisa Miles in Optoelectronics
Amazon Set-top TV Box To Rival Apple And Google

Technology giant Amazon has launched a set-top TV box to compete with Apple TV and Google Chromecast. Called Amazon FireTV, the new hardware allows users to stream TV shows and movies from Amazon as well as other services such as Netflix directly to their TVs, but uniquely for a set-top box it also comes with a game controller, allowing users to play video games without a console, instead using the box to stream the game to their TV. Amazon announced that a large number of the games available will be free to download, but this will cost an additional $40 to have alongside the set-top box, which started shipping from yesterday for $99. At the launch in New York, Amazon's Peter Larsen said, "We need to invent and simplify on behalf of customers. State of the art power in the service of simplicity…

Lisa Miles
How To Apply For Student Technician Registration

The IET launches new guides to support students, universities and employers with industrial placement years, helping to align the skills and experience of graduate recruits with the needs of businesses looking to employ them. Technician professional registration for students - a pathway to professional registration following completion of a year in industry. Read more... View the literature

Former Community Member
Recognition Evening

Mersey & Western Cheshire Network recently held a Recognition Evening on 20 March 2014 which was hosted by Barry Brooks , IET President. The event recognised those members who had been recently registered for CEng, IEng and EngTech, plus recent election to Fellow and also those members who had either recently moved into the Network area or joined the IET. An IET Education Award was also presented to Dylan Thomlinson . In addition to the ceremony there were also presentations from John McDonald , Deputy Network Chairman on the organisation and work of the Network and Matt Wilson, Chairman, Telecoms Cloud Limited on how he’d personally benefited from being an IET member. Feedback from some of those attending the event indicated that they’d found it to be worthwhile and informative and an excellent…

Deborah-Claire McKenzie
David Lindsley from Teddington hands over to Cathryn Walton

At the IET London – Teddington event on Tuesday 5 th March 2014, Davy Thielens (Chairman of the IET London Network) formally gave thanks to David Lindsley, parting chairman of the Teddington branch of the London Network, for his contribution to the IET and the IET London Network Committee. David has been actively involved with the IET for over 30 years and a member for over 50 years. It is volunteers such as David that ensure the IET is able to organise events for our local communities tailored to their local interests and needs. Local Networks would not exist without such volunteers. As an entrepreneur, lecturer and even novelist, David managed to find time to play an integral role in starting the Teddington branch and soon became Chairman. The Teddington branch is now a well-established part…

Davy Thielens
Re-thinking the build process

“The building industry is one of the most polluting and inefficient industries out there,” says Hedwig Heinsman of Dus. “With 3D-printing, there is zero waste, reduced transportation costs, and everything can be melted down and recycled. This could revolutionise how we make our cities.” Article in full: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2014/mar/28/work-begins-on-the-worlds-first-3d-printed-house

Former Community Member
Our new East London Network branch to launch their first event on the 24th of April!

Good news! The new IET East London network will be hosting it's first talk at 6:30pm on April 24th, at Queen Mary University near Mile End in East London. https://localevents.theiet.org/register.php?event=61bd3b East London has been an engineering powerhouse for hundreds of years, home to everything from the first tunnel under a river to today's leading software companies. Bi-monthly IET talks will cover the most exciting developments, starting with the starting with the secrets of the underground railway network operated by Royal Mail between Whitechapel and Paddington. To illustrate how topical that is: the Time Out published the attached days after the event was posted on the website. Coincidence?? The series of talks will cover modern developments important to the region, such as major…

Davy Thielens
Teddington: Wed. April 2nd Optical surface topography: CANCELLED

Unfortunately this event has had to be cancelled. It is hoped to reschedule it later.

Robert Heaton
Presentations To Students At TAR University College In Penang, Malaysia

Exec member, Lim Yew-Kee, has been extremely busy recently presenting a series of talks, sponsored by the IET Manufacturing Technical and Professional Network to University students in Penang. Details of just two of these talks are below. The 1st Technical Talk was delivered on the 18th December 2013 and was entitled Understanding of Electrical and Electronic Product Development. A second talk was requested by the lecturers and student committees (1st and 2nd year) from the School of Electronic Engineering at TAR University College in Penang, Malaysia and this was delivered on 18 th March 2014 on the subject of "Electrical and Electronic Product Development with Additive Manufacturing (AM)". Here, Lim Yew-Kee tells us more: “My presentation was focussed on Additive Manufacturing (AM) its flexibility…

Joanne Longton
Scottish Widows Recognises Engineering as a Commendable Profession

You may be pleased to know that Scottish Widows Professional Mortgage - A mortgage exclusively for professionals - now recognises Engineering as one of the commendable professions . Read more...

Former Community Member
Railway Engineers Forum - Combined Events

Please click here for details of the latest combined events list for the Railway Engineering Institutions/Organisations.

Deborah-Claire McKenzie
Approaches To CPD – By IET Members

We recently asked some of our IET members to tell us about their approach to Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Here’s a little taster of what we found out: What motivates you to continuously improve your skills and knowledge? "I think it’s because I apply the constant drive to want to improve things to myself as well, which I think is appropriate as I’d be a hypocrite if I only expected others to change!" Sean Moules CEng FIET "My motivation for CPD comes from a desire to continuously learn and to keep up with modern technology and changes in engineering standards and practice. Every engineer has something new to learn from the outset of his or her careers to retirement." Eur Ing Andrew Dodd CEng FIET "I have never been the sort of person who works simply to earn a wage (although that…

Kathryn Bain
Successful Negotiations: Seal The Deal That Works For You

Negotiating is something we do all the time both at work and in personal situations. How confident are you in achieving the outcome you want? My friend Rebecca pulled off a successful negotiation with a market trader recently. Admiring some small bay trees priced at £6 each, she noticed a well groomed larger bay tree for sale at £90. Turning to me she said, within earshot of the sales assistant, “That would be lovely in my garden.” “I can give you a good deal on that bay tree if you’d like?” the sales assistant interjected. Quick off the mark Rebecca replied with “It’s not that bay tree I’m looking for a discount on, can you sell me two of your smaller trees for £8?” Without hesitation, the sales assistant agreed. Do you usually ask for what you want out of a situation? If not, consider this…

Kathryn Bain
Teddington: Wed. April 2nd Optical surface topography

19:00 for 19:30 start: Surface topography measuring instruments have resolutions of the order of nanometres, even picometres in some cases but what about accuracy? Hear from an expert, Professor Richard Leach, read more ...

Robert Heaton

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