The Institute requested IEEE Past President Ray Liu to share parting remarks he made to the IEEE Board of Directors on 21 November on the Meeting Series, held in Washington, D.C.
I need to thank every one in all you to your time, your help, and your imaginative and prescient, as we labored collectively all through the COVID-19 pandemic for the skilled dwelling that we worth a lot. I need to say from the underside of my coronary heart that I’m so proud that IEEE is my skilled dwelling.
I made a decision to pursue the IEEE presidency in 2021 as a result of I wished to pay again the IEEE group, which has executed a lot for me. It has been my pleasure and honor to serve our members.
If you have been to ask me what I worth most about IEEE, I’d say it’s the many alternatives to construct friendships with folks from around the globe who come from totally different cultures, backgrounds, and methods of life. Everyone has their very own distinctive knowledge to supply. I’ve additionally been impressed by IEEE’s core mission: “Advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.” It was the very motive why I got down to be a scientist and technologist.
“If you were to ask me what I value most about IEEE, I would say it is the many opportunities to build friendships with people from around the world who come from different cultures, backgrounds, and ways of life.”
Because I really like IEEE, I wished to show that the group is really numerous and inclusive. I used to be the primary East-Asian president of the IEEE Signal Processing Society. I used to be the primary Asian vice chairman of the IEEE Technical Activities Board. And I used to be the primary IEEE president of Chinese descent. I say this not for my private glory however to show to the world and our members that in IEEE, people from totally different backgrounds and cultures can play a serious function and make an excellent impression.
I’ll treasure my many fond recollections of you. Most importantly, I’ll treasure the friendships I’ve made with all of you. We share a standard technical language, mutual passions, and an expert dwelling that defines who we’re.
We have achieved rather a lot collectively. But the whole lot will come to an finish. It has been a humbling expertise and an honor to work with you. It is time to bid farewell as my time period as previous president has come to an finish. If I can put my ideas into one sentence, it’s: “Old soldiers never die—they just fade away.”
This previous soldier will proceed to contribute to IEEE in significant methods. I’m merely passing the torch to all of you. I’m certain with you; IEEE can have an excellent future.