Career Focus: Software Engineering

Software engineering was recently dubbed the best job of 2011 by career site Career Cast, and magazines like Forbes and Fortune have also extolled the virtues and importance of the field. Heck, even toy company Mattel recently introduced Computer Engineer Barbie to help inspire young girls into the profession.

Six E-mail Mistakes That Can Cook Your Career

While a convenient tool, careless use of e-mail can wreak havoc in the workplace. The more e-mails we send, the easier it is to become overly confident in our mastery of the tool... and to make mistakes. Here are six common e-mail blunders that could cook your career.

Federal S&T Budget at a Crossroads

With pressure building to bring the spiraling federal budget deficit under control and a change in political leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives, Federal R&D spending has become a prime target for congressional budget-cutters.

High-Speed Rail — Have We Missed the Train?

In February, Vice President Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the President's plan to invest $53 billion in high-speed, intercity rail service over the next six years. The Administration calls the investment vital to U.S. competitiveness, but will a cost-conscious Congress think it's worth the price?

NCEES Update: October 2010 PE Exam Results & New Engineering Education Standard

With four administrations of the restructured PE exam for electrical and computer engineers completed, NCEES has made available early results from the October exam. And in January, NCEES also began using a new standard for its education credentials evaluations for engineering licensure candidates.

2011's Patent Reform Legislation

After six years, Congress is once again considering patent reform legislation in the form of the America Invents Act (S. 23). At the heart of the bill is a shift from a first-to-invent to first-inventor-to-file system. But there are many other issues that should also be of concern to technology professionals. What does this bill mean to all of us non-lawyers?

IEEE-USA Announces Dates for Energy and Career Fly-Ins

IEEE-USA has announced the dates for its Energy Fly-In and Career Fly-In this spring. These events give U.S. IEEE members structured opportunities to meet the new 112th Congress.

White House and Industry Leaders Partner to Promote Entrepreneurship

On 31 January, President Obama announced the “Start-up America” campaign, a public-private partnership to celebrate, inspire and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship through the United States.

The 100-Year Starship

Sending humans on an Interstellar flight to colonize far-away planets was a concept relegated to the realm of science fiction until DARPA and the NASA Ames Research Center announced that they were planning the first step in the next era of space exploration — the “100-Year Starship” — needed for a journey between the stars.

IEEE-USA Toolkit

Whether you're a student, just starting your career, or getting close to retirement, IEEE has a wealth of resources to help at every stage of your professional life.

The Changing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Workforce

In remarks delivered to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, NSF Director Dr. Subra Suresh discusses the National Science Foundation's role in helping to revitalize the nation's STEM pipeline.

Engineers Week: So?

Former IEEE president Charles Eldon reflects on EWeek, President Obama's comments on engineers and working together on the "Race to the Top" in education.

Book Review: The Next Decade The Next Decade

The just-published book, The Next Decade: Where We’ve Been…and Where We’re Going (2011), posits that the United States has evolved from a republic to an empire, not intentionally but through circumstances.

Tech Digest

A roundup of news and notable developments in electrical engineering and computer or information technology.

Your Engineering Heritage: Electrical Technology Comes to the Laboratory

Scientific laboratories were radically transformed in the early decades of the 20th century by the coming of electrical and electronic technologies.

Register to Attend Congressional Visits Day

U.S. IEEE members have the opportunity to meet the new 112th Congress on 6-7 April during Congressional Visits Day. During this event focused on federally funded R&D, a coalition of 30 science and engineering groups team up to remind Congress of the importance of basic research.

World Bytes: The World's Population

The United Nations Population Division predicts that in late 2011 — specifically on 26 August — the world’s population will reach seven billion people. Why should that concern us?