A blizzard seems to be very conducive to sitting down to write, which is the case as I write this. I hope the historic storm we experienced in the last days of January has not affected anyone too adversely. Being confined to the house by weather also allows time for continued planning for an uncertain future. However, things are looking hopeful. These figures below indicate the course of the omicron variant of the Covid-19 pandemic. Expectations for in-person meetings and events remain good.
Some things to look forward to are the LISAT 2022 Conference in May and the EJCLI Engineers Week Seminar Series coming up in February, only a few weeks away, the 16th, to be exact. It takes place at the conveniently located Holiday Inn on Sunnyside Boulevard, Plainview. The registration link for the series is here.
February also brings us Black History Month; a celebration of the accomplishments and contributions that African-American engineers have made. An instructive but by no means comprehensive take is in this video. It is helpful for all of us to remember that the history of Black Americans is unique among our immigrant experiences. Those of us who are not Black have immigrant stories of arriving in America with a few dollars and the Statue of Liberty’s guarantee of freedom. We do not have a forebear’s experience of arriving chained to a deck penniless and naked, being forced to work for no pay and denied the freedoms granted to all others over the span of ten generations. Accomplishment should always be appreciated and honored, more so when it overcomes unique adversity.
As I mention often, the Pulse is seeking to remain relevant in a digital age. Articles of a technical nature are always welcome, as are articles involving engineering ethics, regulations, economics or other related subjects that may be inspiring or instructive to the membership. If there is interest, the Pulse may also highlight Long Island employers with IEEE members as well as individual members. Please send suggestions to pulse@ieee.li. As usual, stay healthy and well.
Arnold Stillman
IEEE Long Island Section Chair, 2022
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