IEEE members contribute a lot to the organization. Membership provides volunteers who help IEEE generate revenue and member value through the contribution of their specific skills and labor (editors, authors, conference organizers, governance, speakers, event/activity planners, mentors, etc.). The public visibility, prestige and achievements of our members reflects on IEEE and enhances our brand by association. Also, the greater the number of members, the larger the perceived importance of the organization.

But our members must find value in being part of the organization. Our various surveys show that people are members of the IEEE for various reasons. These reasons may change over time as our member's life situations and needs change. Studies of IEEE membership show that members who are recognized for their accomplishments (for instance being elevated to a senior member), tend to stay. Also, members who engage with IEEE activities in some way, such as being a volunteer in various activities, also tend to stay members. Recognition and involvement give these members a sense of belonging to a community that values their contributions, and that has value!

Many people who would qualify for senior membership, never achieve that recognition. This is often because they cannot find senior members or fellows who endorse their senior member application. This is particularly hard for many members in industry. Not elevating these deserving members is a lost opportunity for the IEEE, and as a consequence, many of these people lose interest in the IEEE and they are more likely to let their membership lapse.

We need to make it easier for qualified IEEE senior membership candidates to find endorsers so we can recognize their accomplishments and keep them engaged in the IEEE. This could be done by asking senior members to volunteer to help others advance and keeping contact information for those volunteers in a database that a senior member candidate can access and connect with. We might also consider lowering the requirement for endorsements for senior members from the current three, to two or even one.

I am planning to have a series of town meetings to discuss issues around IEEE membership and other topics. If you are interested in participating and talking with me about these topics and getting other information related to the campaign, please enter your name and email address in the Subscribe form at Subscribe to Tom's IEEE Page.