IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 160

STUDENT'S CORNER

Enjoying the Experience Within RAS
By Laura Margheri

s we approach the end of the
year, it is also the end of my
term as chair of the IEEE
Robotics and Automation
Society's (RAS's) Student Activities
Committee (SAC). With that, I want to
take this chance to share with you some
thoughts after two years of active
involvement within the RAS.
I was really excited from the very
beginning of this experience. I started
with a number of ideas and the willpower to grow the RAS student community and its visibility. Striving to give
students the support and opportunities
they need to promote their research
and career through the dissemination
of robotics and automation science and
technological innovation, the two years
have gone fast, and so many things
have happened.
From the beginning of my Ph.D.,
I have been directly involved in leading
activities and the coordination of
research groups with a special role in
the scientific international dissemination and networking. Together with the
activities related to my research project,
I have improved my skills in the organization of scientific international events,
management, and scientific dissemination. These skills were perfectly suited
to my role as student representative to
the RAS and as an active member.
Being the chair of the SAC has
given me the opportunity to meet a lot
of people, from students to leaders and

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2013.2283186
Date of publication: 6 December 2013

160

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

professors. It has also allowed me to
propose my ideas, realize my initiatives, and gain greater visibility connecting with others. The impact is
greater than I ever could have imagined on a professional level as well as in
terms of my personal growth. My professors have become familiar with me
and seek my help and support, asking
for my opinion and support for
requests and proposals.
During meetings, I have also been
able to promote my ideas and share my
vision. It is a way to share the likes and
needs from the perspective of the students and it is very important. There is
also a chance to listen to the leadership
and learn. It is a relationship where each
can learn from the other.
It is very important to have opportunities to share your thoughts-do not
be a passive student within your program, where you are closed in your laboratory or room. By working with
people directly, you can discuss, propose, and defend your thoughts or
change your theories. This engagement
allows for a greater impact on society.
Plus, active networking, innovation,
and interdisciplinary education are fundamental features to consider in supporting your training, career growth,
and professional relationships.
These are all reasons that the RAS is
so important. The Society gives you a
chance to access information, attend
events, and meet and exchange knowledge with robotics and automation
innovators. The best way to really grow
and benefit from the Society is to be
active in conferences and meetings.

DECEMBER 2013

The RAS is full of opportunities for
you; you just have to catch them.
Some of the most memorable events I
attended were organized by the RAS:
the IEEE International Conference on
Robotics and Automation, IEEE/
Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ) International Conference on Intelligent
Robots and Systems, IEEE RAS/IEEE
Engineering in Medicine and Biology
Society (EMBS) International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics and IEEE International
Conference on Automation Science
and Engineering.
As SAC chair, I got involved by sharing my thoughts on appointments, the
involvement of speakers, and scheduling lectures and meetings with leaders
from academia, industry, and government. I was encouraged to serve as a
communication bridge between the
students and RAS leaders. By discussing the students' ideas, problems, and
needs and cooperating with the Society
boards, committees, and working
groups, I hope that my work has created benefits for the students, the future
generation of robotics and automation
leaders.
You, too, can be a part of the RAS by
being creative, active, and original.
"Discovery consists of looking at the
same thing as everyone else and thinking something different," said Albert
Szent-Györgyi de Nagyrápolt (Hungarian physiologist and winner of the
Physiology or Medicine Nobel Prize
in 1937).
(continued on p. 165)

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013