IEEE CASS Shanghai and Shenzhen Chapters Joint Workshop (SSJW) 2021
With the ease of Covid restriction in China, the IEEE CAS Shanghai chapter has outreached to the IEEE CAS Shenzhen chapter. Both chapters have jointly organized the inaugural IEEE CASS Shanghai and Shenzhen Joint Workshop (SSJW) held at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) on the 22nd May 2021. The goal is to foster a better working relationship between the students and professors from the IEEE CAS Shanghai and Shenzhen chapters.
The SSJW 2021 event has drawn 13 academic staff and 12 IEEE CAS graduate student members from SUSTech, Shenzhen University, Peking University, and Tsinghua University. At the same time, a total of 6 academic staff together with 16 IEEE CAS graduate student members from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have traveled down to Shenzhen for the joint workshop. Fortunately, the IEEE CAS Society has sponsored the CAS Shanghai Jiao Tong University Student Branch Chapter for the "2021 IEEE CAS Society Outreach for Student Branch Chapters". This sponsorship has greatly subsidized the travel expenses and allows more IEEE CAS student members to participate in this joint workshop.
Fig. 1 (right): Program Schedule of the SSJW 2021.
As shown in Fig. 1, this joint workshop can be broken down into four sub-programs. (1) IEEE CAS chapters presentation, (2) oral presentation, (3) poster presentation, (3) academic discussion, and (4) student activities (Campus Tour).
Fig. 2: Oral and poster presentations by the IEEE CAS graduate members.
Professor Hao Yu, Associate Professors Xiaojin Zhao and Yongfu Li have presented the various IEEE CAS technical activities organized in their respective chapters. The next two parts of the programs are primarily presentations from our IEEE CAS graduate student members on their recently published IEEE CAS conference papers. These programs allow the students to have face-to-face interactions and "Question-and-Answer" sessions. As shown in Fig. 2, the students are presenting their work either in the oral presentation or poster presentations. These presentations allow everyone to understand the recent research development from each research group. During the poster session, the academic staff have taken the opportunity to discuss and share their past experiences in organizing conferences. This program is essential to identify any potential problems foreseen in organizing the IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on Circuits and Systems (APCCAS) 2022. We share the good practices from each other and explore possible collaborations in the near future.
Fig. 3 (right): Associate Professors Xiaojin Zhao and Yongfu Li present the best presentation awards to the students.
In the afternoon session, the students continue to present their technical works. After that, presentation awards are given to the IEEE CAS student members for their outstanding presentation and technical contributions in their works as shown in Fig. 3. Groups photos are taken during the co ee break as shown in Fig. 4 and the students enjoys their campus tour after the workshop as shown in Fig. 5.
Fig. 4: Group photos of (upper) the members of IEEE CAS Shanghai and Shenzhen chapters and (lower) with the student members.
Fig. 5: The IEEE CAS graduate student members from SJTU are visiting the University Town including Tsinghua and Peking campuses in Shenzhen, China.
In conclusion, we hope that through the sharing in the IEEE CASS newsletter, other chapters can adapt and adjust a similar working model to establish joint workshops across the region and globally.
Yongfu Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Wei Mao and Hao Yu, Southern University of Science and Technology, China
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Launch of IEEE Circuit and Systems Society (CASS) Kenyatta University Student Branch Chapter
On May 6, 2021, the IEEE CASS Kenyatta University Student Branch Chapter was officially launched. This is the first student branch chapter of CASS in Africa. The chapter was officially opened by the Vice President of Regional Activities and Membership, Prof. Yoshifumi Nishio. He was representing the CASS to participate in the event. He introduced the IEEE CASS to students and academic staff present and pointed out the benefits of membership, while highlighting the different kinds of support offered to student branch chapters by CASS. He challenged the newly formed chapter to inspire other universities in Kenya and East Africa to follow suit and form chapters in their universities.
In attendance were also the Dean School of Engineering and Technology, Kenyatta University, Dr. Shadrack Mambo. Dr. Mambo, who is also the IEEE CASS Kenyatta University Patron, pledged to support the chapter and liaise with the university to provide all the necessary support for the chapter to grow and conduct its activities. The IEEE Kenyatta University Students Branch Patron, Eng. Nzomo, who was also in attendance promised to take up the challenge posed by Prof. Nishio and to inspire other universities through their management to form CASS student branches in their schools. He also promised support for CASS Kenyatta University chapter and even donated fifty CASS Magazines that he had obtain for being a member of CASS over the years.
The IEEE Kenya Section Chair, Mr. Vincent Egessa gave his remarks and assured the students of the section’s support for the chapter. He outlined the different kinds of support that the section is willing to provide and stressed on his commitment in making the chapter grow and spread to other campuses.
The chapter volunteering team is composed of Dr. Shadrack Mambo as the chapter advisor, Fidel Makatia as the chapter chair, Stacy Kifworo as the vice chair, Allan Koech as the secretary and Antony Gitau as the treasurer. The chapter has already started its activities and members are excited to be part of the CASS community.
Fidel Makatia
Kenyatta University, Kenya