40 Fall / Automne 2017 IEEE Canada at Sections BY CHRISTOPHER WHITT THE RECOMMENDATION PROCESS IS an important (and perhaps under- appreciated) component of each Sections Congress. It is a key opportunity for vol- unteers to voice their ideas to IEEE staff and leadership for improving our experi- ence as members. In 2014 I was a primary section delegate for Canadian Atlantic Section. I partici- pated in a section brainstorming session several months before Sections Congress, and then dove into the discussion at the spring region meeting where we selected the top suggestions from the region to go to SC2014. It was very exciting that one recommendation from our section was a top-voted recommendation three years ago. This time around it was a different ex- perience as I helped at the regional level to collect and refine recommendations from all 21 sections. Proposed recom- mendations were gathered from sections before the spring Region meeting in late April. At the region meeting, section and region volunteers discussed, debated, and re-formulated many ideas. All three of the recommendations were reviewed and accepted by the MGA Oper- ations committee to be included in the final list of 16 recommendations for vot- ing in Sydney. Our top three recommen- dations related to improvements in vol- unteer tools (vTools), ensuring equitable Fellow elevation opportunities for mem- bers from industry, and increased collab- oration between industry and academia. It was fascinating to see the process all the way through from beginning to end: brainstorming in my section; debating at the region meeting; and finally having many informal conversations in Sydney with the highest levels of IEEE volunteer leadership. I was impressed by the pas- sion and creativity brought to the process by many individuals. However, the most significant observation was that leaders at all levels of the organization are engaged with the recommendation process, and good ideas don’t get lost even if they aren’t voted into the top three. ...Continued on page 45 Recommendations development process With the theme, Brilliant Minds, Bright Futures, IEEE Sections Congress 2017 was a shining example of how a volunteer organization renews itself at the grassroots. IEEE Sections Congress, sponsored by the Member and Geographic Activites (MGA) Board, is a triennial global leadership conference to provide section leaders with training, skills and resources to better meet the needs of their section members. It also provides many op- portunites for networking. Through the recommendations process delegates have an opportunity to influence the development of future goals and priorities for IEEE. This year, 1250 attendees represented 165 countries and over 300 sections. They heard keynote presentations, attended workshops, tutorials and panel discussions. There were also short five-minute mini sessions, meant to acquaint listeners with topics and inspire a desire for more information. In the exhibitions area, delegates could view and try out many of the numerous IEEE tools and resources available for members. IEEE Canada’s contin- gent including primary (voting) delegates from all 21 sections, plus an additional 12 second- ary delegates. Also attending was our Executive Committee, so that together with representation from the sections, a BoD meeting could be held prior to the start of the first Sections Congress sessions. The day after Sections Congress concluded, IEEE Canada held a full-day strategic planning session focusing on priority areas: Support for WIE, YP and students; increasing relevance with industry; and conference planning and delivery. More detailed information on the strategic planning session is provided on page 43. Video recordings of many Sections Congress sessions are available from: https://ieeetv.ieee.org/event-showcase/sections-congress-2017