b'Member News July 2023 5Member updatesFrom the PresidentProfessor Bob Cryan CBE DL FREng CEng FIETI cannot believe that I have already surpassed the halfway mark of my Presidency. What never ceases to surprise me is the sheer breadth and depth of what we do as a professional body. As Sir Patrick Stewart said in my Presidential address video, it seems that if it hasnt been made by mother nature, then it has been made by an engineer. Over the past few months, Ive been able tothe IET Engineering Excellence Award toThe final highlight Id like to mention is see first-hand the work that we are doing toProfessor Roger Woods, Dean of Researchthe way in which the IET Council has engineer a better world. I thought Id sharefor the Faculty of Engineering and Physicalsupported my three Presidential themes: a few of my top highlights so far, althoughSciences at Queens University Belfast.inspiring the next generation, mentorship it is very difficult to narrow them down! and engineers as leaders. The level of Now, the first half of my year as yourengagement that Ive received has been Since my update in the last issue of MemberPresident has been spent primarilyremarkable and I would like to take this News, I have had the honour of presentingengaging with members in-person in theopportunity to thank all Council members the A F Harvey Engineering ResearchUK, and remotely with members from particularly the Chair, Ian MacGillivray Prize, which carries with it the significantacross the world. Therefore, Im sure you for the energy that they have put into sum of 350,000. The 2022 winner is ancan imagine how thrilled I was to havedeveloping these themes. outstanding researcher, Professor John C.the opportunity to undertake my first Travers, a professor of physics and Directorinternational trip as IET President at theAs engineers, we collectively make of the Laboratory of Ultrafast Physics andend of April. I visited China and was ablean outstanding contribution across Optics at Heriot-Watt University.to meet so many of you, our members, in- the globe and we really do hold the I was delighted to attend the Northernperson. I was also able to meet with somekeys to the future of humanity. I am Ireland Local Network Annual Dinnerof our fantastic partners, volunteersjust so tremendously proud to be a wonderful evening of celebration withand IET colleagues, who are all playingyour President. I would like to take many members in attendance. It wasa key role in championing Professionalthis opportunity to thank all members, fantastic to see how vibrant and engagedRegistration, engineering excellence andvolunteers, partners and colleagues for the IET is in Northern Ireland. Duringcontinuing professional development toall that you do in making the IET such the evening, I was privileged to presentengineers and technicians in China.an inspirational institution. Council update By Professor IanPhillips BSc CEng FIETOn Thursday, 16 March 2023 Council held its third meeting of the Session 2022/23. Council activity levels are high andaction before the end of the year. Others already the June strategy meeting is inWe also took oral reports from ourwill deliver reports in a more relaxed our thoughts and starting to take shape.own Council Working Parties. Thesetimescale summarising present situations The June strategy meeting is a jointwere formed in October in responseor reporting on wider societal issues.meeting with the Board of Trustees (BoT)to the Presidents themes and other that will conclude the 2022/23 session.outstanding issues. These are:Our 27 members, appointed and elected,Engineers as Leaderscome from many different technical At the Spring meeting we took oral Inspiring Storiesbackgrounds, countries, genders, reports from the three Main Boards Strategy Inputreligions, ages and diversity, and we reporting directly to the BoT: Knowledge Mentorship Pilot Project, andstrive to include the voice of the wider Services and Solutions Board; Membership Globalisation/Localisation. membership of the IET in all of our and Professional Development Board; anddeliberations. Thus, promoting a culture Volunteer Engagement Board. Our roleof inclusion and continuous improvement.is to overview their respective works toSome will deliver Council enable us to highlight issues to the BoTRecommendations in time to be submittedAs always, please do not hesitatethat our different perspective brings. to the BoT and approved for specificto get in touch: council@theiet.org'