Bi-Monthly Newsletter
ISSUE: February 2026
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REGION 6 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
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Dear Region 6 Volunteers and Members,
As we look toward the 2026 IEEE Sections Congress in Glasgow, Scotland, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the relentless energy you bring to the Western United States.
From the success of our recent Joint Meeting in Mesa to the inspiring innovation seen at the Rising Stars Conference, it is your “grassroots” leadership that defines the strength of our 35 Sections. Sections Congress is our triennial opportunity to ensure the voice of Region 6 resonates at the global level. As your Director, I am committed to bringing our top recommendations to the floor—focusing on how we can better support our local chapters, streamline our volunteer tools, and continue leading the way in students and young professionals, humanitarian technology through initiatives like Rising Stars, GHTC and SusTech.
Let’s use the momentum from this year’s awards and milestones to refine our collective vision; I look forward to working with our Section Chairs to ensure that the unique needs of our diverse region, from Alaska to New Mexico, are championed on the world stage this August.
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🎉 Congratulations to the 2024–2025 IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu Key Chapter Recipients! 🎉
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On December 9, 2025, the IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu key Chapter recognition celebrates Chapters that demonstrate excellence by participating in activities identified as best practices of successful Chapters. This includes completing CORE ESSENTIALS such as Annual Chapter Reports, officer reporting, and maintaining updated Chapter information, along with active engagement in Chapter and outreach events.
🏆 We are proud to highlight the IEEE Region 6 Key Chapter recipients who have gone above and beyond in representing HKN’s ideals of scholarship, character, and attitude:
🌟 Delta Omega – University of Hawaii, Manoa (IEEE Hawaii Section)
🌟 Epsilon Beta – Arizona State University (IEEE Phoenix Section)
🌟 Gamma Sigma – University of Utah (IEEE Utah Section)
🌟 Iota Gamma – University of California, Los Angeles (IEEE Los Angeles Section)
🌟 Kappa Psi – University of California, San Diego (IEEE San Diego Section)
🌟 Lambda Beta – California State University, Northridge (IEEE San Fernando Valley Section)
🌟 Theta Kappa – California State University, Fresno (IEEE Oakland-East Bay Section)
A well-earned recognition for all members, officers, advisors, and department leaders—thank you for your commitment and impact! 👏
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🎉 Congratulations to the 2024–2025 IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Chapter Recipients! 🎉
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On February 19, 2026, IEEE Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN) proudly announced the approval of 30 university chapters as recipients of the 2024–2025 Outstanding Chapter Award (OCA). This prestigious award recognizes excellence in chapter activities and service and will be formally presented during the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association Annual Meeting on March 21, 2026, in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. The Outstanding Chapter Award honors approximately the top 10% of IEEE-HKN chapters worldwide for their exceptional performance between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. This year’s selection was highly competitive, with nominations from 280 chapters around the world.
🏆 Recognizing the IEEE Region 6 Outstanding Chapter recipients for their remarkable contributions and commitment to HKN excellence:
🌟 Delta Omega Chapter – University of Hawaii at Manoa (IEEE Hawaii Section)
🌟 Iota Gamma Chapter – University of California, Los Angeles (IEEE Los Angeles Section)
🌟 Iota Upsilon Chapter – University of Washington (IEEE Seattle Section)
🌟 Kappa Psi Chapter – University of California San Diego (IEEE San Diego Section)
🌟 Lambda Beta Chapter – California State University, Northridge (IEEE San Fernando Valley Section)
🌟 Zeta Omega Chapter – University of California, Irvine (IEEE Orange County Section)
Congratulations to all chapters for your outstanding achievements. We look forward to seeing even more chapters shine next year! 👏
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🌎✨ Cross-Region Collaborations Driving Impact
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📅 On March 25 – 27, 2026, the Monte Vista High School team from Cupertino, CA (Region 6) had a remarkable experience at the 2026 IEEE GreenTech Conference in Boulder (Region 5), where they showcased ClimateInformer, an innovative educational tool they developed to bridge the gap in global climate literacy. Under the mentorship of Art Depoian and Christopher Sanderson, the students successfully navigated the transition from the classroom to a professional international stage, presenting their project to a community of leading sustainability experts. This regions collaboration provided the team with high-level technical feedback and real-world networking opportunities, underscoring the power of IEEE mentorship in empowering youth. By highlighting ClimateInformer at such a prestigious venue, the students not only shared their vision for a more informed public but also demonstrated the critical role that early-career innovators play in tackling environmental challenges.
🌎 In a separate engagement, Joseph Wei reaffirmed Region 6’s support for the 2026 Rising Stars LATAM conference in Quito (September 4–6, 2026), during his address to the IEEE Region 9 Meeting. Building on the success of the Region 6 Rising Stars Conference in Las Vegas, he emphasized the program’s impact on advancing students and young professionals across the Americas. Joseph also introduced the America Digital AI Conferences in Mexico and Chile, encouraging Region 9 to collaborate in this digital‑transformation effort to strengthen connections between industry and IEEE’s technical community.
Continuing a meaningful tradition, Region 6 and Region 9 Directors exchanged their regional apparel—Ignacio Castillo received the iconic Region 6 Hawaiian shirt, while Joseph Wei received the Region 9 60th Anniversary hooded jacket.
💡 Together, Region 5, Region 6, and Region 9 are creating opportunities, building connections, and empowering the next generation of leaders.
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IEEE MOVE-3 Truck on Display at the First Annual American Red Cross (ARC) Southern California Regional Logistics/Disaster Services Technology (DST) Summit
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The IEEE MOVE-3 truck was setup and on display at the first annual American Red Cross Southern California Regional Logistics/DST Summit held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the Southern California Regional Headquarters in San Diego, CA. The summit was held from 10 am – 3 pm and attended by about 80 ARC members from throughout the Southern California region.
DST Chief Bob Birch gave an introduction of the IEEE MOVE program and how it supports disaster relief. IEEE MOVE member Bill Torre provided overview of the IEEE MOVE program mission and objectives. He also provided details about the IEEE MOVE-3 truck capability for providing power and communications to Red Cross shelters to support disaster relief. Both Bob and Bill encouraged other regional ARC officers to utilize the capability of the IEEE MOVE truck. Bob provided contact information for the 24-hour duty phone so that all the ARC regional officers could contact make requests for the IEEE MOVE truck for disaster relief in Southern California. After this presentation and prior to lunch, a tour of the truck was provided. IEEE MOVE members Steve Kurtzman, Danny Briggs, and Fred Curtis answered questions to attendees at the truck. Their support in setting up and take down of the display was greatly appreciated.
🔗 Read more about the impact of IEEE MOVE GLOBAL: https://bit.ly/47pM5Mr
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2026 Annual Affinity Group Face-to-face meeting
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The annual IEEE MGA affinity group face-to-face meeting on March 6-8, 2026 brings together global leaders from groups like Young Professionals, Student Activities, Women in Engineering, and Life Members to align on strategic organizational goals. These sessions focus on fostering cross-regional collaboration, sharing successful local initiatives, and developing programs that enhance the professional experience for members worldwide. By participating in workshops and networking events, volunteers strengthen the leadership pipeline and ensure that IEEE’s geographic activities remain impactful at the grassroots level. Region 6 Young Professionals takes pride in it’s involvement in this meeting as we ensure that our members benefit richly from well trained, well informed and enthusiastic volunteers.
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IEEE Congressional Visit Day (CVD) 2026
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On March 17 and 18, 2026, IEEE-USA brought total 377 IEEE members — from across 33 states — travel to Washington, D.C for Congressional Visit Day—an impactful opportunity to engage directly with members of Congress and the Senate on critical science and technology priorities.
Participants advocated for stronger federal investment in key innovation-driving agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, DOE Office of Science, Department of Defense basic research, and NASA. In this event, IEEE emphasized the importance of strengthening the U.S. technology workforce through high-skilled immigration, supporting policies such as the Keep STEM Talent Act to help retain top global talent educated in the United States.
👏 A powerful example of IEEE members working together to advance technology policy and innovation at the national level.
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Global Semiconductor Alliance and IEEE Photonics Society Present “Bridging Silicon and Light: Innovations at the Intersection of Semiconductors and Photonics”
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The Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA) and the IEEE Photonics Society partnered, on March 18, 2026, to present a panel on “Bridging Silicon and Light” at the OFC (Optical Fiber Communication) Conference in Los Angeles, California, bringing together leading voices across the ecosystem to explore advancements in silicon photonics and the technologies enabling next-generation connectivity.
The discussion was organized and moderated by Avery Lu , Senior Director of Program Development & Interest Groups at GSA, who also serves as Chair of the IEEE Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section and Dr. Fotini Karinou, Principal Hardware Architect – Optical Technologies, Azure Hardware Systems & Infrastructure at Microsoft, who also serves on the IEEE Photonics Society’s Board of Governors, with senior experts from NVIDIA, Coherent, Broadcom, GlobalFoundries, and Tower Semiconductor, offering valuable insights into the convergence of silicon and optical innovation. The recording of this session can be viewed in this link.
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IEEE Milestone Recognition for Xilinx
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March 12, an IEEE Milestone for the Invention of the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) was dedicated at AMD in San Jose, CA. This event celebrated the fundamental tech industry changes enabled by this 1984 invention, which was launched by Silicon Valley startup Xilinx. As explained by former Xilinx Fellow Steve Trimberger, the FPGA enabled software-programmable hardware – but it took many years for Moore’s Law to allow this revolutionary device to totally change the hardware industry. IEEE officers Kathleen Kramer and Brian Berg, and AMD officers Lisa Su and Salil Raje officiated at this event. At its conclusion, a bronze IEEE Milestone plaque whose citation describes Ross Freeman’s FPGA invention was unveiled outside AMD Building 1 in San Jose, CA.
For further information, read here: Milestone webpage
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Stay Connected with IEEE Region 6!
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Looking for updates and the latest activities across our region? Our LinkedIn page is your go-to source to stay informed, engaged, and inspired—right as things happen.
🚀 Follow IEEE Region 6 on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ieee-region-6/
From exciting events and conferences to leadership opportunities, awards, and member spotlights—there’s always something happening across our vibrant community.
👉 Follow our page to:
✨ Get real-time updates on events & conferences
💡 Explore career and leadership opportunities
🏆 Celebrate member achievements as they happen
🤝 Stay connected with engineers and innovators across the region
Don’t miss out—stay up to date and be part of the conversation and the impact!
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STRIDE: IEEE Region 6 Graduation Stoles Program
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We are excited to announce the launch of the IEEE Region 6 Graduation Stoles Program for the upcoming graduation season! Undergraduate and Graduate Student members across Region 6 are invited to share their IEEE journey and experiences for a chance to win an IEEE graduation stole to wear proudly at their commencement ceremony. This program celebrates your achievements and highlights the impact of IEEE students and young professionals throughout our region. Join us as we celebrate this momentous milestone for the IEEE Graduating Class of 2026! 🎉
📝 Application form here: https://lnkd.in/gpB7uWhv
⏰ Applications are due by 8 April 2026, 11:59 PM (PDT).
🔎 More details can be found on the Region 6 Student Activities Committee and Young Professionals Committee Website and Socials linked below!
🌐 Websites:
🔗 https://site.ieee.org/r6-students/opportunities/graduation-stoles-program/
🔗 https://r6.ieee.org/yp/
📸 Instagram: @ieeer6yp, @ieeer6sac
💼 LinkedIn:
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ieee-r6-yp
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ieee-r6-sac
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Call for Nominations: 2026 MGA Awards
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IEEE Volunteer Leadership Training (VoLT) Program
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🚀 The MGA Training Committee is pleased to announce the launch of the 2026 Volunteer Leadership Training (VoLT) Program. The VoLT Program invites volunteers who have a desire to continue growing as IEEE volunteers, and lead their local units, to complete the program’s prerequisite courses, and to apply for the program.
📅 The program starts in early September and ends in early December. During the program, participants will attend weekly virtual webinars, focused on a variety of leadership topics. Some of the webinar topics covered will be: Time Management; Stress Management; Leadership Skills; Dealing With Difficult People; vTools; and Collabratec. Participants will also be encouraged to connect with a dedicated mentor, to guide them through the VoLT experience. And to help with any academic or career concerns they may have.
🎯 Applications will be accepted from 1 May 2026 through 30 June 2026.
📌 For complete application requirements, please review our Application Checklist.
If you have questions about VoLT, please feel free to reach out to us at: volt@ieee.org.
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Interested in the IEEE Rising Stars Conference
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📢 We’re sharing key dates to keep in mind for next year – The IEEE Rising Stars Conference will take place January 2–4, 2027.
✉️ Interested in attending? Be sure to sign up for our mailing list to receive the latest updates as details are announced in this link.
🤝 The IEEE Rising Stars Conference is powered by dedicated volunteers—many of whom were past attendees! Want to get involved and be part of the team? We’d love to have you.
📝 Fill out the interest form below, and we’ll reach out in March/April:
🔗Application form
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SusTech 2026 Program Announcement
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📢 The 13th IEEE Conference on Technologies for Sustainability (SusTech 2026) will take place in person with remote access at the Hotel Zessa, a DoubleTree by Hilton™, 201 E MacArthur Blvd,, Santa Ana CA, from April 19-22, 2026. The conference is designed to explore development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. SusTech brings together scientists, engineers, technologists and scholars from multiple disciplines to hold a dialogue on environmental issues and collaborate on ideas to develop and utilize innovative tools and intelligent systems to address the need for Sustainable Infrastructure. This year’s focus is on Climate Sustainability.
📝 Registration is open – Early attendee rates end April 10.
🔗See the SusTech 2026 Registration page for details on fees and options.
📅 See the SusTech 2026 Program pages for details. Four day program with workshop, poster contest, receptions, dinner, technical presentations, keynotes and plenary talks and panels.
This year’s conference will also include a YP Networking Night on April 20th, a great way for young professionals to unwind, meet each other and the Region 6 Young Professionals Committee!
For more information, check the website: https://ieee-sustech.org/event/sustech-2026/
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2026 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference
Call for Papers
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📢 The IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference 2026 is now accepting submissions!
Join a global community of researchers, practitioners, and innovators working to develop technology solutions for underserved communities worldwide. This year’s theme, “Technologies in Context,” highlights the importance of designing solutions that reflect real-world social, cultural, and economic environments.
📍 Location: University of Colorado Boulder, USA
📅 Conference Dates: October 7–10, 2026
📝 Submit your work by April 29, 2026
We welcome contributions from academia, industry, government, and nonprofits across areas such as:
💡 Healthcare & well-being
🌐 Education, communication & connectivity
⚡ Water, food & energy access
🌱 Climate resilience & disaster response
🤝 Community collaboration & humanitarian engineering practices
Whether you’re sharing research, case studies, or field experiences—this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact through technology.
🔗 Learn more and submit at: https://ieeeghtc.org/
Let’s work together to advance technology for humanity 🌍
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Booking Now Open | IEEE-USA Bahamas Cruise
(Oct 5–9, 2026)
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IEEE-USA is excited to announce that booking is now open for the 2026 IEEE-USA Bahamas Cruise—a unique opportunity to network, learn, and relax in a truly unforgettable setting.
📍 Sail Details
🚢 Carnival Glory
⚓ Port Canaveral, Florida → Nassau & Celebration Key
📅 October 5–9, 2026 (4 days)
💰 Starting at $575 per person
This cruise blends professional development with exploration and connection, offering IEEE members and guests a chance to engage with peers while enjoying beautiful destinations and a relaxed learning environment.
🔗 Book your spot today: https://bit.ly/4ascfAf
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IEEE New Initiatives Program
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The New Initiatives Program is designed to support potential new IEEE programs, products, or services that will provide significant benefit to IEEE members, the public, the technical community, and customers, or which could have lasting impact on the IEEE or its business processes. Initiatives must be of strategic importance to IEEE.
📍Details on specific procedures for the submission can be found here.
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Announcing the next Call for Proposals Deadline for EPICS in IEEE – 1 May 2026
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Call for Student-Driven Community Engineering Projects! Students are encouraged to submit proposals that drive local community impact by designing and deploying engineering solutions that meet their communities’ technological needs.
📍Check out the Call for Proposals for more information!
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Please follow Region 6 LinkedIn page for real-time updates
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