Standards Committees are the organizations that assume responsibility for a particular standards idea within IEEE by providing technical oversight for the development of the standard and determining the scope and nature of the technical content. Standards Committees for IEEE standards are traditionally IEEE Societies and Committees, although Standards Coordinating Committees (SCCs), the Entity Collaborative Activities Governance Board, and even the Standards Board can sponsor a standard as well.
Recognizing the significant technical and societal trends in transportation electrification, IEEE recently approved the formation of the Transportation Electrification Council (TEC). Set to launch on January 1, 2024, this Technical Council, in a shift from the past, will also be able to directly sponsor standards.
Technical Councils are very much like IEEE Societies, except that their field of interest overlaps with the technical focus of several IEEE Societies and Councils, which are formed by member Societies. This is particularly appropriate in this situation where the new Council will work on and for industry and application, which involves many different electrical engineering specialties. As a member of this society, you will be eligible to be a member of the Council at no cost. Be on the lookout for that option when renewing your IEEE membership for 2024.
In the meantime, you can become a participant of the Transportation Electrification Community, a predecessor organization to the Council. If you still need to do so, you can join TEC by logging on to your IEEE member profile. You can also add this membership to your portfolio by using comp code TECCOMP2022. Joining is free if you are a member of one of TEC’s member societies; you can join TEC when renewing your IEEE membership as well.
As a Technical Council, TEC will have its own independent budget and, more importantly, be able to develop new programs for members, such as local chapters, conferences, symposia, publications, standards, etc. Eventually, this will give transportation its rightful place within IEEE, reflecting the major technical and societal transition we are experiencing with a shift to more electric, if not fully electric, modes of transportation. The Council will cover all modes of transportation (road, off-road, air, rail, water) as well as component and system issues, from propulsion technology to autonomous vehicles and the network they are or will rely on.
If you work in the transportation industry or simply have an interest in the field, please participate in current or future TEC activities, which you can find on the website. Better yet, volunteer and suggest new initiatives, or take the lead in developing programs for transportation engineers, managers, and researchers.
Author: Bruno Lequesne, Chair, Transportation Electrification Community (2019–2022)
