The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Student Branch offers many benefits and interests to students of all engineering fields and backgrounds. The branch is encouraging students to introduce their own ideas for branch activities.

The IEEE Student Branch often hosts college recruiters who have established a business relationship with the branch for the purpose of advertising their company and recruiting college students. Speakers from local companies, who are signed up with the UAH Co-operative Education, usually talk about the company status and encourage students to visit the Co-op Office. Although many major companies have laid-off workers and downsized due to economic circumstances, they are still hiring college students. In past meetings recruiters have shown interests in students who are active members, especially those in leadership roles. Elections for new officers and appointments of committee chairmen are held in March.

Also, the Student Branch would like to announce two $250 cash scholarships for qualifying IEEE student members and prospective members who become active. Many thanks to Dr. Poularikas for his support and generosity. Please visit the student branch website at http://ieee.uah.edu/ for details about the cash award. The Student Branch benefits from tremendous moral and financial support from faculty, IEEE Huntsville Section, and industry.

Students may wish to visit the main IEEE website at www.ieee.org to view the expanse of benefits, scholarships, and promotions. Some promotions include free one-year membership for female students to the IEEE-WIE (Women in Engineering) when they join IEEE. Others may include invitations for free memberships to other chapters including the IEEE Computer Society once a student is an IEEE member. This means not only more magazines and pins to collect for free, but more on-line resources as well. All of these are for a very low IEEE student membership fee, and no other club fees.

Moreover, there is a call for students to participate in the IEEE sponsored Paper and Software competitions at the annual Southeast Conference, the two areas in which UAH has yet to compete. Again, college recruiters look for students who are involved in such hands-on projects and competitions. For students with a creative flair, there is yet the T-shirt design contest. UAH has participated in the hardware competition since 1981, and has won first place in 1981 and 2000. For details on the rules and prizes about the Southeast Conference Competitions, please go to http://www.ee.sc.edu/orgs/Secon2002/. You may also contact Dr. Laurie Joiner, the student branch faculty advisor. She has information about the faculty support for all three major areas of competition.

Dr. Joiner also approves all student membership registrations for on-line and mail-in forms. Mail-in membership forms are available through her, or the student branch, including at the permanent IEEE booth set up at the EB 217 teachers' pod. On-line registration can be done through the website at www.ieee.org.

Other interesting news from UAH - IEEE is that the student branch has been rated as "very active" by Student Services at the National Headquarters since the fall of 2000 with their many technical activities, social activities, and participation at student conferences, including participation in technical and social functions with the Huntsville Section. According to the Director of Student Services, Laura Durrett, the UAH - IEEE student branch is more active with fewer members than the MIT - IEEE student branch which has 200 members. The Annual Report of Activities for the 2000-01 academic year listed nineteen activities for the periods two semesters. The new academic year is headed in the same direction with more innovation to come.

More exciting news is the anticipation of the very first IEEE Student Professional Awareness Conference (S-PAC) in the spring, which will host a number of speakers on topics preselected by on-line survey, available at the student website above. Furthermore, innovative ideas will soon be reality with other student branches, including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, attending UAH Student Branch General Body meetings and presentations via tele-conference.

The IEEE is the world's largest professional technical organization with a quarter of a million members. Student members comprise 40,000 worldwide. So come see us and talk to us about the benefits at all levels, including at the Student Branch. You may also, visit the above websites for the UAH Student Branch and the transcontinental site given above.