Conformity Magazine - October 2008 - (Page 16)

We continue to work to develop benefits that members can enjoy, and to generate revenue to meet our expenses. In 2003, we attempted to launch a Society Journal, but were unable to establish a sufficient backlog of papers that would support a minimum required count for a yearly series, resulting in the loss of approval from the IEEE TAB. As a substitute, the Society has developed the eDJ (electronic Digital Library) to showcase published papers. Economic Challenges and the Road Ahead As one might assume, the first two years of the PSES were challenging, with a mission to create an international society without any infrastructure or money. We achieved some success, but still had a long way to go. Henry Benitez took over as the PSES president in 2006. His term was known as the financial struggle era. Under Henry, unforeseen changes in how the IEEE TAB allocated publication revenue pushed the PSES to the point of extinction. To combat this, Henry emphasized the need for “quantum improvements” for increasing membership and revenue. Pressure was placed on increasing attendance and revenue from the annual Symposium, since it was the primary source of revenue for the society. After many months of struggle, Henry was able to resolve the problems with the TAB revenue distribution. He also helped established the Technical Committee structure, and brought the Society newsletter on-line, while continuing to hold successful annual Symposia. Jim Bacher followed Henry Benitez in year five (20082009). Under Jim’s leadership, the Society is now becoming a smooth functioning Society. Almost every element within our Business Plan has been achieved. Technical Committees are now functioning, and include Hazard Based Safety Engineering, Functional Safety, Information Technology Equipment, Medical Equipment, National Electric Code, Forensics, and Education. Other Technical Committees that may be established include Consumer Electronics and Appliances, and Industrial Equipment. And, PSES membership continues to increase at a time when most IEEE societies are losing members. As a benefit of PSES membership, the Society’s Board of Directors is increasing its efforts to build a more dynamic virtual community, which saves money and allows for faster, more professional means of operation. The Society web site (www.ieee-pses.org) includes much information, and the “Members Only” section offers many benefits that are not available to the general public. Using ones’ IEEE membership web account and a password, PSES members have exclusive access to technical papers, goods and services, past newsletters, a job networking arena, and the ability to participate in technical activities sponsored by the society, plus significant discounts on conference registration fees, and unlimited access to the listserve emc-pstc@ieee.org, which has been in continuous operation since 1986. Conclusion Since creation of the PSES, support has been received from other IEEE Societies, test agencies and test laboratories, and corporate sponsors. Our sponsors seek to ensure the viability of the Society in all facets of operation, which includes participation in conferences, trade journals, publications and other areas of interest to the product safety engineering community worldwide. For our Society and our Symposium to continue, we need to increase our membership enough to hit critical mass. If you believe that what we are doing is the right thing to do, please join us! Mark Montrose served as the first president of the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society (PSES) from 20042005, and is an independent electromagnetic compatibility consultant. He can be reached at mmontros@ix.netcom.com. Photo 4: Plenary session-first PSES Conference 2004 FAST Link www.conformity.com/2230 Photo 5: 2004 Conference attendees 1 Conformity oCtober 2008 http://www.ieee-pses.org http://www.conformity.com/2230

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Conformity Magazine - October 2008 Contents Editor's Note FCC Releases Annual Report on National Do-Not-Call Registry Commission Cracks Down (for the Fourth Time!) On Junk Fax Marketer FCC Releases Quarterly Reports on Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Greenpeace Ranks Electronics Manufacturers Standards List For The EU’s Energy Consumption Directive Published EU Commission Publishes Standards List for Directives on Pressure Equipment, Pressure Vessels Standards List for the EU’s Medical Devices Directive Available The IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society: The First Five Years ESD Open Forum Improving Election Security and Accuracy: The Future of Voting System Certification Conformity Assessment and Accreditation: Their Role in the Global Market Design Issues in Extreme EMC Environment Focus On... Test Equipment Buyers Guide Product News Updated Standards List for EU Directive on Active Implantable Medical Devices FDA Warns of Effects from CT Scans on Electronic Medical Devices FDA Provides Report Card on Its PMA Review Process CPSC Releases Import Safety Strategy Other CPSC Actions in the News IEC Standards Update Product Reviews UL Standards Update Telcordia Standards Update From Our “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” Department Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - October 2008

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