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Candidate Statement in support of the nomination of Grazyna Whapshott MIET as an Ordinary Member of the IET Council 2018

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
WHAPSHOTT, Grazyna.  MSc PGCE PGDipCIS CEng MIET FWES

M 1990

Retired, Hatfield, United Kingdom

Nominated by Ian Brooker, Barry Brooks, Hedley J Calderbank, Peter Deffee, Robin Donoghue, Jonathan Higgins, Anthony James, George Kermez, Jinxiu Li, Betty McCarthy

 

I was born and educated in Warsaw (Poland), graduated with MSc in Microelectronics.  From 1982 I continued my career in England as a Lecturer in Electronic Engineering, progressing to a Principal Lecturer in Electronic Engineering at the University of Greenwich until my retirement in 2010.

 I am a member of the IET since 1990 and volunteered at the Kent Committee.  I have continued my IET activities after my retirement, being a Treasurer of the Beds & Herts Committee since 2012.

 

From October 2015 I am a member the IET Council.  I was a member of the Council Working Party in the Building the Image, Perceived Value and Understanding of Engineering (including Diversity) theme.  The report of the theme has been approved by the IET Council and recommended for the implementation in September 2016.  During 2016-2017 I have been a member of the Council and of the Membership and Professional Development Board.  I am familiar with the workings and structures of both these bodies and positively contribute to discussions in both forums.

 

I am delighted to be nominated for the IET Election 2018.  I have a good understanding of the breadth and work of the IET.  I have been a volunteer in many different areas.  I strongly believe in the role of the IET to support and promote advances in engineering and technology, both to men and women in order to provide the career opportunities for future generations.  If elected I will work hard to promote the understanding and coherence across Boards and Council.  As an active member of LN, I will also continue my contribution in promoting IET to the public.  I value your support in electing me as a member of the IET Council.

I would like to add a few personal words to my Election Statement .

I feel that it is very important for the IET to increase the membership of women engineers . I hope that the experience of my professional career would be particularly useful for the IET in encouraging women to study engineering and developing their careers through the actions of the IET and Women’s Engineering Society .

During my professional career I acted as external advisors for the review of  engineering programmes  in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at other Universities , and a  member  of  the WISE  board which provided sponsored campaign to increase the number of women participating in engineering education.

 I am  a  member  of  Women’s  Engineering  Society from 1991 .  During  my active membership  of  the WES  Council  I  served as : the International Co-ordinator, Vice- President , the President and the Honorary  Treasurer  until  my retirement  from the WES Council in 2013 . My work for WES was recognised by the WES Council and I was awarded the Isabel Hardwich Medal in October 2013 . In  November 2013  I was  elected as a Fellow of Women’s Engineering Society .

I strongly support the opinion that engineering is very interesting and rewarding career for women which provides also an international opportunities for professional development and satisfaction .

I will be happy to discuss with any IET members my Election Statement and my personal addition to it .


 

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Ms Whapshott,


    Having already served one term as a Council member and one year on MPD Board, based on the experinced gained what will you do differently if elected.


    Ron McMurtrie
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Dear Mr McMurtrie ,

    please accept my apology for my delayed reply . However at present I am out of England with very little access to the internet . I will fully answer to your question after my return on 11th of March'18 .


    Best regards

    Mrs Grazyna Whapshott
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Dear Mr McMurtrie,
    Please accept my apology for the delayed reply , as I explained in my previous mail . In response to your question “what I would do differently “ I can only say that I will try to introduce new initiatives , on the top of my  involvement with the MPD Board .
    I very much agree with your observation that only a small group  of the IET members vote in elections. One of the reasons could be that the some members have rather limited knowledge and interest in the general IET election procedure . Then they do not vote, particularly if they do not know  Members standing for the election .
    In order to improve this I would suggest and take part in the following initiatives :

    1. all candidates for election should introduce themselves to the members of the Local Networks in the areas they live or work or both . It would enable proper and full discussions between the candidates for elections with the IET members of the Local Networks  

    • all candidates on top of 10 nominations should be endorsed by the Local Network Committees

    Both points could be introduced immediately after the IET Election 2018 and follow in the next elections , assuming that the IET Council agree to such proposals .
    In respect of the MPD Board ( if I am elected) I  would like to extended the work and cooperation with the IET staff  to fully implement the conclusions presented  to the IET Council  in the President’s Theme in the area of Diversity and Inclusivity .

    Best regards

    Grazyna

  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    I have to add the following (below)  to my last  posting :

    “assuming that the IET Council agree to such proposals (and they also receive the approval of the Board of Trustees and two-thirds of the members voting at a Special General Meeting).”


    Sorry ,for overlooking proper regulations .

    Regards

    Grazyna


  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    An interesting propsal, MrsWhapshott, which could well prove another useful in making Candidates aware of Members' views of their Instituiton, especially if the Candidates have no previous direct connection with their LN.


    Ron McMurtrie
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Mr McMurtrie ,

    many thanks for your comments .

    Best regards

    Grazyna Whapshott
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    On your proposal of Candidates raising awareness at the Local Networks, I was reminded as a Council Member in 2009, being party to the framing of a letter to LN Chairmen encouraging their Committees to consider seeking candidates willing to stand for election to Council and Boards.

    The letter included recognition of LN Committees themselves having difficulty in attracting new members, but looked to these Committees to give consideration to Council's request.

    Interestingly there was concern that there would be an oversubscription of candidates. However this did not materialise.


    Ron McMurtrie
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Dear Mr McMurtrie ,
    I am very glad for your reply.I think that you indicate situation which is very familiar to  numbers of Local Networks .

    My suggestion relates to the fact that very small numbers of the IET members known the candidates for elections .

    It is rather late for the Election 2018 but my reasoning can be applied for the following later elections .

    I would see as a “kind of duties” for any members elected to the IET Council or the IET Boards to introduce themselves

    to the Local Networks  near his/her place of work or place of residence .

    So the IET members would meet the member/members of the IET Council and be pretty familiar with her/him and in following elections would know at least some Candidates .

    On the other hand members of the IET  wanted  be candidates  for the IET Elections should start introducing themselves to the members in orders to be known . I think such actions would improve the numbers of voting members as electors will have more knowledge about the candidates .

    Such a knowledge would allow the electors to compare the attitudes of different candidates and the voting numbers could be improved , as the voting would be for the known candidates .
    Kind regards
    Grazyna Whapshott

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