IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - October 2019 - 4

President's Message

by Edward Tunstel

Serving as an
Authoritative
Resource

I

t has been a distinct honor and
pleasure to have the privilege of
leading the IEEE Systems, Man,
and Cybernetics Society (SMCS)
during the past two years. Via this
colu m n a nd face -to -face i nteractions, members have heard my
messages suggesting a sharpened
focus on the facet of the SMCS mission that promotes interdisciplinary
as pects of SMC. Moreover, I have
encouraged our establishment and
ownership of the transdisciplinary
aspects of SMC and their enhanced
development and increased application within our technical scope. The
timing could not be more appropriate in this era of scientific and
tech nologica l d iscipli na r y convergence. This has factored into
the Society's operational plan and
strategy among our other important objectives.
To that end, we have focused on
emphasizing the "and" in "systems,
man, and cybernetics" through the
use of consistent messaging (developed by our Promotion and Branding
Ad Hoc Committee, led by Christopher
Nemeth) about who we are, presented
articles in this publication highlighting transdisciplinary research conducted by our members, and opened a
dialog with Society leadership about
the merits of establishing a technical committee focused on transdisDigital Object Identifier 10.1109/MSMC.2019.2934210
Date of current version: 21 October 2019

4

The SMCS also works with the
IEEE Standards Association toward
standards proposals and development. A recent SMCS -sponsored
IEEE standard in progress is the IEEE
P7010 standards project Well-Being
Metrics Standard for Ethical Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous
Systems. It identifies well-being indicators and metrics and establishes a
baseline for aligning data types that
ciplinary research that cuts across and
autonomous and intelligent systems
includes our three principal technical
should analyze and include to proacareas with other disciplines as integral
tively increase human
elements of holistic
well being. The indiapproaches. Activities
cators relate to huwould lead to recurman factors directly
rent special sessions,
a f fect ed by such
workshops, and tus y s t em s. T he pu rtorials at our flagship
pose of the standard
conference as well as
is to enable developeducational content
ers such as program(e.g., books, webinars,
mers, engineers, and
and lectures) estabtechnologists to betlishing the SMCS as a
ter consider how their
leading organization
products and services
for transdisciplinarity
can increase human
and attracting new and
Edward Tunstel
well being based on a
like-minded members.
spectrum of measures that is broader
Bodies of knowledge and technical
than growth and productivity alone.
communities focused on transdisciplinarity exist, and we should participate in
Reaching Out to
them. We have already begun to expand
Research Communities
our horizons in this regard by engaging
Related to industry-focused research
with a number of diverse organizations
communities, we are considering
within and outside of the engineering
stronger affiliations with research
disciplines, including some in the life
conferences that have substantial
and natural sciences and humanities.
We are also devoted to increasparticipation from industry, such as
ing SMCS participation in industhe Conference on Systems Engitry-focused research communities
neering Research. Your thoughts
involving companies large and small
and recommendations are welcome
as well as start-ups. To date, efforts
regarding this endeavor. In addition,
have resulted in a memorandum of
we continue to occasionally include
understanding covering multiple
an industry track or workshop within
forms of collaboration with the Inour flagship conference, the IEEE
ternational Council on Systems EnInternational Conference on Sysgineering, which maintains a strong
tems, Man, and Cybernetics, held
interaction with industry, including
annually in October. We are open to
standards development.
ideas along these lines as well; they

IEEE SYSTEMS, MAN, & CYBERNETICS MAGAZINE O ctober 2019
IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Magazine - October 2019

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