IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2017 - 8

leader's corner

Jessica Bain

more power to the future
Internships and more

TwenTy-Seven yearS ago, I
joined the Ieee Power & energy Society (PeS) as a student member. when
I attended my very first PeS general
Meeting, I met famous professors who
I admired. Many of these professors
wrote the textbooks that I had used
since my junior year in college. I often asked, "I'm a big fan of yours and
I'm curious: who do you learn from?"
I wanted to know who inspires them,
which books they read, and who their
mentors were. People who are the
best at what they do-masters of their
craft-know that they wouldn't have
achieved the success they have if it
weren't for their mentors along the way.
Throughout my 27 years with PeS,
from connecting with professors, publishing my papers in Ieee publications, and searching for internships, to
growing in my career and profession,
I have not only used what PeS offered
every step of the way but also became
a mentor and lifelong friend of many
PeS colleagues.
In 2016, I started serving as the PeS
secretary. I've taken some time to reflect on the many interactions I've had
with members around the world. every
member has different needs. The questions I received the most, particularly
from student members, are "Could you
be my mentor?" and "How can I find
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2016.2620619
Date of publication: 2 February 2017

ieee power & energy magazine

an internship position?" My answer to
the first question is absolutely yes. My
answer to the second
question is "get involved with your local
PeS Chapters and Student Branch Chapters
when you first enroll
in college." Students
n o t o n ly f i n d m o r e
mentors but also have
the opportunity to contribute and network
in person with PeS
professionals.
as the PeS secretary,
I want to build a stronger support network for student members. no one can
say they did it on their own. we've
done so much because someone gave
us strength and helped us along the
way. PeS Chapters and Student Branch
Chapters are local volunteer organizations that meet regularly, often
once a month. as of December 2015,
PeS had 235 Chapters and 175 Student
Branch Chapters worldwide and is still
growing. This support network is the
PeS identity!
Student members can learn more
about PeS Chapters in their local areas
by going to www.ieee-pes.org/chapters.
Chapter meetings provide an excellent
way to meet other power and energy
professionals in local companies where
there may be internship openings. Many
PeS Chapters are involved in outreach

activities and have programs for students
to grease the pipeline for future power
engineers. In addition to
socializing and networking, Chapter meetings
can include technology
demonstrations, invited
lectures, plant trips,
and tutorials. websites
and e-newsletters keep
Chapter members up to
date with local happenings related to power
and energy. awards
and recognitions are
available for Chapters
based on activities or students/engineers
within it.
as I met so many of you in 2016,
we talked about the problems and
challenges that the PeS faces. I have
been reminded that there is a great
power in this community, the power
that we can use to solve problems and
meet the future challenges. My job is
to be your stepping stones, helping
every member succeed. we may play
different instruments, but we are in the
same orchestra.
My PeS mentor and lifelong friend,
Don ramey, filled me with dreams to
predict thunder and lightning 27 years
ago. My brilliant friend and supporter
has made me a better student, a better
engineer, and a better secretary.

As the PES
secretary, I
want to build a
stronger support
network
for student
members.

p&e

january/february 2017

http://www.ieee-pes.org/chapters

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2017