How will you end your 2024 and how will your 2024 end?
How will R10’s 2024 end?
This was a question posted on TikTok and it attracted posting of 318.3 thousand videos (on 17/9/2024), plus many hundreds of millions of views.
In those videos, most acted, some sang, some talked, some joked, some were funny, some were outright boring, and most were hard to comprehend by a baby boomer like me (Generation Gap?).
While I have not seen all of them, I observed most expressed how THEY will END their last day of 2024…
It may be a party of drinking and eating, watching the sunset goes down the horizon, preparing to welcome the new year when the clock strikes 12….
However, I’d rather ask”,
“HOW WILL YOUR 2024 END?”
So, you may ask, “What’s the difference?”
My answer is,
One focuses on the activities on the last day, and the other is about what have you achieved in 2024?”
October quietly starts the last quarter of 2024. Have you reflected on what have been achieved in the last nine months? What are your plans for the remaining 3 months? How much of your 2024 New Year resolutions were accomplished?
As far as IEEE R10 is concerned, thanks to all members, volunteers and leaders, I am proud to say that R10 has achieved much. To put it into perspective, as of 11/9/2024,the number of IEEE members in R10 stood at 167,640, comprising 39.4% of all IEEE members worldwide.
The number of Student Branches (SB), SB Chapters (SBC), and SB Affinity Groups (SBAG) in R10 were even more spectacular. Their numbers were 1,844 (49.2%), 613 (56.3%) and 2,634 (55.9%), respectively, compared to the global IEEE figures.
In total, 10,520 activities of various events have been registered or reported in IEEE vTools, and they comprised 41.4%% of overall IEEE activities.
Visual representation of the aforementioned information is given in Figure 1.
However, retention of the student members, and transition from student members to Young Professionals in R10 have always been an issue that requires significant improvement.
In terms of activities, R10 ExCom and AGM meetings were held in January and March at Okinawan and Kuala Lumpur respectively. The bi-annal R10 flagship event, Students, Young Professionals, Women in Engineering and Life Members (SYWL) Congress was successfully held from 29th August to 1st September at Tokyo, Japan. The event attracted a record-breaking number of delegates (329), from 17 countries, and the event was graced by IEEE dignitaries – IEEE President, Tom Coughlin, IEEEE President-Elect Kathleen Kramer, R6 Director Kathy Hayashi and many leaders across IEEE. In addition, the 2024 R10 Robotics Competition was also held concurrently with SYWL with 10 international teams competed for the prestigious prizes.
It is worth noting that the figure correlates with the percentage of R10 members, that is, over one third of the IEEE activities worldwide. Such activities happened at all levels and OU’s within R10 from Student Branches, SB Chapters, AG’s, Sections, Councils and Region, serving our over 167K members.
During the last quarter of 2024, the three IEEE R10 Flagship events will be held at Delhi (TENSymp), Kuala Lumpur (R10 HTC), and Singapore (TENCON). In addition, activities such as Industry Conclave, Affordable Medical Hackathon, Entrepreneurship, Conference Leadership Program, Section Chapter Symposium, and Student Summit… will also happen during those months.
How will R10’s 2024 end?
My answer – Plenty of successful Engagements and Activities!
Our volunteers have offered thousands of activities, serving the members, and working towards the mission and vision of IEEE – Advancing Technology for Humanity.
To all the hardworking volunteers, we appreciate greatly your dedication and contributions, and thank you in advance for the ongoing programs until the end of 2024.
To all the members, please take the opportunities to participate in the coming events and spare a thought with appreciation of the selfless work by your fellow volunteers.
I wish everyone’s 2024 will end with success, fulfilment, satisfaction and achievements.
Lance Fung
IEEE R10 Director 2023-2024
