IEEE is noted to be the world’s largest professional association. The core purpose of the IEEE is to foster technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. Keeping this purpose in mind, the Power Electronics Society (PELS) is working with many organizations around the world to enhance electronic technology.

For more than 25 years, Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA), IEEE’s Power Electronics Society (PELS) and IEEE’s Industrial Applications Society (IAS) have sponsored “APEC” Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exhibition.  As one of PELS flagship conferences, APEC proves to be a very successful technological event that showcases the strength and symmetry between these three societies.  Working together provides a venue within which we can learn and network with peers, industry and academic professionals, government leaders and students.

The need for energy efficiency and sustainability is constantly in front of us.  Today’s challenges will continue to rely on power electronics technology research and growth. Power electronics technology is crucial to electrical systems, development of the power grid, energy sustainability and growth in the field of power conversion, transmission and distribution.  It is important that the public understand that collaboration across corporations, institutions, countries and societies is essential.  The solutions come from networking with people and crossing the boundaries of multiple sciences linking with the political and financial related issues.

PELS is collaborating with other societies within and outside of the IEEE on many levels.  There are numerous opportunities emerging from PSMA and PEL’s ongoing relationship.  Power Electronics Society’s partnering with other not-for-profit organizations such as universities, corporations and societies like PSMA can create highly successful conferences, tutorials, publications and workshops.

Below are some of the interests PELS has and would welcome the collaboration of PSMA members.

The Power Electronics Society covers wide area of interests within its Technical Committees.  Anyone is welcome to participate in a Technical Committee.  You just need to contact our VP for Operations or the Chair of a committee and express your interest.  The following are the names of PELS seven Technical Committees.  For a more detailed breakdown of each Technical Committee please refer to Table 1.  Technical Committee Chair information can be found on our website.

• Communication Energy Systems (INTELEC)
• High Performance/Low Cost Applications
• Motor Drives and Actuators
• Power and Control Core Technologies
• Power Conversion Systems and Components
• Sustainable Energy Systems
• Vehicle and Transportation Systems

STUDENT COMPETITIONS

PELS financial sponsors for two student competitions: Solar Splash and the International Future Energy Challenge. 

• Solar Splash:  This student competition involves solar/battery powered boats. The competition for 2010 is being held in Fayetteville, Arkansas.  For more information you can go to www.solarsplash.com. Solar Splash will be held June 9 – 13, 2010
• International Future Energy Challenge:  This student competition encourages student teams to design and build prototypes within technical topic areas of power electronics.  The 2011 competition is still being outlined and more information will be on our website within the next few months. PSMA will sponsor an award that is still being determined. For history of past events you can go to www.energychallenge.org

PELS is involved in sponsoring several workshops.  Links to these workshops can be found under upcoming events on the PELS website:  www.ieee-pels.org

• PELS Workshop on Emerging Technologies: Power Converter on Chip
  • Co-sponsored with PSMA
• PELS Workshop in Emerging Technologies: Solid-State LED
  • New
• PELS Workshop on Emerging Technology: Wireless Energy Transfer
  • New, in works

IEEE is seeing increased activity in standards related to Smart Grid and Power Electronics for applications.

The current chair is in need of volunteers to get to meetings where standards are being worked on. 

If you have an interest in development of a new standard or review of a old one please contact
Prof. H. Alan Mantooth
BEC 3217, Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Ph. (479) 575-4838
FAX (479) 575-7967
e-mail: mantooth@uark.edu
webs: http://mixedsignal.eleg.uark.edu, http://ncrept.eleg.uark.edu, http://grapes.uark.edu

PELS has recently launched its new website:  www.ieee-pels.org.  The new PELS website is be state of the art with an interactive forum for Power Electronics Professionals.  Anyone can sign up and create an account.  PELS Administrative Committee Members will be able to maintain their own pages within the website.  Others can submit articles to post and add new information easily by submitting it to us for approval.

Our thanks to VP of Products, John Shen - University of Central Florida; Webmaster, Grant Pitel- Magna Power; Layout Specialist, Adam Pitel – Magna Power; and Web Support, Thomas Monaco - IEEE PELS Staff for doing a spectacular job of putting together this new website and content management system. 

The content management system has several modules as well.  They include:

• Future E-Commerce site for instructional videos and voice over PowerPoint presentations
• Career Forum for Job seekers and Employers
• E-community: Question and Discussion Forum
• Article Submissions
• Live RSS Feeds of news

If you would like to network with other Power Electronics Professionals, we invite you to create an account on our new website, join our Society Group on Linked In or one of the Technical Committee groups for Power Electronics.  We also have a new Facebook page (IEEE Power Electronics Society). These social media arenas allow us to network, ask questions, comment on a discussion, write news or just connect with professionals in the power electronics field.

Provided by Donna Florek, IEEE PELS Executive Office

If you or anyone in your company is interested in getting on the distribution list for future issues of PSMA UPDATE, please send e-mail to: power@psma.com. Be sure to include your name and the name of your company.